Or, the Colorado Gun Collector's Show, is always good. The competitive displays are amazing and I did not leave empty handed. Can anyone help narrow down it's birthday? Serial # 108316.

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No letter prefix on the serial number? Looks as best as I can tell in the pictures like a British service revolver or possibly victory model?

US Model 1917, .45 ACP, N frame with too short of a barrel to be a British Svc Rev.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Google for the serial # look up site for military firearms. I’m not at my computer.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

1918 is as close as I can get. It does not have the concentric grooves on the hammer or the dished grips of the early guns shipped in 1917.

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Mike H

According to this website, Sept 1918.

U.S. Military Dates of Manufacture

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Thank you for the help with the birthday. Who knows, maybe I acquired it on its birthday ! Sorry about the ****** cell photos, they do not do it justice.

I have wanted to add a 1917 to my collection for years, but the intersection of (my)price and quality was very elusive. I really didn't trust this piece at first glance yesterday, but I had the "4th Edition" in my pack, so after review, the piece ticked all the boxes it needed to for me. It even took less than half the cash I had brought to the show, so I had to do it, of course.

It was a great show. Even if I do not leave with any hardware I always learn something, meet some neat people and see amazing artifacts at this show.

Thanks, Bob

Looks like a real nice one there, Bob. I blew up the picture as much as I could but can't tell for sure:
Is that a flaming bomb in the uppermost right rear of the left side of the frame? The alternative would be GHS.

Anyways, it's so good to hear someone with something positive to say. Heaven knows we get enough reports from our forum's Debbie Downers!

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You're shy a few manners.

The Colorado show is one of the better ones. Did they have all the back room also open? Just wondering how much the Covid hurt it.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

That looks like a beauty for sure. 1917’s sure look the part.
Would be had to go to that show and not come home with something.When I lived in Colorado it was my favorite.

Flaming bomb present. The eagle just above the trigger made me suspect at first. But, the "4th Edition" clarified the potential for the profusion of inspector's marks and this mark includes an S3, which is apparently correct.

After almost two years of delay the show was moved to Colorado Springs. I would say Saturday attendance was just a little light, but the displays, vendors and atmosphere were all outstanding.
My banker even approves of this acquisition! Range date tomorrow.

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I went to a local gun show yesterday. Bought 2 lbs of powder at $35 a pound. No primers, lots of reloads, brand name hunting ammo They were asking $ 2 to 2.50 a stick. Lots of brass and a few bullets and a lot of overpriced guns.
My old gun show partner for the last 40 years who left for Kentucky two years ago is doing the Colorado show this weekend. Told Me last night He sold $75 worth, but scored some monster trades.

At this show the Thursday/Friday horse trading amongst vendors is supposedly legendary.

As with most shows the buying/selling/trading among the dealers prior to opening the show is where the real money is made for a lot of them.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I see TeamPB's post above has a photo of S&WCA member Bruce Mower's outstanding display of S&W Pocket revolvers, just a small segment of his total S&W collection ! The S&WCA Symposium in Tulsa, OK, is coming and Bruce will have another award winning display of rare S&Ws. ( Bring your own bib, as drooling on his guns is frowned upon) . Ed

You are right, the Colorado show is a class act. I think I may have picked up your revolver and pondered on it. I really enjoyed the show and I think they had more vendors there than they had in the last couple of shows in Denver.
I have left a lot of money in Colorado, but I fooled them this year. I drove five hundred miles and didn't buy a thing to talk about.

NOW FOR THE COOLEST PART OF YOUR POST.

In your third picture I'm the gray haired guy in the upper left corner with my friend from Albuquerque. We meet at Colorado, Tulsa and the Missouri collector show. I'm the one with the green shirt. Great fun, who would have thought.

The sad thing about the pictures is the fact that 99% of the folks are gray haired and well over 60 by their looks. No enough young folks are involved.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I have to agree that it seems like the younger crowd doesn't seem to have much of an interest in collecting firearms, especially the older milsurp stuff. My twin boys are 36 and have been shooting their entire lives but neither has much of an interest in collecting, especially if they have to pay for it. They each have several firearms that were gifts but only one of them has actually purchased a firearm on his own. I bought my first firearm around the age of ten and have been collecting ever since.

Same at my end. Grandkids want stuff given to them. Only my Granddaughter has bought a firearm, a revolver for self protection.
I too, got my first firearm at the age of 10 and it has been buy,sell and trade ever since!

AJ

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Yay! I might have to agree that catching you in a photo is cool and if you handled the piece which won me over, that is equally cool. I think I am starting to look forward to next year.

AJ and 67tempest,

Yes at 60 years of age I might have been in the younger half of the attendees. That said, 20% of the attendees were youngsters!

Personally and anecdotal only: I shot and bought firearms for 20 plus years and then stopped for 25-ish years. School, work, travel, bicycle racing and ten years of motorcycles, then, about six years ago boom (literally) I came back. I kept 8 family pieces during my years in the wilderness, including a 25-2 I bought about 1977 with money I earned pumping gas. I now have seven classic S&W revolvers amongst many other pieces. I would only, with the greatest of respect, suggest that you never know when the passion will arise in your respective youngster's.

The S&W M1917 went to the range today. I don't write reviews. It was accompanied by three other revolvers; a 19-3, a 686plus and a Colt 3 5 7. They are all very good guns, but the 1917 is great gun! As accurate and functional as the day it was made, wow!