You all may remember I picked up a commercial 1917 a few months ago, which turned out to be a great shooter. I have put probably 300 or more rounds of mild, cast lead 230 grain hand loads through it, shoots dead on, deadly accurate. Picked up a reproduction holster for it as well.

This revolver sat on the shelf at my favorite gun shop, Classic Firearms in Virginia Beach for months until I talked myself into buying it. I think even Digi-Shots came close to buying it. I normally save my gun buying money for M&P's, police marked revolvers, etc.

Anyway, I sent off for a Smith and Wesson letter a month ago, and recieved it today. It reads:

"We have researched your Smith and Wesson .45 Hand Ejector Model of 1917, Commercial Production Variation revolver in company records which indicate your handgun, with serial number 181398, was shipped from our factory on May 24, 1930 and delivered to Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles, Ca. The records indicate that this firearm was shipped with a 5 inch barrel, blue finish, butt swivel and checkered walnut grips. This shipment was for 25 units, they were ordered with grooved back straps and triggers. They were billed at $21.90 each."

Here's a pic:



So, I get a good .45 shooter and a police attributed revolver as well! Now of course, I'll have to get an LAPD patch, some old period style handcuffs, Highway Patrol holster, etc. to go with it. I am guessing it was a Highway Patrol revolver, as I can't see street cops lugging around a 1917 revolver.

As you can see, the original grips are long gone, but I like the modern Magnas for shooting. I will probably try to find a pair of 50's vintage diamond Magnas, as they look better than the blonde Magnas that are on it. A pair of original grips are probably pretty pricey.

I consider it a shooter as I believe it has been refinished, and there is an odd bit of pitting underneath the muzzle that probably kept any serious collectors away from it. That and the lack of original grips is probably why it languished on the shelf for so long...

Anyway, it has found a home and I'm a happy camper!

Great story and congratulations on the provenance. You can pick up a repro set of 1917 grips here...

grips

I bought a pair a while back. Pretty good repros and certainly less expensive than originals.

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Pace

In the film "The Grapes of Wrath" from 1939 there's a scene in a migrant camp where a police officer shoots at a fleeing "agitator" and hits a woman instead. After Tom Joad (Henry Fonda) knocks the cop down, the character played by John Carradine picks up the revolver and unloads it before flinging it away. It can clearly be seen as a 1917 when the two half-moon clips fall from the the cylinder. Later, another cop described the gun as a 45.

I always assumed this was a prop mistake since no So. Cal. agencies carried 1917s. Apparently I was mistaken and some CA cops did have them.

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No life story has happy end.

Very nice gun!

It's hard to read the letter, but if it really is a 5 inch barrel NOT a 5 1/2" that would make it quite a piece.

From your photo it "looks" like a standard 5 1/2 but.....

Dave

.44 Dave,

The letter says 5", barrel measures 5 1/2", barrel serial number matches frame. I don't know how to explain the descrepancy. Hmmm...

It may have been re-barreled at some point and had the original serial number placed on the barrel?

Or an error in the shipping data...

Thanks. Best guess is a typo in the letter.

Especially since cyc # matches.

Great piece with a nice history!

Dave

Hi:
I had heard that up to the 50s LAPD used .45s.
I thought that the Colt New Service Revolver in .45 Colt caliber was used. It seens that Model 1917s in .45acp also.
Perhaps both Smith and Wesson and Colts were used.
I know that when LAPD went to .38s with six inch barrels both S&W Model 14 and Colt Officer
Model Matches were used (issued).
Jimmy

T,

Very cool! I never would have figured it went to the LAPD!

Linda
S&WCA #1965

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Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

Now that's why getting a letter can pay off occasionally! Great story and thanks for the post,

Jerry

That history is beyond cool. Congratulations!

David Wilson

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David Wilson

When my dad joined the LAPD in 1946, regulations dictated a Smith or Colt chambered for the .38 Special. My dad carried a Colt New Service .38 Special until he switched to a S&W Outdoorsman. My dad told me he wished he could have carried a .45, which was the LAPD norm prior to WWII.

Neat gun. You don't see many older guns that letter to LAPD like that. I think officers (on LAPD and many other departments) mostly bought their own guns in those days.

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John

I carried a 1917 as a deputy sherrif. My next cop gun was a M27 converted to a 6 1/2" .44 Special. I also carried a 6 1/2" 2nd model HE that was converted from .455 to .45 Colt.

The heaviest revolver I ever carried was a 5 1/2" Ruger Redhawk .44 Magnum. THAT one was heavy!

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

That "5 in barrel" is obviously a typo in the letter. Roy is famous for typos! Send it back and he will send you a new letter with the 5 1/2 correction, no charge. Many law enforcement agencies in So. Calif. and other western locations, prior to WW2, carried .45 cal. handguns, both revolvers and Colt 1911s, especially in rural areas. You never knew when you might have to put down a 4 legged varmit, as well as an occasional 2 legged perp, and a .45 would do it.

It took months?

That is a really nice looking revolver for being that old. I try not to allow myself to be interested in pre-war S&Ws, but I would have had a very hard time resisting that one. A nice picture, too!

Before the Tupperware revolution lots of us carried N-Frames as street cops. A 6" HP or 5" HD or M27 weighs as much as the same gun in .44 or .45.

I used to carry a 4" HP on my belt and a 1917 in a shoulder holster on stakeouts. Yes, they were heavy, but at least they were balanced.

That is a nice 1917. I may have the grips you're looking for, depending on how an auction turns out this afternoon.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

I especially like the fact that it letters with "grooved backstraps". That's the only 1917 I have ever heard of that had that feature. It was usually found on target guns.
Thanks for sharing.

Roger

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Eph 2:8-9

Very cool. I have to get some letter requests sent off....

Canoeguy,

I did some searching on the LAPD and they did have a Pistol Shooting Team in the early 30's and still do. Might be an interesting research project.

Linda
S&WCA #1965

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Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

Digi,

That would make sense that this revolver may have been used as a target piece. It is extremely accurate, sights regulated dead on at 25 yards to slay the X-ring. Beautiful trigger and smooth action, I wouldn't be afraid to participate in a PPC or Bullseye match with it.

It amazes me how well regulated fixed sights are on Smith and Wesson revolvers. Not always the case with other brands...

I have found an LAPD patch to go with it....

Whats the chance those 1917s were ordered for motor officers?

A forum member e-mailed me to post a picture of the grooved backstrap, I count 6 grooves. Apparently, he has a 1917 with grooved backstrap as well, and wishes to compare:



That is the best picture I can get with my 1997 vintage digital camera. I need a new digital SLR....

I don't think the 1917 weighs all that much. Look at all the people that carry a 686 everyday. I would be perfectly comfortable with a 1917 on my hip.

Muley Gil is also about 6' 1". Handy to be when you like N-frames. Us smaller guys would have listed to starboard had we done that.

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S&WCA 1729

canoeguy, By chance I also have a 1917 commercial with groved backstrap that letters to LAPD. It still have the original grips and finish. It lettered I think in a shipment of 25 revolvers that shipped to a Capt. Wooton, LAPD. I am presently at work. When I get home I will check the serial number and letter. I think mine was also shipped in 1930 probably in the same shipment as yours. Jim

Badge 107,

Pretty exciting! I'd like to see a picture of yours, then I could recognize the correct grips if I ever see a pair.

Do you shoot yours?

Canoeguy

The grips on mine are the standard service grips (checkered with diamond without S&W medallian). There are photos of this grip on the forum. No, never shot mine. I tried to research Capt. Wooton LAPD and never found anything. My thinking was that the order for only 25 revolvers was most likely for a newly formed motor or mounted group of Officers. I do not think it was for competition shooting being that the sights are fixed.

Smith & Wesson and Colt .45 revolvers were standard issue to the LAPD durng the 20's and 30's and well into the 40's. All guns were shipped to the Academy, usually to the Commander of Training Division (rank of Capt). Guns were ordered in small lots of 20-30 (same thing in the 70's and 80's) because the Dept only ordered what was needed. Guns were re-issued when officers retired or left the Dept (you can only buy your weapon from city salvage when a new model is introduced). There was (and is) lots of leeway on what can be purchased and carried, in addition to the issue revolver. And the LAPD had one of the 2 or 3 best pistol teams in the old days (it still is a contender in state and national PPC matches). The teams to beat then were the LAPD, Detroit and the Border Patrol, who were at each other's throats at Camp Perry in the 30's.
Bob

OK I got around to checking my letter. I had some things wrong. The serial # on mine is 179996 which is 1402 numbers difference. Mine shipped to LAPD on May 13, 1929 and yours shipped May 24, 1930. Mine was also a shipment of 25 units at a cost of $22.15 each. Shipped to LAPD care of a Capt. Hodson.