I have a mint S&W 1917 that I believe was remanufactured by the military at the Springfield Armory based on my knowledge(not an expert). Is someone expert that I could provide all marking etc info to give me a definitive opinion? THANKS

I have a mint S&W 1917 that I believe was remanufactured by the military at the Springfield Armory based on my knowledge(not an expert). Is someone expert that I could provide all marking etc info to give me a definitive opinion? THANKS

Post some pictures. Why do you think it was reworked at Springfield?

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Gary Grace
S&WCA #1837

Because as outlined in "Man at Arms" articles in some detail, it has the same 5 digit number on the cylinder, frame/cutout, crane, and barrel bottom in addition to what I thinks are the original assembly numbers and SN's in appropriate locations. All original markings are sharp and present except the acceptance mark which I think I understand was typically removed when redone? This is the only S&W 1917 I have examined in detail and would like to get an experts thoughts. THANKS

Most of the ones I've seen are in their original blue. If they were reworked , they were usually parkerized.

I think the 1711 is the original assembly no. and the 19370 is the 5 digit no. added during refurbishing by Springfield Armory.

According to the articles refinished revolvers "usually have a professional-appearing blue-black finish and show signs of a light and careful polish". "the finish was evidently applied directly over the case-hardened parts".

I have a similar 1917. Original issue number 72,7XX and then also has stampings exactly like yours in appearance "3634" in the same locations that you have indicated. Trigger and hammer are also blue. I would love to think that this was an arsenal job. Any experts out there care to comment?

Norwich Cadet - I looked in your profile but you do not have an email address listed. I would like to read the information from "Man At Arms" but could not find it on their website. Please post the information here or send it to me at my email address listed in my profile. My additional number stampings definately look like they were added at a later time than the original SN. Thank you.

Here are images of my "possibly" Springfield arsenal refinished 1917. The hammer and trigger are blued and the brushed finish suggests a government contract job instead of a quality commercial restoration and re-blue. All of the major parts have the new number stamped on them. Has anyone else seen 1917's marked like this?

Nice looking 1917, oonin.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Funny thing, today I got this 1917 and it has similar marks on it. Mine is sn 32960. I have never seen one with these marks either. Aside from the second set of numbers, it is all matching.
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Mine is marked on the barrel flat, the yoke, the yoke cutout on the frame and under the extractor star on the cylinder.

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Gary Grace
S&WCA #1837

How does the finish on the rest of the gun look? Are the trigger and the hammer blued? Can you post some pictures? Thanks.

It has been re done at some point. The trigger and hammer are case colored.

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Gary Grace
S&WCA #1837

The man who wrotethe part two article on M1917 revolvers in the 2/2000, 22nd volume of Man At Arms was Dick Johnson. In it he describes in detail the markings on refurbished 1917. Does anyone know who Dick Johnson is and how to contact him? The first article, Part one, was written by Charles Pate-I have his book but it does not include how to get in touch with him.

I'm reading this thread with interest as I have a S&W 1917 that should be arriving on Wednesday.

Are these extra numbers that you guys have pictured assembly numbers or rebuild numbers? There must be an authoritative answer out there somewhere....

Thanks!

JD

Mine arrived and is a beauty! Proper #s and no added rebuild numbers. I'll post a picture in the appropriate thread probably after the holidays once I get the time to sit down with my digital camera (and once I remember how to post pics).

JD

Here is a portion of the Man of War article: “A third category of reworked M1917 revolvers are those returned to Springfield Armory. …the author has concluded that those handled by Springfield Armory can be positively identified. Consider the following evidence: A sizable group of revolvers exists with one or more sets of numbers in addition to the serial and butt numbers. Those observed usually have a professional-appearing blue-black finish and show signs of a light and carefull polish. Notably, the lettering and some of the tool mark patterns remain, while the Rampant Colt has usually disappeared. As with the “AA” reworked revolvers, the finish was evidently applied directly over the case-hardened parts. If the Colt factory was contracted to work on these revolvers, it is reasonable to expect that they would restamp the Rampant Colt as they did on the commercially refinished revolver described earlier. The firm has always been keen with regard to advertising.
The revolvers under consideration are stamped with an additional two-, three-, four-, or five-digit number. Four-digit numbers are most commonly reported: “1000” through “9999” represent the statistically largest series. This number is located in the crane recess, on the inside surface of the crane, on the rear of the cylinder(under the extractor), and on the bottom of the barrel. When it has been possible to disassemble the revolvers, the number was further found on the hammer, trigger, and ejector rod, although it does not appear inside the sideplate where the serial number was placed during original production. From this discussion, the reader can conjecture that such M1917’s are the ones returned to Springfield Armory, even though they bear no “SA” stamp. Compelling support is provided by the Springfield Armory document stating a requirement for small steel number stamps for the repair process because “…Revolvers are not interchangeable and parts must be stamped when disassembled…”(Pate, p. 68)”

I contacted Charlie Pate, author of one of the Man of Arms articles and the outstanding book "US Handguns of WWII" He is about as expert as you can get. Here's what he said:

"Mr. Cadet, your message on the above subject was forwarded to me. I'm sorry to say I cannot add to what was published in my article (1999 issue of Man At Arms) and, more importantly, that of Dick Johnson (February 2000 issue). As noted in my book and further discussed in Dick's article, the Springfield Armory did "clean & repair" many S&W and Colt M1917 revolvers after World War I and it is quite possible that those in this series of posts are some of those re-worked there. But to my knowledge there is no way to really document this. As noted in one comment, the post WW II rebuilds were typically parkerized rather than being reblued and I don't see why those done by Springfield before WW II were not as well, but, again, it is possible that Springfield used a blue finish. Arms rebuilt after WW II also had an identifying mark to show where the rebuild work was done but I'm not aware of that being done before WW II. I doubt there was a reason to add this mark since Springfield was the only facility I know of rebuilding revolvers then. I am confident that if the pistols were refinished by S&W the hammers and triggers would not have been finished in blue and adding additional numbers was not done by the factory in any of their post war rebuild work for the Army that I have seen."

Thread resurrection just to show how great this forum really is! My latest acquisition (early 1917) had these same numbers in the same places discussed above and it was driving me crazy wanting to know why. Now I find out I'm not the only one with such a gun...and also that it appears it was rebuilt by the Springfield Armory. My gun had matching serial numbers (2632) in all the right places but it also had "6202" stamped in 4 places also in a larger font.
The rebuild doesn't bother me since it just shows this gun has character and had travelled a bit. Also the "GHS" is missing on my gun (just like on one above).
Mystery solved.

Thanks.. Roger