I bought this gun online knowing it might be drilled in the top strap due to having a Bushnell scope and scope mount already installed. Due to the price and my desire to add a model 17, I pulled the trigger. It's in surprisingly good shape and even has the original numbered grips. It in fact does have hole through the strap. I was going to buy a good holster for it and carry it on the farm for varmints and such. What do you fellows say? Carry it and love it or leave it to range duty only?

Go out and use it.......take a kid with you also.
Beautiful gun BTW ....I'd have bought it

__________________
Paul
S&WCA #2726

What weatherby said.

I use them all. Just not sure yet if I should put the holster and "bumping around "in the truck or tractor type wear on it due to the desirability and value of these now.

+1 for what Weatherby said. S&W K-22/17s are the greatest 22s ever manufactured IMO. I grew up with one and it was handed down to me by my father for my 18th bday and I still shoot it today. Congrats on your new acquisition, go enjoy it.

I would wax and handle it carefully. If you have another gun for bumping around duty I'd use that one, but cased in your vehicle I suspect it wouldn't get too dinged up.

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

The previous owner certainly took great care of it finish wise.
unfortunately the hole in the top strap does irrevocably take it out of collector grade status. IMHO
It is now a very high grade shooter value and desirability wise.

I'd take care of it as best you can but use and enjoy it as you had intended.

__________________
Paul
S&WCA #2726

HArd to tell from the one pic but are you sure that isnt the factory rear site fwd screw hole ?
Maybe looks a little larger than original but IIRC the 17-2 screw location was right above the forcing cone like that , 17-3 relocated the screw location slightly fwd otherwise they are pretty much the same .

Whats the joy of carrying around such a cool gun worth to you? I'm guessing a lot more than what $ value the gun "may" lose. You aren't going to live forever. Just don't throw it at anything if you miss. :0

Honestly, blanket statement here for anything other than true collectible, lets say you have a $800 gun? Get as much fun as you can from it. After many years it's a $700 gun, if you are unlucky. Take that depreciation chance. Bang bang bang

__________________
Just hanging with my dogs

That looks to be the rear sight screw down hole, but does look just a little bit larger than normal. Does the screw holding the rear sight on on the top look larger than normal? Possibly, if it had a scope on it at one time the recoil may have sheared off that screw, (holding the weaver base on) and a gunsmith drilled out the broken screw and re-tapped it for the next larger size to hold the rear sight.

__________________
H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Shoot it and enjoy!

No. It isn't the rear sight screw hole.

I don't miss

I've come to the conclusion that I have way more guns than I can possibly put any serious wear and tear on with my casual field, range and plinking use. And furthermore, I believe there will be zero dollar depreciation on our nice S&Ws. Of course when given proper care. Therefore alwaysoutdoors, go out and shoot and enjoy that beautiful K-22.

__________________
I'm gonna grow fins.

I was never going to not shoot it! I shoot them all as that is what they were made for.

If I was in your position with that one I would pull the original grips and put on a not so nice replacements for tractor duty. A good holster will minimize bluing wear. My dash 2 had the bluing on both sides of the barrel worn so badly that it was spray painted ! Got a great deal on it (once I pointed it out to the dealer) and removed the paint and used cold blue on it for the moment. It is a very good shooter and when I am done spending money on other things I intend to have it correctly nickeled.

__________________
Stay safe people!

That is one handsome farm revolver. As you are bush hoggin , turn down by the creek and shoot some targets. That mowing gets boring real soon. Enjoy it.

__________________
Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Great idea Mike! I'll have to do that myself.

__________________
Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

Dad had two Ruger .22 pistols. The first, a Mk I rode under the front seat of his farm truck from 1960-61 until he died about seven years ago. The other, a standard model, lived in a desk drawer at the house. The truck gun's blue is thin, but it is actually in better condition overall than the house gun.

Get a good rug, NOT made of plastic, use and enjoy your 17. Make it your life goal to wear it out. Take care of it and maybe your great grandchildren will wear it out, but you likely will not.

Enjoy,

Jack