I am interested in the S&W 617 22 REVOLVER and would like to hear from anybody regarding accuracy and reiiability of this firearm.Where might I find the best price? Thanks Neil

They are great guns. To find one, I'd keep an eye on the classifieds here. Prices have been steadily increasing, both due to the demand, and the fact that once people find one, they're not likely to sell it! My no dash makes every range trip with me.

I have three. A no dash 4", a no dash 6", and a dash 2 6" 10 shooter with aluminum cyl. All three are extremely accurate out to 50+ yards. Shoot well at 100 yards too. You will pay extra for a no dash, especially a 4". Deals abound, and you will find several missing the original combat grips. They are $150 to, yep, I have seen real pretty ones for $400. Very fine S&W product that will shoot as well as any M17 or pre M17 ever made. I.M.H.O. anyway. Big Larry

I have a 6 shot 17 6" barrel. great gun. A couple of chambers in the cylinder are tight and are hard to eject, but its very accurate. I will buy a 617 10 shot when I find one. Great gun, seem to be going for 6-800 dollars.

Here's what mine looks like.

I am looking under every rock I see for a 4-inch barrel too.

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My first new S&W was my 617 no dash with the long 8 3/8ths inch tube. Wow, it is one fine shooting revolver and does normally hold tighter groups than my 17-4 and 1950's era K-22's.

Even the new ones are great .22's, though the 4 inch barrel length is nearly "unobtanium" these days. Snap-up a six inch and you'll be happy.

I bought a new one from Bud's about a year ago. I simply love it and it goes with me to the range every time I go. I looked for a used one,
but I couldn't find one any cheaper than the new one I bought. My
617's accuracy is amazing. Hope this helps.
Dave

I use my 617 and model 41 semi-auto for pistol classes. great shooters.

As noted they can be accurate guns. However they also have a reputation for being ammunition sensitive, which means you'll have to do some experimenting to determine what ammo is the most accurate.

I have a 6 inch no dash 6 shooter and to date my best group was 2 inches at 35 yards for 24 rounds from a bench rest. Ammo used was Cheap Winchester Xpert HV from Walmart and it's a pretty dirty shooting ammunition. Chamber fouling becomes a problem at about 50 rounds downrange and when that happens it can be difficult to get fresh loads fully seated in the cylinder. Then it will start misfiring because all the first strike does is finish seating the round. IMO most of the misfire problems with any 22 are likely due to fouled chambers. Because of this I only use the Winchester when I'm in the mood to see just what I can do in terms of tiny groups.

Usually I like shooting the Federal copper washed bulk ammo because it is a very clean shooting 22. Don't have any issues with chamber fouling or misfires. Downside is that it isn't quite as accurate as the Winchester. Best effort to date at 35 yards for a 24 round aggregate is 2.75 inches. That really isn't that bad but it is a noticeable difference, so the Federal is used mainly for casual plinking or working on speed drills.

Now, in all fairness I have to tell you that some of the 22 semi's can put the 617 to shame. That time that I scored that 2 inch 24 round aggragate I was feeling pretty darned good about how I was shooting. Until an older gent sat down in the next booth over and pulled out a Browning Buckmark equipped with a scope. He then proceeded to shoot 3/4 inch groups at the same distance. Since I was shooting with a 2 MOA red dot I really don't think that scope made that much of a difference, IMO it was a case of a superior gun in the hands of a superb shooter. Quite simply, those Brownings have a lot going for them in terms of accuracy and I understand why they have such a loyal following. While the 617 is very good, there are handguns that are more accurate, so they aren't King of that Hill. However, revolvers don't jam and semi's in 22LR can be incredibly picky about what ammo they will feed reliably. In additon, I find revolvers a lot more enjoyable to shoot.

I finally bought a new 617 as all the used ones I could find were priced so near to new price. It is a great shooter, one of my favorites.

Here's mine, a 617-1 that I picked up used at a show about 5 years ago. I paid $550 for it then, expect to pay considerably more now for a 4" 617 of any vintage.

Mine is as accurate and reliable as any handgun I've ever fired. I've easily put 20,000 rounds through it since I purchased it. I have no idea how many rounds were fired from it in the 13 or so years between its manufacture date and the day I bought it.

Mine is not all that picky when it comes to ammunition. Accuracy ranges from superb to unbelievable. Over the years I've fired the cheap Federal bulkpack from Walmart, Federal Game Shok high velocity ammo, CCI standard velocity, and CCI minimags. Presently, I'm shooting CCI standard with the gun. It's reasonably clean burning for .22lr and as accurate as anything out there.

Here's a good measure of how accurate this gun is. My wife owns a Model 41 with a 7" barrel. This is a gun of legendary accuracy. She's a fine shot with it. I'll sometimes have an informal competition with her. At 10 and 15 yards I can stay with her round for round. At 25, she has an advantage, but it's slight.

Definitely buy this gun! Don't flinch at the price, you'll more than make it back in the cost of cheap .22 ammo, and the gun will not lose value over time.

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I spent way too much time looking for a 4" 617. Finally picked up a new one this week, new at fir feather and fin in ohio for 680sumthin.

Just find the one you want and get it. It will make you smile.

Shoots better than me, initial quality is very good, great cheap trainer for any center fire you may have.

I' try to put up a pic of my new friend and his big brother no dash 686.

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I have a 6" that I bought a few years ago. Wish I would of got a 4".

I picked up a 4" 10 shot recently. It came from an individual on a website in my state. I paid $625 for it, but it came with a target hammer I sold on this site for $40, so I've got $585 in it. It was practically new, so really anywhere around $600 +/- I think is alright. Fantastic accuracy- about 3" upsupported at 20 yards with Remington bulk pack. For my shooting, that's pretty good! I have no doubt that playing with different ammo and shooting supported would produce incredible results (but 3" at 20 yards is plenty for me). For the best price, keep an eye on any local gun classifieds on the net. If you simply can't wait, go gunbroker.

It's kind of like buying an old 39A. You just don't regret it.

Watch this Forum daily. I found a 4" 617 being sold within an hours drive and didn't hesitate. But I stress checking daily. A popular gun at a fair price will not last long. And as far as ammo, the Federal Bulk Packs are the cheapest, shoot well and are quite clean. FWIW, Cabelas has the 375 pack on sale for $ 9.99 each and 50 cent shipping on orders over $ 99.00.

Thanks for all the positve input. Im starting my 617 search now.I have some other shooters in my arsenal including two Hi Std Supermatics and a S&W 41. My interest in wheel guns came about when I purchased a Smith 625 45acp. Love that gun.

To me the 4" 617 is the perfect all around .22 handgun. Low maintenance, reliable, outstanding at the range or in the woods. Plus, as someone else mentioned, it is the perfect companion to the full lugged K and L framed centerfire revolvers.

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Get one.
I love my 6" 617 (10 shot). I also spent some time looking for the right gun and mine appeared when I was not looking for one.

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NRA Certified Instructor & RSO

dd698,

If you already have a couple of Hi Standards and a 41, you may be dissappointed with the accuracy of the 617. As noted by a previous poster, many of the semi-autos are more accurate than the 617. I have both guns and feel that the 41 is indeed more accurate and I can shoot it better than the 617. That said, the 617 is an excellent gun, and a great choice for that "revolver experience".

kas

get one....you wont be dissappointed

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

The best 22lr revolver money can buy.........go for it!

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One day at a time