Range day with a "new" 8 3/8" M617-1

Oregon45 · #1 02-09-2018, 03:19 PM

Recently acquired this S&W M617-1 with the somewhat scarce 8 3/8" barrel. The 617-1 has all of the features I wanted in a 617 and none of the annoying features--forged hammer and trigger, factory drilled and tapped--and no lock or MIM parts. It's also a bit smoother than the 617 no-dash I used to have that had the trigger and hammer flash-chromed.

I've got an IHMSA match this weekend so I headed to the range today to get some sight settings. The long sight radius and typically S&W-light single-action trigger made getting the sights dialed in easy. Didn't shoot any groups but am planning on doing so after the match this Sunday.

Anybody else liking the long-barreled S&W .22's?

75Vette · #2 02-09-2018, 04:06 PM

Oooooh, dirty pics! Love it!

I don't shoot .22 but sure have fun trying to knock down those steel critters. Have yourself a ball this weekend and good luck!

pittpa · #3 02-09-2018, 05:28 PM

Must be heavy with that tiny bore, surely the heaviest of the K frames with that lug, too. I have a 25-9 and blue 17-2 with long barrels. Like my 6" 617 though.

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lscocoa · #4 02-09-2018, 06:10 PM

That's a good one . My favorite 8 3/8 is my 17-3 , which is scoped for hunting besides distant targets .

AzShooter · #5 02-09-2018, 06:20 PM

Love it. I'm shooting a 6 inch 617 with a C-More sight on it. Decent trigger but it needs some more work.

Shoot well and document all your sight settings so that they are easy fo you to adjust between critters.

Those Federal Premium HV are the tightest grouping and most reliable ammo in my 617. Blazer comes in a close second. I get no failures to fire with either brand.

jaymoore · #6 02-12-2018, 02:21 AM

Shot my first IHMSA .22 Revolver entry in years two Saturdays ago with a recently acquired 17-6 8 3/8" Full Underlug (makes for a racy abbreviation) and was happy with the results. 30/40 for it's debut! The Freedom Arms having guys scored a 31 and a 37.

Just can't bring myself to use my "no dash" 617 for target use, it's too well set up for small game.

Glad to see another Smith revolver IHMSA shooter!

Post your experience on the S&W Competition Forum on this site if you are so inclined. We have several SW Forum members who still shoot IHMSA.

ETA: The ammo I used for the match was Eley Club. Having done some 100 yd ammo testing with a 10" Contender last fall, it was about tied with SK Rifle Match and Wolf Match Extra. Federal and CCI (several varieties including CCI Select and the new Green Tag) were sad. Winchester T22 was OK. Which results have been mirrored in rifles, so felt fairly confident that the Eley would be OK in the revolver. Will get more scientific down the road, just haven't have time to do lots of testing, yet!

The Norseman · #7 02-12-2018, 11:15 AM

I like the Long Barreled S&W's. That
is one straight shooter.

Kick myself for passing on a very well
taken cared of Lew Horton S&W M657
41Mag 8-3/8"bbl, with all the stuff and
shot very little. A year ago in Cheyenne
WY. I think the guy wanted $900.

One of my S&W 617's below. This goes with
my Set, S&W 629 44Mag, Classic, S&W 686
357Mag, and S&W 617 22lr, all 6"barrels.

Oregon45 · #8 02-12-2018, 11:27 AM

Shot the match yesterday and I'm pretty sure I brought the wrong ammunition. I shot CCI Blazer standard velocity, which works great in my Anschutz Exemplar, but, out of the S&W 617, I rang three rams straight and ran out of elevation adjustment on the rear sight. My fault, like any rimfire this gun will have to tell me what ammunition it likes and I didn't have time to test between picking up the gun and heading to the match. Have another match next month so plenty of time to test before then.

I do like how the long, heavy, barrel settles down in the Creedmoor position. It's almost as stable as my heavy 22lr TC Contender.

H Richard · #9 02-12-2018, 01:01 PM

Just looked in my gun case and found my old IHMSSA cards, and the last match (.22 RF) I shot was Jan 4, 1987. Shot a 24. I would have been using either my 17-4 or my High Standard Victor. I seriously doubt if I could get into any kind of position today, (or get back up from it).

revolver_ph · #10 02-12-2018, 01:04 PM

My 6" 617 is happy with Federal automatch ammo.

My eyes need the red dot. I shoot the 617 or my 686 in a match every Friday.

Oregon45 · #11 03-12-2018, 09:13 PM

Had it out at a silhouette match Sunday, shot 11/40, standing with open sights. Plenty of room for improvement but I think the gun is up to the task.

jaymoore · #12 03-13-2018, 12:50 AM

Nice range with a nice revolver! If you want to shoot a lot, that's not a bad handgun to use. You could run a Production, Revolver, Standing and Unlimited entry all in one day with the same iron sighted gun. I find that my sight settings are usually a little different in Standing than in freestyle. Could be operator or the influence of the extra support in Creedmore.

oddshooter · #13 03-13-2018, 11:01 AM