I have a S&W 17-6 4" barrel that has the underlug on the barrel and haven't seen this in my Standard Catalog of Firearms. Model 17's no problem but the -6 and under lug don't seem to show up. Standard barrel configuration all over the place.
Did Smith not make many of these? Great shooter by the way! I use this in classes as a loaner for students that don't have a .22 instead of my Dad's original K-22.

Randy

Have one myself,except mine is a 17-7.

According to page 184 in the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, under the heading of "Engineering and Production Changes", the 17-6 full lug version was introduced in 1990.

I need to get a copy of the SCSW one of these days!
thanks....
Randy

The 17-6 is not uncommon but they are great guns. I like the muzzle heavy feel of the full lug barrel. The 4" guns are pretty popular right now. Here's my 6" 17-6 on the left along with its 16-4 and 14-5 counterparts.

I enjoy mine. Would like to find a 4 inch.

I like mine more each time I take it out to shoot.

Here's a 17-6 4"...fun shooter. My kids always pry it out of my hands at the range.

The four inch 17-6 was the second four inch K22 Combat Masterpiece transition after the Model 18 line was discontinued.

To understand the four inch K22 transition you must understand the K22 Models 17 and 18 not only had different front sites their frames were finished differently and the 18 series ended with the 18-4.

S&W still needed a four inch K22 Combat Masterpiece and so offered the new 17-5 "heavy Barrel"
in 4", 6" and 8 3/8" barrel lengths.
(Some early transitional 17-6's may be found with non underlug heavy barrels ).

17-5 "Heavy Barrel" 4" shown below right with Model 18 (left),


The 17-6 "Full underlug" replaced the HB, 17-6 shown below in 4" ,
(some early transitional full underlug k22s found marked 17-5)


17-7 , Drill and tap frame change rear site leaf shape change extractor.


S&W has since resurrected the Models 17 and 18 in their "Classic" line , besides the new IL they now only differ in barrel length to simplify production.
Current "Classic" Models 17 (left) and Model 18 (right) shown below .

Here is an early full lug 17-6 that is a nice handling shooter

Believe me, it will be money well spent.

That's what MY gun looks like! Hope yours shoots as well as mine does...mine shoots well with bulk ammo and REALLY well with better grade stuff. Still not as well as my Dad's K-22 from 1956 however, almost there but not quite.

I don't have any qualms about letting a student use the 17-6 whereas few get to shoot my Dad's K-22 or K-38.

Randy

PS Are those the original grips for your gun (the ones on the box)?
I have K frame Targets on mine.

The Combat Stocks on the box with my Model 17-6 are the originals that were on the gun. I don't like finger groove stocks but want to keep them with the box, tools and papers as that style has become quite expensive these days if you look at them on the auction sites.

I was fortunate enough to come across six inch 17-6 in a local gun store today. It has come home with me.

I was skeptical that the combat grips were original but based on the pictures in this thread, they obviously are.

Cprher, are those Nill grips?

I have a nickel 17-6 with the full underlug. It is numbered and was to be part of a 12 gun set made by S&W.

Avery
Yes they are. Makes shooting these guns a real pleasure.
Keith

Smith & Wesson likes to keep it interesting, some late 17-5's with underlug and here is 17-6 4" w/o . Indiana Jones couldnt figure it all out. I think that lots of times they just stuck what they had on a frame if it fit. Makes collecting interesting.

Attached Images

013.jpg (107.3 KB, 152 views)

Editor gave me a new S&W 17-6 about 1991. Newspaper didn't have the money to give me a raise, but he knew I was a gun nut. Showed up with this new M17 .22. Full underlug. Blued. 6" barrel. Finger-grooved combat grips.
When I got it, I tried every brand of .22 ammo I could find. At best, I got 3" groups at 25 yards from a benchrest. Knew something had to be wrong. Sent it back to S&W with targets, noting the brand and type of ammo on each target.
S&W had it back to me in under two weeks with a NEW cylinder installed. No charge. Apparently, something was defective.
Went through the same ammo-buffet again. This time, it was very accurate.
I've tried all configurations of Remington, CCI, Winchester, Federal, Eley, Aguila and even some old Monarch (made in Canada in the 1970s) I had on hand.
The winning brand: Federal. Most accurate with Federal's Gold Medal, Classic or American Eagle brands. Whether in solid or hollow point.
One of my favorite guns.

Here is a New In Box, Old Stock 17-6 4" non-underlug from 1989 I picked up last year. I was fortunate to run across it as they had just put it in the display case as I was walking in.

__________________
No good deed goes unpunished.

I didn't realize this thread is so old!

__________________
No good deed goes unpunished.

For me that would be like winning the lottery to find a 17 in original box with tools and paper at a local gun store. Can I ask what it cost?

It was right at $700 after tax.

__________________
No good deed goes unpunished.