I have posted pictures of my 1917 before in other recent threads so please bear with me. Serial #184505 (all 5 locations matching). It was refinished sometime in it's past and it is how I bought it 2016. Recent threads got my interest up about dates of manufacture. It presents as a Commercial but according to SCSW 4th the serial number might fall into the range of those shipped to Brazil in 1938. There is NO Brazilian Crest on side plate and no evidence that one was removed during refinish.

Out of curiosity I decided to removed the side plate as the SCSW 4th (page 493) states "1933: Hammer block safety mounted in the sideplate was added to the 1917 Army at about #185,000". The assembly number stamped inside the sideplate 17673 matches the assembly number on the frame so the sideplate is original to the revolver.

From the pictures can anyone identify whether this 1917 has the hammer block safety? This is the first sideplate I have ever removed and I don't know what the hammer block safety looks like however when looking at the side plate there is a mechanism that looks like it slides up and down. Any other comments are appreciated.

Thanks!

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Nope never did

Your revolver has the first type hammer block safety. As you can see it operates off the back of the hand (can you see the sloped rear?). The revolver looks like it was made after 1922, as it has the “made in USA”mark on the front of the frame, right side. Safe to load with all 6 rounds if the side-swing safety is not blocked in movement by old grease and grime.

Thanks so much. Clean inside. Operates fine. Is a great shooter. I assumed it was made after 1922 but wanted to know if it was made before 1933. Appears so per your post. I haven't lettered the revolver but the longer I own it the more I want to know the date shipped and to where.

No it was NOT built before 1933, because yes, it does have the side plate mounted hammer block safety that you referenced in the SCSW.

You're confused; MG34's post does not indicate that it was made before 1933. Only that it was made after 1922 to have the Made in USA stamp. And his confirmation that it HAS the safety correlates to and confirms that it was ALSO made after 1933!

Your gun # is in the WWI 1917 serial # range used on most 1937 contract revolvers, but its use is not exclusively used for Brazilian serial #s, and also include use for the Commercial Model production serial #s.

You have a non factory, incorrect dull refinished commercial model. It has a flat head rear side plate screw which is correct if it was ordered with Pre War Magna stocks (fairly rare or at least hard to find now), otherwise it should have a domed screw matching the others.

But congrats, it's nicely done and should make a great shooter!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Yes, I realized my mistake after I made the post and should have edited it. Thanks for added information. For a price of $350 out the door at a local auction in 2016, I feel I got a good buy especially not knowing anything about these before buying it. It is a great shooter. It has been sort of a "mystery revolver". Especially since the serial number falls within the group of what SCSW indicated were in the Brazilan contract. That is what prompted me to remove the side plate to see if it maybe it was a Brazilian with a replaced side plate when it was refinished. But the assembly number on the back of the side plate match the assembly number on the frame so it is original to the revolver.

Good buy, even in 2016. Well your thought of it potentially being a Brazilian was not too big of a leap. And the alternative, it being a commercial instead, is a win-win. For that price and since the finish is no longer original anyway, I'd think about a nice period bright blue refinish....you'd still get your money out of it if you were to sell it.

But I would sure check the inside of the right grip for a serial # matching the gun. That'll tell you if it has the wrong grips or the wrong screw.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Yes the grip has a serial number stamped but it is a little hard to read all the numbers. The last four numbers match the serial number of the revolver. I used some tracing paper and lead pencil to get a rubbing to help read as well as magnifying glass. It appears they are original - as everything else is original. The next mystery is the color of the medallions in the grips. I know the grips have been refinished but the color of the medallions doesn't look refinished. . For a 1933-34 revolver they should be silver. Mine appear gold or brass plated. In March 1929 S&W made gold plated medallions for only about a month per SCSW and measure properly for those.

Thanks for your input. Greatly appreciated.

With four matching #s it's a million to one chance that they are not the original grips.

Yes I agree, likely much too late to be the short lived flush gold plated brass medallions as you said. With grips so worn they're refinished, the probability is that the medallion chrome plating is worn off or polished off of the brass.

That means it had later grips on it at one time, Magnas or targets which required the flat screw to fit flush if the grips weren't dimpled like the early magnas. Original domed type screw not too hard to find.

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Jim
S&WCA #819