Far from original, but pretty. In particular note the ATF serial number applied to the butt: SMITH & WESSON 1917
A Rather Interesting 1917
- Thread starter Goony
- Start date
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I agree that it may not be a 1917. I’d expect “S.&W. D.A. 45” stamp on the left side of bbl.
But I am open to learning something new today at school
Looks more like an engraved 2nd Model MKII to me. Here's mine for comparison, converted to 45 Colt. I like the stags on that revolver, whatever it is.
Jeff
SWCA #1457
https://flic.kr/p/2pyHXhC https://www.flickr.com/photos/194934231@N03/
Jeff
SWCA #1457
https://flic.kr/p/2pyHXhC https://www.flickr.com/photos/194934231@N03/I agree that the bidder won a rechambered .455 2nd model.
The engraving on the cylinder of the revolver is miles apart in both style and it's quality from what was cut on the frame of the gun.
Is it a replacement cylinder and an attempt by someone other than the orig engraver of the revolver to match or at least add some engraving to the 'new' cylinder.
Or did the orig engraver leave both the bbl and the cyl plain.
Then somewhere along the way someone else decided to fill in the blank cylinder and bbl. But stopped after the work done on the cylinder that doesn't match well..
The cylinder got reblued maybe once more than the rest of the gun and caught the red look from a poor re-bluing attempt,,maybe.
??..Does the lug on the left side of the frame that holds the open cyl from sliding off when open look like it's for a 45acp cyl,,or more for a cyl that is longer like a .455 (or other cal?).
Replaced cylinder w/an attempt to engrave to match the frame maybe.
Just some thoughts..
Some of the revolvers engraved in postWW2 Germany for the GI's had the bottom of the butt ground off clean and engraved. No ser# left there.
Maybe that was the case here.
In many countries in Europe, the bbl is the 'firearm',,not the Frame as in the USA.
Maybe this one needed a ser# and someone inquired to the BATF about 'What can I do".
I had a couple handguns come thru w/ ATF Ser# when I had my 01FFL.
They were both handguns that the owners had stolen from them & the ser#'s filed/ground off.
The guns were recovered by LE. There was enough of the #'s on each instance to recover the full ser# of each and return the guns to their owner eventually, being in NCIC as a stolen firearm (GENT).
One was a 1st Gen Colt SAA and that one was held up while a court case went thru it's motions.
When finally returned, the Colt had the ATF ser# stamped onto the frame. The orig file & grinder damage done by the crook(s) still evident of course.
I remember the owner telling me that he was told that the ATF# was applied as the only way to return the Stolen/Recovered firearm w/an Obliterated or Removed manufacturers applied ser#.
The orig ser# could not be restamped he was told and was given several different reasons depending on who you spoke to.
I get the idea that a lot of what happens depends on who you talk to at these alphabet depts.
No matter, He got his Colt back.
The gun turned into a nice engraving project and he was extremely happy with the results.
All the 'bad' disappeared
Is it a replacement cylinder and an attempt by someone other than the orig engraver of the revolver to match or at least add some engraving to the 'new' cylinder.
Or did the orig engraver leave both the bbl and the cyl plain.
Then somewhere along the way someone else decided to fill in the blank cylinder and bbl. But stopped after the work done on the cylinder that doesn't match well..
The cylinder got reblued maybe once more than the rest of the gun and caught the red look from a poor re-bluing attempt,,maybe.
??..Does the lug on the left side of the frame that holds the open cyl from sliding off when open look like it's for a 45acp cyl,,or more for a cyl that is longer like a .455 (or other cal?).
Replaced cylinder w/an attempt to engrave to match the frame maybe.
Just some thoughts..
Some of the revolvers engraved in postWW2 Germany for the GI's had the bottom of the butt ground off clean and engraved. No ser# left there.
Maybe that was the case here.
In many countries in Europe, the bbl is the 'firearm',,not the Frame as in the USA.
Maybe this one needed a ser# and someone inquired to the BATF about 'What can I do".
I had a couple handguns come thru w/ ATF Ser# when I had my 01FFL.
They were both handguns that the owners had stolen from them & the ser#'s filed/ground off.
The guns were recovered by LE. There was enough of the #'s on each instance to recover the full ser# of each and return the guns to their owner eventually, being in NCIC as a stolen firearm (GENT).
One was a 1st Gen Colt SAA and that one was held up while a court case went thru it's motions.
When finally returned, the Colt had the ATF ser# stamped onto the frame. The orig file & grinder damage done by the crook(s) still evident of course.
I remember the owner telling me that he was told that the ATF# was applied as the only way to return the Stolen/Recovered firearm w/an Obliterated or Removed manufacturers applied ser#.
The orig ser# could not be restamped he was told and was given several different reasons depending on who you spoke to.
I get the idea that a lot of what happens depends on who you talk to at these alphabet depts.
No matter, He got his Colt back.
The gun turned into a nice engraving project and he was extremely happy with the results.
All the 'bad' disappeared
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Model19man
Member
Seems like the owner must have gone to the ATF and applied for a number. Then whoever engraved the number they (the ATF) gave to him. The revolver has been re-blued too. And engraved. I don't think S&W would recognize it. A lot has been changed since it left the mother ship.
There's certainly a lot about this gun that doesn't lend itself to an easy or obvious explanation. The barrel has no caliber marking whatsoever, so that was possibly removed or the barrel is a replacement (it's curious, too, that the gun is lavishly engraved but for the barrel, which is not at all). An alternative would be that it was in fact originally a .455 MkII as has been suggested, with the cylinder having been replaced by one from a 1917-type (either military or later commercial). If there's a binary choice here between the barrel or the cylinder being a replacement, I'd incline toward the former scenario.
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That ejector rod pin is sticking out a mile. You could hurt yourself on that. Doesn't look right to me.
