My First 1917, a Shooter

[CH4]

Stopped my buddy's to take a look at a commercial 1917. It was one of several that he picked up at a local auction.

It's definitely been refinished and suffers from push off. If the rest of the gun looked anything like what I found under the grips, it would explain the heavy polishing, which removed most of the roll marks. All numbers match.

Despite its flaw's, it's actually not a bad gun, especially for free.99. I replaced the replica grips with a pair of Ken's stags.

 

[Muley Gil]

Not a bad looking 1917. I like it! Of course, I like most 1917s.

How's the bore?

 

[Bald1]

Yeah it's a good looking shooter grade. Sometimes those don't go hand n hand. I'm jealous

 

[StrawHat]

Yes, polished and blued but, not terrible. I do not have that serial in my data base.

I have many ACP revolvers. My reload is a long bearing surface, cast lead bullet, roughly 230 grains, over hardball doses of powder. That seems to work in my revolvers.

Kevin

 

[CH4]

Here are the grips that came with it. Pretty nice looking, but Iam guessing they're aftermarket. Condition is too nice and there's no serial number and escutcheons are gold.

 

[Gun Relics]

Please let us know how the push off repairs go.

I had that problem with an old .22 Outdoorsman with a hump back hammer I was buying and returned the gun. I had no idea what would be involved fixing it and it also had firing pin marks on the cylinder face, so decided not to mess with it.

 

[Muley Gil]

Please let us know how the push off repairs go.

I had that problem with an old .22 Outdoorsman with a hump back hammer I was buying and returned the gun. I had no idea what would be involved fixing it and it also had firing pin marks on the cylinder face, so decided not to mess with it.

I probably could have fixed it with a different trigger and/or a fine stone.

 

[VaTom]

Like it. Interesting about the pitting on the frame under the stocks. My Commercial 1917 was refinished by a previous owner (I bought it at a local auction) and had the same issue. Roll marks on mine are still pretty good. Mine is tight and a great shooter. Regarding your stocks. They could be original. Per SCSW 4th, from 1900-1929 stock numbers were penciled on the back. They returned to stamping numbers in 1929. Picture of my stocks with stamped numbers. Pretty cool to be able to shoot a nearly 100 year old revolver.

 

[oldcorps76]

Refinished, great, no worries about the white glove treatment when at the range....I have a Colt New Service in .455 Webley that's a great shooter, and arsenal refinished.

 

[bigmtnman]

I have a pair of "Ken's stags" on my Brazilian ....... I think your pair is much nicer

 

[tlawler]

Stopped my buddy's to take a look at a commercial 1917. It was one of several that he picked up at a local auction.

It's definitely been refinished and suffers from push off. If the rest of the gun looked anything like what I found under the grips, it would explain the heavy polishing, which removed most of the roll marks. All numbers match.

Despite its flaw's, it's actually not a bad gun, especially for free.99. I replaced the replica grips with a pair of Ken's stags.



View attachment 787456
View attachment 787457
View attachment 787458
View attachment 787459

I've got one of those

Someone went totally maniacal with the buffing wheel on mine, but they did a pretty decent job of blueing. It was cheap and purty, with matching numbers, so I couldn't pass it up. I also went with a set of Ken's exquisite stags on it as well.

 

[CH4]

I've got one of those

Someone went totally maniacal with the buffing wheel on mine, but they did a pretty decent job of blueing. It was cheap and purty, with matching numbers, so I couldn't pass it up. I also went with a set of Ken's exquisite stags on it as well. View attachment 788036View attachment 788037

Great minds…

 

[Old Corp]

Looks great. My only 'safe queen' is a M1917 with a ship date of early 1918. It is pristine, and possibly never issued.
So, to solve this dilemma, I searched for a 'stand-in shooter' (any reason, right?) and ran upon a M1937 Brazilian that at some point had been Parkerized. Tight action and smooth after a clean-up. Put some repro M1917 grips on it.
It has made a fine woods gun with zero worries about getting beat up a little.
I load mostly .45 AR rounds for it and can get pretty close to .45 Colt performance from it with 255 gr LSWC bullets.