Model 17 Gas Ring Question

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Mattand27

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According to the Standard Catalog of S&W the 17-4 production change that happened in 1977 moved the gas ring from the yoke to the cylinder. Can someone please confirm that my 17-3 from 1977 (serial number 18K6633) in fact has the gas ring on the cylinder and not the yoke? Please let me know if more photos or information are needed. Thanks.

Best,
Matthew

54341329701_d0d14edfcc_b.jpg
 
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KAC thanks for the confirmation. Any explanation as to why it would be a -3 with the gas ring ring in the cylinder? I guess 1977 being a transitional year anything is possible.

I inherited it from my dad and he bought it, most likely new, in the late 70's.

Best,
Matthew
 
The gas ring was originally in the cylinder on all S&W revolvers. For a short time a change was made to make the gas ring a portion of the yoke which was a money saving simplification which didn't work as well as the original design and within about one year it was changed back to the original design. There was no dash change for the first change or the change re-revising the design, so -3 guns can be found both ways! This applies to both Model 10 and Model 19 and other K-Frame guns for sure. I have never seen other frame sizes with this same double-change! I have not seen any documentation in SCSW or any other source that definitely mentions the change from cylinder to yoke, just when it was changed back!

Guns with the gas ring as part of the yoke tend to suffer from fouling getting into the area between the cylinder and yoke resulting in cylinder binding from the fouling. The original design prevents this much better, which is why it was changed back!

The cylinder you show in the photo definitely has the gas ring in the cylinder! Why? Because it is obvious just looking at the photo!
 
Last edited:
Mattand27 said:
According to the Standard Catalog of S&W the 17-4 production change that happened in 1977 moved the gas ring from the yoke to the cylinder. Can someone please confirm that my 17-3 from 1977 (serial number 18K6633) in fact has the gas ring on the cylinder and not the yoke? Please let me know if more photos or information are needed. Thanks.

Best,
Matthew

54341329701_d0d14edfcc_b.jpg
Click to expand...

The photo shows the gas ring in the cylinder.
 
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