A fellow car guy got a S&W .45 Revolver from his Grandpa vefore he passed away. He knows nothing about it so I figured you guys can help out

Here's his original post:





Thanks fellas

__________________
Jorge

That's a U.S. Army Model of 1917. If the stocks are numbered to the gun (and I imagine they would be), the concave tops indicate early production. Does the hammer have radial grooves on the sides? If so, that is another indicator of early production, but the hammer grooving disappeared as a production feature before the dished stocks did.

It should say UNITED STATES PROPERTY on the underside of the barrel and probably has an inspector's stamp in front of the hammer on the left side of the frame -- GHS.

Nice specimen. Unrefinished early guns in top shape are worth well over $1000 dollars and may even sell for close to $2000.

That gun probably shipped in late 1917 or early 1918.

__________________
David Wilson

looks to be an early 1917. grips are concaved or dished near the top
part of them, also the hammer looks grooved hammer. grooves along
the side of the hammer. what is the serial number, should be under 25000. there are several members here that love the 1917 so there will be others along to give there opinion. looks like a nice one....

__________________
George Jamison

Looks like a very desireable revolver in very good condition from what I can see in the pictures.

That holster looks like it is well-made but non-military. Is it leather or some kind of thick cloth? Anyone ever seen one like it?

__________________
You're shy a few manners.

Thanks a lot. You guys are awesome.

I will forward this thread to him

__________________
Jorge

Thanks JJEH for showing me this. It helped me learn a lot . I looked on the under side of the revolver (the only place I didn't think to look) and found the "United States Property"



I also looked under the handle and found this



It's very hard to read but it says "US Army Model 1917" and underneath it is another stamping that says "No. 090," but my phone could not get a photo of it.

It's a very thick leather with a, I guess, shag inside? It was made in St. Louis is all the snap-on button says.

TD Palmer, welcome to the forum.

can you look more closely at the butt and see if the serial number is broken across two lines? It might say

No.
10
090

for example.

Like this:





If this is one of the first 100 1917s made, I would not expect to see a leading 0. Please look also at the flat underside of the barrel adjacent to where the closed ejector rod rests, and the rear surface of the cylinder. You should see the same serial number from the butt in those locations.

The company made about 165000 of these US Army models. There are also a few thousand "commercial" 1917s that have no lanyard loop, no property marking, and checkered stocks. They also have a Smith & Wesson logo on the left side of the frame.

__________________
David Wilson

Re: The holster-
I thing it is commercial from the 1960-1970 era. (Civilian)
Part canvas and thin leather.

You are more than welcome.

Welcome to the forum

__________________
Jorge

I went back and looked at the number and it says 990 not 090. The first 9 looked like a 0.


Does anyone know where I could find a glass display case for a small gun such as this?

Thanks!

Most any Hobby Shop.

Wow!! Very nice early 1917!!

Welcome to the forum!

__________________
US Marine, 16 years+

If you put this in a shadow box frame, do yourself and all of us a favor, and give it a good anti-corrosion treatment before you put it in. A good anti-rust oil treatment in the chambers and barrel, and either give the exterior a good coating of Renaissance Wax, or with Rig. These will keep it from being affected by the humidity it may be exposed to and keep it from rusting.

__________________
H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

That is a fine looking 1917. You might want to check out Meadows Enterprises in Ft. Worth, TX for a case. I have a few of them and I like their work.

If I remember correctly wasn't this model produced for the army because manufacturers couldn't keep up with the demand on 1911's, prompting the government to ask S&W for these?

"If I remember correctly wasn't this model produced for the army because manufacturers couldn't keep up with the demand on 1911's, prompting the government to ask S&W for these?"

Yes, both S&W and Colt built .45 ACP revolvers during WW I. Each company built about 150,000 revolvers.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!