Several weeks ago at a local gun shop I happened upon a very nice S&W Model 1917 in commercial form, blued with checkered walnut grips and big silver S&W medallions. It has a 6" barrel and is in excellent condition. It is serial #27101, can anyone give me an idea of when it was made and what it is worth? I don't have any pix yet as I'm still paying it off.

The serial number you quoted is too low for a 1917 Commercial; it would need to be above about 170000 and below about 209000 for an original gun. Was this off the bottom of the grip frame? If so, it might be a converted .44 HE from about 1926. Also, it would have had a 5 1/2" barrel.

Pending the photos, it would be difficult to estimate a value.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Thanks for the reply Alan. Yes that is the serial number that's on the butt. When I go back to the shop to make another payment on it I'll see if I can get some photos.

Since the stocks have big silver medallions, that points to late pre war and early post war if they are original to the gun. If they are, then you may have left out a digit in the serial #.

Right after WW II from 1946 to 1950 about 1000 1917 Coml models were produced in the S 209792 to S 210782 range. If you can find an S and another digit on the butt, you may have one of those. They came with the stocks you describe if they are Magna stocks, not the round top 'service' stocks.

The 6" barrel is a problem though, are you sure it's not 5 1/2"? Does the bottom of the barrel have a matching serial #? Can you drop by the gunshop and take another look at it?

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Jim,

The stocks are the round top service type, not the Magna and yes, most likely it's a 5-1/2" Barrel. I'm going by the gun shop tomorrow and make another payment on it; I also plan to take a few pictures and I'll be sure I'm getting the full serial number.

Bill

I can now convey the proper information on this revolver as I have it sitting here in front of me: I also took some photos, but as yet do not know how to post them here. Anyway, I goofed from a couple of days ago, the serial number on the butt, the rear of the cylinder and beneath the mushroom head ejector rod on the barrel is 207101. The stocks ARE the Magna-type with big silver medallions and the matching serial number is stamped on the inside of one of the grip panels. The barrel is 5-1/2" and it has a lanyard loop that appears to be color case-hardened. Except for some blue wear near the muzzle and a chip out of the top edge of the right grip panel and a tiny crack, the gun is in excellent condition.

OK, with BIG1911's help I can now post pix...here they are!

Attached Images

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	IMG_0003.jpg (71.5 KB, 101 views)

Good shots and it's a beauty. It has a pre 1929 feature, the mushroom ER mushroom knob, but mid to late 1930's Magna stocks. And it doesn't have the post war 4 line address where it' stamped Made in USA. So I believe you have an earlier pre war coml possibly factory re-finished in the late 1930's.

The mushroom knob could also indicate it was an original old inventory gun, not sold and shipped until the late 1930's with the then current stocks. I think this is the most likely scenario. See this thread of another 1917 with documenting factory letter proving shipment in 1937 even though it has the mushroom knob like yours! Rare 1917 Commercial Target less than 5 known

And this with a very close # to yours: An Unusual 1917 Commercial

Either way, it's a nice prize.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thanks Jim, as soon as I can scratch up the bucks I'm going to send for a S&W Letter of Authenticity for this six-shooter.

Beautiful 1917, and glad you found the extra zero in the SN .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Great find, congrats..........

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dd884
JMHO-YMMV