617 with a scope mounted

if some things fall into place (and the planets align properly, and I hold my breath for the required amount of time) I'm hoping to get me a 6" 617. I was thinking it would be neat to mount a scope on. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with a scoped 617 and had any pics.

My advice is to shoot someone's gun with a scope on it
before buying one. For most people that dot in the scope
jumping around will drive you crazy. We all shake when we
shoot with no rest and a scope will magnify that shake.
If you are going to put your gun on a rest like a rifle then
a scope might be for you. Don

Well, I surely "beg to disagree". I have NO problems shooting with a low powered scope or a Red Dot sight. A high percentage of NRA Bullseye shooters have made the switch to Red Dot sights. I am a "Certified Old Fart" and have regained my previous skill level with revolvers and pistols by using Red Dot sights. I have serious vision problems that limit my capability with iron sights. I don't have a picture of my 617 with a Red Dot sight but I do have a picture of one of my 625's (a 5" 625-6 with a Simmons Red Dot Sight). I recently shot my personal best - a 97x100 with 6 "X's" with this revolver (standing at 25 yards on the slow fire target):



The Red Dot sight adds only a few ounces to the gun weight (much less than a scope) and the sight works extremely well in sunlight and also in dim light.



Dale53

I have a S&W 617-4 (10-shot), 6" that I have mounted various optics to:

Tasco 30mm AccuDot:


Tasco 2x20 scope:


UltraDot 1" red-dot (no eye-funnel thing):


And its current configuration, an UltraDot 1" red-dot (w/ eye-funnel thing):


With the UltraDot (and even with the AccuDot), I've cleaned Timed-fire 25-yd targets in Bullseye (though that isn't completely due to the sights, the sights certainly help).

The optics are mounted with Weigand scope mounts, and with whatever rings came with each sight.

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As to "experience": My experience using the 617 + red-dot has been almost exclusively Bullseye style: standing, one-handed. With its 6" barrel, the gun + red-dot is quite heavy--maybe close to 4lbs. I've been shooting the gun with optics for about a year, and in this configuration for about six months. I shoot single-action in competition, even through the Timed- and Rapid-fire strings. I was initially concerned with hitting the scope with my thumb as I recocked the hammer, but that hasn't happened at all. The extra weight does seem to absorb some recoil, but there is still an appreciable amount of muzzle-flip.

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Dale53 said:

I am a "Certified Old Fart" and have regained my previous skill level with revolvers and pistols by using Red Dot sights.

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I'm a certified young whippersnapper, and even I use red-dot sights on my Bullseye guns:


(617-4, 686-5, 625-6; the 14-6 doesn't have a dot because optics are not allowed in Distinguished Revolver)

thanks! That's exactly what I'm looking for. Now I just have to wait to see if the finances allow, but I should know in a couple of weeks

ab4ka said:

if some things fall into place (and the planets align properly, and I hold my breath for the required amount of time) I'm hoping to get me a 6" 617. I was thinking it would be neat to mount a scope on. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with a scoped 617 and had any pics.

Click to expand...

I found the 6 inch bareled version a bit too muzzle heavy for my taste but have enjoyed shooting the 4 inch version. I mounted a red dot sight, no magnification. I chose the Tasco big dot but the 30mm Utra Dot is also an excellent choice - I use it on another gun.

i use a truglo red dot on my 4" 10 shot.....works great

Also being a certified "Cranky Old Fart" when I shoot from a rest with scope on my Dan Wesson 722M (LR/WMR) SS 8" barrel I can out shoot a lot guys rimfire rifles if I use my pistol rest bench shooting out to 50 yards. But to put the scope on the 6" barrel and trying to shoot off hand the target will look l used a shotgun after a couple cylinders worth down range. Off hand with red dot takes some practice and I am getting better, but nothing to brag about but still better then open sights. I am slowely getting the Millet 3" Red Dots on all my revolvers except the 8" barels on the DW's that I bench shoot.

However on my S&W's 6" or 6.5" I just can't seem to get to like shooting them with a scope and anything bigger then the small 1" dia tube really doesn't work fo me. I have tried a scope on my 6.5" N frame 610 and didn't like it for some reason. So I am still shooting the HiViz front with W/O rear sight and doing ok, but nothing to brag about.

Dale53 said:

Well, I surely "beg to disagree". I have NO problems shooting with a low powered scope or a Red Dot sight. A high percentage of NRA Bullseye shooters have made the switch to Red Dot sights. I am a "Certified Old Fart" and have regained my previous skill level with revolvers and pistols by using Red Dot sights. I have serious vision problems that limit my capability with iron sights. I don't have a picture of my 617 with a Red Dot sight but I do have a picture of one of my 625's (a 5" 625-6 with a Simmons Red Dot Sight). I recently shot my personal best - a 97x100 with 6 "X's" with this revolver (standing at 25 yards on the slow fire target):

The Red Dot sight adds only a few ounces to the gun weight (much less than a scope) and the sight works extremely well in sunlight and also in dim light.

Dale53

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I will admit that is some good shooting Dale. Looks
like a score of 97. Don

Works for me; this one's a 627.

At least for me there's a difference in use between a scope and a dot sight. I'd probably go with the dot, shop around because there are some really small ones available now which will not change the ballance of your gun. Bushnell has a new one which I haven't used but a friend has one and likes it a lot on his 22A.

Walther also makes a real small red dot sight that Midway sells for $139. I have one, but haven't sighted it in yet. It weighs almost nothing at all, and has a nice adjustable dot.

au2183 said:

Walther also makes a real small red dot sight that Midway sells for $139. I have one, but haven't sighted it in yet. It weighs almost nothing at all, and has a nice adjustable dot.

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Just check to see what it said about the Walther and they had none listed in that high of a price range. The ones they showed only had 5 minute of arc dots except on 10 minute dot.

I have the Millet Red dot with the 3 minute of arc red dot on both my Ruger and S&W 22A and paid $72 local for them. I like the smaller 3 minute dot for more accurate or tighter grouping. I have used Millet on 22 LR 22 WMR, 357 & 44 Magnum without a problem. Currently have a no name brand of red dot on a 22 WMR Accelerator Pistol I will be trying out this week, it was a special bunch a local shop got for a sale. Wish me luck on that one, it seems to be 3 to 5 minute dot model but really have done a comparison to see however.

One of the advantages of the 617 (-1 and above ) is that it comes pretapped for a mount. A $20 investment in a mount and as little as $40 for a dot and you can experience for yourself. If you don't love it, you can go back to iron sights in minutes.

Personally, I find dots help in about any kind of action/target event where shooting is kept to 25 yds and below. Beyond that, they work but lack the precision of the scope. Scopes ( with 2-6x magnification) are best kept for shooting in the 25-100 yd range off a rest(!) or you'll find their need for perfect eye/tube alignment and magnification of movement very frustrating.

I have mounted a red dot on a Mod 17, same principle. I have no trouble with a red dot, but have used 4X and up to 7X scopes on handguns, and they will drive you nuts if you don't shoot them from some kind of rest.

Old Navy said:

Just check to see what it said about the Walther and they had none listed in that high of a price range. The ones they showed only had 5 minute of arc dots except on 10 minute dot.

I have the Millet Red dot with the 3 minute of arc red dot on both my Ruger and S&W 22A and paid $72 local for them. I like the smaller 3 minute dot for more accurate or tighter grouping. I have used Millet on 22 LR 22 WMR, 357 & 44 Magnum without a problem. Currently have a no name brand of red dot on a 22 WMR Accelerator Pistol I will be trying out this week, it was a special bunch a local shop got for a sale. Wish me luck on that one, it seems to be 3 to 5 minute dot model but really have done a comparison to see however.

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Here is a link directly to the red dot I mentioned. It is currently out of stock, but it says backorder OK:

Walther Nano Point Holographic Red Dot Sight 3 MOA Dot Matte - MidwayUSA

Hope that helps!