what is a fair price for a 4", 6 shot model 617 in very good shape with rubber grips?

The 4" guns are hard to find and in demand. I saw a 10 shot no lock walking around the gun show the other day for 750 or 800. I kept running in to him for most of the morning and he would not budge off his price. If I did not already have one, I would have bought it.

That said, I would think anything under 700 for a 4" no lock would be a fair/good buy.

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Rick
SWCA #2396

$700 used seems a little steep. Cabelas has new ones for $769. Who cares about the lock? The 617 is a plinking gun, not for SD. The 617 is good enough, but .22 LR ammunition, even CCI, is inconsistent and unreliable. Failures of the lock are so rare as to be apocryphal.

I saw a K-22, pinned, tapered barrel, at Cabelas today for $640. Now that's a classic I could go for.

The 617 no dash (like this one) came with factory wood combat grips that are worth $125-150 by themselves. The 617-1 and later versions came with synthetic grips, so depending on what version you're looking at the grips may or may not be original. I tend to agree that anything under $700 OTD for an older 4" 617 in very good or better condition is not a bad deal in today's market. You didn't mention if it has the original box and papers, but if so they would add to the value.

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Prices of $700 and up are not unusual for a 4" 617 no-dash. I watched several sell for more than that on GunBroker and just could not bring myself to spend that much for one as I already have a 6". But I kept watching the various sites like GunBroker and GunsAmerica and got the one below for $639 four months ago.

I like my six-shooters to be six-shooters and it would seem that many other people also do as I've seen both 4" and 6" no-dash 617s sell for more than a new current production piece. The Combat stocks had been replaced with checkered target stocks from that era but I didn't care too much as Combats are about the least comfortable stock for me. But my 6" has nice ones and I don't shoot it nearly as much as the 4" so I leave the Combats on it.

Since buying it, I've installed a target trigger and hammer as well as a Wolff spring kit. It is a fantastic bullseye shooter and a lot of fun to shoot!

Ed

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They sure are hard to find used. Here's my track on the model

Smith & Wesson 617 Plus 4-in Bbl Revolver in .22, Long Rifle. Bluebook of Gun Values (32nd Edition) indicates between $325 in 95% condition and $595 in 100% condition for this gun. I have 37 recorded prices for this model gun from $350 to $795 over a period of 7 Yrs 10 Mos ending June 19, 2011. The average price as of that date was $507. No refurbs, no refinishes, regular sights. All represented as 95% or better. No distinction for engineering revision, if any, no special editions, no distinctions for box, papers, tools. Current or last MSRP is $829.

The chart below is four prices and 19 months behind the current track but I think the trend for the average used price is pretty clear. Better examples would command higher prices, especially with box, papers, tools, etc.. A new one can be had from an online source for $693 delivered.

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Bob

$700 for a 4-inch no-lock is a STEAL (IF you can find one) and I wish somebody had one to sell me for that price (6 or 10-shot with SS cylinder). I would trade my 6-inch NL no-dash for a good 617 NL 4-inch in a heart-beat....maybe even give some boot.

I AGREE ! ! !

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Really? In your 617? Mine eats anything.

Mine will shoot anything in 22 caliber that I stick in it too. Haven't tried a 5.56 NATO, or a 22MAG, but that would likely be a stretch.

The first 617 six shot with forged hammer trigger is a stainless version of the blued 17-6 .
They are in short supply and high demand ,
If you want an early 617, 17-5 or 17-6 and know where one is for $700 or less ....
IMHO either aquire it immediately or regret not buying it.

Newer revisions are also 4" 22lr revolovers but have different barrels, cylinders, hammers/ triggers, frames and are IL guns ,
More plentiful = less desirable to the purist collector.

Three years ago a 4" 617 no dash could be found easily on GB for $500,
Today any no dash 617 at that price is either a beater or the owner simply does not know what he has.


SS 617 no dash (left) blued 17-6 (right)

There is just something special about the no dash 617's and they are worth $700 in my opinion but it's a shame when the sellers sell the S&W combat grips off of them and replace them with rubber grips.

I have both the 6 inch and the 4 inch and neither would sell for less then $700 but if I did they would come with the S&W combat grips on them but that's only if I ever decided to sell one of them and that isn't likely.
4 inch

6 inch

thanks for all the replies! i don't know if it comes with a box. i believe it is a -1 due to the synthetic grips.

I bought a 4" 617 as a shooter to save wear and tear on my K-22's and it has become one of my favorite range guns. Every bit the equal of a K-22 in accuracy and function. The 4" with the full lug balances perfectly for me although the 6" I find a bit muzzle heavy. Mine is and early gun and not drilled and tapped so I am on the hunt for a later gun also to mount a red-dot on. I find the factory combat grips some of the most comfortable I own. The 617 is a substantial gun and being a 22 lr will last several lifetimes with a modicum of care so $700 for a lifetime of use is cheap. Compare it with a $700 television which will be worth $0 in five years.

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John. SWCA #1586

I bought a 617 no dash NIB in 08. I paid 700 and at the time thought I had been beat. Have not fired it. Now I realize it was a good deal. Would not take 1000 now.

I think the four inchers are the best balanced of them all.
Gotta love 'em.

Here are some of mine.

bdGreen

A NICE 4" 617 probably -1, 10 shot SS cylinder,Hogue grips just sold here in CA on a forum for 680. From a nice guy I have bought from b-4 I was sick for a while , HA !,
Thats a steal here you just dont see the 4" much. Bob

Local shop has a "as new" 4" 617 no dash with the factory wood grips.
They want $1000.00 for it .

Those 617s seem to be in high demand, especially the 4", and the no-dash regardless of barrel length.
Anyone know how many no dash 617s were produced (in each barrel length)??

it is a 617-1 with the hogue grips. no papers and not the correct box. only wear i can see is a turn line otherwise it looks very good! i will post pics later.

I have a no dash 4" and 6", great guns.

IMO the lock on a 617 is a non issue. It's a plinking gun, no loads. hot enough to trip the lock even on a bad, bad day. If you don't like the looks, get "the plug" (search this forum) and it will look OK. $700 is a reasonable price for any 4-incher. $400 is a total bargain.

I had a 617-2 Plus with a 6-inch barrel and stainless cylinder, here it is, a beautiful gun:


(cleaning by MPro7 products)

I also had and kept a 617-6 Plus because it is so nicely balanced and very similar in size and weight to other 4-inch K or L frame revolvers in larger calibers. I can pick off small chards of clays with it a 50 yards. I get the evil eye from some shooters when I do it. I let 'em try it out and most say, "I gotta get wunna those."

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Bob

No one is saying the new ones with locks aren't great shooters but they will never be worth what the no dash one is worth in the long term. There is no question that none of these 617's would ever be used as self defense weapons in a normal situation and that any version of the 617 would be a good target revolver. They are there for enjoyment at the local gun range and to blast way with lots of rounds. At the end of the day the no dash will always be slightly more desirable to S&W people just for the wood S&W combat grips and the fact that it's the original version of the revolver.

I must have a rare 617-1. It has the square butt, combat wood grips,target hammer and target trigger. Sorry,no pics but some day Ill figure that out to..LOL

Actaully the early 617-1's shipped with S&W combat grips as S&W tended to use up all there parts during a transition and change.

If you want it for the money or respectful nostalgia, you're right but you're not going to lose much after a couple years even close to $700 on any four-incher as far as I can tell. They've been appreciating pretty good, about 6.5% APR. If you find one and want to have a bunch of fun shooting it, I'd say buy it. It will be worth more than you paid for almost immediately.

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Bob

What years were they making them with an aluminum cylinder ? I'm on the hunt for a 617 but I sure don't want one of those .

They played "Yankee-doodle-dandy" , or "who's-on-first" with them on the dash 2 through the dash 5. They finally landed on the 10-shot stainless for good with the dash 6, which has the IL. If you can find a dash 4....it should have a stainless steel 10-shot cylinder, but I may not trust that as they went back to a 6-shot in the dash 5. It's like musical chairs.

Having said all this, there is nothing wrong with the alloy cylinder except they are a bit tender inside where the yoke tube meets the base and they tend to have relatively early end-shake issues, but it's a 22 in a heavy frame and should go thousands of rounds before that becomes an issue

It's a jungle out there buddy....good luck. IMHO, the only way you are going to know you have a good no-lock 617 with no MIM parts is in a ND or a dash 1., which is a 6-shot.

Happy hunting!

Thanks Snubbie for the info . At the range I often shoot next to a guy that has a 6" 10 shot all stainless 617 .
I couldn't care less on what might be worth more in the future, I want a shooter . Also the MIM is a non issue with me . I shoot every weekend both MIM and non MIM and the only one that broke on me was my non MIM 629 . The hammer nose broke right off making the gun useless .

Lots of guys here on the forum are up-to-speed on the 617 dash numbers and I likely got my information from a post right on here. Sometimes...you can't always be sure, or know it's current, but there is enough to see that Smith went back-n-forth with the 10-shot cylinder until they eventually found a machining process that would work with the stainless steel material. I just don't think they finally got it right until the current run (dash 6). There was a period of time in the process that they built the SS 10-shot and then took it back, went back to the 6-shot and eventually landed on a good 10-shot SS....I guess.

I have much experience with the alloy cylinders in 317's and I can tell you now....they are a lot tougher than we think they are. There is simply no danger in blowing one up and the only issues are the "appearance" on a SS gun and the tenderness of the wear-surfaces in the innards if it's a range-gun. The MIM parts don't bother me in the smaller caliber weapons, but I don't necessarily like them in the larger calibers. Before I would purchase an IL...I would purchase a NL even if it had MIM parts in it.

I just bought a model 617-6 brand new that was priced at $689.00 at Williams Gunsight here in Michigan. They had some used ones for $599.00 and 639.00 back in December. Might want to check their website to see if they have any. Love shooting mine. Have to find some ammunition that is consistent as I get a FTF every 10 rounds when in double action mode. Single action seems to work fine.

here is a picture of it.

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snubbiefan, I think you're information is a little off. The -3 was a 6 shot and -4 was a 10 shot, both introduced in 1998 and made concurrently until 2001 when the internal lock was introduced and the -5 became the 6 shot and the -6 became the 10 shot. So there wasn't any back and forth on the dashes and there were no issues with the -4 10 shot cylinders that I know of. In fact, next to the no dash 617s, the 617-4 is probably the most sought after version, with the 4" barrel being the most coveted.

Here are my two 617-4s:

I admitted that I got my information from another source off the forum here and I will post what I had. It can sometimes be difficult to figure out who-knows-what and I guess the best answer to that is get the official record from somebody at Smith and Wesson. I think we all know that model variations of guns will show up that are not even in the "bible" as Smith (as any other manufacturer) will use-up spare parts on hand to construct a run of guns that all of us don't know about.

I have been trying to get a complete list and information on the 3 dash numbers associated with the Model 38 and have at least two different answers.

Hey....all I know for sure about is the ND I have in my hands!

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About 5 years ago I bought a 617-1 4" 6-shooter at a gun show for $500. All the way home I kicked myself for paying so much money for the gun. I'm certain that my wife and I have put at least 20,000 rounds through it in the past five years. It still runs flawlessly. It turned out to be the best handgun purchase I ever made.

Btw, I have the original combat grips, but I just love the Kuracs that I put on this gun.

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so i did ok at $575?

My local dealer sells them for $669 plus tax.

I had a 8"3/8 model 617 and foolishly traded it for a .17HMR 647. I swapped guns and kicked in $100.00. At the time I thought it was a hot trade but I do not like the 647 as much. It seems to blow back the empty cases in the cylinder and by the 4th or 5th shot it is hard to rotate. I always seem to regret selling a Smith even when getting another to replace it.