Love my new 317-3 Kit Gun

D

desmobob

Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2023
Messages
123
Reaction score
117
I was surprised there was no instruction manual information specific to the aluminum construction and paint/clearcoat/whatever-it-is on this revolver.

I know I should avoid solvents containing ammonia, but what about using a bronze brush in the cylinder?

After my first range trip (almost 200 rounds fired) I tried to clean the cylinder gently with a tight-fitting plastic jag and patches but eventually gave up. A couple of swipes in each chamber with a conventional .22 bronze brush got the job done.
 
Register to hide this ad
I like to use Hoppes Elite Gun Cleaner ... and Hoppes Elite Gun Oil on my 317-3 Air-Lite . The word to look for is " ELITE " both the gun cleaner and oil are formulated not to damage plastic or the "clear coat / paint " finish on these little guns . I use the Elite Gun Cleaner and standard 22 cal. brass brush to gently scrub out chambers and barrel ... be gentle the finish does look like paint of some sort ... Mine is several years old , has a 3" bbl & adjustable sights and when I go out the door it usually gets shoved in a pocket ... so light and handy , 8 shots of CCI Mini-Mags is comforting . Looking at it ...little wear , the "paint' seems to hold up very well . it does look like a " grey paint" but seems to hold up better than the "clear coat" on my 38 special J-frame Air-Weight ... a lot better !
Whatever you do don't use any harsh gun cleaners ...Acetone , brake cleaner , Lacquer Thinner ...Ed's Red Bore Cleaner on it ...
stick with Hoppes Elite Cleaner and Elite Oil and you will be fine .
Gary
 
Last edited:
Thanks Gary.

I sure do enjoy the little revolver. It has been a fun challenge, learning to shoot it well. I look forward to having it in my pocket on future hikes and hunting outings.

It is just so darn pocketable... I have other smaller handguns but the combination of the 317's size and light weight make it ride in a pocket effortlessly and still be large enough for enjoyable shooting. I really like it so far.
 
Last edited:
A coat of Johnson's paste wax on these painted /clear coated revolvers does wonders in preserving these delicate finishes almost forever. Gotta wear through the wax before the actual finish can be touched. Two or three times a year should be sufficient. This may not effect damage from extremely harsh chemicals, but sure works great on preventing physical wear, such as often appears on the back strap, the trigger guard, and the top of the frame.
 
Last edited:
desmobob said:
Thanks Gary.

I sure do enjoy the little revolver. It has been a fun challenge, learning to shoot it well. I look forward to having it in my pocket on future hikes and hunting outings.

It is just so darn pocketable... I have other smaller handguns but the combination of the 317's size and light weight make it ride in a pocket effortlessly and still be large enough for enjoyable shooting. I really like it so far.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the mini "review"; that one's on my short list too. Saw one at the latest gun show but it's sticker was outrageous.

Was it pretty easy to shoot in DA? I'm sure SA is super easy.

Is it pretty quick to get back on target with the fiber optic front sight? It's a green one, right?
 
The easiest way to avoid any concerns regarding the finish is simply clean it dry without any solvents.
I have been doing this for years.
A few brass brush passes, a few patch passes, done.
Get Al the nooks and crannies with pipe cleaners and Q tips then oil with whatever lube you like.

When a gun gets really dirty, I will use a solvent like hoppes or whatever, but it is seldom needed.

The only time I use a goodly amount of solvent is when cleaning my 22 suppressor which gets very dirty.
 
firefighterjohn said:
Thanks for the mini "review"; that one's on my short list too. Saw one at the latest gun show but it's sticker was outrageous.

Was it pretty easy to shoot in DA? I'm sure SA is super easy.

Is it pretty quick to get back on target with the fiber optic front sight? It's a green one, right?
Click to expand...

The price on this one is painful, for sure. MSRP is $839 and $760 was the cheapest I could find it. :eek:

Shooting it DA is a challenge. Between the fairly heavy trigger pull weight and the small size and light weight of the gun, you really have to work to find your ideal grip and trigger finger position. I have XL hands and had a hard time at first.

It does have a bright fiber optic sight that's green in color. It also has a very frustrating V-notch rear sight. It's fast but hard to be precise with.

I anticipate a long and happy relationship with this little gem!
 
desmobob said:
Thanks Gary.

I sure do enjoy the little revolver. It has been a fun challenge, learning to shoot it well. I look forward to having it in my pocket on future hikes and hunting outings.

It is just so darn pocketable... I have other smaller handguns but the combination of the 317's size and light weight make it ride in a pocket effortlessly and still be large enough for enjoyable shooting. I really like it so far.
Click to expand...

Those of you that pocket carry your 3 inch model 317s, what pocket holster do you guys use?
 
desmobob said:
The price on this one is painful, for sure. MSRP is $839 and $760 was the cheapest I could find it. :eek:

Shooting it DA is a challenge. Between the fairly heavy trigger pull weight and the small size and light weight of the gun, you really have to work to find your ideal grip and trigger finger position. I have XL hands and had a hard time at first.

It does have a bright fiber optic sight that's green in color. It also has a very frustrating V-notch rear sight. It's fast but hard to be precise with.

I anticipate a long and happy relationship with this little gem!
Click to expand...

I was hoping that S&W had done away with that shallow "vee" notch rear sight . I Love the front fiber optic front and the shallow vee should be accurate ... in theory at least ... I'm not a bad shot (NRA Bullseye Match , indoor competition for 20 years) but the best I can do is minute of soda-can at 25 feet ,
That's terrible ... I like 1-hole groups in the X-ring .
There is little reference points to work with when aiming ... good for fast shots but not Target shooting ... some times I miss the soda-can .
I keep saying I'm going to change it but I don't ... I hate it when a rear sight bests me and I'm going to figure out how to shoot it accurately ... I have a big hoard of cheap 22 LR ammo I need to expend ... semi-auto may not shoot them but the trusty revolver will !
Gary
 
Mike-4 said:
Those of you that pocket carry your 3 inch model 317s, what pocket holster do you guys use?
Click to expand...

Pocket Carry , no holster , wrap 317 in a large blue bandana and stick it in my front right cargo pants pocket .
When I take my bandana out ... it looks like I'm going to wipe my hands off ... nothing to see but a blue bandana
Gary
 
Here's a kydex pocket holster for J Frame M60 3" bbl.

The Pocket | AHolster | Custom Kydex Concealed Carry Holsters

You could call them to see if it will work with the 3" 317.

I have one of their holsters (this model no longer made as far as I can tell) for the 1 7/8" J Frame. Light weight and not at all bulky.
.
360%20thumbnail_IMG_5950.jpg

.
Paul
 
gwpercle said:
I was hoping that S&W had done away with that shallow "vee" notch rear sight . I Love the front fiber optic front and the shallow vee should be accurate ... in theory at least ... I'm not a bad shot (NRA Bullseye Match , indoor competition for 20 years) but the best I can do is minute of soda-can at 25 feet ,
That's terrible ... I like 1-hole groups in the X-ring .
There is little reference points to work with when aiming ... good for fast shots but not Target shooting ... some times I miss the soda-can .
I keep saying I'm going to change it but I don't ... I hate it when a rear sight bests me and I'm going to figure out how to shoot it accurately ... I have a big hoard of cheap 22 LR ammo I need to expend ... semi-auto may not shoot them but the trusty revolver will !
Gary
Click to expand...

I found all the inexpensive parts necessary to replace the V-notch rear blade with a conventional square notch but never ordered them. Instead, I used a small square file to cut down and slightly widen the V-notch into a square and then re-blued it.

This is an improvement for sure but I still might order a new square notch blade to be sure it's as good as I can get it.

I'm loving the Kit Gun except for the fragile finish. Its weight makes it so handy to bring along!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

DuckBeav
I love a classic!
Replies
2
Views
134
Sixgun100
Sixgun100
M
New 610-3
Replies
5
Views
399
Rock185
Rock185
N
New Mountain Gun Price
Replies
14
Views
1K
wbraswell
wbraswell
D
Rebound spring for 317-3
Replies
8
Views
453
desmobob
D
O
My 3" M66-3
Replies
5
Views
514
Rock185
Rock185

Latest posts

Back
Top