617 Double Action troubles!

M

Magnum 7mm

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
77
Reaction score
0
I just bought a NEW S&W 617 4". I've shot 50 rounds single action for sight in and grouping different brands of ammo. NO problems when using single action. I've shot 120 rounds of Winchester XPERT in double-action with 5 misfires. I shot 130 rounds of Federal (Bulk Pack) with 10 misfires. I put the misfired cartridges back in the revolver, rotated their position for a different firing pin strike, and they all fired. I plan to test some CCI and some Remington ammo in double action mode in the next couple of weeks to make sure it's not an ammo problem. (which I don't think it is) I know the hammer doesn't come back as far in DA as it does in SA. Can the mainspring be adjusted to increase the striking power of the hammer when shooting double action? Or could this be a cylinder stop/timing issue? Have any of you had this problem? The revolver is brand spankin new. It should work properly. I'm sure Smith & Wesson will take care of any problems.
 
Register to hide this ad
Did you check to see if the strain screw was good and tight? This could cause light hits. If this does not fix it, there could be a short firing pin. Since this is a new gun, I would contact S&W directly.
 
I removed the grips and checked the strain screw. It was tight. I'll try some different brand ammo. If it continues to misfire, off it goes to S&W.
 
Welcome to the forum. It could be a number of things. First while you have the grips off, look at the main spring and see if it has a nice curve in it, if it turns all at once then the main has been bent and needs replaced. The next thing is you need to push the shell in all the way, if it is off the seat it will miss fire for sure. The best cure it to buy a longer firing pin for it and that will set you back about 15 bucks which should include the shippment. Hope this helps.
 
Bullseye, the 617 is brand new, factory fresh. I ordered it Wednesday, got it Thursday. Surely they tested it, or maybe not. I'll know sooner or later if it's an ammo issue. If not ammo, I guess I'll call S&W and make arrangements to send it back. I've been well satisfied with all S&W products I have aquired through the years. I guess this might be the "lemon" that people occasionally get.
Thanks for the reply.
 
As Bullseye Smith said make sure the ammo is going into the cylinder fully, 22lr ammo is very dirty & sometimes the charge hole just need a .270" brass brush run down them to remove the carbon & lead..
What happens is the initial strike seats the round & more than likely if you tried to hit any that didn't ignite first try I'll bet the do when struck again in the same charge hole..
Try Cleaning it first before sending it back to S&W..
Good Luck & Enjoy that easy to FEED 22lr M617..
Gary/Hk
 
Magnum 7mm said:
Bullseye, the 617 is brand new, factory fresh. I ordered it Wednesday, got it Thursday. Surely they tested it, or maybe not. I'll know sooner or later if it's an ammo issue. If not ammo, I guess I'll call S&W and make arrangements to send it back. I've been well satisfied with all S&W products I have aquired through the years. I guess this might be the "lemon" that people occasionally get.
Thanks for the reply.
Click to expand...

Revolvers in 22 LR are very finicky when it comes to relaible ignition in DA mode. I would make sure that the strain screw is fully tightened and that the bulets are fully seated into the chambers. I wish one could lighten the DA pull on S&W revolvers in 22 LR but that results in unreliable ignition.
 
I've now fired 366 rounds in Double action mode. The revolver has misfired 27 times. I shot these rounds in seperate shooting sessions, with different brands/types of ammo and a thourough cleaning in between. It will misfire at least once during the first 20 rounds. I called Smith and Wesson today and the first thing they told me was to check the strain screw. (which I did the other day and double checked today) The technician told me that was too many misfires. They are sending me a pre-paid shippiing label to send it back. I'm sure they will get it running right.
 
27 times in 366 rounds is a bit much.

Keep in mind that 22lr ammo is cheap ammo, especially the bulk pak stuff. I shoot Federal #745's almost exclusively in my 617. Sometimes I get 1 or 2 per hundred, sometimes 7 or 8.

You don't have to pull and rotate the rounds to make them fire. Just keep pulling the trigger until they come around the second time. The second hit will do it.
 
raincitywheel said:
You don't have to pull and rotate the rounds to make them fire. Just keep pulling the trigger until they come around the second time. The second hit will do it.
Click to expand...

Unless you find that one round in a bulk pack that doesn't have priming compound all the way around the rim, and you happened to hit it in the one spot that there isn't any priming compound--a second hit to the same spot won't light it, in this case. Most of the time, yes, it'll light on the second hit, but sometimes it doesn't...
 
Ah, the delights of shooting .22s. I tend to be of the "cheaper is better" school and, as a result, I've gone through a lot of the really cheap stuff. My preferred poison is Federal Bulkpak from Walmart. That stuff tends to produce a good number of misfires, an occasional out and out dud and, once in my experience, a squib round that never left the gun.

However, the rate at which you're experiencing da misfires is pretty high. Smith will make it right.
 
I've had repeated misfires with Remington Target .22, 100 packs, but when I fired ancient Kassnar .22 LR ammo (Phillipino manufactured Remington Ammo), not one round misfired.

Also tried some 25 year old PMC .22LR ammo, and not one misfire from that stuff, either.

I utilized 2 guns during that session; My early 90's 4" S&W 617, and My 2001 S&W 22S.

FYI: I sent the misfired rounds to Remington in Lonoke, Ark., and received factory vouchers to replace the defective ammunition.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Chrisj357
Double Action with .357 Magnum
2 3
Replies
40
Views
2K
chase45
C
F
Brand-new 327 R8 firing pin craziness
Replies
10
Views
578
MajorD
M
D
MODEL 625-4 UNUSUAL DOUBLE ACTION
Replies
5
Views
675
Nightowl
Nightowl
7
Magnum hunter 44 magnum issues? Update
Replies
15
Views
782
7887mm08
7
C
I've had my new 617-6 for a few months now
2 3
Replies
47
Views
5K
AveragEd
A

Latest posts

Back
Top