1917 Hotroding.

[usnrigger]

Well, I picked up a Brazilian 1917 a few months back and have been going over what I was going to do with it. It finally came to pass that I wanted to build a classic looking carry rig. Im taking revolver smithing here at Trinidad this semester and made it my project gun. Today I started in on it with a good old "Chop & Slam" from my old car hot-rodding days. Grip was cut and reduced by a hair over 1/2". I will get some photos of progress. I need to train myself to take more photos, but currently I hacked off the bottom of the grip and took out a little over 1/2". I did have to carefully heat up and bend the two tangs out to fit the lower portion as to retain the lines of the original grip. It took some time but I got the look I wanted and currently have the bottom part tacked up with the TIG welder.

Plans are to get the grip all finished out and a pair of custom grips made either in buffalo horn with checkering or Stag. Other things that are in the plans are a full action job, yoke alignment will be checked and corrected if need be, any endshake taken care of, and barrel will be shortened to around 3". I also have a treat in store for the sights, but will hold off in the release till I get those done.

Will get some photos up, and be better about stopping and taking progressive photos for this thread to show the full transformation.

Cheers

USNRigger

 

[Mike McLellan]

Amen on the photos. There are those who shudder at the thought of taking a sawzall to a fine S&W. I guess I'm one of them. But I do admire the creative artist's mind running full tilt, and the accomplishments most of us never experience. Yeah, pictures. Good or bad.

 

[usnrigger]

Photos of current progress. I still need to set down on TIG and finish welds and build up some fill material, also get everything tweaked so I like the lines and look. I will add more photos to this thread as work progresses. Second photo is next to a 44HE that im restoring, when I run down the rest of the parts needed.

 

[Frank46]

Is your intent to make the length of the grip frame shorter?, or to take a wider grip. Just curious. Looks good so far. Frank

 

[usnrigger]

Purpose was a shorter grip length for ease of carry. It fells extreamly nice in the hand. As for widening the grip, it does lengthen and widen the grip in had as I moves the bottom part more into the hand as before it fell slightly below the hand when gripped. So far I'm very pleased just need to get a few things tweaked

 

[rog8732]

You took in to account the main spring having to be shorter ?? What is the plan for that?

 

[usnrigger]

Yes, two plans currently to take care of mainspring. One is by trying to shorten a factory spring, probably not the best way but easiest. Second and the one I will probably do reguardless just may take more time to tune is to make a new spring out of spring stock, harden, and temper out by nitre blue.

I spend some time working on this today. Changed a angle by driving a wedge into the grip. It was a bit off after a week of looking at it on the table so I decided to make it right in my eyes. I welded up quite a lot of the two tangs and now need to dress it out and weld some more.

I also trimmed the barrel down today on the lathe, took it down to 3.25", just need to finalize the crown profile and re-set the front sight. I will get some photos up tomorrow after I dress out the welds and media blast it.

 

[dogsoldier]

A neat gun like this NEEDS stag grips.

 

[usnrigger]

I agree, I have a buddy in my class that does a lot of custom knifes and we are looking at grip options. I have a log of petrified palm I found on a fishing trip, if I can figure a way to slab it out and work with it. We tried messing with it last summer and found its some hard stuff. diamond saw and lots of abrasive belts we figured. I agree stag would be very nice. we also thought about checkered buffalo horn, and checkered bone with ink in the checkering.

Im pretty sure its going to need some custom vintage leather as well.

 

[usnrigger]

 

[Pig Hunter]

Have you considered dishing off the right side of the trigger guard ala. Bill Jordan. I have a 66 short barrel someone did that to. Looks cool, and doesn't get the cross-eyed looks of a Fitz'd guard. Mark.

 

[usnrigger]

Pig hunter, if you have a picture or any photos from online I'd be interested in seeing them. I did a few google searches and found text about this but didn't come up with any photos.

 

[jimmyj]

Note:
Back in the 1970s I had several S&W Model 1917s barrels shorten to 4".
Every Model 1917 Revolver's 4" barrel would key hole the bullets.

 

[usnrigger]

jimmy, thanks for that info I will test and see once I get it up and running. Do you think that was from the rate of twist of the older barrels?

 

[jimmyj]

jimmy, thanks for that info I will test and see once I get it up and running. Do you think that was from the rate of twist of the older barrels?

Hi:
I have negative idea as back in that era I was not "Into Guns". The revolver boxes on new Smith and Wesson I let the Kids use for boats !

 

[RobertJ.]

That is a very cool project. I'm looking forward to seeing the final result. And since you're actually in a revolver smithing program, nobody can accuse you of being a "bubba"!

 

[usnrigger]

I honestly chose this route and project because it allows me to learn a large relm of things. Action jobs, Springs, sights modifications, machining and crowning. Ive always wanted to do this to a 1917 as i have a 625 but it needed a vintage looking older brother.

USNRigger

Jimmy, no worries i will test some loads and see what i come up with.

I have a good amount of welding knocked out today, and most of the beads dressed down. I still have a lot of work ahead of me just in getting the grip to where i want it. Monday im going to do some hammer restoration and work on a mainspring for this little beast. Ill keep you guys updated with photos as always

 

[opr1945]

where is this revolver school and what is its name?

 

[usnrigger]

Not just a Revolver School, its a full gunsmithing school. Im a third semester student at Trinidad State College. Im currently taking Revolver as a class this semester. I also have 1911, Stock, and Machine II.

If you would like to read a bit about it, Started by P.O. Ackley in 1948 Trinidad State || Programs || Gunsmithing

 

[WR Moore]

I can't get the pictures to come up. Not to be a wet blanket, but I do hope the serial numbers are still on the frame. BATFE takes a real dim view of removing them.