$1100.00 seems way too high for that gun.
I jut picked up a 617-1 6 shot, 6" barrel at the gun show in Jacksonville this past weekend.
It doesn't even look like it was fired, and the timing and lock up is perfect.
Now here is the great part. I got it from a private dealer for $525.00 cash out the door.
Stu
Yes, if I had selected a 6 shot like the 617, 617-1, -3, or -5; I could have paid much less.
I think the 10 shot was created for rapid fire competition, like pin matches and steel challenge. That's what I wanted the gun for. Six shots may not be enough for steel challenge matches. If you miss a single shot, you will have to reload. Ten shots gives you quite an edge.
I spoke to S&W customer service before bidding. The original 617-2 was released with an alloy cylinder but they switched to a stainless cylinder during the production life. The customer rep would not say exactly why they chose alloy or why they later switched. My guess is that alloy was used because the lower mass would facilitate faster firing of the gun.
I saw some models available on Gunbroker with alloy cylinders. I thought about cleaning an alloy cylinder and realized that using a brass bristled brush in the chambers would not be a good idea. There are no steel sleeves in the chambers. The rep did tell me that sending the gun in and having it fitted with a new stainless cylinder would cost right around $200.
Anyhow, the gun I bid on was late enough in the production cycle to have a stainless cylinder, but still early enough to have forged parts instead of MIM parts. Not that I really object to MIM parts, but that just added a bit more spice to the deal.
I did pay more than I originally intended to ( I paid $900, not $1100 ). Hopefully the gun will prove to be a real winner. I will post about it after I receive it from my FFL.
