617 group size

[pea shooter]

What size groups are you guys shooting at 25 yds. and what ammo are you using in your 617

 

[Bullseye Smith]

The one I have likes CCI standard, Need to try them all to find what it likes. Ina ranson rest my baby will shoot around 1 inch at fifty yards, with another ammo it go's up fast .

 

[jspick]

Depends on the gun and ammo. I had a 6" 617 that shot 1 1/2 at 25 yds. I now have a 4" that I can't miss with. Off the bench I can get 1" or less at 25 yds. with my eyes. My son can do better. CCI mini mag h.p. is good ammo. Win power point work well.

John

 

[scooter123]

I've only run 2 ammo's thru my 617 at this point and don't have a Ransom rest, all my shooting to test for group size was off a bench rest with the front of the trigger guard jammed into a good heavy sandbag. Sight used was a J Point reflex.

Winchester Xpert HV have yielded the best accuracy at this point with 24 rounds into a 2 inch group at 100 feet. Downside of the ammo is that it's VERY dirty shooting and the cylinder requires scrubbing out every 50 to 75 rounds. Otherwise seating new rounds requires a firm push and the misfire rate goes way up due to poorly seated rounds.

Next is the Federal Bulk available at Walmart. With this ammunition I've put 18 rounds into a 2 1/2 inch group at 100 feet with 5 outlyers. To be honest I wasn't quite as steady on this day as I was when testing the Xpert HV. A real plus is that it is very clean shooting, in 100 rounds of shooting without any cleaning of the chambers the rounds were still dropping in freely. Because I wasn't as steady as I would like I plan on doing a bit more testing with this ammo, it's just too clean shooting to not give it another try.

I've also got some CCI Stingers around somewhere and I plan on seeing how this ammo groups at some point.

 

[jspick]

Unless you have fluke gun, and they do exist, I don't think you will have very good luck with the stingers. Very few handguns and rifles even gave me what I would call a group.

-Win. power points
-CCI mini mag hollow points
-Win 333 bulk that I got at walmart is suprisingly accurate
-Eley Sport is very good for the money
-any of the Eley target ammo is good, some like Wolf target ammo
-CCI Green Tag can give very good groups in certain guns
-Rem. Golden Bullets generally are not very good , but if your gun likes them they will shoot very good. It is strange that anything I try in a few of my 22's will not give good groups and then I try Remington Golden Bullets and WOW that particular gun likes them.

I have never had very good luck with federal bulk ammo. The Gold Medal Match stuff shoots well but is expensive.

I have pretty much settled on Win Power Points and CCI Mini Mag Hollow Points as my go to ammo that will shoot very good in most 22's that I shoot. I have shot 22's seriously fpr 12 years and have shot tens of thousand of rounds. Probally near 200,000 22LR rounds would be close.

That doesn't make me an expert, just a serious plinker.

John

 

[one eye joe]

My 4'' 617 likes Standard Velocity CCI. My Ruger MK II does also.......

 

[youngda9]

Sorry to be a necroposter...but can anyone else comment on this?

I have a buckmark...but would much rather have a 617. I don't know if I want to sell the BM and add $300+ to get a 617 if the groups aren't really any better.

Has anyone else done any more 25yd group tests with their 617s? If this firearm isn't that accurate and is just used as cheap practice for a higher caliber N frame I would like to know if that is the case.

 

[gr7070]

I hit one 8" plate and then move on to the next plate really fast. ;-)

 

[WHS 5906]

I have the 8 3/8" and I can knock the nuts off of a nat's *** at 300 yards. All joking aside, they are great guns and everyone should own one. Cheap shooting. I use the Blazer bulk packs and they shoot just fine.

 

[357 shooter]

I have a buckmark...but would much rather have a 617. I don't know if I want to sell the BM and add $300+ to get a 617 if the groups aren't really any better.

For shooting groups with a 22 handgun I would just stick with the Buckmark. The 617 I owned was not nearly as accurate as my centerfire Smiths , not to mention something like my MKII Rugers. I'll admit mine could have been below the norm in accuracy as my cheaper 22 revolvers like my Single Six and Taurus 96 even shot better.

I have an old article shortly after the 617 hit the market that was tested by Guns & Ammo and their 617s were quite accurate - a best of 1.26" twelve shot group for the 4" and a .86" twelve shot group for the 6". The Ransom rest was used.

 

[jspick]

I have had Colt Woodman Match Target, Smith 41's, High Standard, Ruger MKII's. Ruger Single Sixes, regular Colt Wodsman's.

Nothing was as accurate as the Ruger MKII's. Nothing has ever beaten my Ruger MKII "slabside" Competition Target. I can cover 5 shots at 25 yards with a dime and at 50 yards with a nickle easily on a average day.

With anything rimfire, some days are better or worse than others. But I really like my slabside.

John

 

[cal50]

I have had Colt Woodman Match Target, Smith 41's, High Standard, Ruger MKII's. Ruger Single Sixes, regular Colt Wodsman's.

Nothing was as accurate as the Ruger MKII's. Nothing has ever beaten my Ruger MKII "slabside" Competition Target. I can cover 5 shots at 25 yards with a dime and at 50 yards with a nickle easily on a average day.

With anything rimfire, some days are better or worse than others. But I really like my slabside.

John

+1 on the Ruger slab side.

I have one as well and its a tack driver. I replaced the cheapo factory rear sight and that's it. I have owned a couple 41's over the years and regretted selling my last one. In the search for a replacement I found my NIB Ruger for a very good price. I figured it would suffice until I secured another 41. To be honest I have ditched the search for another 41 and really love the Ruger. The S&W has the edge for a nicer trigger but not by much and the Ruger feels better in my paw.

I also have a 617 that I have not fired for target accuracy yet. If your really going to work your wheel gun over for groups take a sharpie and index (number) your cylinder and shoot groups. Odds are one or more will shoot tighter.

I know Ruger does not get the love the 41 does but they do shoot.

 

[jspick]

Well I see I forgot to say I have a 4X scope on my ruger competition target. That makes is a lot easier to shoot good groups with. The one I have now is my second one.

I had a Ruger competition target years ago when I had all the other really nice 22 pistols, that I wish I had kept, it was a shooter too. But I used open sights on it. I agree that the rugers triggers are not as nice as the S&W.

John

 

[kidneystones]

617 advantages- it's a 22 conversion for your k- or l-frame centerfire, will shoot cheap ammo all day; disadvantages, does not seem to be as inherently accurate (in my hands); occasional spitting of stuff sideways and rearwards, not just mine but others as well

m41 advantages- true target pistol, will still hit the bullseye even with less than perfect sight picture ("forgiving" might be a good way to describe it), much easier to clean; disadvantages, needs more costly ammo (i use cci sv), high cost when buying new. i bought mine used for the same price as my 617 when i got it new

i have shot a ruger mk III and a 22/45, both with stock triggers. the 22/45 had too heavy a trigger for my taste. there is a conversion kit, but factoring in the price of that, you might want to scout around for a used 41 instead.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Sorry to be a necroposter...but can anyone else comment on this?

I have a buckmark...but would much rather have a 617. I don't know if I want to sell the BM and add $300+ to get a 617 if the groups aren't really any better.

Has anyone else done any more 25yd group tests with their 617s? If this firearm isn't that accurate and is just used as cheap practice for a higher caliber N frame I would like to know if that is the case.

Well....there IS the cool factor. It's a well known fact that those who shoot the 617's attract the ladies much more than those who shoot Browning Buckmarks.

Another reason is that magazines are easier to come by for the 617

 

[Wayne M]

My ten shot 617 will routinely shoot a cylinder of WW Power Points into one inch at 25 yards. Sitting with the gun braced between the knees. Actually just did it again today checking it out for hunting season.

What it's actually capable of with optics, off the bench is hard to say but they are normally scary accurate. Power Points seem best with Federal American Eagle HP's a close second.

 

[civil1977]

My 617 group size is 2 (currently)

 

[Sportsterguy]

My 617 group size is 2 (currently)

That 4" you have looks horrible with the ugly grips on it! I'll take it off your hands so that it doesn't bother you when you're forced to look at it.

Seriously. NICE revolvers!

 

[jspick]

Well if you have to get rid of the 4" civil1977 to Sporters guy it would be a shame to have the 6" all alone. You best send it to me so my 4" has company!

I have to agree and say Win. Power Points are the best 22LR hi-vel ammo I have ever used.

John

 

[civil1977]

While I certainly appreciate your offers to try to reduce my 617 group size, I think I'm happy with the way it is and I might even try to make it bigger. I guess I need to find a 617-4 with the 8 3/8" barrel to complete the set.