617 Universal Champion

[basvaningen]

Hello everybody,

I'm Bas from the Netherlands. I want to buy a 617 .22 LR Universal Champion. But i'm trying to find some info/history, but i can't find it.

The serial number is CJY7962 and it's a six shot.

Does someone knows this type op 617.

 

[murphydog]

Welcome! In the standard S & W reference book there is a reference to a 6" barrel "Target Champion" but no details are given. The gun pictured appears to be a Europe-only export model, a few of which make it back to the USA by re-importation.

The serial number prefix letters suggests it was produced in 2004 - is it a new or current production gun? Hope this is helpful.

 

[SweetMK]

Welcome to the forum!! Thank you for posting that pic, now we have something NEW to lust for.

S&W Performance Center will be overloaded with E-Mails requesting a quote on that purdy looking thing!!

 

[basvaningen]

Thanks for your info Alan. The only thing i know about the barrel that it's made by Lothar Walther.
But i don't know if it's better then the stock 6" barrel.

 

[basvaningen]

Image of the barrel:

Image of the drum:

Entire gun:

 

[fyimo]

Wow that's one I never saw before and can you say Sweetness !!!!!

 

[murphydog]

It is a later gun due to the presence of the internal lock. Perhaps some Forum members know more about it, or have seen or owned one?

 

[Jebus35745]

Don't know nothing abt the gun but it sure looks awesome. Let us know how it shoots. That is a doable project gun for somone with a milling maching. Was it expensive? Larry

 

[MXP]

Where I live the local gun shop was some used 617 Taget Champions in very good condition. Are these also not very common in US? .....the club I am member of has one. It is a very good gun. The used price i about 1000 USD from the gun shop.

 

[Camster]

Where I live the local gun shop was some used 617 Taget Champions in very good condition. Are these also not very common in US? .....the club I am member of has one. It is a very good gun. The used price i about 1000 USD from the gun shop.

Not a model available in the US,however it appears to be the same gun that we have access to,except for the etched wording and Nill grips.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

So how come Europe gets all the good stuff???????

 

[OpsMgr]

Really nice M617!

 

[primersp]

i think it was guns imported by franckonia for all the europe ,they have proof mark of LIEGE BELGIUM , i have an 629-4 target champion in
5 " barrel and plain cylender, i have buy it in second hand, the pistol don't have the nill grip ,i put and rubber hogue more comfortable for shooting .

 

[MXP]

They have 3 more 617 target champion on the used list. I think they all are a bit different. A more common thing on the list is one of the "old school" 686 with color case hardned trigger parts and firing pin on the hammer. These you have plenty of in US? .....I think it is nice.....even that it is a common one.

There are other interesting s&w stuff. If you want to look at some pictures I can show you some of what I think could be the most interesting

 

[Engine49guy]

Are you certain that it is a barrel and not a barrel "Shroud" that slips over the factory barrel to mount optics?
The reason I ask is it appears there are two holes underneath suggesting they are to secure the shroud to the barrel underneath.

Can you post a picture showing the muzzle?

 

[gasaman]

Are you certain that it is a barrel and not a barrel "Shroud" that slips over the factory barrel to mount optics?
The reason I ask is it appears there are two holes underneath suggesting they are to secure the shroud to the barrel underneath.

Can you post a picture showing the muzzle?

I was thinking the same thing. I'd like to see the business end of that barrel. It almost looks to be aluminum.

 

[MXP]

The "weighted barrel" Performance center 686 has the same type of "barrel". It can be found on the s&w homepage:

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...57896_757896_757896_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

....there are images but not one which shoes the muzzle....

 

[johnyakima]

From the "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson":
The Model 617 was called the Target Champion
It had a full lug, square butt and K target frame
It appears to have been manufactured in two series,
235 in 1995 and 1996 as product code 170066. All exported to WISCO in
Germany. And 327 manufactured in 1998 and 1999 under product
code 170122 and exported to Germany.
In March 1984 S&W began three-letter serial prefixes. I couldn't
find CJY7962 in the above reference.
I hope this is some help.

 

[johnyakima]

As Murphydog noted the presence of the internal lock appears to make my research dated.

 

[TANZER]

617 / WISCO

According to Roy Jinks the Wisco shipment in 1998 was a total of 306 each of the attached photo. SN ETC0001 thru ETC0306.