Commercial M1917 tasteful refinish

[tenntex32]

I like to call this one my pre-WWII Commercial M1917 with a tasteful refinish. (If there is such a thing as a tasteful refinish!)

Upon careful inspection you will see slight softening of corners, edges, markings, etc.. The dead giveaway, among other things, is whoever did the refinish did not leave the very tip of the ejector rod in the white. Otherwise a very tasteful refinish was performed on this revolver at some point in it's life.

It is all numbers matching, including the grips. I did not pay a great deal for this revolver due to the refinish. The bluing/polish is so brilliant it was difficult to photograph it! The streaks you may see in the finish are where I attempted to wipe the CLP/grease preservative off of the metal prior to photographing it.

I finally got around to getting pictures of it cataloged so I thought I would share it with you guys and gals.

I know, I know...….it's not perfect by a longshot but it is currently my only commercial S&W in my M1917 collection, assuming we don't count my Brazilian M1917 built on a commercial frame that is identical to this one except for having the large Brazilian crest.

Dale

 

[tenntex32]

post 2 of pics...…..

 

[tenntex32]

post 3 of pics.....

 

[tenntex32]

last page of pics!

The yoke s/n matches as well but I just couldn't get a clear picture of it through a chamber hole.

Thanks very much for looking,
Dale

 

[delcrossv]

Very pretty! You should be proud of that one, refin or no.

 

[tenntex32]

Very pretty! You should be proud of that one, refin or no.

Thanks!

It has successfully prevented me from spending the really big bucks for an excellent condition all-matching/all-original finished Commercial example. (Up to this point at least....)

That being said I would like to eventually add an immediate post-WWI Commercial example built using spare M1917 military contract parts to the collection. A pre-WWII or post-WWII Commercial M1917 example with magna style grips is also on my radar. (Dare I say all three!)

Dale

 

[StrawHat]

Good looking revolver. Whoever it was did a nice job on the finishing.

Have you had a chance to figure out when it shipped?

Kevin

 

[shocker]

OP: in S&W terminology:
Chamber holes are charge holes
Grips are stocks.

 

[steelslaver]

In my terminology. Nice very nice looking piece.

You and I know it isn't a gun. Guns have are field pieces.

Semper Fi and keep a sharp eye out for the Terminology police.

A 22 has charge holes, a cartridge without a healed bullet goes in a Chamber no matter what S&W wants to call them and even the distinguish S&W expert Roy Jinks and S&W has called them grips at times.

Like pistol and revolver . Some claim it is wrong to call a revolver a pistol. "Pistols are semi autos". Yet, history show that the term pistol was used to describe revolves long before any semi auto ever existed.

Think I'll go shoot a couple of my 45 LONG colts today.

 

[StrawHat]

What? No love for the nitpickers?!?

Kevin

 

[tenntex32]

Okay goobers, you can thank Mr. Roy Jinks for me also calling stocks grips. I have seen numerous factory letters where he has also done so, so that being said I can expect a pass on that one...….well maybe. I'd like to think we could give 'Ole Roy a pass on this one as well without too much tar and feathering going on.

With regards to "pistol" versus "revolver" I try to use them as they apply to most nitpickers, and will generally use the term "handgun" if needing an interchangeable descriptor for both. But growing up in Texas, it seemed most every handgun was a pistol...…..or "pistola" as my Grandfather liked to say, and he was an old west revolver kind of a guy.

With regards to the term "gun"...……….well once again being raised in Texas and most everything that went "BANG" was a gun. (Yes I know my military training says otherwise and that training allows me to honestly say "no" when asked if I have or own any guns...…...but just try applying that logic when a police officer asks you if you have any "guns" on you and see how far you get!) Due to my training I also know the difference between a "ship" and a "boat", but that never stopped me from calling our ship a boat while deployed just to aggravate the sailors!

All funning aside my pet peeve is when someone calls a loaded round a "bullet", even though being raised in Texas it is a common thing to hear, such as "Gimme a box of bullets for it too." I think it is because I have been a handloader for a number of years and know the difference between a "loaded round" versus just a "bullet".

Do I get any points for sticking to my guns when calling it a "yoke" when referring to S&W revolvers...……….and a "crane" when referring to Colt revolvers? I typically do that so some extra credit coming my way is obviously in order.

With regards to when my S&W Commercial M1917 was delivered I would expect around the early to mid-1930s.....quite possibly even closer to a tad later than the mid-30s. I have seen factory letters with somewhat similar serial numbers doing just that in those ranges. (Obviously similar serial numbered examples can and did ship in a wider range of years as far as what you would actually expect due to them having somewhat similar serial numbers.)

While my Commercial M1917 example with silver medallioned checkered STOCKS is obviously not an immediate pre-WWII example having the larger pre-WWII Magna STOCKS, I tend to refer to the Commercial M1917 examples built on later style commercial frames pre-WWII...….and earlier Commercial M1917 examples having non-medallioned checkered STOCKS built on leftover/spare U.S. military contract M1917 frames as post-WWI examples typically from around the 1920's or so.

Once again I know that the nitpickers can pick this theory apart as there were some post-WWII Commercial examples built also using Magna style STOCKS, but they are typically identifiable by a slight difference in the STOCKS as well having the later type barrel style ejector rod end/knob. And then there are the pre-WWII Brazilian M1917 examples built on Commercial style frames and the post-WWII Brazilian M1917 examples built on found/leftover U.S. military contract M1917 frames.

But once again I tend to discuss in generalities knowing full well that exceptions to the "general rules" do exist.

About the only reason I would factory letter my S&W Commercial example is to determine where it may have been shipped to. I kinda have a ballpark as to when it shipped just based on it's features and s/n. Maybe 'ole Roy will slip me some additional info under the radar for coming to his defense...……….

Dale

 

[mikerjf]

So, what's a "healed bullet"? One that has remained in a recovered and surviving target?

 

[Mrnurse]

heheheh pet peeve Bullets .... How about the correct nomenclature of "Slugs"... a poster a week ago was talking about "Slugs" he was shooting... I was dismayed that someone would shoot a Slug...I use Raid Myself.

 

[StrawHat]

So, what's a "healed bullet"? One that has remained in a recovered and surviving target?

I believe you are referring to a “heeled” bullet similar to what is used in the 22 rimfire cartridges. A bullet with a diameter equal to the outside of the case and a rebated portion (or heel) at the base that allows the bullet to be seated and crimped in the case. Most modern cartridges use bullets with a major diameter that slips inside the case and overall length is established by the crimp groove.

Kevin

 

[delcrossv]

I believe you are referring to a “heeled” bullet similar to what is used in the 22 rimfire cartridges. A bullet with a diameter equal to the outside of the case and a rebated portion (or heel) at the base that allows the bullet to be seated and crimped in the case. Most modern cartridges use bullets with a major diameter that slips inside the case and overall length is established by the crimp groove.

Kevin

Bingo. 22 revolvers- or any of the obsolete heeled bullet cartridges- have charge holes (with a constant diameter all the way through) and centerfires (with a step at the forward end) have chambers.

And no. No love for nitpickers. ('specially when they're incorrect)

 

[steelslaver]

Oh, it's fine to explain and use correct terms. But I prefer that is part of a conversation rather than delivered just as a lone statement. My comment about the word gun was a Marine to Marine thing cause I know you probably did some PT over it. It's all good

 

[merl67]

I have observed on here and elsewhere people can be very sensitive to correct nomenclature. Even in my current trade as a maintenance man for example some will call a internal combustion engine a motor when everyone knows that is wrong it's an engine lol screws bolts, and bolts screws. For years I've seen folks bust people's chops for calling a magazine a clip. Back to the OP's 1917 it is a nice refinish the only thing that stands out to me is you can see the polishing micro scratches in the finish another couple of finer grits with a final polish with a metal polish such as Flits or the like would have made a much better finish. Just my two cents lol.

 

[Sistema1927]

What is the "not a great deal" of money that you paid for this one. Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks.

 

[tenntex32]

What is the "not a great deal" of money that you paid for this one. Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks.

About what a lesser condition military contract M1917 would go for nowadays.

Oh no...……..this was post #666 for me!

Dale

 

[handejector]

You and I know it isn't a gun. Guns have are field pieces.

Semper Fi and keep a sharp eye out for the Terminology police.

Gunny is not listening anymore. You can think for yourself now.