Did M1917 suffer from problems with oversized chamber throats?

[aterry33]

You hear about this mainly with the Model 25, but I haven't heard about it with the M1917 (I figure it probably suffered from the same problems).

 

[bubbajoe45]

I think the reference to the Model 25 concerned the ones chambered in .45 Colt, not those in .45 ACP. So, the 1917s don't typically have this problem; in fact, most are remarkably accurate. A problem they do have more often is pitted bores from the corrosive ammo common to their time.

 

[wbraswell]

Actually I think the 25-2 is the one that has oversized throats. I think the 25-5 with a larger bullet diameter doen't have the problem. I know my 25-2 puts cast bullets for the .45 acp all over the place.

 

[BHP FAN]

my 1917 is one of the more accurate revolvers I have ever shot!

 

[Mack]

I believe the problem with the 25-2's started when S&W begin to make the 25-5's. No way to prove it but I suspect someone had the bright idea to bore all the cylinders at .454 as a cost savings. I never heard of any other than the 25-2 having this problem.

 

[Nightowl]

The throats on my model of 1950 target run about .458! So, I do not think that it is just the later model 25-2's. From what I have read here, mine with the oversize throats is not uncommon. Not sure at all about 1917's. My Model 29, approx. 1968 version, has throats that run oversize by about .004. It may have been common engineering to run the big bores with larger throats. All my .357's run mostly right at .357.

 

[sjmjax]

Both my model 25-2 and model 1955 have the huge cylinder throats and only shoot well with jacketed bullets.

Never understood how S&W screwed this one up so bad and continued to do so for so long.

 

[john traveler]

This business of oversized chamber throats very likely started with the British requirement for .455-chambered Triple Locks and 2nd Model Hand Ejectors in the rush to get handguns to troops in WWI.

These models simply duplicated the chamber dimensions and throating on the British Webley series of service revolvers. From having measured a number of these guns, it's not uncommon to find chamber throats measuring larger than 0.458"-0.462".

Looked at another way, these large chamber throats facilitated reloading under combat conditions of trench warfare. .303 British SMLE service rifles were made with oversized chambers for the same reason.