Garage Sale Find-S&W Model 1917 .45 Hand Ejector

[winchester66]

Cruising the early local garage sales in town today and came upon a older gentleman's sale that I have known for a while and didn't look to be promising at all. I figure I was already there so why not take a quick glance around through the piles of odds and ends before heading down the road. To my surprise I found this smith & wesson model 1917 .45 hand ejector just laying by itself in a pile of fishing equipment. Had a tag on it marked "Old Smith Revolver" so thinking this was probably a mistake or something was seriously wrong with it I give it a quick once over ask a few questions about it from the my older gentleman friend. He stated it belong to his wifes dad and got passed down through the family and having a bad case of arthritis and bad shakes he could not shoot it any more and instead of it laying around he decided to put it up for sale. I thanked my gentleman friend and gladly paid him his asking price. The revolver locks up tight and seems to be in good timing being marked S&W DA 45 on the left side of the barrel, has a GHS in a circle proof mark on the left upper hand side of the frame, united states property on the underneath side of the barrel, smith & wesson pattent marks on the top side of the barrel, has US Army Model 1917 NO 62XX on the bottom buttstock with matching numbers with a S under the barrel, on the front of the cylinder, backside of the extractor, bottom of the butt stock and has a groove cut on both sides of the hammer assembly. My questions are First are these the correct type of grips for this revolver and if not where could I get a correct set from? Second would a revolver like this be worth keeping original like it is now? Third what would be a fair market value for it? Thanks in advance for any help. Winchester66

 

[Muley Gil]

No, those are NOT the correct grips. However, you still got a heck of a deal!!!

Yes, it is an early 1917. Don't do anything to it except take care of it. Current value is around $500 and up.

 

[Scary Gary]

Very good find.

 

[Deacon KC]

Great find, leave it as is except to get the right grips.

 

[Waidmann]

Congratulations!

 

[STCM(SW)]

Nice find at that price I think...

 

[pilgrim6a]

Those stocks interest me.
I've seen a similar pair before. The design makes the holstered revolver look like a Colt SA.
Does anyone know who made them?
One of our Forum members posted a pic of an 'N' frame with the same type stocks. I saved the pic but forgot to note from whom I stole it. So I can't re-post it.

 

[DCWilson]

Excellent deal.

With that low serial number, the gun should have a radially grooved hammer. It looks as though it may have, but the images aren't quite sharp enough for me to say for sure.

I can see the GHS cartouche on the frame, so that's consistent with the low serial number. Later production had the flaming bomb.

The proper stocks for that gun would be the early variety with the concave (dished) tops. Later production had the convex profile, which saved a production step and theoretically increased output. Here's a photo of another early-production 1917 (but not as early as yours) that shows the correct stocks.

 

[Frank46]

you did very well. Around here all you ever see is some old junk that should have been consigned to the flaming fires years ago. Definitely buy a lottery ticket. Frank

 

[delta-419]

1917

You did really GOOD! These are great shooters, now you will need some moon clips and a day at the range. Let us know how it shoots.

 

[H Richard]

I think that would be called the "Buy of the week". Those dished top early grips aren't easy to locate, as only about the first 25,000 issued in 1917-1918 had them. Post a "Want to Buy" add here on the Forum and you might get lucky.

 

[GJH77]

Congratulations! Good find. As has been said, you do not see something like that in most yard sales here.

And you have the lanyard ring also. The 1917 I found, in addition to having replacement stocks, did not have the ring either.

Is that rust or wear on the left side/bottom of the barrel or just the reflection of the background?

 

[blackdeuce]

Nice find!

I don't normally go to garage sales, but maybe I should start.....

 

[A10]

Congratulations! From the pictures it looks to be in pretty good shape (hope I look that good when I'm nearly 100 years old!). I'd keep it original, and start the search for the proper goodies to go with it.

 

[tekarra]

I am going to have to start going to garage sales.s

 

[Cobroller]

Nice find there. Some moon clips and you are good to go.