HEADS UP: Stash of 1917 REVOLVERS Found....

[crasig]

I recently saw a You Tube video of un-boxing/ un-crating COLT & S&W 1917 Revolvers (also M-1 Carbines). AT: ROYAL TIGER IMPORTS. They are known to sell C&R type weapons from 3RD WORLD countries. I was curious - so looked at their web site - not seeing them I called about them - & I'm told they are not yet listed. But will be soon. I'd get a kick. out of a second one as a project but - I'm in a retirement financial holding pattern. Usually RTI is CHEAP for a reason - many items are rode hard & put up wet. Thought some of You Here - might enjoy Knowing about this.
RTI usually has low prices, & a real bargain could be found. IF you get lucky - Love to hear about it.
Your Pal, C..

OK to Move - if not under correct heading.

 

[Legendarylawman]

Not sure if I need a 1917 for my collection. Well, not yet anyway!

 

[Retired W4]

I've got enough projects laying around, but I'm sure I will take a peek when they come out. Thanks for the heads up. Takes me back to the Shotgun News days

 

[mckenney99]

Be careful, RTI doesn't exactly have a sterling reputation for the grading of their surplus finds.

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

Just saw them.
What I saw looked pretty rough to say the least.

 

[crasig]

Not sure if I need a 1917 for my collection. Well, not yet anyway!

I love mine, But lucked into IT. Had that NOT happened - I'd have afforded a beater to fix up - MAYBE.
I got a very nice late Brazil contract, delivered in 1946 for a beater price.

 

[45NUTT]

Just saw them.
What I saw looked pretty rough to say the least.

Where did you see them? I looked at the website and didn't locate them.

 

[Valmet]

Be careful, RTI doesn't exactly have a sterling reputation for the grading of their surplus finds.

Yes. I'd shy away from anything RTI is offering, YMMV…

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

Where did you see them? I looked at the website and didn't locate them.

On You Tube....they aren't on their page yet. Go on YT and type in S&W Model 1917 Royal Tiger Imports.

 

[65-2x2]

The brief glance of the one on Youtube looked fine to me.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Some of their pistols have seemed pretty decent.

 

[minconrevo]

Remember any S&W revolver produced before the early 1960's has noticeably softer steel than those produced after. If you expect to use an early one hard, especially one produced during the war years, when steel standards were relaxed, you may be disappointed.

 

[steelslaver]

I have actually hardness tested a bunch of frames and this isn't true. In fact all frames are relatively soft

 

[bph9]

I recently saw a You Tube video of un-boxing/ un-crating COLT & S&W 1917 Revolvers (also M-1 Carbines). AT: ROYAL TIGER IMPORTS. They are known to sell C&R type weapons from 3RD WORLD countries. I was curious - so looked at their web site - not seeing them I called about them - & I'm told they are not yet listed. But will be soon. I'd get a kick. out of a second one as a project but - I'm in a retirement financial holding pattern. Usually RTI is CHEAP for a reason - many items are rode hard & put up wet. Thought some of You Here - might enjoy Knowing about this.
RTI usually has low prices, & a real bargain could be found. IF you get lucky - Love to hear about it.
Your Pal, C..

OK to Move - if not under correct heading.

I would caution people that I look at Royal Tiger Imports website all the time and what they sell is basically furnace scrap. I have yet to see even one gun I would want to buy from them. The other problem is they ask a kings ransom for their junk, if they had low prices then one could by one of their guns for a project gun to try and restore it but at the prices they charge you would have 10 times what the gun is worth to try and restore it.

 

[Tijeras_Slim]

My impression of their firearms is "Khyber Pass Specials".

 

[AudieMurphy]

I would caution people that I look at Royal Tiger Imports website all the time and what they sell is basically furnace scrap. I have yet to see even one gun I would want to buy from them. The other problem is they ask a kings ransom for their junk, if they had low prices then one could by one of their guns for a project gun to try and restore it but at the prices they charge you would have 10 times what the gun is worth to try and restore it.

"furnace scrap" LOL. thats a new one for me....LOL

 

[AudieMurphy]

I just watched the video...cant wonder why the narator is wearing gloves.....I thought gloves were for grails....

 

[hkcavalier]

I too fail to see the allure. Firearms News seems to do an article on their guns every few years, and after removing lots of dust, rust, and cosmoline occasionally have a working firearm.

I'll stick to estate auctions with lots of guns clearly well cared for, not sitting in a crate in Africa or Southeast Asia rotting away.

 

[RebCop]

I've never seen anything cheap from Royal Tiger.

 

[flash60601]

Now you guys have me on the knife-edge. I have always wanted a big, gnarly 45 revolver.

 

[minconrevo]

I've owned a couple Colt 1917's and both went away. My idea of the perfect .45 ACP revolver is a 4-5" pre-lock Mod 625. The 4" is noticeably easier to pack.

 

[sceva]

Wow, those have been rode hard and put away wet. At one time they would have been bought for the action only for a custom build but those days are pretty much gone.

 

[Dave Haynes]

Excuse me, but they don't take care of things in Africa. The whole continent is a mess. Ethiopia had probably the finest soldiers in the Korean war most using Carbines. But to just take $1,000 items and toss them in a box like so many pieces of junk says a lot about how they've been stored or who took care of them. I saw the RTI video and was stunned when that guy opened up the cheap plywood box. Not even wrapped in paper, not worth the time or effort to even try and make them look better. Those stocks looked horrible all cracked and split, the pistols all rusty and dirty. I wouldn't buy a sling from those people. The salesman yakking away trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. A quick note: Ethiopia is building a dam on the Blue Nile which will probably ruin every city from Khartoum to Cairo....

 

[hkcavalier]

I've owned a couple Colt 1917's and both went away. My idea of the perfect .45 ACP revolver is a 4-5" pre-lock Mod 625. The 4" is noticeably easier to pack.

I owned a fairly nice early 1917, but it had the worst trigger of any of my S&Ws, so it got sold. My only .45ACP revolver is a converted TL that's a little fragile (not heat treated) for a steady diet of factory ammo, so I too should really get a 625. I passed on a really nice Mountain Gun wearing Culina's back in July as I'd already blown my summer gun fund on a 10mm 1911.

 

[Riposte1]

Here are a couple of mm .45 Revolvers - the 1917 was a 1937 contract gun which I'm told has tougher steel in the cylinder than the WW I guns.

The bottom gun is a M-28 I replaced the barrel with a 1950 target cut to 3.9" and used a M-27 cylinder to rechamber to .45 Colt. The orginal M28 cylinder I cut for .45 Auto Rim and keep it as a spare both have yokes so it is an easy swap.



Riposte

 

[long colt frazier]

I just watched the video...cant wonder why the narator is wearing gloves.....I thought gloves were for grails....

Probably to keep from getting grease on his hands;-)

 

[crasig]

When I shopped for MY 1937 contract (1946 S&W), The one below went for over $600. I bid up to $250. on it & bailed.
It looked about like they took it off an exhumed gangster - to me.
I think there are S&W's in that Royal Tiger Batch (IMO- they hold up better than Colts ) But COLTS bring more $$
I'm Curious how much they will ask when listed. I can't afford anything at present - but I'd take a Steel Beater (which I can fix) over any New Plastic item.

 

[DBrainard]

Yes. I'd shy away from anything RTI is offering, YMMV…

I wouldn't buy used brass from RTI. Yeah you might find a good deal or you might get lied to and ripped off.

Been there done that with a fake Mauser Sniper. They took it back, I got a partial refund, and I lost $840. I'm calling it the cost of an education.