I need opinions on the 317 .22.

[Triggernosis]

"Minute of pie plate" accuracy at 20 yards is unacceptable for me for a "kit gun" that my be used to kill a rabbit to fill the pot on occasion. That just won't reliably do on a rabbit. If I have to get close enough to whack him with a stick in order to hit him with a gun, I'll just whack him with a stick and avoid the noise of firing at him. Mine wasn't even accurate enough to dispatch beavers that I'd caught in my snares.

 

[gunnerbern]

Consider a model 63 now that they're available again. Stainless steel will outlast aluminum. I've been shooting one for fifteen years.

 

[ColbyBruce]

I bought a snubbie back when the #317 first came out. It does not have mind boggling accuracy, but I knew better to begin with. My J frame rimfires have always shot better with standard velocity ammo, that is what I use. It went on every hike our Boy Scout troop took, either in a vest pocket or on a whistle lanyard hanging around my neck. It is more of a comfort piece than anything else but is quite capable if I practice with it.

 

[LSP 972]

I scored one of these yesterday at Cabela's. Buying a firearm there turned out to be a never-to-be-repeated collosal pain in the kiester... but I digress.

Mine is a two-inch pre-lock (and that's the ONLY reason I didn't walk out of the store halfway through the transaction. I've been looking for one of these- at less than a king's ransom- for quite some time). It came with some really bizarre-shaped stocks, made from that 90s-vintage S&W laminate with the various colors shot through (green on a revolver stock??? Puh-leese...). She's wearing a Tyler T-Grip and a pair of older diamond service stocks now.

Anyway... do these have the issue of the charge holes crudding up fairly quickly? I have owned several S&W rimfire wheel guns, to include an M-17 and several Kit Guns, and all needed the charge holes scrubbed out, after sometimes as few as 50 rounds, to allow fresh cartridges to chamber easily. It didn't matter what ammo; they did it with CCI Green Tag and Eley Ten-X just as quickly as they did with Wildcat Match or Thunderbolt.

Just wondering if I have that to "look forward to" on this one as well. Its really cute, and I'm working on that truly execrable DA pull as we speak.

While I'm asking questiions from those of you who have shot one of these a bit, I also plan to shoot some shorts and CB caps in it... but worry that the aluminum will allow some etching in the charge holes due to the shorter case, much sooner than usually can be expected. That's bad juju, even in a bolt rifle.

ColbyBruce, I'm looking for a suitable lanyard as we speak...

.

 

[Lou_NC]

I am thinking of trading for a 3" 317 and was wondering what everyones thoughts are on them. I have actually shot it before. It not as easy to shoot as accurately as my other j frames, but considering how light it is I was pleased with its performance. I am curious about aftermarket grips, sight options, durability, etc.. Include pics. Thanks

Hi Stanley,
I would say that your satisfaction with a 317 would depend on what you want to do with the gun. The absolute greatest advantage of the 317 is its light weight. As such, it makes a great carry gun for trapping/hiking/plinking. I personally would never consider trying to shoot a rabbit or squirrel with one.......that's why I own a 617 and Ruger MKII with scope (and a .22 rifle!). But it would be great for dispatching trapped animals, and "killing" pine cones and tin cans deep in the woods.

In summary, a 317 would NEVER be my ONLY.22 handgun. My suggested order of purchasing S&W .22 revolvers (based on my own preferences of course) would be:

1 - mod 63 (or 34) in 4"
2 - mod 18 (or 617) in 4"
3 - mod 17 (or 617) in 6"
4 - mod 317 in 3"

All pre-lock, of course!

Lou

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Well, let's see...
4" 63
4" 617
2" 317

in order of purchase-all pre lock. Is that about right???

LSP972 if I may be so crass as to ask what you paid for that little beauty??????.........
(I lucked out and got mine at auction a couple of years ago for $335 in my hand.)

 

[LSP 972]

Five bills.

Have you shot your 317 enough to comment on the chamber build-up question?

.

 

[Chriss]

I like my 3" 617 and carry it a bunch. Even on my road bicycle I frequently tuck it in my pack and forget it's there. Mountain biking even more so. This is the only gun I have the hi-viz sights on and there's always a moment of "oh yeah," when I first bring up the sight picture, but the bullets go exactly where I point them out to 50+ yards. I was really surprised to hear of so many negative experiences with this piece.

 

[Chriss]

Check that (typo). Mine's the 3" 317 Airweight.

 

[tpd223]

I bought a 317 2" as a .22 trainer for my .38 snubs, gives me lots of DA work with less cost and recoil (my arthritis can only take so much in a day).

My gun is as accurate as my .38s, as long as I work the trigger. Due to how light the gun is I have to be close to perfect on my trigger press or I pull the shot.

For what I need this gun to do it's perfect for me.

I actually ran it on our qual course at work just to have it on the books since I often have this little gun on me when I am in the woods.

 

[ColbyBruce]

The cylinder will gunk up in short order. Again, I was used to this with my other J frame rimfires and expected it. Using high quality ammo helps some, I seem to get less unburned powder residue from the good stuff.

I gave $250.00 + tax for my #317 brand new, the first year they came out.

 

[LSP 972]

The cylinder will gunk up in short order.

Yup. Shot it yesterday, with CCI SV, Mini-Mags, CB Longs, and Winchester shot cartridges. She prints 'way high with the SV, moderately high with the Mini-Mags, dead-on with the CB Longs (go figure), and TOTALLY blown patterns with the shot cartridges past four feet. Guess I'll have to let those snakes get close... I'll try the CCI shot cartridges when I can find some.

The shot cartridges stuck in the cylinder upon firing and had to be pounded out. With the others, extraction/insertion started getting sticky almost immediately. Sigh.

Still, if I can clean up that HORRIBLE DA pull, it will be an okay little plinker/trainer/third gun.

.

 

[ColbyBruce]

They are not cheap, but try some .22 pistol target loads for accuracy. I had a 2" #34 once that shot so bad it could not be used to commit suicide...until I shot some Eley target loads through it. I went back to the store and bought a whole brick of that stuff with the same lot #. Also, just to be sure, swap out the stocks for a larger, more hand-filling pair. Sit at a bench and sandbag the gun and shoot it to see if your groups improve.

The lanyard I wear around my neck is for a whistle, I got it from a sporting goods store. The whistle weighed about as much as my #317.

 

[lemeni]

For quick relief from charge hole gunk buildup, get a Bore-snake for the .22LR caliber, have it with you at the range (or wherever) and run it through the chambers (and the barrel) whenever things start to get "sticky". Perfectly okay to use "dry" and really does make .22 shooting a lot easier.

 

[LSP 972]

They are not cheap, but try some .22 pistol target loads for accuracy. Sit at a bench and sandbag the gun and shoot it to see if your groups improve.

CCI Standard Velocity IS target grade ammunition. In fact, the vaunted CCI Green Tag is nothing more than selected lots of SV that show minimum standard deviation. While the Eley stuff is good, it is over-rated (IMO) for use in service grade guns.

There's nothing wrong with my group sizes. Its the LOCATION (way above point of aim) that is annoying. And while a stock change can affect that, I prefer to keep this puppy set up like my other Js... IOW, stock magnas and a T-Grip.

But I appreciate the suggestions.

.

 

[LSP 972]

For quick relief from charge hole gunk buildup, get a Bore-snake for the .22LR caliber,...

Excellent idea. Dunno why I didn't think of it; I keep a BoreSnake handy for my centerfire bottom feeders. Gotta be careful shooting lead in polygonal bores...

.

 

[inFALable]

My 317 has always chamber fouled badly as well. Its really a shame that these little kit guns have so many problems. They would be very useful.

 

[ColbyBruce]

LSP 972, if your #317 prints high, send it back to the factory and ask the custom shop to fit a higher, pinned front sight to the gun.

 

[Stefano]

Oh man, what a bad hard DA pull on that 317 2" pre lock.

Immediately put in a Wolff 9Lb Mainspring and 13Lb Rebound Spring with some good lube. Found that combination ok for good DA pull.
No misfires with standard federal and winchester ammo, DA and SA, so far!
Would probably not be reliable with everything, anyway that has to be tested individualy.

Changed rubber boot grips with the standard j frame panels just to make it classic and lighter (yes) still having enough hold to fire those little .22s

fun little plincker

had no troubles so far, extensively cleaned after all sessions. Sometimes extraction of cases would be sticky.

 

[LSP 972]

I'm "fixing" mine the old-fashioned way.

Work continues...

.