Is this a 1917?

[craiggf]

Just picked this up for "parts" price, am thinking of fixing it up, but is this a 1917 Commercial or something else? Just a serial number on the bottom strap that does NOT match the ser# on the crane and frame. The double spring throws me also. Barrel marked S&W DA .45 (see photo). The only thing I can see wrong with function is spring will not stay on the stirrup I have a replacement 1917 spring that I am going to replace it with to see if that fixes the problem. Want to get some info I am comfortable with about this, before I do anything to it.

thanx

 

[mtb1bkr]

Looks like a 1917 to me. That spring certainly doesn't look like it belongs, but I'm no expert. The grips are correct for a 1917 other than the fact that it looks like someone slimmed them down.

Bill

 

[gjamison]

thats an early 4 digit 1917.

 

[cgt4570]

Yes, it looks like someone thinned the stock mainspring down too much, then added a supplemental spring to try to fix it. They might have modified the strain screw, but I don't think so. It looks like it's just backed out.
FYI, mainsprings are the same for K-L-N frames and are interchangeable from then until the recent change to MIM parts a few years ago. In other words, you don't need a special mainspring for a '1917', just a mainspring for a Smith revolver.

Also, the locking bolt (just below the .45 DA roll mark) is stuck and not locking the front of the ejector rod. Either the spring is missing or it's just really gummed up. Looks like the pin has been messed with. Either way, another easy fix.

Regarding the low serial number for a non-military gun, it's possible that it was a British .455 that had its barrel and cylinder swapped. Do the serial numbers match on the barrel, cylinder face, frame, ejector star back, yoke edge, and inside the sideplate?

 

[craiggf]

OK, thanx, that helps a lot, am not too familiar with the .45's.....yet....
It's a five digit serial number, I see one digit is obscured in the pic for some reason. The number on the bottom strap does not match the serial on the cylinder crane (oops....yoke) and frame, which kinda throws me as it is one piece, or is there another (reasonable) explanation for that?

 

[Muley Gil]

"The number on the bottom strap does not match the serial on the cylinder crane (oops....yoke) and frame, which kinda throws me as it is one piece, or is there another (reasonable) explanation for that?"

Those are assembly numbers. The numbers under the barrel and on the rear of the cylinder should match the number on the butt.

 

[cgt4570]

The serial number on the yoke will be found on the front edge and can be viewed by looking down one of the cylinder holes. Like Muley said, the number on the inside flat of the yoke when opened is a meaningless (except to the factory assembler) assembly number.

 

[craiggf]

That's right and they check out. BTW I now believe the grips are wrong, in the pic above, you can see the main spring bent around the brass barrel coming thru the grip area, which apparently bent the spring just below the fingers gripping the stirrup. Well broke my replacement spring trying to get it to fit (dummy me), then took a better look at the grips vs schematic (shoulda done that first) and noticed the srcrew holes looked too high, placing the grip screw and brass barrel the screw goes into, in the way of where the spring sould be when tensioned with the tension scew (duh ).
Oh well, live and learn, the spring did work btw and the weapon functioned well, with the exception of the cylinder stop, seems the slot is worn too large and the trigger "finger'(?) that fits into it binds a lil'.
BUT......figuring all this stuff out is in my blood (fun) keeps me off the streets and outta the bars........

P.S my first time trying to use moon clips, is there a trick to it, or are they just impossibly tight when new? (got them from Numrich)

thanx

 

[cballman]

I also hava a model 1917 now. It is not in the best shape what do I need to do to check it out to see if it is functional?