Let's see your U.S. Model 1917 S&Ws!

[MikeNC]

Hi Everyone....I'm a newbie here on the site, just signed up a few minutes ago. I was going to introduce myself but got side tracked by all the cool and informative posts and display of nice guns. This is like being in a candy shop! What great looking war horses are shown here. Here are some photos of the one I acquired in 1968. A couple photos show what appears to be a whitish mark on the barrel, but that is just some light reflection. Hope ya like it....Mike

 

[shep854]

VERY nice, Mike! Is that the original finish? If so, kudos for taking very good care of it!

Also, welcome to the forum! We hope you have many more treasures (and experience) to share.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Mike,

Welcome to the forum! Glad to have you here. Those are great photos you've posted, and the gun really sparkles. The finish looks brand new, prompting me to also ask if it's a re-finish. If not, it's a genuine gem, and if it is, it's been well done!

John

 

[MikeNC]

Thanks Palladin and Shep....

As far as it being the original finish is a long story. I'll keep it short. Up until today I always figured it was an original finish. Now, I'm not sure. I got this gun back in 1968 when I was a high school senior in Ohio. A guy owed me some money on a bet concerning a Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Stealers football game. He offered me this pistol in lieu of the cash. The gun had belonged in his fathers collection which was passed on to him. He told me that this particular gun was very special to his father. He didn't know the whole story and I didn't listen too closely anyway's. It looked like a cool gun that Bonnie and Clyde would have used and I accepted it as trade. It has been in a gun safe or T-shirt drawer ever since protecting the house...LOL I also kept it wrapped in a heavy sock for extra protection.

I have read that S&W had a lustrous blue on their original guns while Colt had a subdued finish and I figured I had an original finished gun, but now I'm not so sure. I called a Smith and Wesson collecting expert today and sent him these same photos. He told me to take the hand grips off and look for some marks on the frame. He figured the gun had been re-finished but expected it to have been a professional job done by the factory. I looked for the specific marks he told me about, but they were not present. He told me that I have an exceptional gun here, but it has been refinished in his opinion. So if it was re finished it was done by someone else. I know that the gun has looked this exact same way since 1968. So anyhow, that's what I know. Any other opinion would certainly be welcome. thanks...Mike

 

[Hondo44]

1917 converted to target years ago before the war for a former owner. Redfield front site blade milled in, pre war S&W rear site milled in, Micro site double cockeyed hammer. S&W stocks are early 1950s smooth earliest ‘cokes’.

 

[PALADIN85020]

As far as it being the original finish is a long story. I'll keep it short. Up until today I always figured it was an original finish. Now, I'm not sure. I got this gun back in 1968 when I was a high school senior in Ohio. A guy owed me some money on a bet concerning a Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Stealers football game. He offered me this pistol in lieu of the cash. The gun had belonged in his fathers collection which was passed on to him. He told me that this particular gun was very special to his father. He didn't know the whole story and I didn't listen too closely anyway's. It looked like a cool gun that Bonnie and Clyde would have used and I accepted it as trade. It has been in a gun safe or T-shirt drawer ever since protecting the house...LOL I also kept it wrapped in a heavy sock for extra protection.

I have read that S&W had a lustrous blue on their original guns while Colt had a subdued finish and I figured I had an original finished gun, but now I'm not so sure. I called a Smith and Wesson collecting expert today and sent him these same photos. He told me to take the hand grips off and look for some marks on the frame. He figured the gun had been re-finished but expected it to have been a professional job done by the factory. I looked for the specific marks he told me about, but they were not present. He told me that I have an exceptional gun here, but it has been refinished in his opinion. So if it was re finished it was done by someone else. I know that the gun has looked this exact same way since 1968. So anyhow, that's what I know. Any other opinion would certainly be welcome. thanks...Mike

Mike, take a look at the cylinder stop which projects from the frame at the lower left of the frame window. As I view your pictures, it appears that what should be sharp corners on an original factory blue are rounded over there. Also, I think I detect minor dings on the barrel which are blued over - a normal ding would remove the bluing in the minor gouging.

These are signs of a re-blue. However, I think yours was generally well done; it's a very pretty piece, and you should be proud of it.

John

 

[MikeNC]

These are signs of a re-blue. However, I think yours was generally well done; it's a very pretty piece, and you should be proud of it.
John

Thanks John. The gun has gotten a lot of attention over the years when I show it to someone. I'll still keep it in my T-shirt drawer away from holsters and such until I decide what to do with it, as I just hate to put a mark on it....Mike

 

[bettis1]

Mike,

Welcome to the Forum. That is a very nice old M1917. However, like John, I also believe that it has been very nicely refinished.

To help you a little in establishing the production date of your revolver, there are three characteristics of the early M1917's that we rely on. The earliest ones had fine concentric grooves on the sides of the hammer. That feature was dropped approximately Feb. 1918 at serial number approx. 25,000. The early guns also have the inspector's initials GHS in a circle on the left side in front of the hammer. This was replaced with the Ordinance Bomb mark after April, 1918, The early grips had the concave top and that was replaced around March, 1918 and serial number 30,000 with the non recessed tops in the later guns.

Since your gun does not have the concentric grooves in the hammer but still does have the GHS initials and the concave grips, we can conclude that it was produced somewhere in the March-April 1918 time frame. However, as always with the S&W factory, things aren't necessarily as they seem. The grooved hammer was replaced somewhere around 25,000 and your's is 18,788 so we could conclude that either the hammer was replaced later in the guns life (perhaps when it was refinished) or the gun was assembled at the factory later from an early frame and grips. More likely, your gun was simply a little out of the normal production sequence and/or the estimates of the changes aren't exact.

Bob

 

[MikeNC]

More good information. Thanks alot Bob. The serial number is 16,788 but I know that one picture makes the 6 look like an 8. Thanks again Bob....Mike

 

[shep854]

So now you know the truth; thrown together with whatever parts were laying around, THEN given a quickie reblueing later on--obviously a piece of junk, with no value.

I'll give you $100 for it, so you won't feel too bad...

 

[Hondo44]

Mike that's an extremely nice early 1917, re-finished or not. The cylinder release thumbpiece looks like it might have original finish and was left out when gun was re-finished.

 

[MikeNC]

So now you know the truth; thrown together with whatever parts were laying around, THEN given a quickie reblueing later on--obviously a piece of junk, with no value.

I'll give you $100 for it, so you won't feel too bad...

Thanks Shep...I needed a good chuckle. I just threw that POC out in the trash. I took my grinding wheel to it first It was an ugly SOG anyways

 

[Penmon]

My 1917

Thanks
Penmon

 

[shep854]

Thanks Shep...I needed a good chuckle. I just threw that POC out in the trash. I took my grinding wheel to it first It was an ugly SOG anyways

HA! Got me!!

The most important question: Do you get to shoot it much? If you like looking at it, you'll loove shooting it!!
----
Hondo and Penman, those are great-looking guns! Those target grips are beautiful, and the way the lanyard ring is exposed is a very nice touch.

 

[Hondo44]

Thanks Shep, the lanyard ring was missing when I got it and I don't like guns with original parts missing. So I found the ring, installed it and cut the clearance in the grips for it.

 

[motocop]

Here's mine also.

 

[shep854]

Thanks Shep, the lanyard ring was missing when I got it and I don't like guns with original parts missing. So I found the ring, installed it and cut the clearance in the grips for it.

You did a very nice job! My revolver (a civil Hand Ejector nowhere near as nice as the recent offerings) has target grips that cover the lanyard attachment. I'm not nearly the woodworker you seem to be, so I will just go with period-correct grips and a replacement ring.

 

[peyton]

I can't resist showing off my two!!

Sadly, still unfired by me, my range time was limited due to the quick turn around back to the STAN.

 

[Hondo44]

I can't resist showing off my two!!
Sadly, still unfired by me, my range time was limited due to the quick turn around back to the STAN.

Glad you didn't resist, very nice.

And thank you for your service!

 

[Culturology]

Model 1917 Brazil

Hi All,

I'm new the S&W Forum. Sure enjoyed this thread regarding the Mod. 1917.

I have a Brazilian model. Photos attached. The cylinder is tight and timing is great. Rifling is great. too. The serial numbers on the frame (106066), cylinder (25000), and under the grips (172141) don't match. There's also an "N2" with the numbers 68955, and an "S2" with a crest on the frame where the cylinder carriage meets the frame. You can't see them in my photos, but they're where the "25000" would close to the frame.

I need a lanyard ring and pin, if anybody can help me out.

Also, I can't find any import stamp on the gun. Would someone tell me where to look? I'm told that if it lacks this stamp the gun's value goes up. I'd like to know what the gun might be worth.

Thanks in advance!