Model 17-3 info

[SS336]

I recently found this 17-3 and would like to find out something about it. Came with TH,TT,TS. Serial# 1K924xx.
The target stocks are in my "stock box" and I put an old pair of Ahrends on it, fits my hand better. Definitely shooter grade and needed a lot of cleaning up and was bone dry inside.
I think it was made in 1971. Has the lazy ampersand on the 4 line and what looks to be 8c on the barrel between S and W.
When did they do away with the lazy ampersand?
Has a slim barrel with a tapered rib. Did they do away with that in the '70's?
Any knowledge on this .22 is appreciated as well as pictures of your model 17's.

 

[bananaman]

Good looking 17! I have a 17-2 from 1964. Tack driver! Bob

 

[Model19man]

I recently found this 17-3 and would like to find out something about it. Came with TH,TT,TS. Serial# 1K924xx.
The target stocks are in my "stock box" and I put an old pair of Ahrends on it, fits my hand better. Definitely shooter grade and needed a lot of cleaning up and was bone dry inside.
I think it was made in 1971. Has the lazy ampersand on the 4 line and what looks to be 8c on the barrel between S and W.
When did they do away with the lazy ampersand?
Has a slim barrel with a tapered rib. Did they do away with that in the '70's?
Any knowledge on this .22 is appreciated as well as pictures of your model 17's.

Mine's a 17-4. Looks similar. Great revolver.

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

Mine's a 17-2 circa 1965 and found it with the non-relieved pre-model number stocks. Also has the lazy ampersand

 

[Fullmetaljacket]

The "slim barrel with tapered rib" throws me. I thought the tapered rib went away early, 1950ish?

 

[SS336]

The "slim barrel with tapered rib" throws me. I thought the tapered rib went away early, 1950ish?

I don't know if the barrel is "slim", but it's doesn't seem to be heavy and the rib is definitely tapered.

I was kind of hoping Jack would give me some information on this. Was hoping for when the lazy ampersand disappeared and maybe a closer guess as to when it was made.

I took it to the range today and it likes Norma Tac-22 a lot more than CCI std vel and Federal Auto Match. Shoots very well. I like it.

 

[sophie]

Nice gun, congratulations on the purchase.
Here's a couple of mine, a Model 17-3 and a Model 17-4 and both guns are full target. The barrels look the same as yours to me. Maybe it's my tired eyes. I do like the Model 17's and have several.

 

[pharmer]

17-3 ser#3K 39xxx and 18-3 ser 1k 63xx. Great guns, economical to shoot. Tight chambers so I bring a bronze brush to the range to clean after 50 rds. Enjoy. Joe

 

[JP@AK]

I was kind of hoping Jack would give me some information on this. Was hoping for when the lazy ampersand disappeared and maybe a closer guess as to when it was made.

Hi SS336
First, that is the standard, straight-side barrel that was on the K-22 throughout most of the 1950s and on into the model number period. The rib does, indeed, taper toward the muzzle, but it differs from the "narrow rib" on the early K-38, before the weight matching decision was made. The rib on the K-22 was never as wide as the one on the K-38 Heavy Masterpiece.

The very early K-22 also had a barrel that flared on the breech end just ahead of the forward frame bridge. And it had a narrower rib. By the mid-1950s, the barrel and rib looked like yours. My K-22 from 1957 and my Model 17-3 both look like yours and do not look like my K-22 from 1949, which has the old profile barrel and rib.

As for the fat ampersand, much has been made out of its disappearance. The reality is that a date cannot be pinned down with any precision. Some time back, I took 6 or 8 BP era guns out of the safe and looked at the ampersand on them. The appearance was all over the map. On some models it was fat, on others it wasn't. It seems to me the fat one was being phased out, but it would depend on what stamp was put into the jig on any given day or week. Eventually, the fat one went away, but there was quite a bit of overlap. For example, I have a Model 28-2 from the mid-1970s that has the fat ampersand. But the 17-3 that is sitting in front of me right now, shipped in 1976, does not. "You pays your money and you takes your choice."

Oh yeah. I forgot this part:

when it was made

1971 (1K39501-1K99999)

 

[SS336]

Thank you, Jack.
Just the information I was looking for. Appreciate it.