Model 317

Cyrano

Cyrano

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I'm thinking of ordering a Model 317, with 1 7/8 inch barrel, to put in my pocket when I go out in the desert: 4 chambers loaded with shot for snakes, 4 loaded with something else for rabid coyotes or 2 legged varmints. I'll also do a lot of plinking wih it, and I can envisage playing 'kick the can' with it as well. What's the skinny on the Model 317? How is it for reliability, and does the aluminum cylinder give any problems? Anything else I should know before I buy one of these contraptions?

I tried to use the search engine, but got poor results: '317' gave nothing while 'Model 317' gave everything with 'model' or '317' in the string.
 
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I have a model 317 and am very happy with it. It is incredibly light and easy to carry. I pack mine in a DeSantis pocket holster when I walk my cocker-poodle Maggie. We have very brazen coyotes around here. I keep CCI Velocitors in all 8 chambers-- not much of a snake problem here.
I haven't had any hang ups with the small "bodyguard" hammer but I have ordered (from Numrich) a spare hammer ($14 or so) so that I can bob the new one and keep the original intact.
Haven't heard about any problems with the alloy cylinder. I practice with CCI MiniMags (high velocity) and reserve the hyper velocity (Velocitors) for actual coyote duty.
Good hunting,
Buzz (Cockerpoodle)
 
317

Cyrano said:
I'm thinking of ordering a Model 317, with 1 7/8 inch barrel, to put in my pocket when I go out in the desert: 4 chambers loaded with shot for snakes, 4 loaded with something else for rabid coyotes or 2 legged varmints. I'll also do a lot of plinking wih it, and I can envisage playing 'kick the can' with it as well. What's the skinny on the Model 317? How is it for reliability, and does the aluminum cylinder give any problems? Anything else I should know before I buy one of these contraptions?

I tried to use the search engine, but got poor results: '317' gave nothing while 'Model 317' gave everything with 'model' or '317' in the string.
Click to expand...
i have one; great little gun; 8 shots of stingers will compete with any semi auto. no problems with mine. it has a lanyard loop for neck carry:very light and can go anywhere. i also own a 38 special ti-lite; the only advise i can give is that these guns are so light that they are unnoticeable. if dropped you might not find out till way later. my advice is to always invest in a good holster. if you are not concerned with looks, fobus makes a good inexpensive secure one.
 
We had a thread where someone was asking about the viability of using a 317 for a CCW and there was the standard talk of a .22 would only be better than a sharp stick, is terrible for defense, and so forth. But it wasn’t until a forum member posted some surprising chrono results with Stingers, Velociters, and a few that the trash talk changed tone. I think the Stinger didn’t even clock in at a thousand FPS from the short barrel. I’m still trying to find the thread but it made the velocity from the short barrel make any real practical defense use look pretty bad. I don’t know if or how the thread ended. Maybe a bump up to the kit gun version would help but again with the short barrel I have no idea how much. I will keep trying to find the thread and link here to it if I can find it. Unless of course someone can beat me to it.
 
I have two. I bought one for my wife to try and she took it as her on, so I had to purchase me one. Notwithstanding the everlasting debate around the 22 as a SD load, the little gun is perfect for pocket carry and certainty does have it's place in the line-up.

I was also concerned over the reliability of the aluminum cylinder, until I read posts from other 317 owners that had put thousands of rounds through them without any issue at all. One particular individual reported his round-count to be over 10,000. The finish on the gun is the only problematic issue. It is a clear-coat and will wear off in time with use and holstering. I can stick mine in a shirt or pants pocket and forget it and I don't need suspenders to hold all the garb up that goes with packing one of my steel-framed larger caliber hand-guns. The thing only weighs around 10.5 ounces. I consider it as an 8-shot derringer.

No...I do not argue for the 22 as a SD weapon, but my wife can put 8 of 8 in the circle with hers at 15-20 feet. She could barely hit the target on occasion with anything else. AND....it has the same lifetime warranty, so I don't worry about the cylinder wearing out or falling apart. It has standard J-frame innards and Wolff sells a spring kit for it which will (to some degree) tame the trigger-pull.

GOOD little gun for the purpose intended.
 
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One option you might consider as an alternative to the 317 is the similar S&W 351PD J frame chambered in 22 Magnum. Holds 7 shots, and otherwise very similar in size and configuration to the little 317 snub but with a better performing cartridge (even from the short bbl).

Hornady and Speer both recently released specialized 22 magnum ammo for this type gun. Again, as noted in some of the earlier posts, not an ideal SD gun but a step up from 22LR. If you do decide on the 317, for ammo I would recommend Aguila Interceptor 40 grain round nose. The most powerful 40 grain 22LR available. Then practice a lot as shot placement is critical. Good luck.
 
Thanks, guys; after reading this, I ordered one from my LGS, should be in in a few days. He had one of the 3 1/2 inch barreled guns but I didn't like the sights and thought the longer barrel would be awkward in a pocket. I'm not particularly concerned about two legged varmints; when I go out in the desert it's usually to shoot, and I have a lot of heavy artillery with me. I'd like something light in my pocket that could take care of the occsional snake or rabid coyote (or rabid feral dog). I haven't seen any feral dogs for a while: we just ended a 119 day stretch without rain, and I wonder how anything lives out there without water.

I may have a holster for a J frame somewhere, and if not, El Paso Saddlery is only a 10 minute drive downtown. I think I'm going to like this gun.
 
317 is a great pistol. I have had mine for about 5 years. As far as shooting bird shot in it, I can't think of anything it would kill after about three feet.
 
It will scare a possum off at around 10-15 feet.:D

The stuff patterns pretty well on a 12 x 12 cardboard box a at 10-15 feet. That would not be good for the eyes I guess.
 
I had a 3" model 317 and it failed miserably on killing snakes. I would end up emptying the entire cylinder into the target and maybe get a kill or disabling injury. I quickly sold the 317 (I hated the sights too) and bought a Judge for snake control here in Alabama.
I spent seven years and walked several thousand miles in the deserts of the Four Corners region of Arizona. Only came across two snakes in all that time that were in a defensive posture. When I simply backed away the fight was over. Came across maybe a dozen others but I spotted them first and avoided them. Had a rattler crawl right across my hiking boot and the snake showed little interest in me. As far as rabid dogs or coyotes go I would certainly want more firepower than a .22 out of a 2" 317. Were I to do my desert days over again I would be carrying a S&W Governor.
 
Get you one of those 454 Casull Judges....they have a cylinder release on the front and the back of the frame....weights around 4-5 pounds I figure....or maybe pack a Howitzer.

I was raised on the farm where a 22 was considered a dangerous weapon and I cannot tell you how many snakes, crawling critters, rabbits, squirrels, alligators....etc. I have killed plumb-dead with a 22 pistol or rifle. If you can hit them in the right place....they will die.

If you are going bear-hunting, take a bear hunting gun. If you plan to hike all day and only need a just-in-case something, the 317 is the ticket.
 
noah228 said:
One option you might consider as an alternative to the 317 is the similar S&W 351PD J frame chambered in 22 Magnum. Holds 7 shots, and otherwise very similar in size and configuration to the little 317 snub but with a better performing cartridge (even from the short bbl).

Hornady and Speer both recently released specialized 22 magnum ammo for this type gun. Again, as noted in some of the earlier posts, not an ideal SD gun but a step up from 22LR. If you do decide on the 317, for ammo I would recommend Aguila Interceptor 40 grain round nose. The most powerful 40 grain 22LR available. Then practice a lot as shot placement is critical. Good luck.
Click to expand...

besides the 317 i also have a naa mini in 22 mag. for which they make a klydex neck chain holster for. i often carry both guns at once with extra ammo. no problem with weight or concealment.
 
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The 317 is a great understudy for centerfire J-frames like the 340 PD.

Lots of cheap .22 practice --------> good J-frame sight-picture/trigger control.

If you can conquer the 317's DA trigger, your bigger J_frames will be a piece of cake.

P.S. The 317 is a hoot to compete with in steel matches.

P.P.S. After an experience with a coral snake and a 4" revolver a few decades back, I never trusted a snake shot with .22 snakeshot to stay shot, ever again.
 
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The only thing wrong with the 317 is the horrendous double action trigger pull. Supposedly, Smith wanted to make sure that the gun would go "bang" with any of the many brands of .22LR ammo out there. I got mine in 1997 (pre-internal lock), and after living with it for about a year, called Smith's customer service department about the heavy pull. They took it back in '98 and substituted the hammer and spring from the Ladysmith models in it. They had it back to me within a week, and it's much improved. I've since had no misfires with anything I've fed it. I use CCI Quik-Shok hypervelocity rounds in it routinely.

It's very light - see the picture below where it's floating in mid-air...

ETHERIUM2-SMALL.jpg


I don't use copper brushes in the chambers, because I'm afraid to damage that aluminum cylinder. Perhaps this fear is unfounded, but I just swab them out with Hoppe's #9 and scrub with patches. The little gun shoots great, and did I mention that it's VERY light?

John
 
Yep....I have to keep mine tied to me with a lanyard, or they will float off.

Good looking little piece you have there. One of mine has the Diamondwood grips only a reddish color. The wife took it anyway and I got stuck with the rubber-grip IL. Both mine have the semi-bobbed hammers. I have installed Wolff springs in mine and the TP is not all that bad now. Nothing like stock. I think a guy could take a spare j-frame hammer spring and cut it down coil-by-coil to where it started to fail. Then get another spare stock spring and cut it down one coil less. I think the Wolff reduced hammer is 9-pounds. I believe the stock 317 is 12-pounds. Both of mine shoot everything with the 9-pound in them.
 
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I recently acquired a 317, and now I wonder why I waited so long.
The 3" barrel and Hi-Viz sights are great for accuracy, IMHO.
Great little shooter, and didn't someone mention they are very light weight?
TACC1
 
My 317-2 arrived today. I picked it up at 1 PM and by 3 I was on the range, notwithstanding it was 95º out there. I put about 75 rounds through it and the little gun worked just fine.

The hammer spring evidentally came from the suspension of an M1 Abrams tank; I'm about to order a lighter spring from Woolf and a lighter rebound spring also. I saved my brass and am dry firing the little thing to smooth it out a little. I'm up to 300 cycles and will probably quit at about 500. By then, it should be as smooth as it's going to get. When my Woolf springs come in, I'll take her down, clean everything and lube lightly. That with the lighter springs should make it easier to shoot.

I had no trouble keeping my shots on a B 34 silhouette target at 25 yds single action. DA was something else. Bulk pack 22s shot just fine. I haven't patterned any shot shells yet.

Now if they just made it in the 638 configuration!!

I like the groove and pin lanyard attachment in the butt. I guess you can wear it around your neck. But what's the purpose of that long , deep, wide groove up the backstrap? I even went to the length of reading the instruction manual but there was no mention of it. It was wearing a hole in my hand when I put as tight a grip on it as I could for DA firing. I may just fill that in with something.

I cabn't tell if the barrel has a liner or if that's just the crowning. Anybody know?

John: great pic. I like the grips, who made them? I may have to get an Ahrends for mine. Is that red paint or a red plastic sight insert on the front sight? I find that matte aluminum or stainless doesn't show up well against anything; I may try some red or white nail polish on mine.
 
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I am not sure what model year S&W made the change....may have been the same as the IL update, but those grips John has are the same style as the ones on my early model, but mine are more "reddish"....the wife claimed that one. I like the small black grips on mine and I think it fits in my pocket a little better.

I suppose the grove you are talking about was a weight-saving feature, only reason other than style I can think of.

The barrel does have a Stainless Steel liner. I have not dug mine out to see, but that is what I have read in some of the specs. on the gun. I may have seen some verbiage that confirms that on the S&W site...don't recall.

My older NL has both the 9-pound Wolff hammer and 13-pound rebound spring. My newer one has the 9-pound hammer spring only. The wife can shoot either, but she says she can feel the difference between the two....I can too, just a tad. I have not gotten around to changing the rebound spring in mine yet.

Shot-shells pattern pretty well on a 12 x 12 cardboard box. Mine covers the entire side of the 12-inch square at around 15-feet.

Both of mine group reasonably well at 20-25 feet once you determine the POA for each weapon. The wife can put 8 in a circle about hand-size and for her....that is astonishing indeed. I can do a bit better.
 
Cyrano said:
John: great pic. I like the grips, who made them? I may have to get an Ahrends for mine. Is that red paint or a red plastic sight insert on the front sight? I find that matte aluminum or stainless doesn't show up well against anything; I may try some red or white nail polish on mine.
Click to expand...

The grips are the Dymondwood grips offered for a short while on the Ladysmith version of the gun - I ordered them from S&W, as they are lighter than the rubber boot grips that came with the gun. That's red nail polish on the front sight - most of my snubbies are treated this way so that the front sight stands out against almost any background. The barrel has a stainless steel liner, and that groove in the backstrap is simply to lighten the gun. Smith carved everything possible out of the gun to lighten it.

Did I mention that it's very light? :D

John
 
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