Modified S&W 1917?

[othomas3]

I don't know if it is a Spanish copy of a Smith. However, for the price I bought it for, that would not bother me. I bought it to shoot, not collect and because it was different looking.

The hammer is difinitely a later addition. When the screw at the end of the plate is tightened the hammer drags, badly. I would guess a 1917 hammer is thinner.

The barrel is marked S&W DA 45 and the numbers on the barrel and cyclinder are the same. However, there are no other Smith and Wesson marks or logos on this piece.

As you can see from the pictures, the internals look like any other Smith and Wesson I've cleaned but I have never had anything other than J, K, and L frames apart to clean.

The rifling of the barrel starts right at the part where there is usually a forcing cone.

I'll shoot it this weekend and let you know how it goes and if I still have all my fingers when I'm done.

 

[45Wheelgun]

A 1917 had no other S&W markings. As long as you have the side plate off, there should be a matching serial number on the inside of the side plate. Of course you might have to clean off that crud to find it!

Sure looks like a Smith to me. Also, since the barrel and cylinder have matching numbers, we know the .455 story is BS.

I doubt it is a post war hammer, I don't think you can adapt one to a prewar gun. On the blue gun I posted above, the spur was cut off, and a post war spur was welded on. Something similar may have happened to yours.

 

[AKsRule]

That's a fascinating mod, but I wonder about its legality. If the serial number wasn't transferred from the butt to some other part of the frame,it may be an unnumbered gun at this point.

Prior to the Gun Control Act of 1968 , there was NO Federal requirement
for serial numbers on firearms.

Gun Control Act of 1968 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The numbers were simply for use by the MFGs. to track what they made ,
although early on some states and cities started using them to register guns.

 

[DBWesson]

I was wrong.
The gun is an S&W made frame and barrel.
DBWesson

 

[2152hq]

Prior to the Gun Control Act of 1968 , there was NO Federal requirement
for serial numbers on firearms.

Gun Control Act of 1968 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The numbers were simply for use by the MFGs. to track what they made ,
although early on some states and cities started using them to register guns.

There was a ser# requirement prior to the GCA68,,(Federal Firearms Act 1938),,It applied to everything except cal 22rf long guns or shotguns. Those 2 catagorys were added to the list in the GCA'68 law.

 

[handejector]

Picked this up today becuase it is different than anything I've seen before. Seller said it started out in life as a S&W 1917 in .455 caliber. Have any of you ever seen anything like this?

Your gun was a normal US Military 1917.
The proofs are British.
Roosevelt sent 25,000 of the 1917's to Britain in 1940 during the Battle of Britain. I have had several with those proofs.

 

[othomas3]

I took it to the range, shot it and still have all my fingers. The accuracy was acceptable at 10 yards. Shot two strings of cast 45 acp in moon clips. I spent an hour cleaning it tonigt. The barrel is badly leaded as are the chambers in the cyclinder. Looing into the chambers I can see a step in the chambers. The barrel has a lot of leading and metal plating build up. I used home made Ed's Red on patches and after soaking for 10-15 minutes bronze brushes. Now the patches don't come out black but there is still plenty of crud to get out.

 

[Norton 750]

Classic period piece. Dean Grennel mentioned cut down 1917s a lot back in the day when I was a boy. My own Brazilian 1917 is a great shooter and I confess, every now and again in the winter I carry it because it just feels right.

 

[45Wheelgun]

Looking into the chambers I can see a step in the chambers.

I used home made Ed's Red on patches and after soaking for 10-15 minutes bronze brushes. Now the patches don't come out black but there is still plenty of crud to get out.

Ed's Red is the BOMB! You do know the step in the chamber is supposed to be there...

 

[LouisianaMan]

I just read the last several posts, so pardon me if I'm going over ground you've already covered.

To get lead out of your barrel, buy some Chore Boy copper scrubbing pads, wrap some strands around a cleaning brush for a pretty tight fit, and run it through a few passes with your solvent. You'll get the lead out quickly.

I recommend you go over to Cast Boolits & look up leading problems--you'll find plenty of listings, and plenty of guys who can diagnose causes based on the exact type of leading you're encountering--I'm not that good. The first thing I think of when I see or hear about leading, assuming your bullet lube is OK, is "does the bullet fit properly"? The biggest problem is when the bullet is undersized. Probably next biggest problems are that bullet is either very soft or very hard, and thus isn't matched to the pressure of your load. Lee 2nd Ed. gives an excellent discussion of this concept & how to measure/predict it.

The only leading I've experienced was when I tried a .308-.309 bullet in a .311ish barrel, and when some .358s came out undersized at about .355-.356.

There are other possibilities, but the three I've named are the most likely. The biggest problem is if your gun has chamber throats smaller than your barrel's groove size. It's not real common, but it happens. The chamber(s) swage the bullet down to the point that they're undersized for your bore, regardless of the dullet diameter you started out with. If that's the case, you'll need to ream out the chambers some. . . .

Best of luck, and happy shooting!

 

[bdb benzino]

Picked up my Brazilian DA45 this weekend and boy is it a shooter!! I cant wait to chop and refinish this thing, it will be my pet project big bore! Pics to come!

 

[othomas3]

I have noticed Chore Boy copper scouring pads are recommended for cleaning barrels and chambers on several forums. I checked the Chore Boy website and it says Walgreens, Publix and Krogers carries this product in South Carolina. This afternoon the hunt for Chore Boy is on!

 

[Dave T]

I believe you can get copper wool (as opposed to steel wool) from Brownels too. Is the Chore Boy cheeper or just handier to pick up?

Dave

 

[Raider]

If's much cheaper to buy locally.

Charlie

I believe you can get copper wool (as opposed to steel wool) from Brownels too. Is the Chore Boy cheeper or just handier to pick up?

Dave

 

[LouisianaMan]

I got mine from Ace hardware.

 

[Muley Gil]

Copper Chore Boys are big sellers at ghetto stop 'n rob stores.

 

[othomas3]

Picked up two boxes of Chore Boy at my local Publix, along with Vernors ginger ale.
Wow! does that stuff work. I wrapped a little bit around a brush and in less than 10 stokes it cleaned more crud out of the barrel than I did before with Ed's Red and a bronze bore brush.
Great stuff!