My Fitz'ed 1917 gets new diamond shoes...

[45Wheelgun]

When I purchased this 1917 Commercial, it came with incorrect prewar Magnas. Since they were wrong to begin with they moved on to someone who needed them.

My Fitz had been shoeless, waiting for the right set to come along. This is a set of diamond targets that have been modified. I assume there was a chip or chips out of the top of these. Whatever the cause, they have been modified at the top. Since they don't fit anything perfect anymore they seemed perfect for this gun.

 

[jimgoldth]

Very nice! That is a working gun. Collectors sometimes forget what the purpose was.

 

[GF]

Old school trigger shoe! Those used to be THE thing to put on a revolver.

Back before Wilson and Kimber a shootist just rolled his own. Shorten a barrel, rubber-band the grips or whatever a guy thought would give him the edge.

Cool Heater.

GF

 

[DCWilson]

That gun just keeps getting better and better. Is there anything more you want to do to it?

I think I might be tempted to replace the red ramp with a McGivern gold bead, but that's just personal preference. Lots of people like red ramps more than I do.

 

[steamloco76]

The old Smith looks right with those grips. Working guns are beautiful too.

 

[bower]

Your diamond targets appear as a nicely grained set of super desirable coke bottle grips from a M-29 or M-57.

 

[45Wheelgun]

Your diamond targets appear as a nicely grained set of super desirable coke bottle grips from a M-29 or M-57.

I think you might be right about them being "cokes", but since their top corners have been reshaped, I am not so sure about "super desirable" as far as this particular set is concerned.

Whoever did the repair job did nice work. They are perfectly matched. There is at least 1/8" or more missing from the top rear edge.

Since I feel they have no collector value or interest, I think they are perfect for this gun. I must say I love the way they feel when you shoot with them.

Here are a couple of close ups using the flash which makes them appear a bit redder then they actually are:

 

[tommy F]

Very nice, a true classic!
Tommy

 

[tac803]

Very nice! Great looking Fitz! I'm not trying to be an idiot here, but does the trigger shoe pose a problem when holstering / pocketing the gun with the front of the trigger guard removed? Have you ever considered bobbing the hammer...if so, what are the pro's / cons with that platform?

Regards,
John

 

[45Wheelgun]

Very nice! Great looking Fitz! I'm not trying to be an idiot here, but does the trigger shoe pose a problem when holstering / pocketing the gun with the front of the trigger guard removed? Have you ever considered bobbing the hammer...if so, what are the pro's / cons with that platform?

Trigger shoe or not, it is generally accepted that removing part or all of the trigger guard is a bad idea. Pocket, holster or otherwise, it is dangerous. It is removing a basic safety device and increasing the chance of accidental discharge. There was a time when cutting the trigger guard was in fashion, but that time has long since passed.

I have several guns with bobbed hammers and I have never had any issues with them. It does remove the chance for easy single action firing, but you know that going in.

This gun will not have a bobbed hammer as it's hammer was already modified by the original owner. It has had it's factory hammer spur removed and a post war target spur welded into place.

 

[doc540]

NICE work!

e: hammer bob

 

[MP1983]

45Wheelgun, that's a beautiful old pistol & I'd be proud to own it...but w/ that being said, who Fitz's a fixed sight gun w/ chopped barrel, and then puts target sights & target hammer on it? Maybe it's just me, but that strikes me as odd.

Again, it is a beauty! Definitely a nice piece of 20th century gunsmithing history.

 

[45Wheelgun]

...who Fitz's a fixed sight gun w/ chopped barrel, and then puts target sights & target hammer on it? Maybe it's just me, but that strikes me as odd.

Strikes me as pretty odd as well. The reason I love the gun is that so many things about it don't make sense. They did all that target work, but never bothered to crown the cut barrel.

Yet they did a bang up job mounting the rear sight:

 

[MP1983]

looks checkered like a Model 27 (or pre-model)...

 

[smithman 10]

Strikes me as pretty odd as well. The reason I love the gun is that so many things about it don't make sense. They did all that target work, but never bothered to crown the cut barrel.

Yet they did a bang up job mounting the rear sight:

Seeing as so many strange things have been done to the revolver, would it be possible to restore the trigger guard? Then I'd think it would be pretty near perfect!

 

[Jack Flash]

Seeing this revolver makes me wonder how it would do if used in a self-defense training type course. (I'm thinking of the GunSite program or the like). Assuming of course, they would let you use it!

I would like to hear how it performs vs a more conventional revolver, say a more or less stock M1917 or M25.

 

[merrkat]

Im glad you posted this piece. I just posted a picture of my bobbed 1917. I really like the way it handles and shoots.