New S&W 617?
- Thread starter ashjwilliams
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Rhino
I own a K22 5 screw with 6 inch barrel, a Model 17-4 with 8 3/8 barrel and a Model 18-4 with 4 inch barrel and they are all awesome shooter's with great triggers. I bought a 17-4 with 6 inch barrel at a gun show a few weeks ago but when I bought the 617 yesterday I sold that one to a friend of mine here.
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ashjwilliams
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Good point. I removed mine because it broke, and probably wouldn't have otherwise. Probably should have sent it to S&W...
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ashjwilliams
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Are the 617 and K-22 the same thing?
Also again what is the difference between the model 17 and model 18 (besides barrel length)?
I got a notice from Davidson's today at about 13:30; 617 in stock! 4 hours later they are all gone! My place of business doesn't let you view firearms related websites and thus I couldn't conduct the transaction there. Damnit.
On a better note my new M&P15-22 ran flawlessly through about 300 rds Federal bulk the other day. S&W for the win!
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Bought my 617-6 6/09 and paid $695. which included shipping and CC fee, and I had to hunt for that deal. The 4" is very well balanced, just like my 686-5, and a whole lot cheaper to feed. Both are always a real pleasure to shoot.
Greetings Ashjwilliams;
Don't overpay for a currently cataloged gun just because the factory didn't anticipate the increased demand for a model that has become a fad! Just last summer I had a difficult time finding a buyer for my new looking 10 shot 6" M 617. Nobody wanted to pay $600 for a .22! After it laid in the biggest shop in the biggest city an hour away for several months on consignment at $600, I settled for $500, less 15% commission. Over the decades there were several times when I wanted a sporting or target revolver and S & W had let that model sell out of the distribution network. Once again the next production run will be planned to exceed current demand so that M 617s will be in all the stores for awhile. Believe it or not, you can survive a few months with the guns you already have.
Don't misunderstand me. I have paid too much for a cataloged revolver because I liked an individual gun's timing and the feel of its DA pull and I probably will again—and discontinued variations are another matter altogether. My "short list" consists mostly of guns I passed on because they were overpriced and now will cost me 2 -3 times the price I refused to pay. Even if they were reintroduced in the catalog, they would not be the same.
You might enjoy owning a M 17 or M 18 in addition to the different feeling 10 shooter and one would hold you over until new M 617s are plentiful again. I enjoy owning all of these variations of K22s--22s built on the K frame—I'm hanging on to one 10 shot, it's just not my favorite. Most M 17s had 6" or 8 3/8" non-tapered barrels usually with patridge front sights. Older pre-model 17s had tapered barrels. M 18's had 4" tapered barrels that brought their weight down to 36 oz. M 18s usually had plain ramp front sights. The closest things to a M 18 for a belt gun trainer are the scarce 4" non-tapered barreled M 17s or rare non-lugged 4" M 617s. There have been more would be buyers of M 18s than M18s for sale in my area for at least 10 years. Lots of guys at the ranges have them. We just don't sell them. The M 18 was discontinued in 1985 because it didn't sell as well as the M 17, so M 17s are easier to find and can match the sight radius of your .357.
To get the best DA trainer for your full lugged .357, I suggest matching your gun's weight and barrel length with a 6" M 617, but I would get a 6 shot to match the feel of its action. I sold one of my two 10 shooters only because their DA pulls do not feel like S & Ws. Their cylinder locking bolts pop back up about 1/3 of the way through the DA pull and I'm accustomed to staging the trigger or squeezing the shot off carefully after feeling the cylinder lock up near the end of the pull. Using that technique I got an indoor .22 bullseye NRA expert rating firing my 6 shot 6" M 617 DA only, including the slow fire portion, and with iron sights. I suppose if you always fire DA fast with a straight through pull you would be happy with the feel of a 10 shot, but in the rather unlikely event I'm in an extended fire fight with .22s, I'd just dump the last 4 on my toes and reload after 6 anyway.
I hope this helps you decide.
Gil
Don't overpay for a currently cataloged gun just because the factory didn't anticipate the increased demand for a model that has become a fad! Just last summer I had a difficult time finding a buyer for my new looking 10 shot 6" M 617. Nobody wanted to pay $600 for a .22! After it laid in the biggest shop in the biggest city an hour away for several months on consignment at $600, I settled for $500, less 15% commission. Over the decades there were several times when I wanted a sporting or target revolver and S & W had let that model sell out of the distribution network. Once again the next production run will be planned to exceed current demand so that M 617s will be in all the stores for awhile. Believe it or not, you can survive a few months with the guns you already have.
Don't misunderstand me. I have paid too much for a cataloged revolver because I liked an individual gun's timing and the feel of its DA pull and I probably will again—and discontinued variations are another matter altogether. My "short list" consists mostly of guns I passed on because they were overpriced and now will cost me 2 -3 times the price I refused to pay. Even if they were reintroduced in the catalog, they would not be the same.
You might enjoy owning a M 17 or M 18 in addition to the different feeling 10 shooter and one would hold you over until new M 617s are plentiful again. I enjoy owning all of these variations of K22s--22s built on the K frame—I'm hanging on to one 10 shot, it's just not my favorite. Most M 17s had 6" or 8 3/8" non-tapered barrels usually with patridge front sights. Older pre-model 17s had tapered barrels. M 18's had 4" tapered barrels that brought their weight down to 36 oz. M 18s usually had plain ramp front sights. The closest things to a M 18 for a belt gun trainer are the scarce 4" non-tapered barreled M 17s or rare non-lugged 4" M 617s. There have been more would be buyers of M 18s than M18s for sale in my area for at least 10 years. Lots of guys at the ranges have them. We just don't sell them. The M 18 was discontinued in 1985 because it didn't sell as well as the M 17, so M 17s are easier to find and can match the sight radius of your .357.
To get the best DA trainer for your full lugged .357, I suggest matching your gun's weight and barrel length with a 6" M 617, but I would get a 6 shot to match the feel of its action. I sold one of my two 10 shooters only because their DA pulls do not feel like S & Ws. Their cylinder locking bolts pop back up about 1/3 of the way through the DA pull and I'm accustomed to staging the trigger or squeezing the shot off carefully after feeling the cylinder lock up near the end of the pull. Using that technique I got an indoor .22 bullseye NRA expert rating firing my 6 shot 6" M 617 DA only, including the slow fire portion, and with iron sights. I suppose if you always fire DA fast with a straight through pull you would be happy with the feel of a 10 shot, but in the rather unlikely event I'm in an extended fire fight with .22s, I'd just dump the last 4 on my toes and reload after 6 anyway.
I hope this helps you decide.
Gil
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RYNO
Member
There was a NIB 617-6(?) 10 shot at Cabelas in LaVista for $740 last week. It almo$t went home with me...
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
Well, I'll guess I'll be smug. I paid $430 at a gun show for a new 617-4 10 shot.
'Course that was back arount the turn of the century
If someone can't wait until the new ones come out-I'd sell it for one large.
'Course that was back arount the turn of the century
If someone can't wait until the new ones come out-I'd sell it for one large.
raveneap
US Veteran
I ordered a 617 4" early last August. My LGS finally got it in late October. The 4" 617's have generally been hard to find but well worth the wait. Also picked up a 63 during the wait. Both are great guns.
After trades, I've got $427.00 in the 617.
After trades, I've got $427.00 in the 617.
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ashjwilliams
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Gil, thank you for the very helpful and informative post!
Based upon your comments I decided that I would like to obtain either a new or used 6" M 617. Hilariously enough I canceled my order at a local store and decided to obtain a used model at a gun show, and 2 days later my new 617 finally came in! They called me and asked me if I still wanted it; of course my answer was yes!
Based upon your comments I decided that I would like to obtain either a new or used 6" M 617. Hilariously enough I canceled my order at a local store and decided to obtain a used model at a gun show, and 2 days later my new 617 finally came in! They called me and asked me if I still wanted it; of course my answer was yes!
Thayer
Member
Finally after about 90 days, I have my NIB 617-6 4" 10 shot. I won't have chance to shoot it for a few days, and just now discovered no one makes snap caps for them. I'll always find something to complain about I guess. FWIW I paid $700 + 15 shipping and I'm happier than a tornado in a trailer park.
beach elvis
Member
ZOOM, I believe, makes .22LR snap caps. I have some little red plastic ones.
If nothing else, you can just use some spent cases instead of snap caps.
Careful, though. Open the cylinder and verify indents in the cases' rims before dryfiring. (Just in case it needed to be said.)
If nothing else, you can just use some spent cases instead of snap caps.
Careful, though. Open the cylinder and verify indents in the cases' rims before dryfiring. (Just in case it needed to be said.)
I know where a 617 6" is in western Washington if anybody wants it. Brand new at a gun shop.
PM and I'll give you the phone number of the gunshop.
PM and I'll give you the phone number of the gunshop.
It is always interesting to watch smith 22 revolvers and the prices they command. I have always favored them,especially older pre lock versions. I recently got a 4" 617-1 on gunbroker. By the time I wrapped my hands around it, it was 975.00 to me. It did have pretty smith finger groove grips.
In my part of the world, at least, if you can buy a new 617 for less than $800 and a nice used one for less than $650(although there aren't any used ones!) you're in luck. I recently saw the 617's twin, a 648 lock gun, for sale used at $750. Never thought it would sell.
It sold!
It sold!
Bullseye Smith
Member
Put a plug in it and don't worry about it, bag the lock and install when you want to sell it.
It doesn't seem to matter WHAT a person is looking for these days, it's in short supply. Smith revolvers, Marlin lever actions, Browning SA22, ammo, reloading components...just name something that's worth having, and you can't buy it. Oh, they go to all the trouble to publish a pretty brochure, but when you ask about one at a dealer, the same old crap: Don't have it; can't order it either.
Stainz
Member
My local pusher, Southeastern Guns in Birmingham area, has had no trouble keeping both the 4" & 6" current production 617s in stock. I believe the ones he now has are $729 - but it'll be the 12th or later before they'll be back from vacation! Below is mine - bought new 9/08. I swapped the grips (Ahrends Retro Targets), front sight (HiViz), and springs (Wolff trigger & hammer - with adjustable strain screw), and a DS-10 speedloader and 6 x 10 plate:
Obviously, being a current production 617 doesn't bother me... having waited so long to get one, does! The are fun!!
Stainz
Obviously, being a current production 617 doesn't bother me... having waited so long to get one, does! The are fun!!
Stainz
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