Other Saturday, Another Revolver...

[mainegrw]

I've been on a revolver binge lately, one that has netted me some very nice pieces. Last week it was a 1976 Model 27-2, a week or two before was a 1973 Model 15-3, back around Christmas, a 2020 Colt Python came my way, and not long before that, a 1969 Model 28-2 with factory box. Yesterday, yet another revolver came home to my collection: a 1990 Model 17-6.

My new Model 17-6 was consigned with a local dealer, the same place I picked up the Model 27-2 last week. It's the type of place that attracts the tacticool crowd, so revolvers tend sit for a while there. My usual goto shop on the other hand seems to sell them before they even make it out of the back and into the sales case, so pickings are often pretty slim in older Smith and Wesson revolvers.

As for the gun, she's a 1990 17-6 as mentioned above, 6" full lug barrel, 6 shot, target trigger, target hammer, and original S&W combat grips, no box or paperwork. Condition is excellent, bluing is darn near perfect. I was glad she was still there yesterday when I popped back in, definitely too pretty to be left behind. I'm not sure, but I think I did ok at $900 on it, that seems to be the average price on these, though I've only ever seen two in person in this configuration, and it doesn't seem that many have made it on to GunBroker.

As for the feel, from what I've read, the consensus feels that the 6" full lug 17s are too muzzle-heavy. Whereas, I feel that way about the 617, the 17-6 feels to me to be less front-heavy when compared to the 617. Am I just crazy, or does the full lug 17 come in a little lighter? Difference between K and L frame?

Photo below, will add more later. Picked up a couple HKS 22-K speed loaders, and was trying to hit up a falling plate match this morning, unfortunately it was a pre-register affair only (used to be show up and pay $5 on day of), and I missed the deadline to get in. Theres always next month...

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[schutz5]

Hey Mikey....... he likes it!!

 

[CH4]

Great find! I love my 17-6s.
BTW the 17-6 and 617s should both be K frame. My 648 is also K frame.

 

[mainegrw]

Great find! I love my 17-6s.

BTW the 17-6 and 617s should both be K frame. My 648 is also K frame.

I wasn't sure, thanks for the clarification. The 617 just feels heavier to me, perhaps it's the weight difference between carbon steel and stainless.

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[Sevens]

Many know but some do not and you should know going forth (since you own one!) that the 17-6 came both ways!

I still find it utterly preposterous that S&W made both in the same dash-number but they did. The early 17-6 was the standard ribbed target barrel with goncalo alves target stocks with speedloader cutout. Mine was made in 1989 and has the BBJ serial prefix.

The later 17-6 is like yours, the full lug barrel and the gorgeous and much sought after combat stocks.

It was explained by other savvy S&W collectors that the reason S&W made such a large change and yet did not change the dash number is likely because no machining modifications were made, only a single part differs, the barrel. I guess that must be the answer, but to this day I find it nuts that S&W has some endless dash-number variations on the Model 60 (for example) but the 17-6 full lug didn't warrant a change.

There seem to be more 17-6 with the full lug barrel and combats compared to the dash-6 with standard ribbed target barrel. However, the 17-6 with standard barrel looks basically like all the 17's going back to the 1950's and the full lug 6-shot Model 17 is in far shorter supply. Add in the combat stocks and the full lug 17-6 is likely the more "valuable" and desirable variant of dash-6.

Yours is gorgeous!

 

[DonD]

Nice looking revolver.

I think it would take a national laboratory grade scale to detect any difference in the weight between a stainless and a typical carbon steel gun.

You will NEVER notice anything. Don

 

[Sevens]

Hahahaha but he ALREADY noticed it!

If your 617 is a ten shot then there should be a weight difference and a slight change in balance when we observe that more steel has been cut from the cylinder for four added rounds capacity.

If you add a similar revolver that has more weight in the cylinder (as it is a six shot cylinder) then the added weight would be further back, perhaps giving the "feel" of the revolver being less muzzle heavy.