Please help me choose: 17 no dash vs -5: UPDATED

[domyalex]

Hello folks,

new to the world of revolvers...

I have the option of buying a M 17 and currently have 2 options; just need input on which you think is more desiderable!

No dash, 5 screws in G-VG condition; some blue wear near the muzzle. No idea about box/papers. CAD$625

or

17-5, basically new (owner says 100 rounds), CAD$700

whichever I choose, it _will_ be used, it will not be a safe queen, say 100-300 rounds per month.

Besides the collector value, does the no dash have any advantages for a shooter?

Thanks!

 

[long colt frazier]

Jump on that 5 screw with both feet!
Mark

 

[JP@AK]

Absolutely no question in my mind. A classic for less money than a later, non-pinned variant? That's a no-brainer in my world.
Go get that 5-screw before it disappears!

 

[JP@AK]

Sorry, I forgot to address the rest of your question.

The best shooting K-22s that I've owned were 5 and 4 screw guns, before there were model numbers. So, aside from the aesthetic issues, and collector potential, I think the earlier guns are just better guns. I have a dash 3 that does just fine, but it has never grouped as well as my late 1940s one-liner.

 

[JP@AK]

No dash, 5 screws

Are you sure about this? I would think it would only have 4 screws.
The top sideplate screw went away before model numbers were applied. Exceptions do occur, but they are extremely rare.

 

[trashy]

I agree with JP@AK, if it's a 17 no dash it "should" be 4 screw, 5 screw should be on a "pre" model marked.

To your question, as others stated, get the 5 screw.

 

[beagleye]

I vote 5 screw.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Post War......The older the better!!!!!!!!

 

[domyalex]

Gotta love this forum; thanks folks!

I went for the older one; now to patienly wait for it to arrive to see how many screws it actually has...

 

[JP@AK]

I went for the older one

Good for you! You will not be sorry.

now to patiently wait for it to arrive to see how many screws it actually has...

If it is model-marked, I'll give you ten-to-one odds it has only 4 screws. Be sure to post pictures when you have it in hand.

 

[Bert Man]

Yup, should be a 4-screw. My 17 no dash(1960) is a 4-screw with diamond magnas and is very accurate. OP definitely made the best choice.

 

[ma deuce]

A no-dash would be a 4-screw gun. I have a 1956 K-22 (pre-17), November ship date, and it is most definitely a 4-screw. That said, grab the pinned gun.

 

[domyalex]

All right, received the gun; as far as I can tell, it's indeed 5 screws; I haven't taken the stocks off, but I can see 3 screws on the side plate (1 top and 2 bottom) plus the trigger guard one. (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd194/laytonj1/5_Screw.jpg).

I see no model stamped on the frame, just "x 993xx 8".

So, this begs the question, what do I have? K22? M17?

Either way, it's gorgeous I can see myself reflected in the bluing!

 

[JP@AK]

what do I have? K22? M17?

If it is not stamped MOD 17 in the yoke cut, it is not a Model 17. Period. The fact that it has a 5 screw frame pushes it farther away from being a Model 17, since the fourth screw went away in 1956, at least two years before there were any Model 17s, which did not happen until sometime in 1958.
I thought we already went over this . . .

 

[JP@AK]

Oh, and by the way - congratulations. You are going to enjoy this gun!
A 5 screw K-22 is a very nice thing to have. Those that I have owned were tack drivers.

Incidentally, all Model 17s are K-22s. But not all K-22s are Model 17s. When the model numbers started, the company added them to the model name. They did not use the model numbers to replace the model names. So, in this instance, sometime in 1958, the K-22 Masterpiece became the Model 17 K-22 Masterpiece.

 

[Peak53]

Sounds like you got a nice one, but pics required for actual congratulations!

 

[murphydog]

If you'd like to know when it left the factory, please provide the first few digits after the K on the bottom of the grip frame, like K 123xxx.

 

[domyalex]

Thanks,

the bottom of the grip frame has K245xxx.

 

[Engine49guy]

Post pics when you get a chance,
In that serial range it could be a wide rib or a tapered barrel narrow rib polished or satin.

Wide rib 5 screws are rare as the change to the 4 screw occurred shortly after the barrel style change.

 

[domyalex]

Thanks Engine49guy,

here are a few pictures of the beauty