Post your modified 1917s!
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StrawHat
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Just snagged my first 1917 off GB this morning, a Commercial model.
Don't have it in hand, but this appears to be the only modification.
Regards,
Bruce
Bruce,
I see two modifications, the inlays and the swivel has been removed.
Kevin
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The carbine shoots pretty well about a 1 1/2 at 50 yards. I had to keep taking tthe front sight down more and more. I think with the stock and fore arm you don't get near as much upward muzzle rotation. Then I kind of lost interest and went on to other things. Still need to get it in my blueing tank.
People always worry about the gap blast and your arm, but I have neve had a problem wearing a shirt, Your elbow is down and away kind of under the bottom of the frame. You do feel a tiny bit of blast stuf on your face with it being way closer to the frame than normal. Nothing bad but, you can feel it. I thought it would be the ticket for going int heavy cover after whitetail.
I also have a nice 1917 commercial and that will remain as is. There is another Brazilian in the safe that might become something else someday. A heavy barreled rig with a Bomar sight would be interesting. Or cut the cylinder down to just over acp length, set the barrel back so the lug is where it would leave the ejector rod just long enough to stroke out empties. Mill a big channel inthe top to sight with and add a ramp sight.
I have a Ruger Old Army percussion revolver I plan to give the same basic treatment to. A cap and ball 6 shot carbine.
People always worry about the gap blast and your arm, but I have neve had a problem wearing a shirt, Your elbow is down and away kind of under the bottom of the frame. You do feel a tiny bit of blast stuf on your face with it being way closer to the frame than normal. Nothing bad but, you can feel it. I thought it would be the ticket for going int heavy cover after whitetail.
I also have a nice 1917 commercial and that will remain as is. There is another Brazilian in the safe that might become something else someday. A heavy barreled rig with a Bomar sight would be interesting. Or cut the cylinder down to just over acp length, set the barrel back so the lug is where it would leave the ejector rod just long enough to stroke out empties. Mill a big channel inthe top to sight with and add a ramp sight.
I have a Ruger Old Army percussion revolver I plan to give the same basic treatment to. A cap and ball 6 shot carbine.
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OP
Modified
Member
Oh, so that wouldn't be this one:
You are probably talking about this one
:
I have no idea how I ended up with so many modified 1917s.
Of all of the possible problems in the world, an excess of stag / ivory stocked, modified 1917's is one I think I would like to have.
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Oh, so that wouldn't be this one:
You are probably talking about this one
I have no idea how I ended up with so many modified 1917s.
That last one is my all time favorite and I'm happy to take any of them off your hands if you choose to thin the herd
....
This particular one is something that I bought because I liked it, I knew very little about modified guns at the time. I had no idea that someone had fitted a Registered Magnum hammer to it for example. The good folks on the forum here pointed it out to me and schooled me on the subject, as you guys usually do.
Caleb, that grip style looks awfully familiar. Do they have the toe cutaway like mine? Did they come on that gun or did you acquire them elsewhere? I never did find out who the maker was.
Here's a modified 1917 that I acquired last November at the Wanenmacher show. It is an unfortunate gunsmith conversion to a target configuration with the front sight filed to Patridge shape, a windage adjustable rear sight, trigger stop, and filled lanyard ring hole. The grips are modern reproduction Altamonts but of the appropriate early style.
I say unfortunate because prior to modification, it appears that it was an immaculate and original early four-digit 1917 complete with grooved hammer.
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OP
Modified
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I did find out who made the stocks, and no they didn't come on the gun. I think when I bought it the thing had pachmayrs on it.
A guy named Mike Poulin made them. Skilled pointed me to a couple threads on the subject: http://smith-wessonforum.com/139092025-post44.html
My set, with the JR initials, were said to come off of a registered magnum (when I asked the guy I bought them from). My set has the toe cut out.
I have zero doubt that our stocks were both made by the same guy. I have to say, I really like them. They are also really great for shooting with this gun. Outside of Kearsarge and Ropers the only other past maker who's I have an equal amount of affection for is Cloyce. That's not true, I love early 2 piece Hogues.
I guess I just like a lot of old grips.
In any case, if your set is every on the chopping block, let me know. I wouldn't mind a second set. His work is rare enough that I don't think it will ever have the collectability of Ropers, but much like Kearsarge and Keith Brown's, I just really really like Poulin's work.
A guy named Mike Poulin made them. Skilled pointed me to a couple threads on the subject: http://smith-wessonforum.com/139092025-post44.html
My set, with the JR initials, were said to come off of a registered magnum (when I asked the guy I bought them from). My set has the toe cut out.
I have zero doubt that our stocks were both made by the same guy. I have to say, I really like them. They are also really great for shooting with this gun. Outside of Kearsarge and Ropers the only other past maker who's I have an equal amount of affection for is Cloyce. That's not true, I love early 2 piece Hogues.
I guess I just like a lot of old grips.
In any case, if your set is every on the chopping block, let me know. I wouldn't mind a second set. His work is rare enough that I don't think it will ever have the collectability of Ropers, but much like Kearsarge and Keith Brown's, I just really really like Poulin's work.
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Thoroughly enjoying all these 1917s. Great thread idea Caleb. Those Mike Poulin stocks are incredible!
old&slow
Member
I think the rear sight is King, the front similar to some Kings, but unmarked:
Bob
Bob
I saw this one on G.B. a couple weeks ago and thought it was neat. The job looked good enough to pass for factory, although I believe the factory would have done a little more to the muzzle. I got into the bidding and ended up thinking it was neater than the others. I have not taken possession as of yet but have filled out paperwork.
I also have this converted Brazilian Model of 1917. I got it from a friend who also got it from a friend who had performed a fairly nice job of re-finishing it. I decided that since it was already molested it needed to be cut down to 4" and have a Baughman style front sight with insert installed, I added the Micro sight. Its a fun shooter and one you can hand to anyone that hasn't fired a .45 ACP/AR revolver and not worry about any mishandling.
I also have this converted Brazilian Model of 1917. I got it from a friend who also got it from a friend who had performed a fairly nice job of re-finishing it. I decided that since it was already molested it needed to be cut down to 4" and have a Baughman style front sight with insert installed, I added the Micro sight. Its a fun shooter and one you can hand to anyone that hasn't fired a .45 ACP/AR revolver and not worry about any mishandling.
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...I had no idea that someone had fitted a Registered Magnum hammer to it for example. The good folks on the forum here pointed it out to me and schooled me on the subject, as you guys usually do.
Caleb:
I may be mis-remembering (not an infrequent occurrence), but I thought that some of the 1917s shipped from the factory with the grooved hammers (there is a vague recollection that the 1917 grooved hammer tidbit came out when someone was looking for a grooved RM hammer for their pre-war .357 Magnum). I also recall that there were slight differences in the RM and 1917 grooved hammers. I'll try and do a little searching for the information... [Post Update: Here is one of the threads I was thinking of: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...ic-grooves-hammer.html?400981=#post138193069] ]
I have no 1917's... yet, but there are sure some beauties in this thread that make for lustful wishes in this "modified S&W admirer".
Thanks for sharing,
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Here's a post-WWI Commercial model 1917 that went back to the factory in July 1949 for modification to 45 Colt Target. The cylinder, barrel, sights and stocks were replaced with post-WWII versions . . . but otherwise it is totally original 
Russ
Russ
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OP
Modified
Member
Oh yeah, the earliest of the 1917s had the concentric grooves.
Funny thing is that I think all of my 1917s have the grooves, but two of them are Registered Magnum hammers, the other two are just because they are early guns. I had no idea about any of that until the forum here explained it all to me, which you will see in this thread: The best 1917 (I'll ever own), maybe ever?
As a bonus, it turned out, that I had picked up a stray Registered Magnum HBH somewhere. Except it had been...bobbed.
So all told my collection of guns may only have 3 pre-war .357 Magnums, but I somehow have 6 Hammers, either loose, or on guns.
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