Range Day With 617s

[AzShooter]

Today I took my 6 inch and 4 inch 617s to the range. I wanted to test ammo to what my guns like, especially the 4 inch because that's what I intend to shoot the next Steel Challenge with.

I started out with Eley Force. Surprisingly everything went bang and shot pretty well. After 50 rounds I had to clean the cylinder because extraction stated to get very hard.

I cleaned the gun with a brass brush in my portable hand drill.

I then shot Federal BYOB 40 grainers. All shots went off and grouped well at 15 and 20 yards. I like practicing at 20 because it simulates Pendulum.
I kept all shot inside a 8 inch circle, most in a 4 inch groups but I had a few fliers.

Remington Golden Bullets went the best, good groups and I fired 140 rounds without having sticky ejection.

I didn't shoot them today but last week I shot Mini Mags and they worked well except I needed to clean the gun after 50 rounds. Federal 800 pack worked o.k. with good groups but still had to clean after 100 rouns.

So, Federal BYOB and Reminton Bucket O Bullets are working the best. BYOBs are getting difficult to find but I still have a few. Remingtons are getting easy to find.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

Have you done anything to the actions to tune them up other than just shoot them?

 

[AzShooter]

The 6 inch has had a lot of work. Apex Tactical Mass Drive Hammer, all polished interior and 11 pound rebound spring. Mainspring is all the way tightened. Trigger Pull is set at just over 8 pounds and it works with everything.

The 4 inch only has the rebound slide slightly polished and the spring replaced with an 11 pound one. Trigger pull is about 9 pounds.

 

[H Richard]

If the sticky extraction bugs you, you should have the chambers reamed with a Standard Finishing reamer. On those guns I have done, I seldom have to use anything but my thumb to extract all ten from my 617-6. I have also done about 6 or 7 other S&W .22's, as minimal chamber dimensions are a trade mark of S&W. I will add no change in accuracy following the reaming.