S&W Army 1917 with holster and army issue ammo

[drcwks]

I recently purchased a S&W army 1917 with holster and
what I was told was WW1 issue ammo in original box. And
the half-moon pouches they used. I have no idea if the pouches are original. The holster is WW2 time period. Made by the
Milwaukee Saddlery Co. 1944 also stamped U.S.
I'm attaching however many pictures I'm allowed.

The serial number on the butt is 141153 and matches
all the other places. From reading an earlier post I guess
my S/N never made it overseas?

I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet but anxious to try it out.
I finally shot my pre victory model 38 special i posted about a few months back. I was surprised how well I shot it.

I'm still new to collecting (7-8 months) WW1 WW2 revolvers. I have the bug that probably won't go away soon. Also picked up an Army 1909 Colt 45. Shoots great.

Would welcome any info as to where my s/n dates to. Also I'm assuming the 1917s were used in WW2 also? And that's why the army issued holsters dated around WW2?
Thanks in advance
Dean

 

[DWalt]

Yes, there were some 1917s used during WWII, but probably not many saw combat service. I have read that some support units, such as MPs, engineering personnel, transportation troops, etc. were issued M1917s and of course, Brad Pitt carried one in "Fury." Yours would have been 1918 manufacture, but it probably never made it to the front.

Your Colt M1909 is a vastly more interesting revolver than the M1917, and very few survived in good condition. Why don't you tell us about it?

 

[StrawHat]

Model 1917s saw service in WWI, WWII, Korea and Viet Nam.

The ammunition you show is original and from what I see dates to 1918 so it will have corrosive primers. Please, do not shoot that ammunition. It does not take many to destroy the rifling in these barrels. If you want to shoot it, it was designed for ball ammunition. 230 grain, FMJ at 830 fps. You can load lead and it has successfully been done but the shallow rifling dictates a long bearing surface, a proper (not too hard) alloy and .001-.002 over throat diameter.

Here is my Model 1917, built in October of 1918, right before Armistice Day.

That holster looks familiar!

Kevin

 

[DWalt]

I will second the sanctity of the ammunition. A full box of clipped .45 ammunition is seldom seen, and a prized display accessory. Even were you to fire it, you would probably get a high percentage of misfires. You do not absolutely need clips. You can pull out the empty .45 ACP cases by hand. You can also buy full moon clips if you wish. .45 Auto-Rim ammunition is good but difficult to find.

 

[drcwks]

Yes, there were some 1917s used during WWII, but probably not many saw combat service. I have read that some support units, such as MPs, engineering personnel, transportation troops, etc. were issued M1917s and of course, Brad Pitt carried one in "Fury." Yours would have been 1918 manufacture, but it probably never made it to the front.

Your Colt M1909 is a vastly more interesting revolver than the M1917, and very few survived in good condition. Why don't you tell us about it?

I'm still new to the forum and wasn't sure if off brand revolvers were something that was okay to post and if there was interest but just saw a category for Non-S&W Guns so will have to take some pictures of my Colt army 1909 and post later in the week.

 

[DWalt]

You can do that. Include several good pictures showing as much information as possible. You could have a real prize there.

To reduce wear and tear on your holster, there are some very high quality replica flap M1909 holsters available at a reasonable cost. They will fit the Colt M1909 and M1917 and S&W M1917 revolvers interchangeably.

 

[jmace57]

The Model of 1937 "Brazilians" are much more likely to have seen actual combat in WW2 than the Model of 1917's.

 

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,


Just to join the group, here's my 1917 w/ holster. I have
some period ammo but I found it in the basement of a
house I was cleaning. It was in a couple period 1911 mags.

It seems that all 1917's still have their holsters.


Cheers,
Webb

 

[StrawHat]

The Model of 1937 "Brazilians" are much more likely to have seen actual combat in WW2 than the Model of 1917's.

Only the first batch!

Kevin

 

[lestert357]

Used in WWII

Photo Credit Chris Eger, Guns.com

 

[Heinz]

Numrich has half moon 1917 clips. They have worked fine for me. I do use a moon clip tool to help load them

This is their part number. gunpartscorp products/252670b

 

[shil]

VERY nice revolver. I am green with envy! I have one, not as nice as yours. I seldom shoot it. The sights are not very friendly to my 70-year-old eyes!

 

[shil]

Those cavalry holsters are so neat!

 

[stansdds]

I think a pretty good number of Colt and S&W M1917's were re-issued for use during World War II. Some were also refinished in a phosphate (Parker) finish.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

As I have posted, my FIL was a WWII Air Forces Doctor who in early 1942 was sent to West Africa.
Up in DC prior to deployment he was issued not one but 2 - 1917s.
Out over the South Atlantic in a Pan Am Flying Boat, the officer sitting next to complained nobody would issue him a sidearm.
So my FIL gave him one of his.
Did he ever shot anything? Yes! In Liberia he shoot feral cows.
But he used a Springfield for that.

 

[MG34/bar]

Just a friendly reminder that the WWI 1917 revolvers by S&W did not have any type of hammer-block safety, so if carrying them, a full moon clip with only five (5) rounds is the safe method. Later Brazilian 1937 models usually had an early side-swing hammer-block in the side plate, but users should verify that the spring actuated safety still functions before carrying.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

S&W revolvers from the introduction of the rebound slide had a hammer movement safety due to the hammer foot contact with the rebound slide. This contact, in addition to performing the rebound function, prevented a blow to the hammer from contacting the cartridge primer. Even the US Army Basic Field Manual FM23-36 for the Model 1917 Revolver says so:

 

[MG34/bar]

Wire grass guy,

That was the theory until War Dept. tests in 1944 (begun after a dropped S&W .38 Victory model fired and killed a sailor aboard ship) proved that the hammer foot/rebound slide contact was insufficient to prevent firing. The rebound slide appears to be substantial, but it is hollow to contain the return spring, and tests showed that a drop on the hammer from as little as 36" could crush the rebound slide and fire the revolver. The side-swing hammer safety adopted by S&W in the 1920s would prevent that UNLESS the spring in the side plate was blocked by accumulated grease/dirt/cosmoline. See Charlie Pate's U.S. HANDGUNS of WORLD WAR II, Appendix "F".

 

[bigwagon]

MG34, your statement is incorrect as noted by Wiregrassguy. You may make the case that it was an insufficient hammer block that required redesign, but to say that the design lacked a hammer block safety is not true.

 

[James K]

My Great Uncle's 1917 issued to him as a Col. in WW2. Was barely fired until I got my hands on it. Have the original pencil # stocks. Think these cherry wood ones and some other Pachs I have with an opening for the lanyard ring look a lot smarter IMO.