Smoothbore 1917s?

[SG-688]

In my collection of old American Rifleman magazines I have read that making shot pistols out of old US 1917 revolvers was a short lived craze in the late 40's early 50's. It would probably take me a while to find the actual articles but they were interesting enough that I haven't forgotten them. The revolvers were bored out smooth and shotshells were made up in shortened 06 brass allowing for a fairly decent shot load. By putting a small bottleneck in the brass they would headspace like a 45 or the chamber could be reamed straight and they could be used with moon clips depending on the users preference. Unfortunately the Feds decided they were in violation and put a stop to such goings on. Handgun length and smoothbore was not allowed, if they had left the rifling or added a shallow slow twist after reaming we might have had a Judge back then.

Confirming your memory, the Kent Bellah update of my 1965 edition of W.H.B. Smith's Book of Pistols and Revolvers - p 719 - shows a smooth bore Colt 1917 with a screw on choke tube made by famous wildcatter Jim Harvey.

Bellah cites Harvey as making them from 1952 until 1956, which is the date he gives for the ATF ruling. (ATFU then??)

 

[lack53]

Maybe this thread just helped me answer my question as to what I am holding here..I have a 1917 barrel marked S&W Da 45..The bore is .500", and slick as a button on the inside..It didnt appear to be reamed out, because the thing has no sign of rifling, and just looked like a smoothbore shotgun on the inside..nice and slick..This and 1917 cylinder(on ebay now) were wrapped in an old oily rag in some stuff I bought in the 80's from an old guy that had owned them and several other neat old gun items for years..there is no finish on it, and there is some speckling from rust here and there...It's funny how long we hold onto stuff before we finally decide to let it go...thanks to all of you for being so knowledgeable..I would have never figured this out on my own..Bobby

 

[Skeetr57]

Over the years I have seen several variations of .45 ACP shotshells. There was an early factory version with a paper bullet that was filled with small shot and a version with a brass case that was longer than normal with a shoulder that had an over shot wad and was crimped to hold the wad in. I think that version was military in origin. During the VN war, I saw another version with a plastic bullet shaped sabot that contained large steel shot, larger than BB size. I made up some brass shot cartridges at one time for a friend by trimming .30-06 cases to cylinder length and loading with powder, wads and shot. After firing once with half moon clips, they could be reloaded and used without the clips because they were fire formed with a shoulder on the case.
I also have seen one 1917 S&W that had had the rifling lands reamed or honed to the point that it was barely visible in an attempt to make it shoot better patterns with shot.

 

[DWalt]

No doubt there were some smoothbore M1917s (and probably lots of other revolvers also) made up. But keep in mind, any such handguns would be considered just like "sawed-off shotguns" and would be NFA weapons. I think the chances of getting caught with one are very slim, but be careful to whom you talk about it.

 

[mikepriwer]

.44 Military Smoothbore shipped to Congressman King

Here are some pictures of an early 1950's .44 Military two-tone shipped to Congressman Cecil King of Los Angeles.

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[bluongo]

Recently I acquired a very nice Model of 1950 .45 military,to my horror when I opened the cylinder I found that it had been bored strait through. I kept the revolver because I had gotten it at a very reasonable price. Trying to figure why someone would ruin a good cylinder (luckily the barrel is still rifled) I came to the conclusion they were making a snake gun but I couldn't figure out what type of ammo they would make up or use. Thanks to Skeetr57 I have the answere. I never would have thought of trimmed down 30-06 cases, I think I'll try to make some for myself.

 

[Muley Gil]

I have seen several 1917s that had been shot so much that the barrels were almost completely smooth.

 

[tennexplorer]

6.5 x 55 Swedish cases work well also. They have a slightly larger base diameter. Closer to the base diameter of .45 acp.

 

[Skeetr57]

You are of course correct, but the availability of .30-06 brass is much better(cheaper) than 6.5x55, and in this application, the .006" difference in diameter makes no difference.

 

[Frank46]

[email protected] in one of their forums instructions on how to make up shotshells using I think '06 cases and if memory serves rcbs may still sell the dies to make the rounds.Remington used to make shotshells for the 45acp but stopped some years back. Don't think they had it quite right as when the crimp expanded it expanded right to where the rifling in the barrel was. You could see the rifling marks on the brass. Still have about 50 or so. From memory they did print pretty nice patterns at about 15 feet from the target. Frank

 

[Skeetr57]

Frank46: I think you are mistaken about the length of the Remington .45 Shot shells. The rifling begins about 1/8" into the rear of the barrel, so if the case extended that far, the cylinder could not be revolved.

 

[deadin]

I think he meant if the shells were fired in a M1911. Any shell that would reach the rifiling in a revolver wouldn't even chamber in an auto.....

 

[zywina]

Fellows and lady, i have seen a handfull over the 24 years of shooting and collecting, smooth bore revolvers, they all were on Colr New Services though?They looked to be made in the 1920-30's, most were 45 Colts.
Never seen a Smith though up here in the North, these revovers are classed the same as any rifled gun up here, there not a bad thing here! Weird Laws both are country has for law abiding citizens?

Dale Z in Canada