Take pity on a no-nothing on M1917s

[Kansasgunner]

Sold my only 1917 to a really good friend a couple years ago. Serial #136.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Birdhunter6]

The '17 is just a hoot to shoot. Mine cost $850, '18 production with all the US markings and a patina finish. It locks up tight and loves my 180 grain plated flat point reloads.

I wish it could tell me it's story.

 

[Ameshawki]

I have both a Colt and a Smith. The Smith is a post war Brazilian. Both were refinished in a prior life.

The Colt is big hunk of steel, a good size larger than the Smith. The double action on the Colt is quite heavy, supposedly they were meant to be that way.

Neat pieces of history that don't get shot much.

 

[Retired W4]

This is one I picked up last year. It is one of approximately 1000 that were assembled from the thousands of parts S&W bought back from the US Army. Mine was shipped October 1947. S210461

 

[dsf]

Colts won't work without moon clips and are vastly harder to work on.
The Smiths will work without moon clips, you just have to pick the cases out.
In any case, buy a mooner-demooner tool. I like the BMT despite the cost.
The 1917 had very slight rifling, so it's common to see them basically a smoothbore by now. So if I were going to look at one to shoot, I'd check bore condition over most other criterion. In my experience because of the shallow rifling they shoot jacketed bullets much better than cast, of course the jacketed bullets also wear the comparatively soft and shallow rifling, so maybe don't expect a 1917 to be a great gun to shoot bullseye with.
I typically find the triggers to be heavy on the military guns, perhaps slightly better on the commercial and Brazilian guns.
I do think if you are going to get one to enjoy, the US-Property marked guns are just a lot more interesting as living history and for me that justifies the higher cost, but if you just want a shooter then save the money.
A 1917 was one of the Indiana Jones guns from the first movie, or rather a commercial one, so there's that angle as well.

True on the earlier Colt 1917s, the chambers were bored all the way through. Later Colts were properly chambered. Mine is 1918 and chambers/extracts ACP with moon clips fine.

A 1917 bored all the way through is a great excuse to start reloading for the 45 AR.

 

[VaTom]

I knew nothing about the 1917 when I bought mine at a local auction 8 years ago. I only bought it because the bidding was low and the revolver I wanted went too high. It had been refinished by some previous owner which didn’t bother me at the OTD price of $350. A commercial model made in late 1920s or early 1930s. A great shooter. They are solid revolvers.
In the movie “The Highwaymen” the exTexas ranger played by Kevin Costner buys one along with other firearms at a gun store prior to going after Bonnie and Clyde.

Hope you find one.

 

[hkcavalier]

There's also a nice (but not mint) example at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, GA just outside Ft. Moore (Ft. Benning until recently). In the WWI section, of course. Prrrrrrrrrrobably not for sale

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Staff Sergeant Don "Wardaddy" Collier (Brad Pitt) carries a Smith & Wesson M1917 revolver with custom plexiglass "sweetheart" grips as his sidearm throughout the film. He is notably seen using this revolver to coax Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman) into killing a German soldier.

Fury (2014) - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

The 1917 stayed in S&W production until 1966 as the Model 22. It is also known as the Model 45 Army prior to the Model Numbers.

I had the Brazilian from1937. At one time it was a third to half the price of a 1917. Decent shooter and I preferred to reload 45 Auto Rim instead of messing with the moon clips. One big upside with moon clips is that it will shoot Hollow Points without any issues whereas autoloaders tend to jam with JHPs in the 1970s and 1980s.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

So, my brilliant fellow Smith fans if you were going to get one of these, what would you be looking for as a "let's get started piece"?????

For example, military marked or civilian, rough or semi-rough (since I assume the pristine ones are very expensive),etc, etc
My thanks in advance for your guidance

It depends on your budget. The Brazilian is still the cheapest out there. For me I would consider a mint commercial model. I know of a LAPD 1917 Commercial made in 1929 at $4750.

 

[625-10scc]

There was a picture of a marine in front of a south pacific cave with a Smith 1917 . If I remember correctly it's was in the NRA magazine.

 

[PaulDoc]

I love my Brazilian model. The action is wonderful. A real pleasure to shoot. And curiosity factor at the range is cool too.

 

[JSR III]

To me there are 2 questions that need to be answered before a real answer can be posted.

1) Are you wanting a collector piece or a shooter?

2) What is your price range?

As others have stated, as always, price and condition typically go hand in hand. A beat up shooter grade will be less than a pristine collector gun with early concave stock tops and grooved hammer. Smooth stocks were the norm on the early guns without checking.

As to whether one should buy a Smith or a Colt, that almost falls into the category of blaspheme.

You want a Smith of course.......Colt is a 4 letter word.

(I only had time to read page 1 so forgive if this was addressed on page 2)

 

[71vette]

They are cool revolvers. I lucked into one years ago. 1918 production and fully British proof marked. It came into my possession with I believe original grips. I’ve got them bagged up and put a set of Sambar Stag service grips on it. The barrel is actually in decent shape. I usually shoot 200gr SWC loads and it does alright.

I wish it could tell me it’s story……

 

[hkcavalier]

Another thing to mention re: Fury and Hollywood in general. Revolvers have long been a favorite of directors since they look better on film than matte black autos; they have more complex angles/reflections and simply stand out better. A 6" medium or large framed revolver is considerably larger than even a "duty" sized auto like a 1911 or Glock 17. The Desert Eagle had a nice run for many of the same reasons (big and not slab sided) but isn't nearly as iconic now as it was from the mid 1980s through the early 2000s.

 

[erikpolcrack]

I have both a Colt and a S&W Model 1917 as well as a 1937 Brazilian. If you leave them unaltered, the Brazilian is by far the best shooter, because it has the improved square notch rear sight adopted by S&W after M1917 production had ceased.

 

[Mstorm]

So for all of you kind folks---that has given me much to think about (( bought a 586 no dash this weekend in nickel so I'll have to replenish the coffers before going 1917 shopping - but at least now I won't go out like some ignorant babe in the woods ))
But if I might partially return the favor to all of you that responded---
If you really want WARDADDY's gun from FURY, I saw where it might be available ---need to check with the administrators of this site before I say anymore --- consider this forum way too valuable to ever violate a rule I may be unaware of

 

[hkcavalier]

I find it's much easier on the wallet to take good deals as they come, even if they're not exactly your cup of tea. You'll either grow to like them, or they make great trade fodder for someone with a more targeted mindset (and bank account to support it).

 

[jack the toad]

I have both a Colt and a S&W Model 1917 as well as a 1937 Brazilian. If you leave them unaltered, the Brazilian is by far the best shooter, because it has the improved square notch rear sight adopted by S&W after M1917 production had ceased.

S&W's 1937 (1st contract) had the square notch, but IIRC, the 2nd contract (1946) vast number were rounded as they were made using left over frames from the 1917 model. Not to argue or contest your statement but of the several models I've had of 1917's, both military and commercial, as well as Brazil models, both 1st & 2nd contract, accuracy was negligible between them all.

 

[TheTinMan]

A Model 1917 that was parkerized for WWII will cost less than a WWI original.

Colt accepted by the US Army June 1918
S&W accepted by the US Army November 1918

The double action trigger on the Colt is well over the 12 pound limit of my trigger pull gauge. The Colt is bigger, heavier, and less elegant IMHO. I found the Colt in a pawn shop around 15 years ago and paid $825. I didn’t find the Smith & Wesson until last year. I paid almost twice as much and believe I got a good deal.