Varieties of M1917 revolvers?

[amx4080]

Are there any sub-types of S&W M1917 revolvers or are the all standardized?

 

[Dan M]

Well lets see, there are US military issued 1917's, commercial 1917's (sold to the public) there are Target 1917's (Rare), there are the Brazilian issue of 1937 1917's. cant think of any others off hand and don't have my books with me.

Dan

 

[DWalt]

And of course Colt 1917s.

 

[Modified]

As an owner of both a military S&W 1917 and a Colt 1917 I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Colt is merely adequate and every person I hand both the colt and S&W to are amazed at the quality difference.

I'm really looking forward to my Commercial 1917 arriving to see how different that is.

 

[beagleye]

post war long action S frame nickel

Here's a weird one I just recollected for another thread the other day which is actually more interesting in the context of this thread. It appears to be a post war improved S frame in factory nickel I would have liked to have grabbed this one.

The serial number seems way late for an long action

LOT #53 - Smith and Wesson 1917 Commercial .45 ACP

 

[S&WIowegan]

My first revolver was a Colt 1917. I had no idea what I was buying at the time. It was big and heavy and really impressed me! The Colts are quite a bit heavier than S&W 1917s and the triggers are much heavier.

S&W kept on making 1917s after WW II from parts leftover from the 1930s. Then they came out with Military of 1950, an updated 1917. These 1950s are scarce as hen's teeth!

 

[S&WIowegan]

Here's a weird one I just recollected for another thread the other day which is actually more interesting in the context of this thread. It appears to be a post war improved S frame in factory nickel I would have liked to have grabbed this one.

The serial number seems way late for an long action

That's truly a puzzle of a gun! If I owned it I'd letter it to find out how it left the factory. If it's for real it would be near one of a kind status. I believe that it's a Frankengun though.

 

[beagleye]

Here's a weird one I just recollected for another thread the other day which is actually more interesting in the context of this thread. It appears to be a post war improved S frame in factory nickel I would have liked to have grabbed this one.

The serial number seems way late for an long action

That's truly a puzzle of a gun! If I owned it I'd letter it to find out how it left the factory. If it's for real it would be near one of a kind status. I believe that it's a Frankengun though.

Possibly, but I just looked up the 1917s and there was a series of post war transitional 1917s and the serial series did overlap with that serial number. Only the nickel bit contradicts SWSC. The grips are correct for that period too. I am guessing it's at least a legit post war transitional 1917, with a good looking nickel finish.

 

[1blindref]

S&W 1917

This is my "GunBroker lesson" gun. I call it that since I saw it just before the auction was ending and I just had to have it. Of course I didn't have time to I ask if it had been refinished before I bid, but I took the chance anyway. Once it arrived, I had my answer
Fortunately I didn't pay stupid money for it, and it's a nice shooting gun. Lesson learned.

Colt 1917.

 

[mkk41]

As an owner of both a military S&W 1917 and a Colt 1917 I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Colt is merely adequate and every person I hand both the colt and S&W to are amazed at the quality difference.

Hmmm, I'm not quite sure how to take that. Surely the external finish on the Colt was rougher. It was wartime mind you and looks don't count. They needed to get guns in the hands of the troops. 'Expedient' was the term I believe.But the functional quality of the big New Service didn't suffer.

I've see other CNS both pre-war and those commercial order guns that went to other countries and they were just as well finished as any Hand Ejector.

 

[murphydog]

The commercial nickel 1917 in the link is in the correct SN range for a small run (about 1000?) of early post WW II revolvers. Some were stamped with the S and some not. I think it has been refinished but anything is possible.

There are period references (WW I) as to how US Army inspectors made note of the difference in finish and metalwork quality in favor of the S & W. The Colt 1917 is still a fine gun however.

 

[tommy F]

Geat project guns