Bill_in_fl
Member
Just won this cut barrel S&W 1917 .45 acp revolver at an online auction yesterday. Description said it is locked up, not operable and not to be shot in this condition (Uh...duh).
It is obvious from the under barrel lug locking pin sticking forward in the lug under the barrel, that the cylinder release is stuck in the OPEN position. Haven't received it yet, but when it arrives and I get it from my dealer, it will be immersed into a pan of Kroil penetrating oil for several days. Then I'll use a dental pick to clean as much as I can get to, and work on it until I can get it to release the cylinder. No doubt I will completely disassemble it and go over everything with a fine tooth comb (so to speak).
Once I get everything operating correctly I will sand and buff to remove all pits and corrosion and then back immersed in the oil it will go until I can get it to someone who does a really good job on hot bluing. I have a friend who knows someone locally who can do a really good hot tank blue job on it. No considerations needed regarding buffing and refinishing towards collect ability with this little rust bucket's current condition.
The only hard decision I have to make is if I want to put another barrel on it or make my own 1917 looking front sight and simply torch solder that onto the existing cut barrel (if the rifling is good) to make a snubbie like someone I know called Buckeye's S&W 1917 .45 acp snubby below.....
At first I was thinking I'd like to have a 5 & 1/2 inch barrel like it came with originally, so it would be kind of a match for my S&W 1917 commercial model below...
But now I'm wondering if maybe I'd like a snubby and just get another full length barrel 1917 when I see another good deal.
I'm fully aware of the special tools needed to remove the barrel, wherein you shouldn't use a hammer handle on the frame to turn it off the barrel for fear of bending and ruining the frame. I know to put a replacement full length barrel on it that I need to either cast my own plastic halves for fitting to the frame to hold it securely to unscrew it from the barrel, or else get to a COMPETENT gunsmith (emphasis on COMPETENT) who has those special frame insert tools.
So what do you fellas think? Replace the barrel with a full length replacement or make a half moon front sight and solder it on the snubby barrel and keep it that way? Decisions decisions.
.
It is obvious from the under barrel lug locking pin sticking forward in the lug under the barrel, that the cylinder release is stuck in the OPEN position. Haven't received it yet, but when it arrives and I get it from my dealer, it will be immersed into a pan of Kroil penetrating oil for several days. Then I'll use a dental pick to clean as much as I can get to, and work on it until I can get it to release the cylinder. No doubt I will completely disassemble it and go over everything with a fine tooth comb (so to speak).
Once I get everything operating correctly I will sand and buff to remove all pits and corrosion and then back immersed in the oil it will go until I can get it to someone who does a really good job on hot bluing. I have a friend who knows someone locally who can do a really good hot tank blue job on it. No considerations needed regarding buffing and refinishing towards collect ability with this little rust bucket's current condition.
The only hard decision I have to make is if I want to put another barrel on it or make my own 1917 looking front sight and simply torch solder that onto the existing cut barrel (if the rifling is good) to make a snubbie like someone I know called Buckeye's S&W 1917 .45 acp snubby below.....
At first I was thinking I'd like to have a 5 & 1/2 inch barrel like it came with originally, so it would be kind of a match for my S&W 1917 commercial model below...
But now I'm wondering if maybe I'd like a snubby and just get another full length barrel 1917 when I see another good deal.
I'm fully aware of the special tools needed to remove the barrel, wherein you shouldn't use a hammer handle on the frame to turn it off the barrel for fear of bending and ruining the frame. I know to put a replacement full length barrel on it that I need to either cast my own plastic halves for fitting to the frame to hold it securely to unscrew it from the barrel, or else get to a COMPETENT gunsmith (emphasis on COMPETENT) who has those special frame insert tools.
So what do you fellas think? Replace the barrel with a full length replacement or make a half moon front sight and solder it on the snubby barrel and keep it that way? Decisions decisions.
.
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