S&W Model 17

On my wish list is a S&W Model 17 (and Model 25)....

Is there a more desirable dash number? Not sure what all the dash variants are.

Thanks!

Val

From what I’ve read, I’d avoid the 17-8.

I have a 17-4. Awesome revolver. I had a 25-2. On a lot of those guns it seems the cylinder throats are oversized. Mine were. It would shoot hard ball ok, but the wad rounds I used in my .45 wouldn’t group at all. I also had a 625 5” barrel that was a great shooter, hard ball or wad rounds.
Kurt

I have pre-war Outdoorsman, post-war K-22, and Model 17-8.  The Model 17-8 shoots wonderfully, has a downright outstanding trigger in both single and double action, and has given no trouble whatsoever in over 20,000 rounds.

valbern67 wrote:On my wish list is a S&W Model 17 (and Model 25)....

Is there a more desirable dash number? Not sure what all the dash variants are.

Thanks!

Val

Anything prelock for all Smith and wessons will be better

Here is a 10 shot full lug.

Bill

https://www.gunauction.com/buy/17129558

I love my 17-4. I would stay away from the new Classic. My friend bought one and the trigger is terrible. Maybe a Performanc center is better.

Bob

The prejudice against current production S&W revolvers is unfounded.  People say "my friend bought one" and rail against them without knowing anything about them.  I just bought another new S&W revolver two weeks ago that will shoot the x-ring out of a bullseye target and has a trigger to die for, both single and double action.  I'm tempted to put it in the Ransom Rest just for grins, but there really isn't any reason to do it.  I'll stand my current production S&W revolvers against any revolvers on the market, including the $5000 Korth which I recently declined because it couldn't outperform the Model 627 V-Comp that I bought instead.

Not hear say. I have shot his many times and he has shot mine. The trigger sucks and he is having it worked in.

If that gun needs work S&W will do it for free, including the shipping to get it to them.  They will send him a prepaid shipping label, and all he has to do it paste it on a box.  They do good work.

I will tell my friend to do that - Thanks

S&W
By Telephone:
(USA)  1-800-331-0852 
Mon-Fri 8:00AM-5:00PM Eastern Time

They will want the serial number.

I have a 17-4 that I bought over 30 years ago (my first pistol), it had a stiff action and it was hard to extract the fired cases, I took it to a very good gunsmith and he did a action job.  The revolver has been a dream to shoot I have probably put 10k rounds through it over the years and it still looks and shoots like it did 30 years ago.  One of the other posters is right the newer ones are probably underrated and the older ones often are far from perfect.  If you do get one I know the older ones respond well to trigger and action jobs.

Decide whether you want a 6 or 10 shot, full-underlug or not and go from there. The 6-shooters have been out of production for awhile. 

There are no PC Model 17's except for the Heritage version, long gone from production.

I would never send a revolver back to S&W. A plastic-framed pistol, maybe.

I did buy a new 617 last year and do like it. The trigger and action are fine. Not a fan of the grips so I just changed them.

The Model 17 in current production is a six-shooter.  The two current-production Model 617 revolvers hold ten shots.  S&W does good work.

I own a 17-3. It’s a wonderful gun to shoot. It’s quite accurate and has a very nice single action trigger. It mirrors my 14-3 spot on in feel so I use it as a training gun for DR matches when primers and Ammo isn’t plentiful. I picked it up before I got into bullseye shooting and was a superb plinker and field gun. Never gonna part with it. It’s far too useful to let go.

If you're not married to S&W, you could also look at the Colt OMM in 22. I have a fifth issue that is nearly identical to my 38 OMM, but with a slightly heavier trigger. I use it to train "cheap" for DR. Generally, I'd stick with the 4th and 5th issues. Nice guns, great triggers. 

Dave

Dcforman wrote:If you're not married to S&W, you could also look at the Colt OMM in 22. I have a fifth issue that is nearly identical to my 38 OMM, but with a slightly heavier trigger. I use it to train "cheap" for DR. Generally, I'd stick with the 4th and 5th issues. Nice guns, great triggers. 

Dave

Or if cash is no limit, a Cold Diamondback 6-inch in 22....

When I bought my current S&W K22 17-4, I found one that was Old New Inventory, with original box, original distributor invoice to the dealer I bought it from and it had all the options I wanted. Target Hammer, Target Trigger, Target Stocks, White Outlined rear sight and red insert front ramp sight, all marked on the box and confirmed by Smith to have been how it came from the factory. I paid a bunch of money to get it though.

Back when I owned my gun shop, I would make one trip a month to Massachusetts to drop off new Smiths I had bought and have them installed the options I wanted on them. The charged the original option upcharge only and I would go have lunch and maybe another tour of the plant of the Armory and come back, pick them up, pay for them and head home. They were extremely cooperative in those days.

Bob

I have a 17 no dash and love it. If I was buying another today I would look for a 17-6 or -7. Both have full underlings and both are pre MIM . There are good reviews and bad reviews for the 17-8. This is not surprising. Two different manufacturers made the 17-8 using different methods and components.

Wobbley wrote:From what I’ve read, I’d avoid the 17-8.

What have you read?

The -8 models had an aluminum cylinder.  They wear faster than the steel cylinders.

Aluminum cylinder!? I am amazed S&W would take the cheap road even on a 22.

Bill