Old pistol

[Harter66]

I stumbled on a an old overhauled S&W N frame in 45 ACP. Everything about it is a pain starting with finding a holster ,apparently 5 1/2 in bbls are not very popular . The cylinder gap is tiny the headspace is so small that maximum case length actually drags and with the moon clips I can barely get a .002 feeler gauge in the frame . All 6 holes are .452 to match the .451 groove which forced me to buy a 452 sizer .....the other 45s are very happy with 454 . It shoots too fast at "impossible" velocities and 250-265 gr cast shoot close enough to the 200 gr boolits . It even shoots WAA86 ball to the frame groove and front sight .

So now since I don't have more then a 100 or so of any particular brand ,what is the preferred flavor to avoid case trimming that gets along with long seating ?

[dubber123]

I am guessing you mean an N frame? As in model 1917?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Huh? :popcorn:

[Harter66]

Yes a 1917 according to the SN from 1918 but it's far too tight and well finished to be original unless maybe it was a mistake ,like a last one on Saturday straight to an arsenal last 1 off the rack in 55' ....

I guess this means brass doesn't matter cause it all lives forever in ACP . No biggie I'll probably just spring for some auto rim anyway . I guess I'll need a new shell holder too. Go starline.

[Mk42gunner]

All I can say is if it groups 200, ~250, and hardball together, KEEP IT FOREVER. The 6½" Model 25-2 that I had shot 200 LSWC and hardball to wildly differing POI at twenty five yards; both in decent groups, but there wasn't enough adjustment in the rear sight to allow the use of both.

It won't be exact but a six inch holster will work for the shorter barrel, much better than trying to put a 6½" barrel in one.

Robert

[Nueces]

After WWI, Smith continued to put out the 1917 in commercial trim, with a better finish. How about your grips? Do they have a Smith medallion?

I have one like yours, tight, nicely blued, with medallion stocks, not marked "Property of US, etc."

[Virginia John]

Harter66, if all this is too much for you, just send me the stupid gun.

[Char-Gar]

There are several things about the written description of this revolver that don't add up, so a pic would be helpful.

[Harter66]

It has the 2nd Gen smooth grips and all the government marks missing the lanyard ring. It has the single conture w/o the thumb dip. It dates to August 1918 . It includes a property stamp that is absent from my Dad's Colts 1917.

The 200s go low and rt while th 250-65 go high and right each about 4" and 8" more or less from POH . The GI ball hits about 8" . So it's not worth messing with .157088

[Petrol & Powder]

As for the head space and B/C gap, is the cylinder parallel to the bore or is the yoke bent?

Or to put it another way, do the cartridge rims drag all the way around the recoil shield or just at one point?

I'm not sure I would use the term "overhauled" to describe that model 1917

[Harter66]

Everything is true ,straight and square. It is just an exceptional specimen. And quite honestly has probably been reworked, but most likely at the factory.

[Char-Gar]

That pistol looks like a well used Smith and Wesson 45 Hand Ejector. I could be a US Military 1917, if so indicated by the markings.

You can buy reproduction lanyard swivels from GunParts Corp.

The finish on all of these when they left the factory was a commercial well polished blue finish. Smith and Wesson did not put a coarse "war finish" on their military pistols like Colt.

I doubt the cylinder throats are .452 and on any of the 45 Hand Ejector models, the cylinder throats ran .455 - .456. If it indeed is .452 it is not original. The SN should be on the frame, under the barrel on the flat and on the rear of the cylinder. These should match.

These are hardy pistols and it is not unusual to find them in good mechanical condition.

Here is a 45 Hand Ejector, that has been refinished by Smith and Wesson a few years back.

[Thumbcocker]

Love your gun porn Char Gar.

[Harter66]

That pistol looks like a well used Smith and Wesson 45 Hand Ejector. I could be a US Military 1917, a commercial pistol made between the wars or a Brazilian Navy contract pistol. The markings will tell which.

# It is US property marked under the bbl. US MODEL 1917 on the butt . The S/N dates to August 1918 . #

The finish on all of these when they left the factory was a commercial well polished blue finish. Smith and Wesson did not put a coarse "war finish" on their military pistols like Colt.

I doubt the cylinder throats are .452 and on any of the 45 Hand Ejector models, the cylinder throats ran .455 - .456. If it indeed is .452 it is not original. The SN should be on the frame, under the barrel on the flat and on the rear of the cylinder. These should match.

#These all match even the cant and offset of the hand stamped numbers on the crane and frame . The .454 sized 50/50 454424 will chamber but require heavy thumb pressure , the 454 sized boolits won't push through . A 454 dead soft RB comes out of the cyl 4517-4523 and 451 groove from the bbl . #

These are hardy pistols and it is not unusual to find them in good mechanical condition.

Here is a 45 Hand Ejector, that has been refinished by Smith and Wesson a few years back.

See in quote with #

[Tackleberry41]

My N model 1917 fits in the same holsters as my Blackhawk. Which are just your standard single action holster.

[Char-Gar]

See in quote with #

Clean the throats of all metal fouling and powder residue down to the bare metal. Measure the throats with pin gauges or a machinist hole gauge. If a hole gauge is used, measure with a high quality micrometer. The results you get won't be .452 but several thousands larger.

Or just do whatever you wish and it is your handgun. I doesn't matter to me one bit.

[Harter66]

When received and originally measured there was not even fouling on the cylinder face .

The difficulty is that at least regionally holsters skip from 3-4 inches to 6-7.5 inches a 4-6 I'd be happy as a clam .

[Dutchman]

Make your own holster. This radical cross-draw is around 30+
yrs old. Not saying I wouldn't do it just a little different if I was
going to make another one but its very comfortable and handy.
S&W is 2nd Model HE Brazilian Navy Modelo 1937. It loves
HG68 cast bullets.

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,sqbtbbfddrttkdqxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/ssdtdsrrrxwqktffbbq/2/28344/157842/SW1937b-vi.jpg

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,kswtgqkkgwwrqgxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/wbgfsdgsfxrsrfbgrqq/2/28344/157842/nuswb9-vi.jpg

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,skwtsgktqqfkdkqxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/wrrtdtwdrxwbqstrwds/4/28344/9895637/053x-vi.jpg

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,rqrwddgtstbgqbfxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/gfkbsrqfkxrkfgrrqbf/4/28344/9895637/001-vi.jpg

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,rqqbtswkskqftfqxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/wddfqwkfbxttsrkfrwk/4/28344/9895637/nuswb10-vi.jpg

[Harter66]

Couple of more pictures.

157359
157360

The boxes came with it .

It's funny how a tongue in cheek complaint list about typically top shelf production gun from an era of craftsmanship who's chief complaint is about holsters being to long can be taken so seriously........... maybe I need to assign a bright pastel blue ,maybe Timex indiglo font color.

[jrayborn]

Humor is a tough thing to get across in the written form at times. I have a very high sarcastic side that is NOT well received as written. I did get your humor though,and hope you thoroughly enjoy that fine revolver!

[aHFo3]

I picked up on you typing with your tongue in your cheek. I'm often tempted to ditch the 625 in favor of an old problematic 1917 like yours!