Shot My 617 Today. Lots Of Fun

[AzShooter1]

The more I play with it the more I like this 617. I almost sold it years ago but fortunately the buyer backed out. I now shoot it regularly in practice and for Steel Challenge Rimfire Pistol Iron.

My Go-To ammo is Federal BYOY 36 grain bullets. I can shoot an entire match without having to scrub the cylinders or blow under the star.

My groups run under and inch and I do better with Wolf ME and CCI SV but I have about 7K worth of the Federals. I'll then go through my Federal HV Match 40 grainers and then SV.

Last month I cut my first month's score by over 40 seconds. Right around my same scores with my Black Mamba but a lot more fun to shoot. The secret to accuracy is to pull through the trigger without stopping. It takes a lot of live and dry firing to keep up this form.

I've cut back my shooting sessions from 1000 rounds a week to a mere 300 until the crisis is over: then I'll go back to buying a case of it's favorite ammo at a time.

 

[Ru4real]

Nice grips on that one!

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I keep saying how much I don't like my Model 617-6. I don't like the full underlug, which makes it really heavy. More of a classic K-22 guy.

Anyway, my club is just finishing up building some action bays and maybe I will take another look at my 617.

The 617 would probably be just the ticket for Steel Challenge when we start running events.

Of course then I am going to have to look into a new holster, I don't think any of my Cowboy holsters would do, and a gun belt and speed loaders and all that stuff.

Any recommendations?

I replaced the original, ugly rubber grips with some wooden ones, I think they are Hogues.

 

[AzShooter1]

Nice grips Driftwood. Good luck when your club hosts Steel Challenge.

 

[ROK'N THUNDER]

I like my Model 17 better because it only has six Chambers in it's cylinder. My 617 is a bear to clean!

 

[cfullgraf]

View attachment 994655

The more I play with it the more I like this 617. I almost sold it years ago but fortunately the buyer backed out. I now shoot it regularly in practice and for Steel Challenge Rimfire Pistol Iron.
.

Good deal. Sounds like you are having fun with the Rimfire Steel Challenge.

A Model 617 is on my wish list but I kind of wish it did not have the full lug on the barrel. For a 22 rimfire, it just is not needed. A 10 shot 22 rimfire K frame would be interesting to have.

Here is my trio of blued S&W K-frame 22 rimfire revolvers, the top two are Model 17's, the bottom is a a Model 18.

 

[DS-10-SPEED]

Howdy

I keep saying how much I don't like my Model 617-6. I don't like the full underlug, which makes it really heavy. More of a classic K-22 guy.

Anyway, my club is just finishing up building some action bays and maybe I will take another look at my 617.

The 617 would probably be just the ticket for Steel Challenge when we start running events.

Of course then I am going to have to look into a new holster, I don't think any of my Cowboy holsters would do, and a gun belt and speed loaders and all that stuff.

Any recommendations?

I replaced the original, ugly rubber grips with some wooden ones, I think they are Hogues.

View attachment 994661

The rim fire division in Steel Challenge doesn't require any holsters (you start with the muzzle on a table), only center fire does the holster draw but they do recommend speed loaders. I find once you get used to the extra weight of the full lug it helps stabilize the barrel for rapid fire sports like SCSA. I also like the Hogue wood grips.





I even added weight to my Buckmark for speed sports, helps a lot for me.

 

[Pat Riot]

Of course then I am going to have to look into a new holster, I don't think any of my Cowboy holsters would do, and a gun belt and speed loaders and all that stuff.

Any recommendations?

I bought and tried a Speed Beez speedloader for my model 63 .22. I like it very much. If I had a 617 I would definitely consider going with them. They also have holsters, but I have no experience with them.
https://www.speedbeez.com/product/speed-beez-617-10-shot-loading-block-with-case-2/

 

[Jonesy814]

Nice 617. I also like the Federal 36gr plated ammo. Runs cleaner than any of the other bulk ammo.

 

[sparkyv]

The M617 is an awesome 22LR revolver, and clean up isn't all that bad. I haven't tested enough ammo to figure out what it likes to eat, but the FED 36gr bulk blue box runs pretty good.

 

[AzShooter1]

The rim fire division in Steel Challenge doesn't require any holsters (you start with the muzzle on a table), only center fire does the holster draw but they do recommend speed loaders. I find once you get used to the extra weight of the full lug it helps stabilize the barrel for rapid fire sports like SCSA. I also like the Hogue wood grips.

View attachment 994708

View attachment 994709

I even added weight to my Buckmark for speed sports, helps a lot for me.

View attachment 994710

You still make the best speed loaders for the 617. Last match a couple commented on how easy they are to recharge. I have 3 boxes that have the proper holes for 14 loaders. I load them all before a match and then it's very quick.

Hopefully I'll never have to reload under the clock during a SCSA match. I can do my 929 in under 2 seconds but have a lot of work to do with the 617.

 

[DS-10-SPEED]

You still make the best speed loaders for the 617. Last match a couple commented on how easy they are to recharge. I have 3 boxes that have the proper holes for 14 loaders. I load them all before a match and then it's very quick.

Hopefully I'll never have to reload under the clock during a SCSA match. I can do my 929 in under 2 seconds but have a lot of work to do with the 617.

If I ever use all ten rounds I just forget about a reload, it will be the one score I get to throw out anyhow, I just make sure that doesn't happen twice on the same stage. I do the same with my 627, but I think I'm going to give up the center fire division, my shoulder arthritis won't let me do holster draw anymore.



Nice flame background on your top post picture, you're getting creative.

 

[AzShooter1]

Thanks. Having some fun with Photoshop.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

My 617 is a bear to clean!

You're supposed to clean them?

For what it's worth, I am a traditionalist and have a whole bunch of old K-22s as well as my Model 17-3 on the far right in this photo.






But I figure that since my club is building new action bays for steel shooting, it probably makes more sense to use the ten shot 617 than my old six shooters.

Also, there is a phrase that newcomers say all the time in Cowboy Shooting:

"I just want to have fun, I don't care about the competing". Of course these guys don't realize that the guys who are really serious about competition are having fun too.

Despite that, for my first forays into Steel competition, I probably won't care about how fast I am able to shoot.

 

[halfmoonclip]

For you fellers with the 10 shot 617, does the shorter change between chambers make any difference in the double action trigger? I've a 317 that shoots really well, but the double action didn't slick up as well as a six shot Model 43.
Had a blued Model 17 back in the mists of time with target hammer and trigger; single action was the deal then. Great gun.
Moon

 

[DS-10-SPEED]

You're supposed to clean them?

For what it's worth, I am a traditionalist and have a whole bunch of old K-22s as well as my Model 17-3 on the far right in this photo.

View attachment 994966




But I figure that since my club is building new action bays for steel shooting, it probably makes more sense to use the ten shot 617 than my old six shooters.

Also, there is a phrase that newcomers say all the time in Cowboy Shooting:

"I just want to have fun, I don't care about the competing". Of course these guys don't realize that the guys who are really serious about competition are having fun too.

Despite that, for my first forays into Steel competition, I probably won't care about how fast I am able to shoot.

Those are some really nice K22's.

I started shooting my local bowling pin match with my 6 shot for "fun", then I soon realized I could have easily moved up in the ranks if I had 10 shots to take care of those random misses. That's what started my whole 10 shot craze, now my 6 shots never see daylight any more, it's an addiction I think.