Info needed: Brazilian Contract 1917 S&W revolver

It's broken.

No, it's both DA and SA. Something wrong with it.

Too man variables...how does the bore look? Finish Blued or worn? Scratches or dents?
Have you removed the grip panels? It may be an easy fix.....should be a leaf spring IIRC.....

Most important those are beautiful pistols.. And the crest marking and its location.. Wow.. Hard to want better..


I guess depends on the cost to repair..

But here is one that sold, some wear Sold active bidding 550

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/864678058

Here is a nice finish, clean pistol 800 just kinda sets there

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/868039027

Kinda sorta active biding but it sold 770, but nice pistol

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/866000848

Oldschool shooter said:

That was my initial thought. I had a Colt 1917 some years back, and as I r ed member it would fire double or single. Didn't know if the Brazilian contract required DA only operation. What i ternal parts would be needed to make it right? A new Hammer?

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Most likely it is a problem with the hammer/sear engagement. It may be that a gunsmith who knows what he is doing can stone the surfaces back to proper geometry. More likely is that the hammer - and possibly the sear - will have to be replaced. There also is a small possibility that a weak or broken spring is the issue, and replacing it cures the problem.

There's honestly no way to know for sure until the gun is opened up and investigated. If I was a betting man, though, I'd say that someone dropped that gun onto the hammer and that it will need a new one.

Those are built on the old pre-war, long action N frame Not a lot will interchange with modern N frames. Finding parts may not be easy or inexpensive. Numrich/Gun Parts rarely has what is needed. Jack First might be spendy but often has the correct part AND the person on the phone is knowledgeable about firearms.

Kevin

ummm.... they are asking $450 and the action is broken. If you really want it start at $275 and see where it goes.

kind of like buying a car and it only works in 1st gear. haggle the hell out of it and report back!

Oldschool shooter

I would go in low like philoe suggested, maybe $275 to $300, and see what they say.

As described, I would not want to get more in it than $450 total, including repair.
Really, I'd rather pay more for a 625 with visible sights.

.38 Special said:

There also is a small possibility that a weak or broken spring is the issue, and replacing it cures the problem.

Click to expand...

Or that the WD40 or 3-in-1 has dried up inside and is preventing the pawl from dropping into location on the cocking notch. I ripped apart a friends model 10 recently and that was the culprit. I doused that gun in gumout carb and choke cleaner and it busted up the gunk in a hurry.

OP, your in the drivers seat with this one. That gun is broken, and you have no clue how much it will cost to make it work properly again. MAKE SURE THE SELLER KNOWS THIS. Stupid lowball... insult the guy. Your willing to gamble at $100 or some such silliness. (Missed a later post, seems your on a good track with explaining issues and working the consignor through the shop owner.)

Most people are afraid to turn a screw on a revolver, but the parts are not hard to install or fit if needed. Open her up and clean the crud out then go to work looking for your problem. I suspect based on past experience with older revolvers that the face of the sear has become worn due to poor heat treat. Those tiny parts would have been treated in a big batch (think more like basket) and could easily have issues of being undercooked (middle of the pile) or overcooked (outer edges). I’m in the minority on this, but a gun like that one gets me going and can become a screaming deal. You know it’s not too messed up since DA works, my money is on a $10 spring or $20 sear.

It may not be officially broken, it may have been "fixed" that way on purpose. Back in the late 1950s and 1960s there was a revolver competition that required the pistol fire only in double action. I don't remember the "official" name of the competition, but it was popular for about 15 years and then interest faded until it disappeared completely. Most guys would have a standard S&W "fixed" to fire in DAO, but some didn't want to go that far so they'd have a Spanish or some other S&W clone "fixed" to fire DAO. Over the years, so many folks were bringing these "broken" pistols into the shop for repair, that we had a box of parts and a bench dedicated to changing them back to original configuration. I don't remember the exact parts replacement procedure, but as others have mention, it wasn't all that difficult (even I could do it!) and it wasn't all that expensive. How about some pictures after you get it fixed? Best of luck

Let me put it this way: if I was looking to buy trouble, I'd make it a red-headed woman, not a broken revolver.

I married a redhead.