Colt m17 opinions

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Kookla

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Saw one at the shop. Bluing mostly brown, lots of wear. Lock up solid when trigger pressed and held back. Bore ok. 45acp, a hair under $600. Opinions?
 
The 1917 Colt was built on the massive New Service frame. Unless you have hands the size of an NBA player the grip and trigger reach is beyond the ability of most people. Since the majority shoots DA revolvers in SA mode, the 1917 and the parent New Service do have a small following.

The above is an opinion based on shooting several New Service guns including a 1917. I seriously wanted a New Service 45 Colt and found one in very shootable condition. I toyed with buying that thing (and actually toyed with it on numerous visits to the gun shop) for long enough that someone else bought it instead. It looked so cool...and felt so awkward in hand I couldn't commit to spend the needed cash. It too was about $600 but that was in the early '90s.

YMMV,
Dave
 
I like the New Service. My Grandfather carried a Colt M1917 as a machine gunner in AEF during WWI. I got a representative example of his gun in 1999 for $450 or so. I also have a 1908 vintage .38-40 that is finish challenged, but doubtful to have fired more than a box of shells before I got it for $495 about 5 years ago. The .38-40 sees frequent carry on the homestead.
 
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Thanks for the responses. I have xl/xxl hands, so that's not an issue.
 
Howdy

It took me a minute to realize you were asking about the Colt Model 1917.

I agree, the Colt version of the Model 1917 is considerably larger than the Smith and Wesson version.

I have no trouble shooting a S&W Model 1917, the Colt is too big for me.

Here is a photo of a Colt New Service at the top and a S&W Model 1917 at the bottom. Ignore the longer barrel on the Colt, the Colt Model 1917 had the same length barrel as the Smith, but was built on the same frame as the New Service. That New Service is the largest revolver that I own. It is quite a handful. Look how much farther the grip is from the trigger and the hammer of the Colt.

poIaXjQIj.jpg
 
Just so you know, if grip is a issue (you said it's not) you can buy Pachmayr grips for the 1917. It's the large "Army" grip or whatever. But yea although the holes don't exactly fit in, it still snuggly fits on the grip frame and it feels LOADS better if you have medium hands like I do. You of course have to remove the lanyard loop though.
 
I'm afraid the Colt Model 1917 is just a tad too big for my small size hands. Now the S&W Model 1917 (my brother has one), is a much more comfortable fit for me.
 
I think Colt was over-compensating for the complaints about the '92 New Army-

"Oh, weak cartridge you say? Fragile lockwork, you say? Well, here, take THIS!"

Id like to score one someday, though my Dad has a nice S&W 1917. The last Colt '17 I saw in person had a "squished" barrel that looked like someone had over-tightened it in a vice.....shame too because the rest of the gun was primo.

I probably still should have got it to rebarrel, but the seller was asking a reasonable amount for a non-squished gun, not one that needed a barrel. Ugh.
 
Finding a gunsmith that can work on a Colt Model 1917 is much harder than finding onexwho can work on a S&W Model 1917, and they are not common.

Kevin
 
Finding a gunsmith that can work on a Colt Model 1917 is much harder than finding onexwho can work on a S&W Model 1917, and they are not common.

Kevin

No doubt. I bought a .455 New Service at Cabela's with the 15 day satisfaction guarantee. Once getting it home, I found it was a bit lazy in getting the cylinder engage during SA mode. Cabela's took it and said they would have a gunsmith "take a look at it"- I countered with a list of suggested shops and they said only their qualified people were OK to do it. Fast forward a month or so, and they said it was ready for pick-up. First thing I did was try the SA again, and no change in operation. They just refunded my money and took the gun back.
 
I know of two very good smiths that work on the Colts.
https://www.coltforum.com/threads/forum-recomended-gunsmiths.377598/
I had a 41DA worked on by Spartan. Very professional with continuous communication. And I was also sent a rundown on the manufacturing history of the gun.

Saw one at the shop. Bluing mostly brown, lots of wear. Lock up solid when trigger pressed and held back. Bore ok. 45acp, a hair under $600. Opinions?

I purchased a New Service, 1913 vintage, about 2 years back. Good blue, great bore. .45 Colt, with an added .45 ACP cylinder, non-matching. The gun you describe is reasonable at $600. But I would try my best to get closer to $500. Either way, it should make a good shooter.
 
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