S&W 617 22lr 6 shot

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R.W.Dale

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A truly impulse buy but I struggle to pass up quality 22lr firearms nowadays. Especially ones that have the heft and feel of their center-fire counterparts

Virtually all these I see online are 10 shot. However this example is a 6 shot. Anyone know why this difference exists?

Eventually I think this fine unit deserves a modern pistol red dot. Which would be my first foray into that world.

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Congratulations! I think they were offered originally as just 6-shot, then 6 or 10-shot, and now just 10-shot.


Don't know the years of manufacture or dash revision history for that, but I'm sure somebody here does.
 
A truly impulse buy but I struggle to pass up quality 22lr firearms nowadays. Especially ones that have the heft and feel of their center-fire counterparts

Virtually all these I see online are 10 shot. However this example is a 6 shot. Anyone know why this difference exists?

Eventually I think this fine unit deserves a modern pistol red dot. Which would be my first foray into that world.

View attachment 1082638
I ONCE saw a 617 no-dash. 6-shot, no MIM, no lock.......
.......and I didnt buy it. :(:uhoh::ninja::feet::eek:

The very earliest ones were 6-shooters as they only had to compete with similiar 6-shot rimfire revolvers such as the Dan Wesson .22 and Colt Officer's Model.
 
Excellent pickup :thumbup:. You’re going to really like that revolver, they’re well built, accurate and fun to shoot. :)

Let us know how it shoots for you when you get a chance.

Stay safe.
 
I ONCE saw a 617 no-dash. 6-shot, no MIM, no lock.......
.......and I didnt buy it. :(:uhoh::ninja::feet::eek:

The very earliest ones were 6-shooters as they only had to compete with similiar 6-shot rimfire revolvers such as the Dan Wesson .22 and Colt Officer's Model.

You saw the doc.
You took the shot, right?
You’re better now…right?
:D

I cannot say much. There are a few I walked away from and still kick myself over those very wrong decisions.


I remember the first 617 I put my hands on and opened that cylinder expecting a 6 shot cylinder and being surprised at there being 10 holes. I recall reading about the 6 shot 617’s but I have never seen one.
 
Nice find! Six shots of 22 is plenty. I probably take my time and shoot more carefully when I have six rounds instead of ten. You're going to enjoy that gun a lot. Congratulations!
 
My 617 is the 10 shot version with 4” barrel. I don’t get to shoot it much because I’d have to pry it away from my kids, LOL. We have the Speed Beez speed loader for it and boy, can they churn through the LR. 1700 rounds the last trip to the range, didn’t someone tell them that we just went through one of the worst panic buys in history and prices are still up there? Very nice revolver OP
 
Congratulations! I think they were offered originally as just 6-shot, then 6 or 10-shot, and now just 10-shot.
I believe it was the other way around - the 10 shot came out first back in 1990 (?).
I had wanted a M17 or M18 for a long time - since they would have allowed me to duplicate the feel of my M19, but, let me shoot a cheaper round (.22lr) than my M19 (.38/.357 mag).

I special ordered one - I wanted a 6 shot, but, I was told they only made them in 10 shot. I also wanted a square butt, but was told they only made them in round butt.

The "thing" that came in wasn't anything at all what I had wanted. The round butt felt strange and the 10 shot threw off the feel of shooting it D/A right out the window.
I traded it off as soon as I could and was happy to be rid of it.

A few years later I stumbled into a deal on 2 older M17s - and they are everything I had wanted and then some.

Virtually all these I see online are 10 shot. However this example is a 6 shot. Anyone know why this difference exists?
I suspect it's because there were/are enough people like myself that not only didn't care for the 10 shot, but despised it because it's useless as a cheap alternative to D/A training - considering that the cost of the thing was pretty steep to begin with.
 
Since posting this I have purchased an alchin mount but still have yet to buy an optic

I've almost talked myself into a traditional tube style red dot or scope instead
 
Consider what you are going to use your pistol for. If it's plinking or bullsye go ahead and get a small size dot.

If you are going to shoot for speed get a dot from 6 MOA or bigger. I use a 12 MOA for Steel Challenge. It's not too big and it's easy to pick up when you are shooting fast.
 
I had a 6" 6 shot 617. I tried to love it, but it was too muzzle heavy. I love my 4" 617, and my 6" Model 17 may be my favorite .22 revo, but not the 6"617. I finally had it cut down to 5". Now it is perfect for me. It exactly matches the weight, balance and feel of my 5" 627 PC. It now makes a terrific understudy gun for the 627.
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I have no issue with the ten shot and like my ten shot S&W 17-8 6". But then I also have 9 shot (H&R 923), 8 shot (S&W 317), and 6 shot 22s. My all time favorite is my 1917 vintage S&W s22/32 HFT (Heavy Frame Target). But there are others as well...the 4" Diamondback is very nice, as are the model 34s. DCP_4627.JPG DCP_4826.JPG Smith & Wesson model 34-1.jpg
 
Howdy

According to the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson, the Model 617 was introduced in 1989 as a six shot Stainless 22 Rimfire revolver. In 1996 it was offered with an aluminum 10 shot cylinder. In 1998, it was offered with a 10 shot Stainless Steel cylinder.

This 617-6 left the factory in 2003. I found it used in a local shop a few years later. The only reason I bought it was because I was shooting a steel plate match at the time and I had to hit 8 targets in 15 seconds, which I could not do with my old six shot Model 17-3.

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Frankly I find the current crop of S&W revolvers with full length underlugs to be butt ugly, and muzzle heavy. I have no need to be shooting ten rounds at a time, I just burn up more ammo than I need to.

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I cannot remember the last time I took the 617 to the range, I much prefer the elegance of the traditional S&W six shot 22 rimfire revolvers.

Left to right in this photo: K-22 Combat Masterpiece that shipped around 1953, K-22 Outdoorsman that shipped in 1935, K-22 Outdoorsman that shipped in 1932 (the most accurate 22 revolver I own), K-22 Masterpiece that shipped in 1950, and my old Model 17-3 that I bought brand-spanky new in 1975.


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Back in 1991, I picked up a 6", 6 shot "used" (that's what the tag said but it sure as heck looked unfired to me) 617 no dash with box and docs.

Got it for $200.

8 years ago I took it to a gun show and before I got 3 steps in the door, I had 3 offers.

I ended up selling it for $900.

I just couldn't get over how heavy and clumsy it felt.

I never shot it. If it would've been a 4" I'm sure I would've kept it but that 6" was a pig.

I can honestly say I don't really regret getting rid of it (I usually do feel some regret if I have to sell something, and I have had to sell a few things over the years :()
 
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