1917 Smith and Wesson .45 ACP

[RWMC]

My 1917 Smith and Wesson has a horrendous double action trigger pull. Are there any current made spring kits that can help with this?
Thank you for your help. I really enjoy shooting this because it was my grandpas, and I even took a young buck with it back in 2007. I just want to make it even more enjoyable to use. Can't believe it's 100 years old now. Thanks again!

 

[Walkalong]

May just need a good internal cleaning. Flush it out real well and re-lube.

 

[4v50 Gary]

It's a matter of working on the action. There is a difference between a "smooth" action and a "light" action. Doing the latter may compromise reliability.

 

[Bushpilot]

My 1917 Smith and Wesson has a horrendous double action trigger pull. Are there any current made spring kits that can help with this?

Some parts in N frame kits might fit but as others have pointed out, it's probably going to take more then just dropping a few springs in to get the type of action that you really want and this I would not recommend doing, especially on a family heirloom. Just my 2 cents but, If it was me, I would just occasionally shoot Grandpas revolver and enjoy it the way it is. It's a very cool 100 year old family heirloom that still works, hopefully it can be passed down for another 100 years....

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Wolff Gunsprings

https://www.gunsprings.com/

Makes replacement springs for S&W revolvers. I have used them in a few of my Smiths.

However, as stated, using lighter springs does not constitute a trigger job. Guns springs are designed to have enough energy to overcome the internal friction caused by parts rubbing together and still reliably ignite all brands of primers. Sometimes only replacing the springs will result in an unreliable firearm that does not always ignite all primers because of the internal friction. A 100 year old revolver most likely has old, hardened oil inside, and would probably benefit from an experienced gunsmith taking it apart, cleaning out the old oil, and lightly relubricating everything before putting it back together again.

A truly experienced gunsmith could go over the parts to make sure there is no undo friction inside, polishing a bit here and there, to reduce the friction to the bare minimum, then also replace the springs with lighter springs.

Notice I said 'truly experienced'. Someone who really knows his way around inside a S&W revolver.

These guys are getting a bit hard to find now.

 

[AlexanderA]

The M1917 revolvers (Colt and Smith & Wesson) have terrible ergonomics, worse than standard double-action revolvers like the S & W Victory (just comparing military revolvers). I had both M1917 revolvers but sold them many years ago. There is just no hope for this design. Large clunkers, IMO. (I'm not a fan of double-action revolvers in general. Some are OK used in the single-action mode. The worst of all are DA-only revolvers.)

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

The M1917 revolvers (Colt and Smith & Wesson) have terrible ergonomics, worse than standard double-action revolvers like the S & W Victory (just comparing military revolvers). I had both M1917 revolvers but sold them many years ago. There is just no hope for this design. Large clunkers, IMO. (I'm not a fan of double-action revolvers in general. Some are OK used in the single-action mode. The worst of all are DA-only revolvers.)

I have to disagree.

While the Colt Model 1917 is a huge, clunky revolver, the S&W Model 1917 is not nearly as big or awkward.

While not a Colt 1917, the revolver at the top of this photo is a Colt New Service. this is the same frame size Colt used for their version of the 1917 revolver. The lower revolver in the photo is a S&W Model 1917.

Clearly the Colt is considerably larger than the S&W. Notice how much more reach there is from the grip to the trigger with the Colt than with the S&W.






Clearly the Victory Model S&W is smaller than a 1917. That is because it was built on the S&W K frame, which was specifically designed for the 38 Special Cartridge. The S&W Model 1917 was built on the N frame. The N frame cylinder and frame are larger than a K frame because the N frame was originally designed for the 44 Special cartridge. One cannot fit six 44 caliber chambers into a K frame cylinder.

This photo is a comparison of S&W frame sizes. Top to bottom is an N frame 44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model, K frame 38 Military and Police, and J frame Model 36 Chiefs Special.




My experience is the New Service, with it's huge frame is clunky and awkward to shoot, I have two of them.

N frame Smiths are large, but not clunky nor poorly designed. It is just big.

 

[tbob38]

I once knew a guy who pocket carried a 1917 Smith. Big guy.

 

[eastbank]

I like mine and it will not melt in the heat like some of the new wonder revolvers-automatics.

 

[Merle1]

My 1917 Smith and Wesson has a horrendous double action trigger pull. Are there any current made spring kits that can help with this?
Thank you for your help. I really enjoy shooting this because it was my grandpas, and I even took a young buck with it back in 2007. I just want to make it even more enjoyable to use. Can't believe it's 100 years old now. Thanks again!

I suspect you will run into a problem, as the old "long action" S&W revolvers were a bit different internally.

 

[RWMC]

Thank you for all of your information and suggestions concerning my Smith & Wesson model of 1917. It's good folks like you that make The Highroad a valuable and enjoyable site to be a part of. Many thanks!

 

[kBob]

I have to go with Walkalong.....

Most likely what you have is 100 years worth of dried "lubricants" that have made a hard finish on the internal metal parts. A good cleaning and brushing with solvants to deal with that crud and then a light greasing with something like Rig will likely work wonders. Wear gloves and eye safety and work in a well ventilated area and no smoking!

Want to guess what the first gun belonging to a paying customer I ever worked on was? Guy claimed I halved the trigger pull and smoothed it out. All I did was strip it fully down, use a powered parts washer full of nasty desolve stuff stuff, dry it, Rig grease it, put it back together and give it to him.

Felt almost like stealing.

-kBob

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

kBob is right- a good cleaning is the first thing to try. I got an I-frame S&W cheap because it had 'timing problems.' I got it home and cleaned a century worth of gunk out of the action and Presto! No more timing problem, and a fairly nice trigger-pull to boot!

 

[GRIZ22]

It's a matter of working on the action. There is a difference between a "smooth" action and a "light" action. Doing the latter may compromise reliability.

When one gets to know DA revolvers they figure out smooth is light years more important than light.

I've seen some young revolver shooters utterly shocked when they found out that guys like Miculek use extra power springs in their exhibition guns.

A revolver with a 4 1/2 pound DA trigger and gritty action is a toy compared to one with a 8 pound smooth action.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Well said Grizz22. I cut my teeth on DA shooting. Had to for the academy.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

I suspect you will run into a problem, as the old "long action" S&W revolvers were a bit different internally.

Nope.

The old 'long action' parts and the modern 'short action' parts are not different enough to need different springs. The same spring kits will work in either.

 

[Merle1]

Nope.

The old 'long action' parts and the modern 'short action' parts are not different enough to need different springs. The same spring kits will work in either.

Thanks - that's good to know.

 

[Slamfire]

While the Colt Model 1917 is a huge, clunky revolver, the S&W Model 1917 is not nearly as big or awkward.

I have small hands, both the Colt New Service and the S&W M1917 are big and awkward.

Even the Detective Specials had impossibly strange grip dimensions, mine required a grip adapter to make it shootable.

 

[AlexanderA]

I have small hands, both the Colt New Service and the S&W M1917 are big and awkward.

I too have smallish hands. The 1911 grip fits me perfectly, as does the Ruger Mark series. I even like the Colt SAA and its clones. What I don't like, and find awkward to use, is practically any DA revolver. It's not so much the size of the grip, but the angle in relation to the trigger. If the hammer is cocked first, the trigger comes back to a more reasonable position in relation to the grip. (This is the same problem I have with DA semiautomatics. In that case, the problem is also compounded by double-stack magazines that make the grip too "fat." The Beretta 92 is terrible in that regard.)

 

[D.B. Cooper]

I have small hands, both the Colt New Service and the S&W M1917 are big and awkward.

Even the Detective Specials had impossibly strange grip dimensions, mine required a grip adapter to make it shootable.

View attachment 785355

View attachment 785356

I hd to add one of those Tyler T-Grips to my Clt Police Positive Special (same frame and grip as your Detective Special). My knuckles were in constant contact with back of the trigger guard, and every shot fired was wrap on the knuckles. T-grip helped, but not completely.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

May just need a good internal cleaning. Flush it out real well and re-lube.

This would be the first thing I'd try. For example, when I bought my S&W Victory Model several years ago, the trigger was pretty bad. After I removed the sideplate I saw why: The action was filled with about 70 years of congealed dirt, grease, and goo. After I flushed it out with brake cleaner and relubed, the trigger pull was at least 5 lbs. lighter.

Here's how to remove the sideplate without boogering it up.