Found a S&W Model 17 (no dash!)

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Last Saturday this gem happened across my orbit. A S&W 17 had been on my want list for a while, and the timing of place, item and desire finally lined up in my favor. It was a sock-drawer gun, it definitely appears to have been fired very little in the last 60 years. I plan to rectify that by the end of the weekend.

It's a 4-screw and from what I can tell is all original. Narrow serrated trigger and mid-width hammer spur with standard Magna stocks. Pretty plain but I actually prefer the narrower triggers on S&Ws. I'm indifferent on the hammer width, though my Model 18 has the wide target trigger and hammer (but also came with Magnas and not the larger Target stocks). My Standard Catalog of S&W isn't with me, so I can't look-up the year of manufacture. The SN is K405XXX and based on the fact that it's a 17 no-dash with a 4-screw frame, I'm ballparking 1958-1959 manufacture.

And pictures! I'll get some more later with it paired up with my 18-4. I think I'm going to have to increase my .22LR budget for the summer if this is as much fun to shoot as it is to look at!



 
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If this is your first 17 you are in for a real treat. You are about to find out what a great shooter you are! Enjoy.

(I would ask what you paid for your fine revolver , but some think it rude to do so , so I won't.......)
 
I found mine in Jan. of 1997 and have enjoyed it over the last years. Sure you will enjoy yours as well. Best.
 
That's sweet! Here in NW PA, 22 ammo is in good supply and priced decently. I saw 500 round bricks of AE and Blazer for $24.90 and Federal Auto Match at $14.99/325rd carton.
It sure is nice finally being able to run through a whole bunch 22 ammo without worrying if it can be replaced. You are going to need a bunch!
 
Thanks all! I'm very excited to get it to the range and see what it will do. Hopefully either CCI Standard Velocity or Aguila SE Standard Velocity will shoot well; I have plenty of either. My 18-4 has had a steady diet of CCI SV since I picked it up about 8 years ago, though recently I started using the Aguila in it and found it gives easier extraction.

Since I enjoy practicing my photography skills, here's the 17 and 18 combined. The 18 was built in 1982 and has a target hammer and target trigger:



Waveski said:
If this is your first 17 you are in for a real treat. You are about to find out what a great shooter you are! Enjoy.

(I would ask what you paid for your fine revolver , but some think it rude to do so , so I won't.......)

Full disclosure: I work at a gun-shop part-time for fun, suffice to say I did OK. ;) Unfortunately (?) I see a steady stream of really cool things on a weekly basis and have to resist the urge to pounce on every neat thing that goes by.
 
What a great find! You will really enjoy shooting that thing.

Mine is from 1951. I won an auction for proper grips earlier this week. Yours looks much nicer.

The same as Jad, I won mine for a bid just a little over $400. It was just about a month ago.

SW20K22_zpstie5cvxn.jpg
 
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Congrats on your new gun, OP! It's a beaut.

Thanks for posting the pics, but you forgot to say, "And I only paid $112 for it!" like all those S&W old timers do. (Those guys are so full of it! :D )

Enjoy the new revolver!
 
Mine was $430 back in 2006 - granted, it is in 99% condition and came with s/n matching diamond magnas - I recall that $430 was a fair (not great) price for it at that time. $400 today for a 17 / K-22 in any sort of rust / it free condition is doing really good! Congrats!

Now you fellas just need to get a 6" Model 14 to go along with them (or in the OP's case, a 4" Model 15 too) :evil: ...


17-0 made in '59 (I keep the magnas in a safe place) and a 14-4 made in '80 - got the 14 in late 2006 for $330 ...


 
What a great find! You will really enjoy shooting that thing.

Mine is from 1951. I won an auction for proper grips earlier this week. Yours looks much nicer.

The same as Jad, I won mine for a bid just a little over $400. It was just about a month ago.

SW20K22_zpstie5cvxn.jpg

So THAT'S where the Pachmyer's off my no-dash 586 ended up... :oops: Good to hear it's getting a right proper set of stocks soon.

jad, thanks, like I needed any more reasons to find more nice old S&Ws. A nice 15 has been on the want list since the 18 came home and now you tell me I'll need a 14 to go with the 17. We need an enabler badge around here... :D (I had a heavily worn 4" 19-5 for a while but got rid of it a few months ago. I really don't like firing .357s in a K-frame when compared to the L-frame and the gun I really want to use .38s in is a 15. But it did come with a nice Milt Sparks scabbard for a 4" K-frame the 18 rides quite nicely in.)

Back to stocks: I'm split between getting another set of Ahrend's smooth combats or trying a set of retro targets for the 17. I already have 2 sets of the combats, the maple ones shown on the 18 and a set in cocobolo on the 586. This time I'm thinking in osage orange with the tung oil finish. Something about the contrast of a light colored wood against the blued finish just looks good to me. And don't worry, the Magnas will get bagged and set aside with a note of which revolver they go to.
 
I will be interested to learn if you shoot better with the 17 or the 18-4. I have K-frames in 4", 6" and 8-3/8" and couldn't tell you which is more accurate.
 
jad0110

Super nice pairing of your Model 17 and Model 14! Love the grips too; are they Ahrends?
 
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