S&W 1917's & Victory's, Does it get any better?

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gjamison

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Finger Lakes Region of NY
Have lived next to what I would say is the best neighbor in the world. He taught me so much, not just about gun's and collecting but life as well. His house is like a museum but you can touch and shoot everything. I'm going to say he has the largest private collection of military firearms and a good many are rare with low serial numbers. He is now 70 and has started selling parts of it. By far the smartest man I have ever met.

Sunday he calls me over and tells me he wants to sell me his S&W's revolvers. Now most of his collection is 1911's and 1911a1 as well as many long gun's. So he pulls out these 8, four 1917's and four victory models. He has more but he tapped me out on these.

This is bitter sweet for me. Having his gun's in my collection is very important but the fact that in the near future his gun collection will be sold off bothers me.

1917's serial numbers 18925,35750,61127,109244 All U.S.Property marked.

Victory models v245936 Navy, v669135 Bavaria Municipal Police, v93454 this one is stamped CAL .38 SPECIAL believe this was a 38-200, Last one is v673195 back strap reads WB-S-Kar4 92. Anyone know what this means? All are U.S. Property marked.
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WOAH......Completely JEALOUS! WOW!

I've been waiting for the right 1917 for years. You have hit the mother load!!
 
Great 1917's! I love that revolver but finding a nice one within my budget is about as likely as being struck by lightning.
 
All I can say is WOW!

That's an amazing collection of some truly rare and interesting revolvers. We should all be so fortunate as to have a great friend and neighbor like that. Thanks for sharing.
 
Great guns

Have always loved the 1917's.....there was a batch of the S&W 1917's that came into the US that had been sold to the Brazilian Navy in 35, these came into the US in the latter 80's, and I bought several of them, they ranged from obviously used to pristine. Love shooting them with full moon clips.
 
I love S&W revolvers, and most of mine are "post-war" (post-WWII) versions.

These are fine relics that could still save one's life!

One word of caution (and I'm sure the owner of these vintage guns should know this), but S&W had not yet invented their firing pin safety block system when these revolvers were built. Thus, as folks all knew "back in the day," you load only FIVE rounds in these revolvers and close the cylinder with the empty chamber straight up so it is the chamber where the firing pin rests behind it.

Why? Because if these revolvers are accidentally dropped and land on their hammer spurs, the hammer can be driven forward enough to fire the gun! A Tallahassee Flea Market operator learned this several years ago when his .45ACP Model 1917 fell and fired, shooting him in the leg! Luckily it was not a mortal wound, but he should have known better!!!
 
AWESOME! You're a lucky guy. He probably has all the M1 makers that I'm probably never going to find...wish I were in your shoes...in a different state.
 
One word of caution (and I'm sure the owner of these vintage guns should know this), but S&W had not yet invented their firing pin safety block system when these revolvers were built. Thus, as folks all knew "back in the day," you load only FIVE rounds in these revolvers and close the cylinder with the empty chamber straight up so it is the chamber where the firing pin rests behind it.
Or you could just not drop your gun.
If you have to cary a weapon at only 80% capacity what good is having that capacity?
 
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