S&W 317 .22lr ammo issues.

[tubeshooter]

Epilogue

Well, I got to shoot the returned gun just a little bit two days ago. 3 cylinders worth, and everything fired okay. 1 round (#7 of the 2nd cylinder) was a little resistant and required a heavier-than-usual trigger pull.

This could be one out-of-spec round, so I'm not going to panic.

The additional weight really does help. It's noticeably easier to shoot now. The downside is that it is no longer a featherweight, so it feels like a "real" gun. I don't think anybody will say it feels like a toy they way they did when it was all aluminum (several people told me that). Haven't actually weighed it, but seems to be somewhere between 17 and 18 ounces.

I read around a little more, and while some report no long-term problems with their 317 there are a couple of reports of frame cracks after thousands of rounds. So any potential buyers should be aware of this. S&W appears to be good about fixing/replacing any such guns, so if it does occur I'll just send it in.

Thanks to everyone for listening and bearing with my rants 'n reports. I truly appreciate it.


Finally - as promised, a couple of pics. They aren't the greatest, and I apologize in advance.

 

[ClemY]

For me the steel cylinder improves the gun. The only other area was the sights. I don't do well with the combination of rounded HiViz front with a V rear. I put on a serrated ramp front and square notch rear. That plus Pachmayr gripper grips makes the gun much more useable for me.

 

[JWJacobVT]

I have a 317 and have had no problems with it. I even use it in my pistol classes with all sorts of ammo. Again No problems.....except when it's dirty, a quick clean and it is back on the firing line.

 

[OldTman]

Both my wife and I have 2" 317s. Her's was an Xmas present to the tune of $525. Took it out to the range and after 2 cylinders of Rem golden bulk the cylender started to bind. Yikes!!!!!!!!!! Called Smith and they said they'd send me pickup buy I asked if there was anything I could do. Told me to clean under the star very well and to clean and oil the yoke. Did so and took it out to the range and the same thing all over agai. A friend told me his did not like remington at all. Cleaned it up again and out I went with a box of Federal bulk. Fired about 200 rounds without a hitch. Another friend had one and offered to sell me his. He was having the same problem. I mentioned the ammo but he didn't want to hear it. Bought it from him at a fir price. Cleaned it up and it works like a champ. Both of them also seem to have an aversion to stingers so we have those 40 grain winchester supers in them. As a side note I put a wolff 9# hammer spring and a 13# rebound (trigger) spring i the wife's and that trigger is slicker than snot on a door knob. I put the 14# rebound in mine and that's lightened the trigger some. We're both very pleased with them.

 

[B_Li_Ber_Tar_Ian]

I bought a 3" 317 to teach my daughter and son how to safely handle a handgun. I was going back and forth between the 317 or 63, both in 3". Long story short, I bid on both and won the 317. Hopefully it'll be here this week.

 

[tubeshooter]

I know this thread is old news, but I just wanted to go on record to make sure everybody understands that S&W did in fact fix the problem, as far as I can see.

I don't have a whole lot of rounds through the gun, but no issues so far. I even tried a cylinder of random "bottom of the range bag" ammo of various manufacture and age (although all of it was somewhat old) and again no problems.



I just felt moved to post this today and felt it was the High Road thing to do. Thank you S&W.

 

[skoro]

I like the way it looks with the SS cylinder. Are those the original grips?

 

[tubeshooter]

Thank you! No sir, those are aftermarket J-frame grips.

I found the original grips a bit chunky. My hands are kind of small.



I thought I would have a problem with only a 2-finger grip, but turns out I was wrong. On this model, it has been fine.