S&W Model 617 - Which Scope and How To?

[Highland Ranger]

Just purchased a S&W Model 617 - been doing a lot of plinking with the gang, and wanted something other than the model 41 to use when we do our handgun to rifle challenge.

Nice trigger, can shoot the primer only practice rounds, lots of advantages.

Gun store person was less than knowledgeable - it is a -6 version. Decent trigger for a non-PC revolver.

On to the topic: backstrap has an adjustable rear site, smith web site says I can mount a scope - is it just a matter of flipping over the rear site mount?

Do I need to buy a base?

Also - I've used the Nikon Prostaff 4x32 as a decent mid range scope for the rifles - appropriate for this handgun? Any other recommendations?

Also, need to put some nice wood grips on it - any recommendations there? Factory wood seems pricey and not particularly attractive, at least from the pictures.

Thanks for the help.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

You remove the rear sight entirely to mount a scope base and rings of your choice. The base will anchor on the original front and rear holes, plus a third in the center between them. This hole is visible on the inside of the frame topstrap when you open the cylinder.

 

[Oro]

Also, need to put some nice wood grips on it - any recommendations there? Factory wood seems pricey and not particularly attractive, at least from the pictures.

I believe your gun is the post-1994 type with the round-butt grips style. So you need to look at "round butt" K-frame grips, or what is called "round to square" conversions grips (grips that have extra wood at the heel to replicate the feel of the old-style target grips).

Here's a pic of various K/L sized grips you could explore (some of these are square, so you'd have to find "round-to-square" conversions for your gun). For good feel, control, and target shooting, I like the "plain targets" like the pair top center. Good aftermarket makers to look at are:

Altamont (handgungrips.com, I think)
Eagle
Hogue

K/L grips are easy to find used if your budget is tight (this photo came from an ad in the classifieds, for example).

 

[Racinbob]

I put a B-Square mount and a Nichols 2x scope. It worked out great. The B-Square mounts without any additional drilling and tapping.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Also - I've used the Nikon Prostaff 4x32 as a decent mid range scope for the rifles - appropriate for this handgun?

Unless this scope is designed for forward mounting on a rifle, the eye relief will be too short to use with a handgun.

 

[Highland Ranger]

hmmmm - using it on a rifle.

Any recommendations for the handgun scope then?

 

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

Leapould 4x handgun scope, this is what I have on my 686.

 

[Highland Ranger]

Thanks - just ordered one. Looks like it can do double duty on my 629 as well at some point.

Thanks for the info.