Smith revolvers in .22lr

Gillis2

Gillis2

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Hi all,

I am thinking of getting another Smitty but in .22lr this time. I am hesitating between the classic 17 ( blued) and the 617.
One of the things that makes me hesitate about the 617 is that it is a 10 rounds cylinder therefore, I am afraid it will be more fragile.
Thoughts?

Thanks for your answers

Gilbert
 
In 22lr the 10 shot will be more that strong enough. I'd go for an older 17 because i think they look nicer but its purely personal preference.
 
I have no experience with the 617 but own some 17 and 18's. . a few 5 screw pre-models and 4 screw and 3 screw model marked. . All are great revolvers and doubt you could wrong with either ones.
 
There are many 617's out there that are 6 shot. You see them on the EE all the time used.

I have a 617 6 inch in both 6 & 10 shot and have had zero issues with either one. I also have a 6 shot & 10 shot with the 8 3/8 inch barrel and have no problems with either of those two.

Just my experiences. Others may differ.

Graydog
 
I've got the S&W 617 and can whole heartedly recommend it.
This is the first of my pistols that's allowed me to get X ring hits almost every time at 10 yards.

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It IS unforgiving though...If you hold incorrectly, or jerk the trigger, or don't have your stance right, it will show you that INSTANTLY.. If you do things right.. X ring almost every time. It's helped me get rid of my flinch, and fig my trigger pull.
 
Not a S&W revolver but high quality just the same. . I remembered I have an early 1950's Colt Official Police, 22 LR, 6" barrel. . This is one smooth shooting revolver. . I'd swear it runs on ball bearings. . Crisp trigger pull in single and double. . If you run across one it's well worth a close look. .
 
I recently purchased a 17-3 on the EE. Besides being beautiful to look at it is downright surgical when shooting. I would stack it up against a decent .22 rifle at 25 yards. Makes me wish we could hunt with them, would make a nice compact grouse gun. I have seen the 617 too, it is supposed to be very good, but the Model 17 is very streamline and less bulky looking, very classy. A shameless pic for the masses.....
 
silverfoxdj said:
There are no issues with the 10 rounder it's built like a tank .. have one in stainless and a great revolver
Click to expand...
+1

Between my 686 and my 617 I actually fondle the 617 more because it feels like a solid chunk of stainless steel (so does the 686 but just more so with the 617). Love that revolver
 
My 617 is a 6 shot. I actually prefer the 6 shot models. I use them as practice guns for double action shooting and the fact that they have the same number of chambers as most of my revolvers keeps my unconscious round counting accurate. I find that when i run the 10 shot ones and switch back to 38's, i click a few empty chambers before grabbing my speed loaders for the first couple cylinders.
 
Rod said:
Not a S&W revolver but high quality just the same. . I remembered I have an early 1950's Colt Official Police, 22 LR, 6" barrel. . This is one smooth shooting revolver. . I'd swear it runs on ball bearings. . Crisp trigger pull in single and double. . If you run across one it's well worth a close look. .
Click to expand...

The Colt is a beautiful shooting gun, I really like mine as well (1954)....but I like my K22 (model 17-2) better. Really enjoy shooting that one, I don't have another .22 I like better. Though I would like to find a decently priced Colt Diamondback and give it a whirl. I had a 617 but didn't have any special love for the full lug, didn't think a .22 LR merited the extra weight like my 686 does. If I could only have one, it would be an early 17-x K22....and I wouldn't even look at the new 'classic' M17, they cost more than an 'original' and better built one.
 
Here's a picture I have of my newest made S&W 22 revolver. . I bought this gun brand new, I believe around 1975, at the Woodwards Department Store sporting goods department, in Calgary. . I bought it new to use along with my Model 19 because 22 ammo was so much more affordable and allowed me to shoot more with the same size frame as the M19. . I've since bought quite a few more 22 revolvers of older design, Colt and S&W, but this was my first one, I still have it and looks the same as in the picture.

 
A good 17 is a keeper.

I have a 6-shot 617 that I am going to have to decide whether to hang on to or move along, as the heavy barrels are currently not my favourite.

It's just such a nice gun, though, and I have a hard time parting with anything that is no longer made (pre-mim guns).

The only negative to the 17 is that the ones I've shot seem to have tighter chambers, or at least are less tolerant of cheap n dirty ammo. CCI works well, though.
 
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