Info need on this smith

HI GUYS I HAVE A CHANCE TO BUY THIS SMITH BUT ALL THE MARKINGS GOT ME CONFUSED IT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO 45-AUTO WITH HALF MOON CLIPS. NOT SURE WHAT I HAVE A CHANCE TO BUY AN IF I SHOULD OR LET IT WALK. THANKS
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...lrwq3rg8-1.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...pslrwq3rg8.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ijbzp04c-1.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...psijbzp04c.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...trl3odin-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8pngi7h2-1.jpg

455 cylinder will come right back tight to the recoil plate. A revolver that's been changed over to .45ACP will have a space between that's much bigger...you'll be able to see it's been machined forward. Show us the back of the cylinder and the space... If it was changed over, I'd still take it because ammo's cheaper for .45ACP as compared to .455 or .45 Colt.

Hi yes it has been changed to 45 auto with clips. will try an get customer to bring it back to shop for more pictures was curious about all the crossed out markings

If for sure it's .45 ACP, that's fine and I wouldn't worry about it. If it were me, I'd buy it because .45 ACP is cheaper and the full moon clips are available from, say, Brownells. I have S&W 625 that uses them and they're flawless. You can also buy .45 auto rim but it's expensive brass. It's a shooter, change the grips for something that comes to hand better, keep the originals and shoot the p*ss out of it. The N frame guns are just fine to shot. Now, how cheaply can you get it?

On the right side of the frame it looks like the Brazilian crest with 1937 underneath. If so, that would make it one of the 37,000 or so S&W model 1917s sold and shipped to Brazil around 1946. The original Model 1917s issued to US troops were in .45 ACP as were the subsequent Modelo 1937s that were sold to Brazil. Both used half-moon clips. If that is indeed a Brazilian crest then this is an unmodified revolver and should command a price commensurate with its condition. I looked at one of these at a local gun store that was well used and whose cylinder had been bored to take .45 LC. Ouch. I passed at just under $700. I don't know, but that lanyard looks old enough to be original and is an added value if so. The markings are possibly Brazilian Military? Regards. Tom

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Originally Posted by oldpaul

On the right side of the frame it looks like the Brazilian crest with 1937 underneath. If so, that would make it one of the 37,000 or so S&W model 1917s sold and shipped to Brazil around 1946. The original Model 1917s issued to US troops were in .45 ACP as were the subsequent Modelo 1937s that were sold to Brazil.

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Nope. Way out I'm afraid That is the S&W logo. The word under the logo is "Mark". The word "Trade" appears above it.

It is a Hand Ejector 2nd Model bought by the UK in 1915 to augment supplies of British Service revolvers. It was later sold out of Service and Proofed in Birmingham at some time before 1954 and then exported to the Untied States where it appears that someone converted it to take .45 ACP/Auto Rim by shaving the rear of the cylinder off.

I have an unmodified one.

wow thats alot of info guys now i got to come up with a price for it. not sure whether to offer shooter price or collector price

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Originally Posted by mmppres

wow thats alot of info guys now i got to come up with a price for it. not sure whether to offer shooter price or collector price

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It's very scruffy and has been monkeyed with so, in my opinion, it is a shooter.

From what I can see of it I'm pretty sure the cylinder and side plate are'nt original to the rest of the gun. Side plate has no finish left at all while the cylinder looks to be in much better condition than the frame/barrel, and it should have the NP proofs on each chamber. No big problem for a shooter long as the timing and lockup are good and it's priced accordingly. Personally, I wouldn't pay much over $300 for it.