Modified S&W 1917, .455/.45LC

[Ovidio]

Hi everybody,


here I am again with questions to the more knowledgeable.
I‘ve been seing this gun on sale on the Internet for a couple years now, and it has dropped in price from 500 to 250 €.
Now I‘m starting to get interested.
I know the 1917 model and I read that there have been a few of them modified as target guns, with quite a few different sights and solutions.
This one, at least on picture, looks like a very well done job.
It is on sale by a renown arms shop in Milan, which is not quite around the corner, but still within reach during some work trips, so I guess the conditions should be good as they claim them to be.
Any suggestions?
Is such a reworked gun worth anything?
Actually, if these old horses are accurate, with such sights they should be really enjoyable, which would settle the question for me.
Attachment 99228Attachment 99229Attachment 99230Attachment 99231Attachment 99232Attachment 99233Attachment 99234

Information

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[browningautorifle]

I'd say it'a well past the collector stage now but as a shooter it well may be superb. It would join that .44 of yours as a favorite on the firing point...

[bacarnal]

By the looks of it, and the regimental flags in one of the shots, it was probably at one time a British purchased pistol, and more than likely for WWI. It states .455 which could be Webley, but also could be chambered for .455 Eley/.455 Colt. Since the Eley/Colt casing is the length of a .45 ACP round (.89" or 22.6mm), that would be a way to check it (putting the round in and rotating the cylinder). The .455 Webley casing, by way of comparison is .75" or 19.05mm. You can shoot .455 Webley out of it just as easily and might be able to find it more readily in Italy/Europe. If it is chambered in .455 Eley/Colt though, in a pinch you can fire .45 ACP through it if the bore is .452". The only drawback is that you have to eject the casings with a dowel or pencil, kind of like the Colt SA Army. I've done it with my British marked 1914 production Colt New Service chambered in .455 Eley. Considering the cylinders are built to withstand the pressures of .45 Colt (also wrongly known as .45 Long Colt), .455 Webley or .45 ACP are more mild. For that price, it should be a good addition and shoot well. Cheers, Bruce.

[Daan Kemp]

I believe these guns are quite accurate, that is why the rib and target sights, and a pleasure to shoot.. The 455 is a milder version of the 45 and given the correct case and bullet diameter, should shoot very well.

[Lee Enfield]

Do not shoot jacketed bullets out of a pre 1960 S&W barrel.

[rcathey]

Do not shoot jacketed bullets out of a pre 1960 S&W barrel.

Hmm..interesting. What's the reasoning for that?
As far as I know, the ammo for these 1917s was jacketed from the very beginning. The 45 ACP certainly was.

[Lee Enfield]

Hmm..interesting. What's the reasoning for that?
As far as I know, the ammo for these 1917s was jacketed from the very beginning. The 45 ACP certainly was.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/143635-455-vs-45-acp.html

It is a Second Model Hand Ejector .455, not an M.1917.

Part of the confusion is that while an M.1917 is a type of Second Model Hand Ejector, a Second Model is not an M.1917...

While Colt started heat treating their cylinders circa 1909, S&W did not until roughly 1918/1919.

Barrel steels were designed around cast (or even swaged) lead bullets, right into the .357 Magnum era.

[RCS]

Here is a photo of some recovered 455 bullets (they were 265 grs with a jacket and deep hollow base) that I had fired years ago into oak stumps. The Model 1915 Type 2 was chambered for the 455 Webley and used by the UK. Years ago I found that it was very difficult to reload the 455 cases and decided to rechamber my S&W to 45 Colt. Many of these revolvers were also rechambered to 45 ACP with clips. Not much accuracy with a jacket 450 dia bullet being fired down a 455 bore.

In an attempt to get a more accurate load, I took some 250 gr lead bullets that were 452 dia and made them into a hollow base which worked out. If you can find them. original 45 Colt 255 gr bullets are .454 dia and will work tooAttachment 99285

[bacarnal]

Thank you for the explanation. Cheers, Bruce.

[browningautorifle]

Do not shoot jacketed bullets out of a pre 1960 S&W barrel.

Too late...