WW I S&W 1917

Need help finding an Indy Gun, want to discuss film used guns...

Moderator: Cajunkraut

Post Reply
User avatar
Magnum Jones
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 235
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:36 pm
Location: N W Indiana

WW I S&W 1917

Post by Magnum Jones »

This is a nice find. Dosen't look like it sold.
http://www.gundeals.co.uk/Rare-deactiva ... iondetails
User avatar
Magnum Jones
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 235
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:36 pm
Location: N W Indiana

Post by Magnum Jones »

User avatar
JEEP
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 304
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:07 pm
Location: Horsens, Denmark

Post by JEEP »

Deactivating a historical weapon like that should be a crime :whip: :x


/Jakob
User avatar
Marc
Vendor
Posts: 1646
Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2002 2:29 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Post by Marc »

Out of curiousity... HOW is such a gun de-activated? - Is barrel welded or is it just the "thing in the middle that holds the ammo" or what exactly is done to it to de-activate it?

Thanks,

Marc
User avatar
Michaelson
Knower of Things
Posts: 44456
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:55 pm
Location: Out here knowing stuff and things and wishing I were with the family at Universal Studios Orlando

Post by Michaelson »

Most I've seen have had the barrel filled with lead. That 'thing in the center' is called the cylinder. :wink:

Regards! Michaelson
User avatar
montana
Field Surveyor
Field Surveyor
Posts: 84
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 5:31 am
Location: "X" marks the spot

Post by montana »

JEEP wrote:Deactivating a historical weapon like that should be a crime :whip: :x


/Jakob
Couldn't agree more Jakob. That, and to make hot-rods out of antique cars :-0
User avatar
Michaelson
Knower of Things
Posts: 44456
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:55 pm
Location: Out here knowing stuff and things and wishing I were with the family at Universal Studios Orlando

Post by Michaelson »

montana wrote: That, and to make hot-rods out of antique cars :-0
Well, I personally don't agree with that one, montana....but then, that's just me.... :lol: :wink:

Regards! Michaelson
User avatar
Marc
Vendor
Posts: 1646
Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2002 2:29 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Post by Marc »

Thanks for the info Mark! Now, lead melts at very low temperatures, in fact it's so soft at room temperature, that I don't see any problems in "accidentially" scrapping it out of the barrel again... or am I mistaken?

Regards,

Marc
User avatar
Michaelson
Knower of Things
Posts: 44456
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:55 pm
Location: Out here knowing stuff and things and wishing I were with the family at Universal Studios Orlando

Post by Michaelson »

True, very true, but depending on the metal used, it's pretty certain that whatever is melted and poured into the opening will totally destroy the interior of the barrel, making it completely useless. :(

In many cases they also weld the cylinder closed so parts can't be stripped out to make a working gun. All in all, they really bugger up a perfect good weapon. :evil:

Regards! Michaelson
User avatar
IndyParise
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:46 pm
Location: Stuck in 1944, and not wanting to go back

Post by IndyParise »

Michaelson wrote:
montana wrote: That, and to make hot-rods out of antique cars :-0
Well, I personally don't agree with that one, montana....but then, that's just me.... :lol: :wink:

Regards! Michaelson
I agree but only if the body is so rusted out, deteriorated, etc. that it is beyond restoration or if it is something so common (ie: camaros and mustangs) that making it into a hotrod ends up being a better choice than restoring it.
User avatar
Michaelson
Knower of Things
Posts: 44456
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:55 pm
Location: Out here knowing stuff and things and wishing I were with the family at Universal Studios Orlando

Post by Michaelson »

Well, of course! Taking a perfectly good antique and turning it into a rod makes no good sense...but there are so MANY specific models out there that were made in the hundreds of thousands, it also makes no good sense to try and invest monies in saving them all.

I'm speaking from first hand experience, by the way. :wink:

Regards! Michaelson
User avatar
IndyParise
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:46 pm
Location: Stuck in 1944, and not wanting to go back

Post by IndyParise »

Michaelson wrote: I'm speaking from first hand experience, by the way. :wink:

Regards! Michaelson
As am I, my Dad (as stated previously) owns 10 classic (or "muscle" if you prefer) cars, including, a newer aquisition, a 1928 (might be '29, don't remember off of the top of my head) Model A Ford, rodded out due to extreme rust in the windshield area and other areas. Currently it has a 327 Corvette motor ('cause a ford motor is good for nothing but an anchor :wink: ). The time I spend out in the garage with him in one day adds up to more time than I spend on my homework in a week (and for me, that's alot of time).We also have a camaro with a 454 which isn't a restoration job, rather a mild rod job (slight cosmetic work is about it), otherwise, all of them are original, including a 65 'vette with the original paint still on =P~

sorry, thread derailing over, back on topic.
User avatar
Michaelson
Knower of Things
Posts: 44456
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:55 pm
Location: Out here knowing stuff and things and wishing I were with the family at Universal Studios Orlando

Post by Michaelson »

We stick with stuff older than 1951.

Regards! Michaelson
User avatar
Magnum Jones
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 235
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:36 pm
Location: N W Indiana

Post by Magnum Jones »

Is there a diffrence between deactivated and demilled? I have seen many firearms that have been demilled by cutting the frame and anything else close to it.
If the frame has not been damaged, and you could find parts I don't think it would take much to restore a revolver. I'm not sure what a deactivated firearm has had done to it.
User avatar
IndyParise
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:46 pm
Location: Stuck in 1944, and not wanting to go back

Post by IndyParise »

Michaelson wrote:We stick with stuff older than 1951.

Regards! Michaelson
Eh, we're more into the Muscle Cars, Camaros, Stingray 'Vettes, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Mustangs, you know, american muscle. American Graffiti style.
User avatar
Michaelson
Knower of Things
Posts: 44456
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:55 pm
Location: Out here knowing stuff and things and wishing I were with the family at Universal Studios Orlando

Post by Michaelson »

Try a '49 merc wideglide if you'e talking American Graffiti. That's an ongoing project.

Regards! Michaelson
User avatar
Michaelson
Knower of Things
Posts: 44456
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:55 pm
Location: Out here knowing stuff and things and wishing I were with the family at Universal Studios Orlando

Post by Michaelson »

Try a '49 Merc wideglide with a chop top if you'e talking 'American Graffiti'. :D That's an ongoing project.

Regards! Michaelson
carebear
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Posts: 153
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:09 am
Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Post by carebear »

Magnum Jones wrote:Is there a diffrence between deactivated and demilled? I have seen many firearms that have been demilled by cutting the frame and anything else close to it.
If the frame has not been damaged, and you could find parts I don't think it would take much to restore a revolver. I'm not sure what a deactivated firearm has had done to it.
Changes by country.

In the case of the US due to the recent stupidity of the '86 import ban and the closing of the registry they now demil, for example, the receivers of full-auto import parts kits, by cutting them in half by arc not saw, to prevent reassembly later.

Demil nowadays kinda implies completely ruining the gun.

Deactivation is intended to leave the firearm visually unchanged but unable to be used as a firearm. The person who did that deactivation cared and left the gun as good as you could ask.

It's just a waste of a classic for no purpose.
User avatar
IndyParise
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:46 pm
Location: Stuck in 1944, and not wanting to go back

Post by IndyParise »

Michaelson wrote:Try a '49 Merc wideglide with a chop top if you'e talking 'American Graffiti'. :D That's an ongoing project.

Regards! Michaelson
Might have to see pics of that when you're done. Meanwhile, we've got trouble on the rod with a carb that's sucking in air. My coclusion, it's a ford, so it's cursed :wink: , but we've gotta fix it anyway.
User avatar
montana
Field Surveyor
Field Surveyor
Posts: 84
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 5:31 am
Location: "X" marks the spot

Post by montana »

Actually, when mentioning the hot-rods, I was refering to vintage cars, maybe a little rusty but restorable, not cars beaten-up and rusted out of any hope of restoring. The latter I mentioned I consider ok to hot-rod, but I won't touch it anyhow :lol: There are people who hot-rod perfectly original cars with engines running and everything. Now THAT'S a crime :shock:

montana
User avatar
Indy45
Field Surveyor
Field Surveyor
Posts: 89
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2006 7:48 pm
Location: Slate Lick, PA

Price on Deact 1917

Post by Indy45 »

Magnum,

That is a beautiful piece!. I agree deactivation is a crime, although it looks like care was taken with the cylinder blocking to make it appear like real 45acp rounds.

But the PRICE is an OUCHER, the "Buy it Now" is about $900.00 USD!

You can get an excellent grade, fully functional 1917 in the USA for that kind of cash. Try AuctionArms.com with search string "SMITH 1917".

Regards,
Indy45
User avatar
Indiana G
Legendary Adventurer
Legendary Adventurer
Posts: 3918
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 12:55 pm
Location: in the Temple of Insanity

Post by Indiana G »

a dewat or deactivated war trophy in canada requires that the barrel be plugged (via placing a bar inside or plugging with metal) and the mechanism locked/welded into place (cannot be cocked).

i believe that this procedure also deactivates the ability to swing the cylinder out of the frame as you see on the s&w 1917 and also disables the beautiful top-break feature on the webley mk vi.

very decorative and ideal paper weights i must say :wink:
User avatar
191145
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2005 10:15 am

Post by 191145 »

Lead or soft solder won't do it. It's too easy to melt out and would have no effect on the ordnance steel in the gun. The barrel would have to be welded shut, usually at the chamber end - otherwise, you could just cut the tip of the barrel off and have a shooter once you fixed the action. Even then, it's technically feasible to cut out the weldment, but not economically feasible. You can get a working 1917 for $500. I don't want to spend that kind of money on a historic piece and then cut the barrel down to 4", so I'm kind of looking for a S&W Model 10, 4" barrel in .38 Special. To make an Indy holster for it, I'll just take an old Victory holster and cut the nose down. Another revolver that has the look is a Russian Nagant 7.62. You can get these for $90, making the barrel job economically possible. These come with a holster that looks pretty good too. Ammo for these (7.62x38) is hard to find and expensive. I wouldn't have any qualms at all in welding one of these up just to have a dummy Indy-style revolver.
User avatar
Magnum Jones
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 235
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:36 pm
Location: N W Indiana

Post by Magnum Jones »

191145 wrote:Lead or soft solder won't do it. It's too easy to melt out and would have no effect on the ordnance steel in the gun. The barrel would have to be welded shut, usually at the chamber end - otherwise, you could just cut the tip of the barrel off and have a shooter once you fixed the action. Even then, it's technically feasible to cut out the weldment, but not economically feasible. You can get a working 1917 for $500. I don't want to spend that kind of money on a historic piece and then cut the barrel down to 4", so I'm kind of looking for a S&W Model 10, 4" barrel in .38 Special. To make an Indy holster for it, I'll just take an old Victory holster and cut the nose down. Another revolver that has the look is a Russian Nagant 7.62. You can get these for $90, making the barrel job economically possible. These come with a holster that looks pretty good too. Ammo for these (7.62x38) is hard to find and expensive. I wouldn't have any qualms at all in welding one of these up just to have a dummy Indy-style revolver.
I read an article not to long ago saying Wolf plans to offer 7.62x38 in full loads, no whimpy 1/2 target loads buy fall '07. Trying to find the article, I have so many magazines I can't remember what one it was in.
User avatar
djd
Museum Curator
Museum Curator
Posts: 1272
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:52 am
Location: Tranquility Base

Post by djd »

A deactivated handgun is the only type you can legally own in the UK and they can sell them for as much or more than a working one. There have been so many problems over the years with deactivations be re-activated that the deactivation process here is now very harsh. I guess it's not a 'waste' if it's the only way you can collect them...
Indiana Danny
Archaeology Student
Archaeology Student
Posts: 48
Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2006 8:50 am
Location: Dallas (home from Japan)

Post by Indiana Danny »

Post Reply