I've loved S&W revolvers for a very long time anyway, had wanted an M1917, but, always had other priorities. But I'd keep my eye out for them whenever I was in some shop. Passed on a few different ones over the years, but, knew eventually I would get one.
So, back when they came out, I bought one of the 'reissued' new Model 22 versions, with 5-1/2" barrel and the lanyard swivel, thinking I'd get it cut down, since it wasn't a 'collectable', given it was one that had the little hammer-lock-key safety. But, the gunsmith I had declined to do such, said he didn't think he could get the sweat the sight back on well. His suggestion was to get one that was already a 4" barrel. Well, a couple of years passed, one day I was in my local gunshop, and there was one of the Thunder Ranch Model 22's in 4", so I ended up picking it up. It wasn't as accurate as the 5-1/2", the sight wasn't 'right', I ended up finding a ramped sight for it instead of the half-dome, and it brought it into being an accurate gun (and looked better). I ordered walnut checkered stocks from Altamont w/ bronze medallions, swapped them, looked even better. It has a shrouded ejector rod, though, and no lanyard swivel... I actually ordered a swivel from Numrich, but, because the serial number is centered on the 4" unlike on the 5-1/2", again, the gunsmith declined to install the swivel. So I had two nice S&W revolvers, but neither was 'right'. Now, jump forward a couple of years to this fall.
Current day:
I would occasionally check GunsAmerica and Gunbroker, keeping an eye our for S&W revolvers, and on GB, there was one advertised as being a 1917 for .45acp, and was little rough, not collectors grade. But, the key thing was, it was cheap enough. Decided to get it. It arrived to my local gunshop, and, it wasn't what exactly it said it was. It was a S&W, but it wasn't an M1917, it actually was a HE2, checkered grips instead of smooth. It hadn't been a .45acp, it was a .455 Eley, that had had the cylinder cut to fit moonclips. With it in hand, I looked more closely at the marks: crossed pennants on the overlying the chamber, the broad arrow/Enfield marks at the back corner of the frame, it really was a danged good match. That's when I came across lostinperiphery's thread about making the front sight... so I got up with him, and he sent me one. I then discovered that the gunsmith had closed up shop during the past year, and the next few local 'gunsmiths' that I found were more of the AR-assembler types, not true old-school gunsmiths. I didn't want to mail it off and wait for some high-end smith to get to it, but the S&W forums folks pointed me to 4D Rentals, that instead of trying to buy tools that are out-of-stock at Brownells, they ship you the tools you need for a week. SO, I cut the barrel, recrowned it, flame-blued the sight, spot-touched-up the muzzle cut w/ Birchwood-Casey bluing then fixed the sight on (I wanted to silver-solder it on, but instead of toasting the rest of the existing bluing, I went with JB).
Have to admit... I'm tickled as punch w/ the way it turned out. I'll have to handload for it, go w/ either AutoRim brass, or, I could use ACP brass and moonclips, but I'll used wadcutter bullets and drop the power factor to something in the Eley range (maybe even a 45 Long Colt load might work, but don't want to be up at ACP loads w/ the non-heat-treated cylinder). Plus, it's not like I don't have the other two S&W's, I can shoot .45acp through them as much as I want, I don't have to flog this ol' gal.
- my Bapty
