doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com of 1917....is it worth owning?

I have one assembled from parts. It's a fun gun to shoot and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another. As to the half/full moon clips, I ordered 500 .45 Auto Rim cases for mine about 15 years ago and did away with the bother. Use the .45 ACP dies and load data. It simplifies every thing and makes the gun that much more enjoyable.

Hansli, I'd love to see your moon clip loader. I've about worn out a place on the kitchen table trying to mash those cartridges into the clips...Geo

I've owned both. The S&W was one that my Grandfather "borrowed" from The Army in WW I and was my first pistol.Harder to shoot than the Colt I own a Colt that had been fitted with a Shooting Master 7 1/2" barrel and it shoots as well as anything that I have ever owned.If you have small hands,go for the Smith .I have been handloading for it for a long time using data for the ACP and only with lead bullets.Reloading for the Auto Rim requires only the shell holder and your standard ACP dies.I've never tried to see how hot I can get it
Best Regards to all
Distel

Sure, George. I made mine from stuff I had around. It is set up to be clamped in a vise which keeps things at a nice working height. The base is a trap part and the press arm is some oak flooring with the return spring mounted as shown. Epoxy the washers around a 1/4 bolt tapped into the base, the pivot is a 1/4 20 bolt tapped in, the spring retainer is a slit pin pressure fitted. Voila c'est ca. Loads six in six seconds.
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The next time the US military has tactical problems with a new piece of equipment that ought to post it here and the problem would probably be solved in no time!
Jim

If you are interested in a shooter, I'd suggest the model 25-5 S & W in .45 long Colt. I quit screwing around with clips about five minutes after seeing one, and the big S & W in long Colt gets you some serious firepower, with better sights, hammer and trigger.
The military had a lot of things that were procured because they could get them, not because it was the best tool for the task at hand.

Best,
Ted

The 25-5 is another excellent gun, cheaper than $850 when you can find them. If you don't already reload, this caliber will ensure you do. The 255 gr bullet will move a steel plate, a cartridge with thump fo sho. It is a fact that the 1917 was created from a production shortage of 1911s. Already had the Pez in 45, needed dispensers, ergo the 1917.

I think we're kind of straying from the original question. "Is the 1917 worth owning"? This pistol was admitedly a stop gap measure to make up for the 1911 45 shortage yet is was an officially procured an issued US military pistol. There are a lot of superior revovers that have been introduced since then without question but,at least to me, there's a certain nostalgia and romance in owning and shooting something of this vintage and historical era.
Jim

Many '17 Colts were issued to the USPO and kept in post offices for many decades. I don't believe they were USPO marked, but don't trust my memory on that. Most of them survived in very good shape. '17s often shoot cast bullets very well, but they need to be cast of hard alloy. Some of the original factory .45 Auto Rim ctgs. made specifically for these revolvers had lead bullets.

Like all New Services, these guns last forever if not abused.

thanks for the info. i will look at it again tuesday. most of what i have seen in publication pictures had shiny blue finish on somewhat rough surface but this one has sandblasted finish. all markings are sharp but i'm not sure if finishing was done at the colt factory or it's some kind of arsenal job?