Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns need help dating a S&W Mod 17 22LR

Spent this weekend visiting my 77 year old father who recently beat throat cancer but his years are numbered. He confirmed the pistol pictured below would be willed to me. It was handed down to him by his stepfather in 1985 after his passing. My father has never fired it, and does not recall his stepdad shooting it. No S&W box, just stored in a holster and well oiled for decades.

The butt of pistol is stamped K877xxx. The yoke is stamped with the SN and just below has Mod 17-3 . The “7” appears to have been re-stamped over a number “6” ??? Inet research indicates this pistol was made in 1969. Just looking to confirm
date and possibly why the cylinder yoke is stamped like I described. Possible factory error and re-stamping ?

The pistol cylinder shows very minimal wear and the deep lustre factory bluing looks excellent. Bore appears unfired, and front & rear of cylinder shows no powder residue or wear. If it was “fired”, it was shot very few times. Is the current value around $450-550 ? Thanks in advance

Very nice. More like $750 to $850.

Yes, looks to be in very good condition. Would suggest not storing it in a leather holster.

Agree with both posts above.

Not that you are looking to do so, but if you posted that at 450-500 it would be gone in a flash

Thx for the replies, greatly appreciated. Is the date of 1969 correct based on the SN ? This pistol will eventually be passed down to my son. Regarding the actual model #, is it a Mod 17, 17-3, Targetmaster, ? Or are they all the same ? Will definitely tell my dad to remove from the leather holster and store it in a silicon pistol sack.

Per SCS&W

1969 K848782 - K946391

It's a 17-3 indicating the third engineering change since adopting the model numbering system in 1957.
Prior to that they were known as the K-22 Masterpiece.

That's a $700- 800 gun all day long around here.

Reference this part " The “7” appears to have been re-stamped over a number “6” ??? ":

Odds are more likely that it was actually stamped over an 8, as the Model 18 is a very common (and popular) .22 caliber K Frame revolver, and over-stamps are not at all uncommon with S&W. It was likely they simply turned some Model 18s into some Model 17s with a simple over-stamp of the last number.

In reference to your value, I cannot say exactly, but I think it is a very nice example of a shooter, that around here, it would sell quickly in the mid $600s and to the right person for a bit more, but that varies by region, as others have posted that it would go for a bit more in theirs. None of that matters if it is getting passed down to a family member.

Very likely, S&W made frames in batches, SN and Model number were stamped at that time, they used whatever was available.

S&W threw nothing away

I agree.

Thx a million for the educational replies

I have had it’s twin for 45 years, a gun I’d never part with. With it’s family connections you should keep it. It’s a dandy.