Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires "Gun Deal Premonition" - S&W M-617-1 Two Barrel Set!

So I am minding my own business last couple of days getting ready for the upcoming Big Game seasons but my mind keeps "envisioning" a great deal/offering on "A" gun at a distant gunshop (76 miles away).
I ignore this thought for two days but when I woke up this morning I decide to act on this "premonition" and take off early to be at the shop when it opens.
Now I do NOT believe in U.F.O.'s and I do not believe in psychic phenomenon but several times (maybe 7 or 8?) in my gun chasin career I have had this type premonition and it has come true in short order.
As I am driving along viewing Antelope and Deer and passing the time I begin to doubt my "premonition" as I'm thinking to myself I was just at this shop two weeks ago and I bought the only pistol that I saw and was interested in (Hi-Standard Model 103 Sport-King 6" MINT condition). Oh well its an incredibly beautiful fall day in Montana and I press on enjoying the views and the mountains.
No sooner do I walk through the door of the gunshop when what do I spy but a MINT condition Smith & Wesson Model 617-1 with 8 3/8" barrel! I put my reading glasses on and the sales tag reads "S&W Model 617-1 - Two barrel Set With Case".
Well I round up a "counter-person" and ask him to unlock the display case and show me the revolver.
He does and I ask about the "other barrel" - his reply "NO that must be a mistake this is a Smith & Wesson NOT a Dan Wesson".
As I am looking the MINT six shot revolver over (not even a turn line on the cylinder!) another counter-person comes along and remarks "no that is not a two barrel set the person who made the sales tag must have mistaken the barrel under-lug as another barrel"!
I contain my puzzlement at this statement and ask to see the "case" that comes with the 617.
Soon the case is found and brought to me - the serial number (which I have now memorized!) on the pistol matches the case and when I open it up what do I discover but a MINT perfect stainless full lug 22 L.R. barrel 6" long!
Both "counter-people" are shocked at this "find" and relay how they had never seen a Smith & Wesson revolver "two barrel set".
I hadn't either to tell the truth.
Now, it is CERTAIN, I will be buying this 617 and I am just killing time waiting to make a cash offer on this super-cool pistol when the time is right.
Along comes the store owner whom I have known for 20+ years, and dealt with ever since she worked in the store as a clerk and then a year ago she BOUGHT the store when the original owner retired.
She grants me $50.00 off the $799.00 tag price for cash and like George Thorogood "out the door I go" (no sales tax in Montana).
I stop at the town park a block or two away and give the gun and the case another looking over.
The Smith case again shows the correct serial number, and for barrel length, it reads 8 3/8".
No mention on the case label of a "set of barrels, or a second barrel".
Under the waxed paper and foam lining of the case I find a receipt bearing the original purchasers name and information and the store he bought it from (Duffy's Gun Room - Silver Springs, Maryland) and the original costs. Pistol was originally $390.00 - sales tax was $24.00 - state fee (?) was $10.00. Again no mention of the second barrel on this sales receipt dated June 1, 1996.
I assume the owner sent away for or found a MINT perfect 6" stainless full lug 22 L.R. barrel at a later time?
There are absolutely NO vise marks on either barrel or the 617's frame so I assume the 6" barrel is not "fitted or headspaced" to the frame - again, I don't know.
But to say I was thrilled with this find would be gross understatement!
Its been a long time since I had a "good gun deal premonition" come true, but it sure did today.
It set my mind off to wondering - how did this nifty pistol and extra barrel come together and how did it get to Ennis, Montana from Silver Springs, Maryland?
Its been a long time since I closely examined a factory Smith & Wesson revolver barrel, not attached to the frame, and the fineness and machining of the threads on this 6" full lug barrel are very impressive.
How about you'all ever have a "gun deal" premonition - I have probably had a thousand of them and just a handful or two have come to fruition for me.
Long live Smith & Wesson pre-lock revolvers.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

No pics?

Verylargeboots: I can send you some via E-Mail or text.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I believe you’re thinking correctly that a previous owner obtained that second barrel with the idea of swapping them. It’s certainly easy enough to do, and without leaving any marks on the barrel or frame. I use an ordinary bench vice and a large crescent wrench, both padded with thick old nylon gun belt material (PM me, if you want details of the setup - it’s truly Mickey Mouse, but effective).

By your use of "fitted or headspaced," I presume you’re talking about indexing the sights and adjusting barrel-cylinder gap. Between ceasing installation of the pinned barrels and beginning installation of the two-piece barrels, all S&W revolver barrels were threaded in, then “crush fit” to the frames. Hand tightening those barrels would get the front sight to maybe 30 degrees before top dead center (TDC). “Crush fit” got them the rest of the way. If you look carefully into the bore of a .38 or .357 J-Frame revolver, from that period, you will likely see some level of distortion in the bore surface, at a point even with the front of the frame, caused by the “crush fit” process twisting the thin barrel steel. That didn’t happen with J-Frame .22s ‘cause the hole’s too small and barrel steel too thick (K-Frame .22s, no worries). Anyway, what all this means to you is that there’s a good deal of tolerance for getting the sight to TDC; so that’s not a big concern. It’s possible, but not especially likely, that cylinder gap could present a problem, particularly if the barrel was intended for a 617 with a different “dash” than the frame (but, that’s another story).

Seems I’ve blathered on long enough, perhaps too long. If you’d like more details, you need only ask.

Exchipy: Thank you very much for the explanations - I needed them.
Keep up the careful barrel switching.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

It’s sorta like “musical barrels” at my place, always interesting to see which barrel lands in the spare parts bin when the music stops.

Here’s the latest switcheroo, from last Wednesday:

It started out as this 2” Model 63, with which I had become bored:
(Though it originally came from the S&W factory with a 2” barrel, that’s not it - another long story, I’m afraid.)


But, it then became this 5” McMillan heavy barrel Model 63 with FastFire 3:
(Still needs a proper length ejector rod - presently on order from Numrich. I made that barrel decades ago from a salvaged .222 benchrest barrel. It’s been on two other frames before this one.)

I was busting acorns across the backyard with it this afternoon, using CCI 22 shorts, after sighting-in at 25 yards.

The frame and cylinder were in no way altered in this switch. So, I retain the option to switch back to the 2” barrel if (no, when) I get bored. That barrel’s now in the spare parts bin, wrapped in plastic to protect it.

Exchipy: You may be familiar with the old saying "bored people often get a lot done"!
Nah.... I just made that up.
Cool little revolver there though and obviously it shoots well for you.
Cool that.
Back to my puzzlement regarding my 617 with extra 6" full lug stainless Smith & Wesson barrel - would the Smith & Wesson factory sell such a barrel without installing it?
Thanks again for your expertise and your great photos.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Did you smile all the way home? 😁

Yessir. S&W sold separate, finished barrels to the public as late as the mid-90s. That’s where I got the 2” replacement barrel you see in the before-photo of the Model 63, pictured above. But, as I said, that’s another long story.

Navlav8r: Yes I did smile all the way home (76 miles) and still smiling today.
In keeping from rotating the cylinder I have opened it and then cocked the hammer to try the single action trigger several times - it is VERY pleasing.
This model has the "target trigger and target hammer" options - the wide target trigger has NO striations on it just smooth as a babies butt. I like it.

Exchipy: That answers that question also thank you very much.
I am trying to figure out how to store this "extra barrel" with its extremely fine threadings I do not want to damage them - I am considering oiling it up good with "Break-Free" and slipping it into a heavier clear plastic baggy/envelope thingy?
Thanks again.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

S&W barrels are 36 TPI. Ziploc type plastic bags are sufficient, if it won’t be stored where it’ll be jostled against hard, sharp objects. As long as the barrel goes in clean, oiling is really unnecessary, particularly for stainless steel. The neat rectangular plastic tubes, in which individual Hornady loading dies are sold, are dandy for especially revered candidates:

The barrels pictured have been in the spare parts bin more than 30 years, and have survived just fine, withstanding at least four residence changes, including one cross-country move.

By the way, the top barrel pictured here is the one which originally came on the 2” Model 63 from the factory, which means that its frame has now had three different barrels on it, so far.

ExChipy: Thanks again I am now off to find similar clear ziplock type bags.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Varmintguy, Why don't you just pack up and move to Ennis?

Got so many old barrels, each one has its own individual bag and all of those are inside another bag and that bag, along with three rectangular plastic tubes, are in another, gallon size bag. That seeming excessiveness is more for handling convenience, than necessary protection.

My K-38 barrel collection dates back to the mid ‘70s, takeoffs from PPC barrel jobs I did for fellow CHP Officers.

VERY NICE find, VG. Goes to prove if you're not out there on the hunt, you're not going to find anything.

Big cool factor on the no sales tax in MT. That's one of the reasons I negotiate very hard in Florida when I'm at a gun shop or pawn shop and find something I want.

Local dirt: Thank you - am I correct then that there is NO sales tax in Florida?
If so good for them.
I have been to Florida three different times and enjoyed it immensely - once in March and twice in January so have not experienced the heat/humidity there.
When I was there I was so busy I did not get to do any gunshops.
Each year I host 4 Varmint Hunters from Florida here in Montana and they try to get me to come on down and enjoy the sea fishing and the Osceola Turkey Hunting - maybe next year.
I consider it my avocation/job/duty/hobby to constantly be on the prowl for good deals on firearms and accessories - I find it pleasant and often rewarding.
I do come from a long line of "gold fever" types on my mothers side.
So I am constantly "searching".
Its rewarding, often enough, to keep me going, now on 56 years.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

No, VG. There IS sales tax on purchases in Florida. And in my area it is 7%, which is definitely a consideration on a purchase.

Again, congrats on the 617 package set purchase.

I had a gimme shot at a Dan Wesson boxed set purchase once. I can't tell you how stupid I was in blowing that deal.

Local dirt: I have also come across a few deals on Dan Wesson revolvers (some with extra barrels) over the decades and I passed on them.
I think my hesitancy was fueled by my ignorance of them and thus my rationale for passing on them.
My friends that own them really like them - I have never owned one, sadly.
Thanks for the info on sales tax.
My friends from taxington (formerly known as Washington) relay to me that the sales tax there is 9%! Some locales it is slightly higher (up to 9.9%!!!).
Thats ten dollars in sales tax on a $104.00 purchase!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Kenlguy: It would save me about $30.00 a month in gas costs as I usually make two trips there each month! Thank goodness for my high mileage "gun chasin car".
I love that valley (Madison Valley) and find myself spending more and more time there and above the valley in the surrounding mountains.
Real estate is VERY pricey there though.
Hope all is well over your way - keep an eye out for Chavre he is heading my way soon!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Yes, VG. That's why I passed on that Dan Wesson boxed set deal. My reluctance was fueled by ignorance. A trade was proposed to me where my trade was 1/3 the value of the Dan Wesson set. Me stoopid.