Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Help me pick a .22 LR revolver

Another consideration if you go the 617 route, you can get one with a 10 shot cylinder. When they first offered that I swapped off the 617 I had at the time for the 10 shot version. Especially if you're going to be doing a lot of plinking and such, not having to reload after every 6 shots is kinda nice.

Viable alternative would be Alfa Proj from Czech Republic. They offer two cylinder as well as extra barrel length sets. I would get the one with 4" barrel and adjustable rear sight.

Model 17's or K-22's in good to excellent condition on gunbroker are running around $650 on the low end to up over $1000 depending on the condition and whether it has the original box and stuff, although most are selling in the $700 to low 800 range. The good news is that there are always several to choose from so you can bide your time and wait for the one that calls to you.

I think I must have sold my S&W pre-82 Model 18, since I don't recall seeing it in a while. I would have to do a thorough safe search to verify that, though.

Yes it is, and they are fine pieces. I have a 4" 617 that ain't too bad, although I liked a blued 4" M18 a lot better for appearance's sake, some of the improvements made since the late '70s are pretty darned nice. 10 shots, and the chambers are a bit looser so you don't have to hammer the loads into the cylinders.

This is purely subjective but something to think about.

To me the Model 17 represents about as much weight as you'd ever want in a .22 revolver, and being honest even they are a bit heavy but that can be beneficial for steady holding and the longer sight radius helps practical accuracy as well. I've shot other folks' 617's and that full underlug is overkill, it really isn't needed. The 4" 617 is fine, it actually balances nicely about like a 6" model with no underlug. To each his own but just sharing some observations.



At a gunshow last weekend I finally found something on my "want to have" list, a Model 35-1 in very good+ condition. That's the 6" version of Model 34 Kit Gun built on the smaller J-frame and weighs in at 28 oz. vs the Model 17's 39 to 40 oz. You can think of it as just a bit too small for a man sized revolver or just right for a .22 but either way it's a cute little thing and shoots nice, too.

The S&W 22 revolvers, k22, m17, m18, 617, are all great 22. Don’t think a person could go wrong with any of them. The older blued models are beautiful and should be treasured. The newer 617 can be used more because they are stainless. All models seem to be going up in price and deals are hard to find. They are more accurate than most people can shoot and a lot of fun for any type of shooting.
The one I have now is a 4” 617, 6 shoot. It is as accurate as any of my 22’s, except maybe my Hammerli 280. I carry it bird hunting in a holster and in the rain and not worry about the finish. I could not do that with a m17.
Did I say it is accurate.

There's nothing wrong with an SP101. The K-22 is arguably the best full-size .22 revolver ever made though, and the SP101 is just another Rugger, for better or worse.

If you're getting it right now, it may all boil down to what you can get, and not what you want.

At today's prices, that seems like a bargain.

Recently, I have purchased a NIB SP 101 and a NIB model 17. In my view it is no contest, the Smith is multiples times better than the Ruger.

The Ruger has been back to the factory twice and is now kinda sorta OK. However, having to deal with an array of issues, including missing parts, in a new $600 .22 lr has soured me a bit on Ruger’s current production.

All great responses, except no one seems to own a Colt Officer's Model Match.

K22s, 17s and 18s win for DA action, but the OMM is right there for S.A. and is probably scaled a bit larger, which helps with the big bores as far as feel.
In DA, I rank them better than the Ruger.
They are kind of a sleeper (its absence in the entire thread is a bit of evidence).

Thanks for all the advice guys. I have a couple of follow up questions:

My favorite revolvers are models 629, 29, 686 with 4” barrels and a 69 with a 4.25”. Would a 4” or 6” barrel more closely replicate my bigger revolvers when it comes to felt barrel weight?

And you guys that like the 17 over the 617 - is there any functional reason or is it the appearance?

Thanks again.

Freedom Arms model 97 will be my next 22 revolver. Expensive? Yes but worth every penny in my book.

That's because hardly anybody actually has a .22 OMM. Lots of guys have K-22's. No doubt in my mind an OMM is better than some Rooger. Is it better than a K-22? Doubtful. Maybe as good.

The 617 is a great gun. I’d say it’s similar in weight to the bigger bore Smiths. Trigger is great. Sights are good. Accuracy wise, it’s also good, but nothing compared to the SW41. Not even in same league.

I just went through this last week. I tend to blow through ammo with an auto. As 22 long rifle ammo is now 100 bucks a brick, this is no longer a option. The old quality revolvers in (S&W) LNIB condition costs more than a NIB revolver with the hole. I ended up with a four inch 617. While I haven't measured it, the DA trigger seems like about 14 pounds. Tight gun otherwise.

With the guns you have that are your favorite revolvers, then there are only 2 choices IMHO.

For Stainless steel, 10 shot (it's the likely one to be found), & a weight that is very close to all the listed models, it's the 4" S&W 617. Case closed.

For a bit more nostalgia, maybe a smoother action, a bit lighter in weight, a 6 shot, blue, 4" S&W 18 is the next choice.

How could anything else, especially other brands, better match the OP's current faves.?

I dont like the looks of the 10 shot
First ones had alloy cylinders iirc, later stainless.
Had a 6" 648 and it was dandy

Was my field pistol rig in IHMSA.

Shot a few chucks w it.

Bit expensive for the kids to plink with.
Let em run autos in LR.

I like the 8 shot Ruger makes ( I don’t have one though)

I was browsing Gunbroker looking for a model 17 or 617 and stumbled across an 8 shot GP100 that caught my eye. I have on of those in .357 but didn’t realize they made it in .22 lr. I want something that feels like shooting a big bore, this might do the job. Anyone have an opinion on it?