S & W Model 317

[Ben]

I changed grips on my S & W Model 317 Airlight revolver.
What do you think ?

Ben

Here is the " Before " photo.

Now the " After " , to a White Polymer Boot Grip :
This is an amazingly accurate revolver.

 

[Ian]

Shoulda gone for the mother of pearl

Seriously, though I like it. Those snubbies sure do have a tendency to shoot well, I never figured out why. Did it come with adjustable sights or did you add those?

 

[Winelover]

That finish doesn't hold up to daily carry. My 642 will attest to that. I'm LH so the right side takes the brunt of the abuse from sweating, while working around the homestead.

 

[Ben]

Shoulda gone for the mother of pearl

Seriously, though I like it. Those snubbies sure do have a tendency to shoot well, I never figured out why. Did it come with adjustable sights or did you add those?

Came from the factory with the adjustable sights.
Thanks Ian,

Ben

 

[Bret4207]

Doesn't matter what we think if you're happy with it Ben. I'm a blued steel and walnut kinda guy, so I'm not a good judge anyway.

 

[CZ93X62]

Fit and feel in the user's hand is what matters, and how the grip set enables/enhances recoil management. Granted, the 22 LR isn't a wrist-wrencher, but good hand-fit still means a lot. Those sights are GREAT, that is nice little Kit Gun.

 

[Ben]

The revolver weighs 12 oz.
I take it with me all the time.
Not a .44 Magnum, but several .22 LR Mini-Mag HP.s in the kill zone
of a bad guy should stop the fight.

Ben

 

[CZ93X62]

True that, no bullet wound does anything or anyone a bit of good.

S&W still lists a Model 317 in their catalog, the version depicted online has a grip set I would likely be very happy with, a neoprene Hogue-form set long enough to include the little finger and tapered in the correct direction for D/A shooting. A 12 oz. Kit Gun would be very handy indeed.

 

[Ben]

When carried, I hardly know it is there.

Ben

 

[Ben]

Doesn't matter what we think if you're happy with it Ben. I'm a blued steel and walnut kinda guy, so I'm not a good judge anyway.

Can't argue your logic.
However, I'd still like to know your opinion.

Ben

 

[RicinYakima]

Well, your 317 is built on the "enhanced" 357 J frame and will last many lifetimes with 22 LR. I carry my 331 32 H&R almost every day, and have for 20 years. Like Winelover's there is no plastic finish left on the gun.

 

[CZ93X62]

I bought the S&W Model 642 a couple years ago as a pocket carry gun. At that time I looked at the 22 LR and 22 WMR snubbies offered by S&W, and opted for the 38 Special +P model.

The finish on my 642 has held up all right, but the DAO trigger does weird stuff after 2-3 cylinders full sent downrange--the pull weight gets real heavy, and I need a better wring-out than the quick & dirty runs I've given it with +P carry ammo and its reloaded imitators. I don't trust it now, and won't until it gets a through wring-out with standard loads followed by some more +P stuff. If it continues to mess up, it will go back to S&W for repairs or replacement. I've never had this kind of issue with any D/A revolver of any make before.

 

[Bret4207]

Can't argue your logic.
However, I'd still like to know your opinion.

Ben

Sorry, I consider you a virtual "friend". I'm not going to say anything unkind about your taste in guns, dogs or women. If you're happy, that's all that matters.

My little S+W Kit Gun is remarkably accurate even for me. I have it sighted with CCI 22 Short HP's for trapline use. Got to be the easiest carrying gun ever, and I hate carrying a gun. Not that I don't like having it with me, but 20 plus years of HAVING to carry takes all the joy out of it.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

IMO, one of the few failings of S&W revolvers are the tiny factory “magna” style grips. The space between the back of the trigger guard and the front strap of the grip frame needs something in there. For me, that something is either a Tyler T-grip adaptor or a grip that fills some of that space.

When dealing with small revolvers such as the J-frames and maybe some of the 2” K-frames, a compact grip that improves on the S&W magna grip is often desired. The excellent Craig Spiegel Boot Grip has probably been copied more than any grip style for that application. The “Boot Grip” adds the needed material to the front of the grip without enlarging the overall profile of the gun. It gives you the best of everything, A compact grip that doesn’t compromise the ability to carry & conceal the gun but, makes the gun far easier to shoot.

That grip Ben has displayed is basically a Boot Grip style grip.

I think the boot grip is the perfect solution when one wishes to retain the compact nature of a gun but make it easier to shoot.

 

[L Ross]

Sorry, I consider you a virtual "friend". I'm not going to say anything unkind about your taste in guns, dogs or women. If you're happy, that's all that matters.

My little S+W Kit Gun is remarkably accurate even for me. I have it sighted with CCI 22 Short HP's for trapline use. Got to be the easiest carrying gun ever, and I hate carrying a gun. Not that I don't like having it with me, but 20 plus years of HAVING to carry takes all the joy out of it.

About the only other little trap line gun I can think of that is maybe even less of a burden is a Ruger Bear Cat. Can't find .22 Short Hollow Points any more, but I have a brick of Remington Hi-Vel .22 shorts and Paco Kelly's tool with a hollow pointing stem.

 

[RicinYakima]

The Paco Kelly tool is so very useful. I used it for standard velocity shorts cup pointed for grey Norwegian rats under the walnut tree.