Howdy
Smith and Wesson first introduced a large frame, side swing revolver in 1908, the 44 Hand Ejector, First Model, also known as the Triple Lock. The standard chambering for this revolver was 44 Special. This continued the tradition of 44 caliber being the preferred caliber in the large frame Smith and Wesson Top Break revolvers of the late 19th Century. The Triple Lock had a shroud over the extractor rod, and a unique extra locking latch in the yoke. The Triple Lock was discontinued in 1915, replaced by the 44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model. This model did away with the third lock, and also did away with the extractor rod shroud, reverting to a simple lug under the barrel that the front of the extractor latched to.
When World War One developed, it became clear that the Army was going to need more sidearms. It was a simple matter for S&W to open up the chambering of the standard 44 Hand Ejector, 2nd Model to accept the 45 ACP cartridge. The chambers were bored so the cartridge would head space on the case mouth. Because there was no rim on the 45 ACP cartridge half moon clips were developed to give the extractor something to grab to extract the empty brass. To allow for the extra thickness of the half moon clips, the space between the rear of the cylinder and the recoil shield was increased by about .030" over the standard spacing for the 44 Special cartridge. Barrel length was fixed at 5 1/2".
Smith and Wesson produced approximately 163,600 of these revolvers between 1917 and 1919, it was named the Model 1917 after the year that it was introduced. Commercial models continued to be produced until 1946, with a total of approximately 209,000 made.
Starting in 1937 S&W produced 25,000 Model 1917s for the Brazilian government. This contract helped keep S&W in business during the depression.
In the 1930s the 45 Auto Rim cartridge was developed with a rim .030 thicker than most cartridges, to allow for extraction without the use of half moon clips.
These photos show a military Model 1917 that shipped in January of 1918 at top, and a Brazilian Contract 1917 at the bottom. The grips on the military gun are probably not correct for the model, but they are what it came with and I like them.
Here is a closeup of the shield on the side plate of the Brazilian Contract gun.
Most military 1917s have the US Ordinance flaming bomb on the left side of the frame in front of the hammer. This 1917 has an inspector's mark instead. GHS shows that Major Gilbert H Stewart was the inspector. This 1917 also has a relatively unusual grooved sided hammer. The grooves were thought to help keep the sides of the hammer lubricated, but the idea was eventually dropped.
Because the cartridge headspaces on the case mouth, S&W 1917 revolvers can chamber and fire 45 ACP cartridges without half moon clips, but the empties have to be poked out with a stick or a pencil. 45 Auto Rim brass is readily available from Starline. Load data is the same as 45 ACP and they can be loaded with standard 45 ACP dies, but you need a different shell holder. The cartridges in this photo are, left to right, 45 Colt, 45 Schofield, 45 ACP, and 45 Auto Rim. Notice how the rim of the Auto Rim cartridge is thicker (.090) than the other cartridges, to take up the extra space behind the cylinder in the 1917 revolvers.
Brazillian contract guns are usually available for less money than a military model 1917. Many of them were shipped back to the US and imported in the 1990s. Unfortunately, many of these appear to have just been thrown into a box with little protection, many of them are dinged up. The one in the photo is all dinged up. I have another Brazilian contract gun that was refinished. Unfortunately whoever refinished it was heavy handed with the polishing wheel. The Brazilian contract shield is half polished away.
FWIW two versions exist, an early version with a pivot and a separate coil spring, and a later fixed version that is flexible and acts as its own leaf spring; I believe the American M1917's used the first version, and the first-run Brazilians used the second. In either case, the spring is prone to breakage from metal fatigue, and replacements are virtually impossible to obtain.
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