S & W Model 17-5 or Model 18?

R

Randy63

New member
Hello all,
I have an older 5 screw K 22 Masterpiece and I love it. Lately I've been wanting a 4" K 22. I have a chance to get a NIB model 17-5 with the 4" heavy barrel for $400. I'd like to know if I'd be better off waiting for a nice older model 18. How do the newer 17's compare to the older model 18's? The 17's with the 4" barrel were only made for a couple of years. I shoot my guns but like to buy guns that may have some collector interest in the future.

Thanks in advance,

Randy
 
Well, I don't think you would go wrong either way, but the 18 would most likely be a little cheaper unless you find a NIB one. I paid $189 for mine, and almost all that i have ever seen for sale around here fall in the < $300 range.

I have not played with the 17-5, so I am not really sure how heavy that barrel is. I think I would try to handle them both and see how the extra 'nose' from heavy barrel changes the balance.

The 17-5 may have higher resale potential due to its more limited production, but i think that i would still base the choice on which felt better in my hand.
 
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Greeting's All,

Both are nice weapons, and would be a joy
to own; but I believe that I would wait on
an older Smith model 18, with triple T's
if there's one to be had. (Target hammer,
target trigger, and goncolo avle target
grip's)

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
In the 6" K-22s I prefer the short lug, lighter barrel. Personal taste. Have not tried the 4" ones.

I do see that there is no book premium for the 4" barrels.

Sooooo.....whichever likes you would be the one for you.

Sam
 
Model 18!!! I've had several, but traded them off in my younger (read STUPID!) years. In my humble opinion, like the Model 19, "Combat Magnum", one of the BEST guns ever produced by Smith & Wesson! My love is for the 4-screw models.
 
What exactly is the difference between the Mod 17 and 18? Adjustable sights on the 17?

I know I had a Model 48 which was just the Model 17 in 22 magnum rimfire.
 
The Model 17 is the K-22 Masterpiece, with a 6 or 8 3/8th's inch barrel. The Model 18 is the "Combat Masterpiece", with a 4-inch barrel, in .22 caliber.
 
Exactly the same except for barrel length (4 inches for Model 18.). Target trigger and target hammer are optional on both models. Adjustable sights are standard.
 
I'd wait for an M18, but then I have regular access to my dad's two M17s - an older 8 3/8" w/ a 2x scope and a 17-6 4" full lug that I gave him for his birthday in 1993(why?, because he wanted it.)

The 4" bbl. was made, IIRC, from 1986 to 1993. I like the way the short heavy barrel balances with the target stocks he put on it.

About the quality of the newer M17s. A year ago I took the 17-6 to the S&W Days festivities at the local gun store. Every year they have the company reps in for a weekend sale and offer the services of a Custom Shop gunsmith for free. One gun to a customer limit unless he's bored. He will polish actions, replace parts and fix what he can working out of a his toolboxes, but he doesn't do anything requiring power tools.

Last year I stood and watched for three hours while he worked on one gun after another. Nice guy. It's a joy watching someone work when they know what they're doing. He explained what he was doing as he went along, too.

Anyway, back to quality. I handed him the 17-6 and, after a suitable laying on of hands, he looked up and said "It doesn't need anything done to it, does it?" Nope. Good gun straight out of the box.

Maybe I got the only good one in the run, but they were capable of doing good work in 1993.

John

P.S. - And no, I didn't buy anything. But I sold them an old clunker gun :)
 
Sam and Johnbt,
I was refering to the 17-5 4 inch which according to the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson was built from 86 to 89. The 17-5 has no underlug. It looks just like the model 18. The only difference as far as I can tell is the 18 has a tapered barrel where the 17 has an untapered bull barrel. All but the earliest 17-6's have full underlug barrels.

Randy
 
Randy is correct. I have an M17-5 purchased in late 80's-used. It came with pachmyar grips, so I'm uncertain what it had originally. I put on a set of S&W target grips (like come on the M19), and really like it. For comparison, I also have a .38 combat masterpiece (big brother to the M18). and the only difference I can tell, when looking closely is the combat masterpiece has a slightly tapered barrel. The 17-5 does not have a full underlug. The choice between an M17-5 and an M18 would have to be made only on the relative conditions of the pieces. I do not believe there is enough difference in the two models to be a factor. S&W obviously did too, and discontinued the M18. If the slightly tapered barrel is a big difference to you, then you might keep looking around, but I never see either model at the gunshops in my area. Ron
 
Time for me to join AARP. Reading more closely this time, you did say heavy barrel and not full lug.

In that case, I'd definitely buy the 17-5 and start saving for the day a Model 18 turns up.

John
 
The 18 has a ramped front sight for snag-free pull from a holster. I think most, if not all 17 models have a Patridge (post-type) front sight for target shooting.
 
M17 or M18?

Go for the M18 Combat Masterpiece. It's lighter barrel is what you want for a 4" packing gun. I've sure enjoyed mine these last 40 years. I also have a K22 M17 6" in .22WRM. Great guns. If you look hard enough, you can find one in mint condition...
 
Thanks, Doug. Wow - "Combat Masterpiece" - that's pretty ambitious for a 22 LR!

What years was the Model 18 produced? I always knew about the 17 and the 19 but now I know about the 18.

When I was really up on Smiths I always wondered why they skipped numbers. I knew about Models 10, 17, 19, 27, 28, 29, 36, 39, 41, 57 - in fact I guess most of the guns had names before they had numbers. Is that right? The K-22 MASTERPIECE became the plain old Model 17. The 44 Magnum became the Model 29.
 
M18 S&W...

BigG, The M18 Combat Masterpiece was an understudy for the M15 .38 special Combat Masterpiece. Back in the 50's and 60's, almost all police carried .38 revolvers. They were the same as the K22 target gun, except most had service style triggers, hammers, grips, and ramp front sights to match the .38 service revovers. They also could have target triggers, hammers, and grips by special order. Other model numbers were M14, K38, and M16, K32 target guns. S&W didn't miss many numbers, most dropped out as they were discontinued. As M10,12,13,19,20, show...
 
One of the guys here found me a Model 18 NIB.

$325. That included shipping. I also have a Model 17 with the box and papers I paid $275 for locally. They`re out there, never give up!:D
 
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