Part I

Background

During my time as a US Army First Sergeant, I was afforded the privilege of carrying a Beretta 9mm pistol while on deployment.  The Beretta, with its large capacity magazine and highly visible sights was a comforting accouterment.  One thing for sure, it was a lot easier to carry then an M16!  When I finally was able to lie down on my cot at night, the Beretta was under my pillow.  While washing and shaving in the morning, the Beretta was stuck in my waistband, slightly behind my right hip.  While a M16 rifle could be slung across the back, the pistol was just more accessible, and much faster to get into action if required.    

For all my sins, luck or providence dictated I would never have to put the pistol into action while deployed.  The government supplied us with arms and ammunition.  We tried to make our soldiers proficient shots on the practice range, and hoped they would not have to prove that proficiency while deployed.  We also tried to instill in our soldiers an understanding of the reason we were called upon to swiftly leave our families & friends and be sent to far-flung corners of the world.  When one is in the profession of arms, these are the chances you get paid to take.               

However, with over 20 + years of military service, and 10 + years of retirement from the US Military under my belt, I now have the luxury of approaching Mil-Surp arms from a less urgent point of view. 

There was, and is, a prevailing belief among many the handgun is more of an authority symbol in the military then a viable combat weapon.  I’m not sure who started that rumor.  No doubt it was someone who either had never shot a handgun, or someone who refused to put in the practice time to gain proficiency with one.   

 

During close quarter fighting, a handgun is (in knowledgeable & proficient hands), just as useful, and in some cases more useful then a rifle.  I’m thinking about close quarter, house-to-house type fighting as is so common around the world today, or about the required cave cleaning that went on during “island hopping” toward the end of the war in the Pacific.  These types of engagements are, and were “up close and personal”.   Martial handguns have proved themselves time and time again in such situations. 

At one point, planners (I assume people not proficient in the use of handguns) thought the M-1 carbine would replace the pistol for all military use.  Luckily for the men and women in uniform, cooler, and more experienced heads prevailed.  The pistol would retain its place in the US Military inventory.   

During the early part of the last century many military’s adopted a semi-automatic pistol.  With the US entrance into WWI, guns were needed, and fast!  While the US Military adopted the Model 1911 semi-automatic pistol, Quartermaster Corps officials knew there would be a long lag time before sufficient stocks of the new, semi-auto pistol would be available.  However, there was a pressing need to issue side arms to the troops.  Procurement personnel looked for a readily available substitute-standard sidearm.   For the purpose of ammunition standardization, a substitute-standard sidearm would have to be in the same .45 ACP (Auto Colt Pistol) caliber as the Model 1911.   Procurement personnel realized revolvers were the answer.  What they needed now was a vendor or two to fill contracts for such an arm.   

Two American companies were in a position to supply large numbers of revolvers, and do it fast!  Colt had its “New Service” revolver (Note.1), and Smith & Wesson had its “N” frame revolver already in production.  Both these guns have very large frames and cylinders.  Chambering them in .45 ACP was no problem for factory engineers.  The addition of a lanyard swivel, military finish on the metal, and smooth, walnut grip panels completed the package.  Colt and Smith & Wesson were soon shipping large numbers of Model 1917, .45 ACP chambered revolvers to the military.    

The 1917, .45 ACP revolvers were successful combat weapons in WWI.   In fact, some soldiers preferred the wheel gun to an autoloader in the muddy trenches of WWI Europe. 

After WWI, there was a sufficient market for these revolvers to both police and the civil sector; that production of .45 ACP revolvers continued at both Colt and Smith & Wesson.  Various barrel lengths are noted in the non-military production guns (Note.2).

Upon the US entrance into WWII, the US Military once again had a pressing need for side arms.  The government once again let contracts for additional 1917’s.  Many of the WWII era Smith & Wesson martial revolvers (in .445 British caliber) were supplied to the UK under the Lend Lease Act of 1941.       

The LEND LEASE ACT OF 1941 can be viewed at: www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq59-23.htm.   Pay close attention to SEC. 3. (a), (1) & SEC. 3. (5) (b).

Part II

The Gun

To begin with, the 1917 is one big gun!  When the basic frame was designed in the first decade of the last century, designers put a lot of metal in it.  This was because the frame was designed around the large diameter .44 Special cartridge.  The official name of the .44 Special gun was “New Century”, it was also known popularly known as the “Triple Lock”.   The New Century incorporated a full ejector rod shroud at the bottom of the barrel with a ball & detent lock, the usual cylinder bolt and a crane lock.  The novel crane lock is the feature that gave the gun the nick name “Triple Lock” (Note.5).

Smith & Wesson 38/44 Heavy Duty

A .38 Special on the .44 N frame, note the ejector rod shroud

Smith & Wesson 1917 dispensed with the full ejector rod shroud; it is replaced by a lug

The military specified a barrel length of 5.5 inches.  This is a very good compromise length.  When wheel gun barrel lengths get to 6 inches and over, the guns become slower to get into action.   Lengths of between 4 to 5.5 inches are about perfect for double action wheel guns.  I personally like a 5 inch barrel myself.      

The crane lock was also dispensed with.  The military felt the crane lock was superfluous (Note.6).  

Because the revolvers were originally designed to function with rimmed ammunition like the .44 Special, .38 Special, etc, the extractor star wouldn’t eject “rimless” (the rim doesn’t project beyond the cartridge sidewalls) rounds like the .45 ACP.  Crafty designers came up with a fix that not only solved the extraction issue, but also addressed the question of fast reloads in the field.  Flat, spring-steel clips that held 3 rounds each were developed.  Their shape gave them the nickname “Half Moon Clips”. The combination of the .45ACP rim and steel clip necessitated a larger gap between the recoil shield and the rear of the cylinder.  Cylinder length was adjusted to function with the .45ACP ammunition and steel clips.  (Note.7).

After WWI, the US Government sold off many of the 1917’s.  As stated before, after WWI, both Smith & Wesson and Colt continued to produce revolvers chambered in 45ACP for the civil and police markets.  Many didn’t like fooling with the half moon clips.  So, about 1920 Peters Cartridge Corp. developed the .45 Auto Rim cartridge.  The new rimmed round allowed brass to be chambered and ejected without the half moon clips.  Since the steel clips were no longer present, the rims are a good deal thicker on 45 AR brass.  The thicker rim makes up for the fact there is no clip.  We will discuss  the .45 AR later on.

Smith & Wesson 1917 grips are small

(Lanyard swivel can be seen below grips)

This part of the frame will pound the web of your hand with stock grips

Magna Grips come up to top of the frame

In the 1930’s S&W designed the “Magna” style grip stock.  The Magna style stocks extended wood much higher on the revolver frame.  The additional wood was wider, spreading out the recoil effect to the hand.  Magna grips also have checkering for a firmer grip.

A filler block behind the trigger guard places the hand in a better position

(An original, vintage, Smith & Wesson plastic filler block)

Even with the newer Magna grips, guns still tended to settle quite deeply in the hand.  The addition of a simple filler block behind the trigger guard repositioned the gun so the trigger finger was in a much better position.  Many companies, including S&W, were producing filler blocks.  Filler blocks were made of both plastic and metal.

Smith & Wesson Target Grips incorporate a filler behind the trigger guard, and extend wood below the bottom of the frame

Smith & Wesson Target Grips

Rubber grips are the goods!

(Lanyard swivel is still in place)

I grabbed an old pair of N frame rubber grips I had in my parts stash; and relieved them on the bottom with a sanding drum installed in my Dremel tool.  Now the grips fit the 1917 without removing the lanyard swivel. 

Before, we briefly mentioned the steel clips that allowed rimless cartridges to be held in a quick reload status for the 1917, and also allow the extraction of empties from the gun.  The military originally supplied the 3 round, half moon clips with the guns.  Later, suppliers began supplying spring-steel 6 round  “Full Moon Clips”.  During the WWI era and after, spring steel was the only material that could stand up to retaining the rounds and take the shock of a firing pin slamming into the primer, and then take the shock of the brass in recoil.   However, it’s not 1918 or 1941 anymore.  There are materials available today never dreamed of during WWI & WWII.    So, what could possibly replace spring steel?  Polymer is the word! 

RIMZ Polymer Clip, in a word: it WORKS!

Full clip

Another view

Revolver extractor star engages RIMZ clip, so…

The RIMZ 25 clips are fantastic!  The 45 ACP rounds snap in and snap out without undue force, yet the RIMZ 25 clips hold the rounds securely.  I fired rounds, unloaded the clips, reloaded the clips, and fired more rounds.  The RIMZ 25 clips stood up to the repeated recoil of the gun, and the installation and removal of brass without loosing any resiliency.   I highly recommend this product for anyone shooting a revolver with rimless ammunition.

Part III

Handloading & Reloading

We have a gun, we have clips, what we need now is ammunition!

Handloading: The assembling of a load with entirely new components

Reloading: The assembling of a load with a previously loaded (fired) cartridge case.

Lee Precision’s Classic Turret Press

(Notice press is secured to 3/8 steel plate with threaded studs)

We shall do both handloading and reloading with respect to the S&W 1917.  Loading for straight-sided pistol and revolver cartridges can of course be done on a single-stage press.  However, with a properly set up, self-indexing turret press, loads can be assembled in a much shorter time.  I’ve always said that if ammunition has to be assembled in a hurry, I wouldn’t feel comfortable shooting it!  Now, here’s the rub: can straight-sided pistol or revolver ammunition be assembled in a shorter time then it takes to load it on a single stage press, yet retain the same high quality as ammunition assembled on a slower single stage press?   The answer is absolutely!  Lee Precision’s new Classic Turret Press, when set up with a Lee powder measure will turn out top quality straight-sided pistol and revolver cartridges in much less time then if a single stage press is used. All loads for this article were assembled on the Lee Classic Turret Press.  For my review of this fine tool and its accoutrements, see article: http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews2006/leeturretpress/index.asp

An old bullet box is secured to the plate with a screw.  Box is great storage place for small primer arm, .45 AR shellholder, Allen wrenches, etc

Let’s look at handloading first.  .45 Auto Rim (AR) ammunition hasn’t been factory loaded in a long time (there are a few custom loaders producing ammo).  However, new AR brass cartridge cases are readily available from any on-line or catalog dealer of reloading components.  www.midwayusa.com and www.grafs.com both list new AR brass. The great thing about loading the .45 AR is; 45 ACP dies work perfectly for both calibers! 

Beyond the .45 ACP dies, the only other thing required to load  .45 AR brass is a .45 AR shellholder.   If you are buying 45 ACP dies, and they happen to come with a shellholder included by the maker, (Lee dies) then simply order a separate .45 AR shellholder too.  If you are ordering another brand of dies, a brand that doesn’t include a shellholder, it pays to order both the .45 AR and .45 ACP shell holders along with the order for dies.  Hint: if you load for 8mm Mauser or .308 Winchester, etc, you already have the correct shellholder for .45 ACP!

If you already have a set of .45 ACP dies, the adjustments you made when you set them up in your press may also work for the .45 AR brass too.   Just snap in the .45 AR shellholder and check it out.  Some press & die combinations will require a bit of die re-adjustment.  The only die I had to re-adjust on the Lee Classic Turret Press was the bullet-seating stem.  The amount of adjustment required was very minor.  With the press & dies ready, it was time to break out brass, primers, and powder and start loading.  

45 ACP brass was no problem.  I have a stash of good, once fired, .45 ACP brass under my loading bench.

When it came to .45 AR brass & shellholder, I got very lucky.  A friend had sold a .45 ACP revolver some months back, and he still had 100 new .45 AR cases, and a .45 AR shellholder under his loading bench.   He hooked me right up with these items.  Thanks Byron, you are one of the “good guys”! 

Lee Precision’s Classic Turret Press ram W/O shellholder

Snap 45 Auto Rim shellholder in press ram

OFF◄----►ON, rotate hopper in either direction to cut off or open up powder supply to powder measure

The turret head of the Lee Classic Turret Press revolves with every pull of the press handle.  The turret head retains the dies and the Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure.  The Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure’s powder hopper can be rotated to cut off the powder supply.  This is a very nice feature.  At the end of a loading session one can cut off the supply of powder so no more flows into the measure proper.  It allows one to empty the remaining powder still in the powder disk (by putting an empty brass case on the shellholder and working the press handle up & down), without any additional powder entering the measure proper.  To cut off, or open up the powder supply to the measure proper; rotate the translucent (Red) plastic powder hopper.   “Off & On” are clearly marked in this manner. OFF◄----►ON 

I had verified the Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure was very accurate (within 1/10 of a grain) when I initially reviewed the press.  However, I like to go back and re-evaluate things from time to time.  Color me cautious…that’s the wonder of me: -).  Anyhow, while loading .45 AR ammo, I decided to do a spot check on the powder measure output.

I was very surprised to find the measures average output charge was about 2/10’s of a grain low in each case!    Let’s see, same powder lot, same basic weather conditions,  (hot & dry) OK, what’s the Deal-E-Oh?

By pulling the press handle, the turret rotates.  As the turret rotates to the next die station and abruptly stops, the Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure wants to remain in a state of motion. This is called the Law of Inertia, first put forth by in 1687 by Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727).       

Since the powder hopper can rotate, it moved slightly toward the closed position!   The hopper had closed off about 20% of the orifice that supplies powder to the measure proper.  I moved the hopper all the way top the “ON” position, and proceeded top work the press handle until the turret had made about 10 full revolutions.   Once again, the hopper had closed off about 20% of the orifice that supplies powder to the measure proper.  

Remove brass nuts that retain hopper to measure body and…

Smith & Wesson Model 29, 44 Magnum, 5 inch full lug barrel

(If you want to load “magnum” do it for this gun, NOT the 1917)

I selected a light load of Alliant Red Dot® powder and Speer® 230 grain JHP’s.  Since the revolver has fixed sights; I felt these might not shoot to point-of-aim, but that is no problem.  For safety’s sake, I always start with a bottom load, verified by 3 current sources of loading data.  Besides, the 1917 is 88 years old.  There is no sense stressing such a fine old gun.  The breech pressure of the .45 AR is 16,900 cup.  The breech pressure of the .45 ACP is 19,900 cup.   However, the cylinder walls of the 1917’s are relatively thin.  We recommend in the strongest possible terms you stick to light loads in any 1917.  If you want a .44 magnum, please, visit your friendly neighborhood gun dealer.  He will fix you right up with one! After handloading some of the new .45 AR brass, I moved to .45 ACP brass.

The shellholders were once again exchanged in the Lee Classic Turret Press; a bit of adjustment to the bullet-seating stem, and loading continued with the .45 ACP brass.  I had already resolved to begin shooting the S&W with the ACP rounds.   First, this is what the soldier in WWI would have had, and second, I was really impatient to put the new RIMZ 25 Polymer Moon Clips thru their paces!      

RIMZ Full Moon Clips, 30 rounds ready to go to the range

With rimmed cartridges, revolver ammo is usually transported to the range in small “cartridge boxes”.  With the RIMZ 25 Polymer Moon Clips, I could insert the .45 ACP loaded rounds into the clips at home.   The .45 ACP rounds went into the clips without undue force.  However, they were not loose, in fact they fit very well.   I went to the range all set to just drop a clip with 6 rounds in the cylinder.  Very nice indeed! 

With a batch of lips loaded .45 ACP, and  .45 AR ammo, it was time to head to the range.  

Part III

Range Time & Reflections

I recall when I first began shooting handguns in earnest.  One of the old timers gave me this advice, he said: “Son, there’s 3 secrets to becoming a good shot with a handgun, practice, practice & more practice.”

I took that advice to heart.  I reloaded and I shot, I shot a lot.  Just as the man said, you practice and you get better.  Practice a lot and you get good.  I joined a pistol league. We were required to shoot in different positions, different distances, two hands, strong hand, weak hand, etc.

During the celebration of the Army’s birthday, we had “Mountain Fest” every year at Ft Drum NY, home of the 10^th Mountain Division.  Part of the festivities was a post-wide handgun competition.  The rules allowed contestants to use either an Army issue Beretta or a personal handgun.  While most of the soldiers elected to use a military issue Beretta, there were a vast number of privately owned handguns in attendance.  Most of the privately owned guns were stock items, however, there were some exotic race guns too.  

Smith & Wesson 38/44 Heavy Duty on left, Smith & Wesson Model 28 on right

Smith & Wesson Model 28 on right was shot in the match

With a center hold; rounds printed slightly left and low

(Common with fixed sighted revolvers)

Sighting on the yellow dot brought group to center

The old 1917 shoots!  BUT, I know both the gun & myself are capable of much more.  What was it the old timer said?  Oh yeah, “practice, practice, & more practice.”   I plan to get more practice time in.  Additionally, I need to get a mold and cast bullets for the 1917.  Cast bullets are easier on the barrel, and the checkbook too!

After shooting the S&W 1917, I had some time to think.  Yes, while on active duty I carried a Beretta.  True, it had a high capacity magazine.  However, with the small diameter of a FMC 9mm bullet, perhaps, just perhaps, the high capacity is grounded in the belief one or more follow-up shots will be required to put down a belligerent.   One well placed .45 caliber FMC bullet may be the equal of a couple of 9 mm bullets.  Of course such an opinion is subject to some spirited debate!

While the Beretta semi-auto has a high degree of reliability, jams can, and do occur.  The first group of Beretta’s supplied to the US Military had fracturing issues.  There were no such issues with the 1917 revolvers.

If I had been issued an S&W 1917 while on active duty, and carried extra rounds in clips; would I have felt under gunned?  Nope, not one bit! 

Large-bore, wheel guns are OK by Me. : -)