TargetTalk

Hi all,

I'm tossing around the idea of getting back into competitive pistol shooting in addition to my Smallbore Rifle activities. I've been looking at pistols and am thinking about going with a S&W 617 or the S&W 41.

My thing is-I just don't know about the accuracy of the 617. I like both the 41 and the 617, I am just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this, or any other rimfire revolver at 25 yards/meters? Is it worth going in that direction, or should I stick with the 'safe' 41?

Any information helps

I don't think there is any question that you want a semi-auto over a revolver for almost every shooting sport.

The M41's are excellent (I have one), but there are others equally (and maybe more) suitable for what you have in mind.

The revolver is probably very accurate, however it would be difficult to shoot timed or rapid, or anything sustained fire with one hand shooting the 617.

Good luck,
Retired

I have had a couple of the 617's both in the 6 shot and 10 shot versions. None of them were accurate. I also have a couple of model 17's with target hammer and target trigger. Both shoot very accurately. I also own a Colt Officers Model Match in 22lr. Very accurate as well.

I would also respectfully disagree with "Retired" about shooting timed and rapid with a revolver. If you go with the Model 17 with a target hammer, it is lower than the regular hammer and is very easy to operate with one hand in timed and rapid. Same with all Colt OMM's. The hammer is very easy to operate in timed and rapid.

The 41 is a great pistol. Shooting pistol vs revolver allows you more time for sight alignment between shots as you don't have to pull back the hammer.

Good luck with whatever you end up with.

Marc

Retired wrote:The revolver is probably very accurate, however it would be difficult to shoot timed or rapid, or anything sustained fire with one hand shooting the 617.

Good luck,
Retired

I've seen a lot of .22 revolvers which just won't shoot well.

I have a 10 shot 617, it's accurate but probably not out of all ten holes but have not tested and confirmed that.

I do know my 22/45 shoots much tighter groups than it does...

I had a 10 shot 617, beautiful 6 inches barrel with Randal Fung match grips, impresive revolver, I lighted the trigger pull and everything, match ammo etc, but I don't know why, I was scoring better ( slow fire) with my plain Browning Buckmark ( light trigger also).

I tried the 617 again and again with the same results, I sold it later and kept shooting the Buckmark, but I always thought I made a bad decission as the revolver was really very nice,

reading others posts, I may think that the 617 was not very suitable for match competition. at least the 10 shot one.

c.