One of the forums I frequent is the S&W Forum. Good folks who enjoy great guns. One of them posted a tip a few nights ago about a shop in his area with a new haul of used S&Ws, along with a few highlights from that list.
One of them was a grail-shaped-beacon-gun. (You know, it kinda looks like a grail but it isn't. My official grail is a matched US Property Ithaca 1911.) This was high on my list of desires: a Smith & Wesson 647. The 647 was a very low-production model, produced from 2003-2004 and removed from the catalog in 2005 (according to SCSW 3rd Edition). There was also a 647-1 which was a Performance Center variation.
So what's so spiffy about the 647? It's a stainless, K-frame round-butt, 8-3/8" full-lug barrel ... in .17HMR. A gun of these dimensions is more typically seen around a cylinder full of .38s or even .357 (S&W Model 19). Empty weight is 52oz - roughly the same as my 21-4 .44Spl which I stoke with 240gr Keith loads. Recoil from this should be essentially zero.
Why? Because I wanted a small-game-capable revolver. I have a .17HMR rifle that is wonderful for squirrels, crows, and woodchucks... now I'll have the appropriate pistol to go with it.
I've made a deposit on the gun and the receipt is with my local sheriff's office awaiting a judge's signature. When it comes home (probably in 1-2 weeks) I'll have pictures.
(And for what it's worth, the last two to sell on Gunbroker went for $740 and $750. I paid significantly less. I can likely flip it for a profit if need be.)
7 months ago
2 comments:
I have no firsthand experience, but isn't the .17HMR one of those cartridges that loses a lot when you put it through a handgun barrel?
The spec is 2550fps from a rifle barrel, although most reports put it closer to 2600-2650.
Out of a handgun, ANY cartridge will lose some velocity. "Shooting Times" has a review of the 647 with chrono tests suggesting velocities around 2100fps. I can accept that. :)
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