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**Mike Irwin** · April 5, 2010, 01:02 AM

"S&W no longer had the tooling set up to make the Model 1917..."

I beg your pardon?

S&W continued production of the commercial model of the 1917 into the 1930s.

My Brazilian contract has no government markings, has a Smith & Wesson logo on the left side of the frame (Gov't models had no logo, commercial production guns had the small logo on the left side of the frame), shows absolutely no signs of any kind of refinishing, has no Government inspection marks, and is well into the middle of the first batch of guns that went to Brazil in late 1938.

Considering the state of the S&W factory at the time (moribund), it would have taken S&W hardly any time at all to convert one of their idle lines back to manufacture these guns new for Brazil, if in fact one was not already dedicated to making the large frame revolvers.

I think you're confusing the first batch of Brazilian contract guns with what S&W did AFTER World War II, which was purchase 10,000 frames from the Govt., which they used to assemble commercial models and, I would assume, the second half of Brazil's order.

April 5, 2010, 01:02 AM	#17
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,641	"S&W no longer had the tooling set up to make the Model 1917..." I beg your pardon? S&W continued production of the commercial model of the 1917 into the 1930s. My Brazilian contract has no government markings, has a Smith & Wesson logo on the left side of the frame (Gov't models had no logo, commercial production guns had the small logo on the left side of the frame), shows absolutely no signs of any kind of refinishing, has no Government inspection marks, and is well into the middle of the first batch of guns that went to Brazil in late 1938. Considering the state of the S&W factory at the time (moribund), it would have taken S&W hardly any time at all to convert one of their idle lines back to manufacture these guns new for Brazil, if in fact one was not already dedicated to making the large frame revolvers. I think you're confusing the first batch of Brazilian contract guns with what S&W did AFTER World War II, which was purchase 10,000 frames from the Govt., which they used to assemble commercial models and, I would assume, the second half of Brazil's order. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.