The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: The Revolver Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old September 22, 2012, 04:58 PM   #1
larry83
Junior Member
 
Join Date: September 16, 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1
Model 1917 Revolver?

I keep reading in searches that early Colt Model 1917s have to use the moon rings. Does any one know around what serial number I could individually load the ammo. I know it will suck to unload. I want the S&W but seems more Colts are available. Thank you for the help.
larry83 is offline  
Old September 22, 2012, 05:15 PM   #2
pete2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 15, 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,566
You can buy auto rim ammo/brass and then you don't have to use the moon or half moon clips. BUT you'll miss out on a bunch of fun.
pete2 is offline  
Old September 22, 2012, 05:48 PM   #3
Bob Wright
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 10, 2012
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Posts: 2,986
I don't know the serial number range, but open the cylinder and look throught the chambers. If they are bored smooth, clips are required. If you see the step, no clips are required for firing. But its the old No. 2 yellow pencil for ejecting. Or, as I point out in another thread, a red Coca Cola pencil works well, too.

Bob Wright
Bob Wright is offline  
Old September 24, 2012, 01:28 PM   #4
glenncal1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 21, 2009
Location: Denver area
Posts: 504
Moon Clips

Here is the answer to the moon clip dilemma:

1. Buy enough moon clips to load all the ammo you like to shoot in a session (if you will shoot 50 rounds get 10 MCs)

2. The day before you are going to shoot turn on a football game and open a beer, I prefer Guiness, but to each his own.

3. Load the clips while you are watching football and drinking beer. You will hardly notice you are doing the loading.

4. Go shooting, have fun, pop a few holes in the beer can from the day before.

5. After shooting turn on a football game and open a beer.

6. Unload the clips (one of the tools sold makes this a much easier process) into a coffee can or something if you want to keep the cases for reloading, or straight into the trash if they are steel. Again with the distractions of football and beer you will hardly notice the unloading.

7. repeat as needed.
__________________
Jim

Many K and N Frames
glenncal1 is offline  
Old September 24, 2012, 05:01 PM   #5
James K
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
Murphy (Colt New Service Revolvers) says that two Colt's with straight bored cylinders he examined were in the 160000 series (that is Colt serial numbers, not Army serial numbers. The serial number at which Colt began military production is in dispute, but 160000 would undoubtedly be early.

Jim
James K is offline  
Old September 24, 2012, 08:38 PM   #6
mesinge2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 2, 2011
Posts: 121
glenncal1 has the idea right and they are very fast reloads




VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozh3k...7&feature=plcp
__________________
"There are three and only three ways to reform our Congressional legislation, familiarly called, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box".
- Stephen Decatur Miller (May 8, 1787 – March 8, 1838)
mesinge2 is offline  
Old September 25, 2012, 07:15 AM   #7
Mike Irwin
Staff
 
Join Date: April 13, 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 41,374
Problem is, I don't know if anyone currently makes full moon clips that will specifically fit the Colt 1917 revolver.

I know the military half moon clips were designed to fit either revolver, but full moons may give you some issues.

Check with Beckham products, makers of Rimz clips. They're polymer and are a dream to load and unload.

I don't know if they make for the 1917 Colt or not, or if the S&W specific moon clip can be used.
__________________
"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.
Mike Irwin is offline  
Old September 25, 2012, 07:41 AM   #8
BillM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 20, 2009
Location: Amity Oregon
Posts: 791
OK--just went out and tried it. Full moon clips that I use in
my S&W 625, loaded with inert rounds.

1917 S&W 45 ACP----they fit fine.

I don't have a 1917 Colt, but I tried it in
a 1913 era Colt New Service 38-40. They
started in, and it looks like they would work
just fine in a 1917 45 ACP Colt.
BillM is offline  
Old September 25, 2012, 08:55 AM   #9
kraigwy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 16, 2008
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 11,061
You guys need to stop talking about M 1917 revolvers, It depresses me.

I had a near perfect S&W M1917 revolver, worked great, shot great.

But I lost it in a burglary. It's stoled about 26 of my revolvers. Through the ones they didn't think they could sell in a lake. We caught the guy, and retrieved all but three. One a 2" model 10 he traded for pot. And two that we didn't retrieve from the lake. Fire department divers recovered all but two, one was my M1917.

Been looking every since for a replacement.
__________________
Kraig Stuart
CPT USAR Ret
USAMU Sniper School
Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071
kraigwy is offline  
Old September 25, 2012, 09:01 AM   #10
jglsprings
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 7, 2009
Posts: 1,827
Okay, this may be a bit off topic. But a million years ago, in a life far, far away...

I was just a dumb kid walking through a gun show in Billings, Mt. "The guy" had two fruit boxes of 1917s. Colts in one pile, S&W in the other. $75.00 apiece.

I thought, wow junk guns. *SIGH*.

Everytime I see one now I think - stupid hurts forever.
__________________
Let's eat Grandma.
Let's eat, Grandma.

Commas save lives...
jglsprings is offline  
Old September 25, 2012, 09:01 AM   #11
sandbag
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2008
Posts: 642
Moon Clips for 1917 Colt

I have a 1917 Colt and use the Rimz polycarbonate moon clips for the range and they fit the cylinder with no problem.I originally got the clips for an S&W 22-4 but they fit either revolver equally well.I have some loaded steel moonclips for SD which I never unload to avoid potential warping.The polys are very easy on one's fingers for loading or unloading without a tool.
sandbag is offline  
Old September 25, 2012, 09:31 AM   #12
Mike Irwin
Staff
 
Join Date: April 13, 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 41,374
'I have a 1917 Colt and use the Rimz polycarbonate moon clips for the range and they fit the cylinder with no problem.'

That's what I was hoping for! Someone who is actually using them in a Colt 1917.
__________________
"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.
Mike Irwin is offline  
Old October 9, 2012, 09:08 PM   #13
redhawk45
Member
 
Join Date: July 2, 2012
Posts: 85
Wilson Combat and Ranch clips work in my Colt 1917. Clips available from Midway USA.
redhawk45 is offline  
Old October 10, 2012, 08:44 AM   #14
TheTinMan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 8, 2008
Posts: 102
Wilson Combat and several other unidentified brands of metal full moon clips work fine in this Colt 1917 which was delivered to the U.S. Army in June of 1918. Work fine in my Model 25-2 also.



The cylinder throats DO have the steps BTW.
TheTinMan is offline  
Old October 10, 2012, 09:36 AM   #15
Mike Irwin
Staff
 
Join Date: April 13, 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 41,374
"Cylinder throats DO have the steps"

Apparently only the first few thousand of the Colts didn't have stepped chambers, even though the military called for it. They accepted it as an expediency to get guns.
__________________
"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.
Mike Irwin is offline  
Old October 10, 2012, 10:45 AM   #16
redhawk45
Member
 
Join Date: July 2, 2012
Posts: 85
Um, the chambers in the cylinders have throats. I don't think they are called steps.
redhawk45 is offline  
Old October 10, 2012, 02:33 PM   #17
James K
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
"Step" is an informal but clearly understood term. "Throat" in a chamber is the part ahead of the case mouth, where the bullet sits. The term most commonly used for the "step" in a chamber for a cartridge that headspaces on the case mouth is "shoulder" or "headspace shoulder."

Jim
James K is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:40 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.11966 seconds with 10 queries