S&W 617 failure to fire.

Japle

Japle

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2005
Messages
1,128
Location
Viera, FL
I bought the gun as a Christmas present to myself. My S&W collection mostly consists of 4" revolvers in .22(Kit Gun), .357 (3, 4 & 5"), 44 Mag, .45ACP and .45 Colt and I wanted the 10-shot 4" 617.
Problem is, I can't find ammo that it's dependable with. I get 20-70% misfires when shooting DA and DA is all I shoot. I've tried Federal, Remington, Aguila, RWS, CCI and you-name-it.
Nothing works. Checking on-line, I see that this isn't unusual with 617s and the only answer is to send it to the factory and let then fix it.
Before you ask, yes, the strain screw is in all the way. It was apparently tightened with an impact driver or a 24" breaker-bar. It's clean under the extractor and everywhere else.
Anyway, they're sending me a shipping label and instructions. There's a 3-4 week waiting period, but if they get it running, that's fine.

Wish me luck.
 
Rubber grips? Grip screw on the side? Too tight? If it's too tight, the inside of the grips can grab the mainspring, robbing it of some oompf, especially in DA. Maybe even a problem if the screw is lightened a bit. Take the grips off entirely before shooting. Could also be a firing pin issue, of course. At any rate, sorry to hear, and hope you get it resolved.
 
Have you tried replacing the grips with those from the kit gun. The 317 I had many years ago set off all the rounds I tried. Just couldn't get it to group tight. Gun too light weight
 
I bought a new, 4 inch, 617 about 5 Years ago and it's been extremely reliable, even though I have Wolff springs installed which dropped my DA trigger press to under 10 pounds. I think your gun needs to go back
 
Last edited:
roval said:
did you just change the rebound slide spring or did you change out the hammer spring as well?
Click to expand...
I installed their full power, power rib main spring and a 16# rebound spring. I polished the rebound slide & where it rides in the frame. Took trigger from 11# , down to 9.6#, with a really smooth pull
 
Jonesy814 said:
I installed their full power, power rib main spring and a 16# rebound spring. I polished the rebound slide & where it rides in the frame. Took trigger from 11# , down to 9.6#, with a really smooth pull
Click to expand...
i polished my rebound slide as well and put in i think a 12 lb rebound slide spring but kept the original hammer spring(or whatever spring it came back from after i sent it off especially since it had light primer strikes before). it is still heavier that my centerfire revolvers that had rebound spring replacements and original hammer springs. still not a big deal trigger pull wise.
 
I got the 617 back today. About 4 weeks, which is what I expected.
It came with a sheet listing "Performed service":
Adjust Mainspring weight
Repair yoke
Repair sear
Cut forcing cone
Repair extractor rod

My question: If this brand-new revolver needed all that work - and I haven't checked to see whether this has solved the misfire problem - how the hell did it make it through QC in the first place?
Before I retired, I was in charge of Quality Control at a branch of Phillips Medical. My rule was, "Nothing leaves this building unless it's perfect".
Now, I'll admit that were were manufacturing medical equipment. Very sick people were going to be hooked up to our devices and lives were at stake.
But Smith & Wesson manufactures devices that might very well save lives. How is it that they're sending out guns that need adjustments and repairs for basic functioning?
I have 8 S&W revolvers and I carry a S&W Shield Plus 9mm pistol every day. I like S&W products.
But it seems there's a problem that seriously needs to be addressed.
 
I could swear I commented about 4 weeks ago in another thread running on light primer strikes related to the vaunted 617.

JAPLE....Mine fires every round when the trigger is pulled in either mode but I have another issue with mine.

It has a tendency for the trigger pull to become noticeably heavier after shooting just a few...(maybe couple hundred +/-?) rounds. When it starts, I can tilt the cylinder out and there will be noticeable resistance to turn it in the free wheel mode. A good cleaning/spray down resolves this but still.

I bought the 617/10 shot 6-inch version years ago at Galyans Sporting Goods when they still sold guns. Even then the 617 had already established a reputation as a top drawer .22 Revolver. Problem is I never warmed up to it. I find it heavy for what it is. That and I've tired of stainless steel. Of course, I can't fault S&W for my changing tastes. It shoots fine and I've not had the issues Japle mentioned above.

The impression I have of it being too heavy was only reenforced and compounded by the fact I made the mistake of recently picking up and handling a Colt King Cobra 4-inch .22. at a LGS. SVELTE is what that gun screams when you're holding it. Late at night when the wife is deep into REM sleep I'm lying there staring at the ceiling in a pitch-black room while the thought of that Cobra gnaws away at my self-control. It really is irritating.

Hope it works and functions for you Japle.

IMG_7336.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Frulk said:
… find it heavy for what it is.
Click to expand...
I agree. All of the full underlugged revolvers are wasted on me. The added weight does nothing to help me. Much prefer the tapered barrel.

But, there is a reason there is more than one horse in each race.

Kevin
 
Japle said:
I got the 617 back today. About 4 weeks, which is what I expected.
It came with a sheet listing "Performed service":
Adjust Mainspring weight
Repair yoke
Repair sear
Cut forcing cone
Repair extractor rod

My question: If this brand-new revolver needed all that work - and I haven't checked to see whether this has solved the misfire problem - how the hell did it make it through QC in the first place?
Click to expand...
mine had cut forcing cone
repair yoke
replace extractor
check barrel alignment
for light primer strikes, out of time and canted barrel that was bought brand new. i googled the email of their CEO and sent an irate email regarding their QC and pointing out that if that happened with a long time workforce what are we to expect when they complete their move to TN with a newly trained workforce. a lot of good that did.
 
For those of you following this little saga, I took the 617 to the range this morning and fired 6 different type of ammo through it - target ammo, high velocity, subsonic and bulk stuff. The gun went BANG every time.
The DA pull is pretty damn stiff, but smooth, thanks to the work I did on the action.
So, now I have the gun I paid for, albeit with a harder trigger than I'd like. It's accurate and reliable, so I can live with it.
 
Japle said:
For those of you following this little saga, I took the 617 to the range this morning and fired 6 different type of ammo through it - target ammo, high velocity, subsonic and bulk stuff. The gun went BANG every time.
The DA pull is pretty damn stiff, but smooth, thanks to the work I did on the action.
So, now I have the gun I paid for, albeit with a harder trigger than I'd like. It's accurate and reliable, so I can live with it.
Click to expand...
That 617 is a Mud Duck!
 
Japle said:
I got the 617 back today. About 4 weeks, which is what I expected.
It came with a sheet listing "Performed service":
Adjust Mainspring weight
Repair yoke
Repair sear
Cut forcing cone
Repair extractor rod

My question: If this brand-new revolver needed all that work - and I haven't checked to see whether this has solved the misfire problem - how the hell did it make it through QC in the first place?
Before I retired, I was in charge of Quality Control at a branch of Phillips Medical. My rule was, "Nothing leaves this building unless it's perfect".
Now, I'll admit that were were manufacturing medical equipment. Very sick people were going to be hooked up to our devices and lives were at stake.
But Smith & Wesson manufactures devices that might very well save lives. How is it that they're sending out guns that need adjustments and repairs for basic functioning?
I have 8 S&W revolvers and I carry a S&W Shield Plus 9mm pistol every day. I like S&W products.
But it seems there's a problem that seriously needs to be addressed.
Click to expand...

Welcome to current manufacturing at S&W, Ruger and any number of firearms makers. I worked part-time at a busy gun shop from 2016-2021, and I couldn't tell you the number of new guns we had to send back to be corrected before they even got on the shelf. Then add in the ones that passed the visual inspection but came back with upset customers when they wouldn't function properly. Let's just say if I'm looking at or thinking about checking out something, if my first thought is "Oh yeah, they have good customer service", I let go of the desire to try out their products. (Mostly. I'm a Colt-aholic and while Colt CS wasn't the most responsive thing in the world in our experience, I still want a few more of their current offerings.)

Anyway, glad to hear S&W got it sorted out and you have a functional 617 now. How does it shoot?
 
Smith and Wesson is not the same as it used to be. My 686 took 2 trips to be fixed, and they found other things wrong with the manufacture.

Also if you want a good non-scratched stainless finish you have to do it yourself.
 
Japle said:
I bought the gun as a Christmas present to myself. My S&W collection mostly consists of 4" revolvers in .22(Kit Gun), .357 (3, 4 & 5"), 44 Mag, .45ACP and .45 Colt and I wanted the 10-shot 4" 617.
Problem is, I can't find ammo that it's dependable with. I get 20-70% misfires when shooting DA and DA is all I shoot. I've tried Federal, Remington, Aguila, RWS, CCI and you-name-it.
Nothing works. Checking on-line, I see that this isn't unusual with 617s and the only answer is to send it to the factory and let then fix it.
Before you ask, yes, the strain screw is in all the way. It was apparently tightened with an impact driver or a 24" breaker-bar. It's clean under the extractor and everywhere else.
Anyway, they're sending me a shipping label and instructions. There's a 3-4 week waiting period, but if they get it running, that's fine.

Wish me luck.
Click to expand...
That’s the S&W new revolver buying process: customers are responsible for QC.

You buy a new revolver that doesn’t work – send it back to be repaired.

When you get it back you’ve got an excellent revolver that will last generations.

I’ve had to send two new revolvers back to be repaired.
 
Try some Remington Bucket Of Bullets. They work flawlessly in my 617s. They are so clean I can shoot about 500 rounds before I have to clean the cylinder. They are my Go-To round for Steel Challenge.
 
Jonesy814 said:
I installed their full power, power rib main spring and a 16# rebound spring. I polished the rebound slide & where it rides in the frame. Took trigger from 11# , down to 9.6#, with a really smooth pull
Click to expand...
Wow, that's a lot of rebound slide spring. But I'm less worried about outrunning the gun, like Jerry Mickulek.
Twenty twos are just a PITA for the strength of their mainsprings. A buddy's 651 has a really heavy red spring.
Moon
 
halfmoonclip said:
Wow, that's a lot of rebound slide spring. But I'm less worried about outrunning the gun, like Jerry Mickulek.
Twenty twos are just a PITA for the strength of their mainsprings. A buddy's 651 has a really heavy red spring.
Moon
Click to expand...
i actually am planning on trying a hammer spring taken from my m29 in my 617 next range trip to see how it goes. after replacing the rebound slide spring with 11 or 12 lbs(?) it is still heavier than my centerfire smiths. not a big deal though. the m17, granted, it's an old gun has a lighter pull after the same rebound slide spring replacement.
 
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