Tell me about the S&W 17-4

[LittleLebowski]

Because on the face of it, a DA .22LR seems really good for training.

[Malamute]

I dont know about the dash4s, the one thats been in the family since the early 70s is amazing though. Ive shot something over 200k rounds through it with no work done besides replace a lost cylinder release thumbpiece screw.

Found a target picture. It normally shoots very small groups, like kneeling 25 yards, 1 1/2", no special ammo that I recall. The factory used to target test them, hand held with a rest, if they wouldnt shoot into 1 1/2" @ 50 yards they were sent back to find out why. I dont know when they stopped doing that, but it doesnt surprise me that they could.

Its easy to shoot sticks, small pebbles, grass stalks, running rabbits, stuff tossed in the air.

A 25 yard kneeling target, about normal for this gun without finding a favorite load. It may do better in somebody elses hands.

[BillSWPA]

I also do not know about the -4, but a 17 was the 2nd handgun I learned to shoot as a 12 year old. It was always accurate and reliable except when the mainspring screw worked loose. It is now my gun.

My daughter enjoys shooting my Buck Mark, but dislikes this revolver and dislikes the noise of larger calibers even when wearing electronic muffs with foam earplugs. So, I expect to practice my DA trigger squeeze with this gun every time she comes with me to shoot the Buck Mark. The DA trigger is nice, unlike what I read about many other .22 revolvers.




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[mtnbkr]

I have a 6" -2 model.

Great gun and great as a trainer for DA revolvers. A downside is that they've become so expensive, I no longer like taking mine out camping as a "camp plinker". A Ruger Mark 3/4 is practically disposable in comparison. The other downside is the tight chambers. Great for target accuracy, not so great for high volume plinking with cheap ammo.

Wouldn't sell mine unless it meant selling it or not eating.

Chris

[MK11]

Hyper-accurate. Cylinder can get really sticky and tough to extract rounds. Wide and sharp target trigger can be annoying firing double action.

[oregon45]

Great revolvers, and worth having both for training and for their own sake. Most issues you will have will be ammunition related. Rimfires tend to be ammunition sensitive so try different loads and, when you find one the gun likes, use that. Model 17's often have tight cylinders, and often you will have stiff insertion with cheaper rimfire loads that are not dimensionally consistent. My Model 17's, for instance, often choke on cheap loads like Blazer or Remington Thunderbolt or Winchester gray-box (rounds are stiff to insert and reluctant to eject); but they thrive on Norma Tac and Target 22.

[LittleLebowski]

Are there any other (hopefully cheaper) DA .22 revolvers that I should consider?

[Rex G]

I will never part with my 4” 17-4. It is a significant reason I shoot medium-sized DA revolvers better than any other handgun, period, and got me though the 2011-2015 time period, when training with my P229R DAK, .40 Snap & Whip, was intolerable for my aging hand/wrist. (My chief OK'ed 9mm duty pistols in late 2015.) SIG DAK does a good job of mimicking a K’s DA trigger stroke.

Eventually, I would like to find a .22 LR K-Frame, in non-collectible condition, and have a ‘smith snubbify the barrel, to make it more relevant for snub-gun training. One such candidate was locally available, when my wallet was a bit light, but the idea persists.

[Duelist]

Are there any other (hopefully cheaper) DA .22 revolvers that I should consider?

There are cheaper, of course, but none better than a K22 variant. Start looking for a used one, for starters on cheaper. And HiStandard .22 revolvers should be given a look. Not Taurus, unless you hate yourself.

I have an 18 no dash. I got it used for about $500. Chambers don’t really like some ammo, by which I mean loading and unloading things like CCI Minimags aren’t any fun. Oh, well. Shoots Eley Target ammo into ragged holes, and runs smooth on Federal bulk with a bit less accuracy that will still pop rabbits. As long as I’m still strong enough to hold up a steel Kframe, I will own this one. My kids or grandkids (if they ever have any) can fight over it when I’m gone.

[Wayne Dobbs]

I really think you should start looking for a shooter grade Model 18. Mine is a blue worn former TXDPS academy training gun and it shoots lights out. It does have some firing pin burrs on the back of a couple charge holes I need to get fixed, but it was one of the best gun buy decisions I've made.