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What comes to mind when “Metal frame single stack magazine .45 ACP” is mentioned? Most minds will immediately leap to Browning’s 1911.
However, another contender is out there that fits this description and has its own stellar reputation — the SIG SAUER P220.
The P220 resulted from the Swiss wanting a less expensive/less intensive to manufacture sidearm in lieu of the P210. The P220 was introduced into Swiss service in 1975.
The P220 was a bellwether for pistol design with subsequent SIG SAUER and other manufacturers’ handguns copying its tweaking of the Browning locked breech short-recoil method.
SIG SAUER modified Browning’s operating system by removing the locking lugs and recesses milled into the barrel and slide; instead, a single lug milled above the barrel’s chamber interacts with the slide’s large overhead ejection port acting as barrel to slide lock-up point.
The front contour of the barrel lug cam slot has been cut square to direct counter-recoiling forces up and forward into the barrel itself to reduce stress on the lug.
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SIG SAUER is most associated with their respected line-up of double/single action handguns. The P220’s performance is a major reason for this. The recently introduced P220 Legion continues along this path.
The SIG SAUER P220 Legion has received the benefit of upgrades based on feedback from SIG SAUER’s elite professional clients around the world. A weapon with the Legion moniker is intended for customers who rigorously use their gear.
The P220 Legion
SIG SAUER’s plan with Legion members is to foster a brotherhood among its most loyal customer base, while also rewarding customers with exclusive product offerings even beyond SIG SAUER’s own products.
Not only is this savvy marketing, but also very productive to customers in terms accessing other companies SIG SAUER has partnered with.
To access the Legion all you need to do is call SIG SAUER and provide the serial number of the Legion item purchased. Account login information is given to new members granting access to certain parts of the SIG SAUER website.
What sets the P220 Legion apart from its stablemates in the SIG SAUER line up? P220 Legion’s aesthetics are immediately noticed. Legion Grey PVD coating covers the slide and frame.
This is nicely accentuated by custom G-10 grips that have a Legion medallion embedded. These items are not merely idle window dressing — both the coating and grips improve the durability of the P220 Legion.
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After the aesthetic improvements are the ergonomic tweaks. The beavertail has been modified for both higher grip and reduced profile. Along these same lines, the trigger guard has been undercut allowing for higher grip thus greater control when firing, especially when combined with the beavertail work.
Aggressive checkering on the front strap/trigger guard area improves grip texture. The front cocking serrations provide greater purchase for cycling the action, clearing the firearm or conducting press checks.
A solid steel guide rod adds weight up front where it matters most for feel and natural pointing. Low profile de-cocking and slide catch levers round out the ergonomic improvements.
Lastly, superior sights and custom tuned DA/SA trigger fulfill SIG SAUER’s goals with the P220 Legion. SIG SAUER XRay3 Day/Night sights provide aiming solution no matter light conditions.
The Legion’s sights provide a solid sight picture if in a hurry reacting to an adversary no matter light conditions. The sights are also proficient in providing stand and deliver accuracy at distance.
The P220 Legion instills confidence with how it stacks hits on targets resulting in jagged hole groups.
SIG SAUER’s upgraded SRT (Short-Reset Trigger) was further advanced via polishing and then adding Grayguns Precision Adjustable Intermediate Trigger (P-SAIT). The P-SAIT is created from heat-treated alloy steel and adjusts for over travel.
The trigger shape is configured specifically to work with a DA/SA handgun. The P220 Legion comes standard with three 8-round magazines.
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SIG SAUER Elite 230-grain FMJ, 230-grain JHP, and 200-grain JHP were used to evaluate the P220 Legion. The firing was at a relatively steady pace with different shooters running the P220 Legion thru its paces on plate racks, dueling trees, and other drills.
The transition from the first round 10 lbs. double action trigger pull to the remaining 5 lbs. the single action went smoother than anticipated.
More significant was the change in pull length between first and second round. I am stating this from a predominantly 1911 or striker fired shooters perspective.
P220 Legion’s ergonomics and handling characteristics are quickly appreciated and make a user understand why the P220 as a whole is so well thought of. The full-size grip frame and overall balance of the P220 managed recoil well.
It’s not normal protocol to bench test handguns for accuracy due to reliability and quick engagement of targets being more paramount.
However, it could not be resisted with the P220 Legion due to the SIG reputation for accuracy and quality control. The SIG SAUER P220 Legion did not disappoint producing 2″ groups at 25 yards. I was left with the feeling I was the weak link in the accuracy equation.
SIG SAUER ergonomics combined with the slide’s track along the entire length of the frame during recoil and manageable .45 ACP muzzle signature allows for a very stable sight picture no matter how many or how rapid rounds are fired.
The SIG P220 Legion’s slide seemed to reciprocate on ball bearings it moved so smoothly with the sights tracking smoothly in between shots fired. Subsequent range visits have only reinforced my initial impressions.
The modified beavertail’s frame protrusion guides one’s hand to the optimum grip position during the draw stroke and aids in recoil management.
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The quality of SIG SAUER fit and finish speaks volumes as to how the P220 Legion obtains such levels of accuracy and reliability. There are no tool marks evident and no lateral play in the slides fit to frame or barrel to slide.
The barrel locks up tight when in battery. The P220 Legion easily fits concealed carry, personal defense, and tactical roles.
The SIG SAUER P220 Legion is ideal for anyone wanting to capitalize on the SIG SAUER reputation for out of the box reliability and accuracy, while also becoming a member of a group of like-minded people.
SPECIFICATIONS:
- CALIBER: .45 ACP
- TRIGGER PULL DA: 10 lbs.
- TRIGGER PULL SA: 4.4 lbs.
- BARREL LENGTH: 4.4″
- OVERALL LENGTH: 7.7″
- OVERALL WIDTH: 1.3″
- HEIGHT: 5.5″
- WEIGHT: 30.4 oz.
For more information, visit: www.sigsauer.com
Tinkering Tuesday – A bastard Magnum
The Winchester Model 70 should be offered in classic calibers. 270 Win, 30-06 Gov’t, 375 H&H, 264 Win Mag, and the like. And it should also be stocked in dense walnut. And in no way shape form or fashion should it be offered in a niche, nearly wildcat, flash in the pan cartridge. Like those short magnums that have no real purpose.
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| So pretty much the exact opposite of this. |
Yeah, I’m not sure what I’m gonna do with it either. But it’s a Hartford produced Model 70, with CRF, a target crown, free floated barrel, and nicely bedded. For the employee price my manager made me on it, I couldn’t let it sit on the rack.
Disregard the cheap Chinese Wal Mart special scope atop it; the older Loopy VX-III was sold to another employee.
The Short Magnums are interesting from a ballistic stand point, and I love all things Model 70. Even though I felt Jack O’Connor’s scorn as I did my 4473.
Just in case you think this is all that far fetched. Here are students in South Africa arguing against science and for magic. Disagree, and you’re a racist colonizer.
Sorry about that if you are going on a trip by plane! Grumpy
Ten years ago this rifle would’ve been the pinnacle of a precision competition build. It’s still a very nice rifle, but modern options give you a lot more flexibility for your money.
Get A Grip: Stocks In The Modern Era of PRS
Evolution is a constant state—especially in precision rifle competition where manufacturers look to improve and upgrade products to give an advantage wherever possible. While the rifle stock may seem like a pretty simple thing, it has evolved with the sport as much as optics and ammunition have.
The rifle stock is a vital part of the overall precision rifle system because it is the one part you interact with the most on the rifle. I like to say that a good precision rifle stock should fit you like an old pair of dusty boots so that when you get behind the gun you’re comfortable and relaxed. But picking the right stock for your precision rig can be a challenge because of the sheer number of options and accessories available.
What Is A Good Rifle Stock?
Before I get too deep into the weeds, I think I need to come right out and say that most of the stocks that come on factory varmint or long range rifles are pretty terrible. All too often they’re made from cheap plastic that’s too flexible for serious use and generally have poor ergonomics that don’t fit the shooter at all. This is why stocks are one of the first things to get replaced when a person gets a new long range rifle.
A stock that’s going to be good for long range competition use has to be made from a durable, rigid material that free floats the barrel and is adjustable to fit the shooter perfectly. A lot of different stocks are going to fit this bill and they generally fall into two categories: traditional composite stocks or chassis systems.
A chassis system like this Accuracy International AX AICS provides on-the-fly adjustability, a folding stock, a built-in detachable magazine system, and modularity that is hard for a composite stock to match.
Chassis Systems
Believe it or not, chassis systems were once looked down on by the long-range community. But that tide has turned as chassis systems have become more accepted for precision rifle builds. It should be noted that nearly every major rifle manufacturer makes a chassis rifle now and the US military’s M2010, M40A6, and Mk 13 sniper rifles use chassis systems. It’s not all that surprising that chassis systems have gained the popularity that they have given the enormous bang for the buck that they can provide.
One might be inclined to start off by extolling the virtues of the chassis bedding interface and how it doesn’t require the shooter to bed the action. To an extent this is true, but I’d like to start by talking about the adjustability of the chassis’ stock because this is where they begin to come into their own. Some stocks will start out as a non-adjustable base model but almost every chassis system that I’ve come across has had an adjustable length of pull (LOP) and adjustable cheek piece right off the bat. This is important on a competition rifle so that the gun can perfectly fit the shooter. Some chassis go beyond simple LOP and cheek adjustments though and allow the butt pad height and angle to be set, as well as allowing lateral adjustment to the cheek rest for the ultimate in shooter comfort. It’s not uncommon to also see some chassis systems like those from XLR Industries or MDT be compatible with AR-15 stocks and pistol grips for end-user customization.
Many chassis systems on the market offer a fully adjustable buttstock that provides cheek height adjustment and length of pull adjustment, in addition to sling attachment points. Some models, like this Accuracy International chassis, offer additional adjustments of the butt plate to set it up perfectly for your shoulder.
Since the action area on a chassis systems is made from aluminum it’s easy for them to set up for a detachable box magazine (DBM) system from the get-go, which is a necessary feature on a modern competition rifle. I remember a time when a having a DBM wasn’t really that big of an advantage but now many courses of fire are designed around having at least 10 rounds in the rifle at the start. Given that the magazine well is machined into the chassis, it’s another part you that don’t have to buy and have installed. This keeps costs down for the shooter who may be on a budget and also increases the overall reliability of the DBM system.
The great thing about some aluminum chassis systems like those from XLR Industries or Modular Driven Technologies is that they are compatible with AR-15 stocks and grips. Using the same tools you wrench on your AR with you can install a new pistol grip or stock to suit your fancy.
Folding stocks on a precision competition rifle are a beautiful thing for many reasons, and not just for making the overall length of the rifle shorter. A folding stock makes it easier to bore sight the rifle or clean the bore without having to make any changes to the cheek piece.
Where a chassis really makes its money on a competition rifle, setting itself apart from more traditional composite stocks, is in its modularity and ability to the adapt to the situation. Most chassis forends will have built-in modularity to some degree, even if it is just being able to place rail sections in different places. This opens up the ability to mount bipods where you want them, barricade stops, and sling mounting positions where they are comfortable for you. Furthermore, some chassis (like the ones from MasterPiece Arms) have features like moveable barricade stops that can almost lock a gun into a barricade for better stability, integrated ARCA compatible cuts for tripod mounting, and the ability to easily add a night vision rail. Now, not everyone is going to need all of that modularity all the time so you can run the forend slick if you want, but the capability is there for when you need it.
Detachable magazine systems are a must-have feature for a chassis or stock that’s going to be used for precision rifle competition. This author recommends sticking with AICS pattern magazines since it is the most common and proven type of magazine in the circuit. All four rifles in this picture are using AICS pattern magazines so if you forget one or have one go bad, someone will be able to spot you in the short term.
Modularity is where chassis systems separate themselves from traditional composite stocks because with the aid of a wrench the location of rails, flush cups, and bipod mounts can be moved around at will. Some chassis are even M-Lok and Keymod compatible so some of the same accessories that you use on your AR-15 can be used on your precision rifle.
MasterPiece Arms takes chassis modularity to the next level with machine work that borders on the artistic. The grooves machined into the sides of the chassis are Arca Swiss compatible for direct tripod mounting and the holes along the bottom are for setting up their barricade stop system, which is great for PRS skills stages.
As good as chassis systems are they do have a couple of drawbacks, chief among them being their weight. Most systems weigh on average about five to six pounds. Add in a barreled action, scope, and bipod and the total weight can easily balloon north of 16 pounds. However, sometimes that weight can be an advantage, and many competitions don’t really require a lot of long-distance movement so the benefits could be worth the extra heft.
A pretty trick feature of the MasterPiece Arms chassis is a built-in leveling system to make sure that you’re reticle won’t be canted for those long-range shots on small targets.
The bedding interface is where chassis systems are either loved or hated. Their loved because they often negate the need for an expensive epoxy bedding jobs and hated because sometimes they have to be skim bedded anyway. Traditional V-block bedding blocks like the one on the left is a common configuration in many chassis systems but some manufacturers are improving them, like the Accuracy International chassis on the right. The ridges on either side of the action screws provide increased support at the tang and front of the action to reduce the possibility of the action being stressed once torque is applied.
Left folding buttstocks are a dime a dozen on many chassis but a right hand folding stock on a chassis keeps the overall width to a minimum since it will nest with the bolt handle. A relatively small detail but a nice one nonetheless when you’re looking to make the package as small as possible for storage or transport.
The other drawback to a chassis is that sometimes the bedding interface doesn’t play well with some actions and induces stress, which can hurt consistent accuracy. An easy test to see if your chassis might be causing stress in the action is to torque both action screws down and then loosen the front action screw while holding the barrel at the end of the barrel channel. If the bedding interface is stress-free, you won’t be able to notice any movement of the barrel in the channel once the screw is loosened. If there is stress in the action you will feel the barrel move upwards, but it’s not the end of the world. You can sometimes play with the torque settings and still get good accuracy. However, if nothing seems to work, it could be that the chassis needs to be skim bedded to the action at the recoil lug pocket and rear tang.
This Manners Composite Stocks T6 is the latest evolution of a traditional composite stock for PRS-type competition. It’s lighter, with better adjustments, some level of modularity, and, yes, it’s magazine fed. According to the owner, this stock costs about $1,100+ with a six month lead time, but he said the cost was well worth it considering the quality and comfort. So in a way, it’s the Cadillac of composite stocks, I suppose.
Traditional-Style Composite Stocks
Although chassis systems have become hugely popular, traditional-style stocks like the ones from McMillan and Manners Composite still have a place on the firing line. The materials and methods used to construct these stocks have been around for decades, which is really what I mean when I say traditional. So, what’s going to push someone towards a traditional-style stock versus a modern chassis system? One reason has got to be the custom nature of these stocks since they are made by hand-laying fiberglass, kevlar, carbon fiber, or a combination of materials into specific molds. This allows nearly every facet of the stock to be determined by the customer, from the material to the color, to finally what features and adjustments it will have. This method of construction also means when finished that these stocks are often one-piece, very solid, and impervious to the elements, all of which are important in a precision rifle stock.
While the Manners T6 pictured earlier featured their mini-chassis, most traditional composite stocks need to be epoxy bedded in something like Marine Tex or Devcon Steel Puddy. When done properly it will look like the above bedding job that matches the action perfectly to give it a nice, stress-free resting place for consistent accuracy.
Traditional-style stocks will also have a different feel compared to chassis systems with softer lines and a more comfortable grip that’s an easy transition for some shooters. Traditional-style stocks are also lighter in comparison to many chassis systems, which can be an important factor for a shooter if they plan to carry the rifle long distances. The use of carbon fiber in making traditional-style stocks is becoming more commonplace, allowing manufacturers to put out a stock that weighs less than two pounds depending on options.
Although traditional-style stocks are made by hand compared to the CNC machined chassis systems, they are available with some of the same features. The only difference is that on a traditional-style stock you start out with a base model and then everything else is an add-on option. In a lot of ways, it’s not so different from ordering a car. Sling swivels, for example, can include quick detach sling mounts on a traditional stock, just as you can on a chassis, but you have to tell the manufacturer how many and where you want them. Also, unlike many chassis systems, once these mounts are installed, they can’t be moved, so if you want another one at another location you have you’ll have to drill some more holes.
The KMW Loggerhead cheek piece is an option on Manners stocks and is widely considered a standard by which other adjustable cheek pieces are judged by. It’s very secure and will not loosen up under recoil like older designs such as the saddle cheek piece that was held in place by two small set screws.
Cheekpiece and length of pull adjustments are also present on a traditional stock but executed a little differently compared to a chassis. The length of pull adjustments on a traditional-style stock is usually done via a spacer system, which is effective and robust but a little slow and clumsy. For the purposes of precision rifle matches, you definitely want an adjustable cheek piece and they come in many forms.
Unlike chassis, in order to run a detachable magazine system in a traditional composite stock, it requires a separate trigger guard to be installed. Often the stock needs to be inlet for the specific trigger guard and the bedding pillars set to the correct depth so that it will work reliably. The Badger Ordnance M5 pattern is the most common inlet for these types of systems but a few manufacturers have their own proprietary profile that can complicate things.
Traditional composite stocks can sometimes be accused of being less modular than their chassis brethren but a few companies are looking to change that outlook. Area419, for example, makes an Arca Swiss compatible accessory rail with a built-in barricade stop that bolts to the bottom of the stock without modification.
Truth be told, the older systems from McMillan—like the saddle cheek rest and thumb screw cheek rests— were pretty horrible, they came loose all the time and could strip set screws. In fact, when I had a saddle cheek piece on my McMillan A-5 I had to put spacers underneath it to keep it from collapsing all the way while I was shooting. The newer clamp bar and KMW Loggerhead cheek pieces are far superior for a traditional-style stock since they lock down tight and don’t move under recoil. Unlike chassis systems, traditional style stocks do not come with a DBM system out of the box. It’s usually a separate item that needs to be purchased and installed with specific bedding pillars to ensure it will function reliably. This is just another cost that needs to be added to the budget when buying a competition-ready stock.
So, what are some of the downsides to a traditional-style stock? Well, first, the cost is pretty steep since you start out with a baseline stock and all of those options needed to make it competition-ready really eat into your wallet. $15 per sling mount here, $200 for a detachable magazine system there, and it adds up quick. Before long. you have a stock that exceeds the cost of a high-end chassis, but hey, at least it’s lighter. The lead times can also be pretty extraordinary, too, since each stock is made-to-order and done by hand. Where you can sometimes get a chassis in a couple days, a traditional-style stock can take up to half a year to arrive, and even then it could require additional work to get it ready for prime time.
It’s not a new concept for a manufacturer to drop one of their barreled actions into a composite stock and send it out the door as a factory precision rifle. However, as manufacturing has improved and new materials get used, rifle makers can provide a composite stock like the one on this Bergara HMR that has all the features a precision rifle competitor needs at a fraction of the cost.
Conclusion
If you’re in the market for a new stock, my recommendation is to try to get behind some different types and see how they feel and what features they have. We’ll call it a test drive. Usually, if you ask nicely, some guys will let you send a few rounds downrange as well. There’s nothing worse then ordering a new stock, waiting months for it to arrive, and then come to the realization that you hate how it feels. I know, I’ve done it. There’s a wide world of options out there, but my advice is to stick with well-established brands with a history on the competition circuit.
If you value lighter weight with a few extra features, then perhaps the traditional-style stock is for you. Weight not being a concern, but you need adjustability, modularity, and you need it fast, then a chassis is probably right up your alley. Just remember that a good stock should fit you like an old pair of dusty boots. Your shooting will thank you later.
Author’s note—This article is part of an ongoing series on Allied small arms of World War 2. In each installment, we will endeavor to explore the humanity behind the firearms with which Allied combatants defeated the Axis powers. General George Patton once opined, “Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men.”In this series, we will investigate both the guns and the men behind them in the context of the planet’s bloodiest conflict.
On an arid December afternoon in 1941, a motley three-vehicle convoy motored down a congested road in the Libyan Desert headed toward a roadhouse at Mersa Brega.
The lead vehicle was a captured Italian Lancia truck. The two trail vehicles were filthy dust-covered British lorries. Filling all three vehicles was a combat patrol led by a hardened British soldier named Jock Lewes.
Lewes was an officer in a new sort of combat unit. Formed mere months earlier by an unconventional upstart British Lieutenant named David Stirling, this unit was tasked with sowing chaos and violence behind the lines of Erwin Rommel’s feared Afrika Korps.
The motley group of misfits that made up this odd organization called themselves the Special Air Service. The British SAS ultimately changed the way the world fought wars.
The British SAS got its baptism of fire during the pitiless combat with Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps in the North African desert early in World War II. The unit’s charismatic founder David Stirling is shown standing beside the jeeps.
The road was crowded this day with German and Italian vehicles motoring back and forth performing the myriad logistical chores necessary to keep a modern army on the move and fighting.
Captured vehicles had been pressed into service by both sides, so the parentage of the trucks in this small group caused no undue concern. The uniforms of the men crewing these vehicles were so ragged and dirt-encrusted as to remain comparably anonymous.
The British SAS changed the way the world fought wars. Many of these early special operations warriors preferred the reliability and firepower of the Smith and Wesson M1917 .45ACP revolver to that of lesser handguns.
The small SAS convoy pulled up to the Mersa Brega roadhouse right at dusk to find some forty-seven Axis military vehicles laagered there for the night.
The SAS operators fanned out among the many German and Italian military trucks, most of which were occupied by enemy troops, and casually placed Lewes bombs in and around them. Lewes bombs were home-brewed SAS contrivances that combined a modest bit of high explosive with a time pencil that detonated the payload a certain specified period later. These time pencils were usually but not always predictable.
British time pencils were staples of unconventional warfare during World War II. These compact cylindrical devices consisted of a spring-loaded striker held in check by a piece of wire. One component of the device contained a small vial of acid that could be broken with a pair of pliers.
Once the acid came in contact with the wire it ate away the material at a theoretically predictable rate. The larger the caliber of the wire, the longer the delay.
Once the wire failed the striker was released to activate a blasting cap that detonated the bomb’s payload. In the days before reliable solid-state timers these time pencils represented the state of the art.
Time pencils were mechanical time delay detonators used by special operations troops in the days before solid-state timers.
A hapless Italian soldier approached Lewes and asked him for a light. This luckless driver was taken prisoner and roughly bundled into the back of one of the British vehicles. The man had to be gagged to suppress his uncontrolled weeping.
One of Lewes’ men named Dave Kershaw opened the door to an Italian truck in preparation for planting a bomb only to be greeted by a gunshot from the driver that missed him by mere inches.
Blinded by the muzzle flash, Kershaw reflexively drew his M1917 .45ACP revolver, placed it to the bridge of the Italian soldier’s nose, and squeezed the trigger. The heavy .45-caliber bullet split the unfortunate man’s head open like a piece of fruit, killing him instantly.
This shot precipitated a one-sided gun battle that ran for another twenty minutes. Before the engagement was complete the SAS troopers had wrecked the roadhouse, killed upwards of twenty German and Italian soldiers, and detonated thirty-eight bombs on the various Axis trucks, one of which was brimming with incendiaries.
They even inadvertently shot up a garish Italian truck with blacked out windows that they were later told was a rolling Italian military brothel.
The British SAS in World War II enjoyed great latitude in personal weapons. The M1928 Thompson was popular as was the M1917 revolver.
The SAS pioneered deep penetration special operations missions. These early special operators were offered great latitude in the equipment they used and the weapons they carried.
While American M1928 Thompson submachine guns were popular primary long guns, the troopers’ sidearms spanned the spectrum. British Webley revolvers were common as were 1911A1 Colt pistols provided by the Americans along with the Tommy guns.
For inimitable close range firepower and unquestionable reliability in the harsh Libyan Desert, however, nothing beat the Smith and Wesson M1917 revolver.
Wheelgun Firepower
The S&W M1917 .45ACP revolver was a militarized version of their civilian Second Model Hand Ejector. The resulting handgun was massively powerful and utterly reliable.
The M1917 revolver came into being in 1917 as a result of the exigencies of World War 1. The M1911 pistol was the finest combat handgun in the world at the time, but even with several companies operating at peak production supply could not keep up with demand.
As a stopgap measure, the US Army contracted with both Colt and Smith and Wesson to adapt their large frame civilian revolvers to fire rimless .45ACP rounds for military use. Each company ultimately produced about 150,000 copies.
Rimless rounds like the .45ACP headspace on the case mouth rather than the rim. This means that the chambers of these guns could be cut to accommodate the geometry of these rounds, but there yet remained no reliable method for extraction of empty cases.
The solution to this quandary came via the gifted insights of a Smith and Wesson engineer named Naomi Alan. Alan developed the lightweight disposable spring steel half-moon clip. Alan patented the design but allowed Colt to use it free of charge in support of their military version of the M1917.
The S&W M1917 was a militarized adaptation of their Second Model .44 Hand Ejector. This gun was designed from the outset to accommodate moon clips and included a lanyard ring on the butt. S&W had already supplied modified versions of this pistol chambered in .455 Webley for use by the British when production of Mk VI top-break revolvers was inadequate to meet wartime demands.
Practical Tactical
The Colt and S&W versions of the M1917 were functionally identical with one major exception. Breaking the action on the Colt gun involved pulling the cylinder release backward. The S&W design had to be pressed forward.
Early Colt guns were not reliable in the absence of a moon clip. S&W pistols were designed from the outset to headspace on the case mouth so they were comparably reliable both with and without the clips in place. In the absence of a moon clip the star-shaped extractor lacked purchase, so empties had to be manually pressed out using a dowel or pencil.
Moon clips came in both 3 and 6-round versions. They are a bit tough to fill but remain fast in action.
Moon clips are tedious to charge but fast in action. Reloading simply involves breaking open the action, pressing the ejector to remove all six empties, and then dropping in a fresh clip or two. Full moon clips carry six rounds. Half moon clips pack three.
The double action/single action trigger found on all S&W revolvers is absolutely divine. The single action version lends itself to proper accuracy, while the double action variant offers consistency and safety. With a little practice, the gun is monotonously accurate in either mode.
Recoil is present but not unpleasant, and the beefy nature of the design keeps muzzle flip in check. The fixed sights are remarkably ample for the day and more than adequate for fast work at close quarters.
These guns were finished in the same gorgeous deep blue that characterized S&W civilian pistols, though some were Parkerized later during the military rebuild process.
Musings
The British SAS in World War II used these three handguns primarily. From left to right are the M1911A1, the British Webley, and the M1917.
The M1917 was a stopgap solution during some desperate times but ultimately saw widespread military service for decades to come.
The gun was popular with units like the British SAS and even saw a resurgence in popularity in the hands of tunnel rats during the Vietnam War some half a century later.
Throughout it all the gun’s manly caliber and unflinching reliability made it a go-to arm for pitiless close quarters combat in filthy environments.
The M1917 revolver experienced a resurgence in popularity among tunnel rats in Vietnam. In this filthy horrifying close quarters environment, the revolver’s complete reliability was a boon.
Brad Pitt’s character in the epic action war movie Fury packs a .45ACP S&W M1917 with a Plexiglas sweetheart grip. Harrison Ford wielded a slightly modified version in some of the Indiana Jones films. Sedate on the range and sledgehammer powerful, the S&W M1917 transcended its original mission to earn an esteemed place in the annals of wartime Allied combat weapons.
Brad Pitt’s character in the war epic Fury packed a .45ACP S&W M1917 revolver with a Plexiglas sweetheart grip. Images from www.moviestillsdb.com.
Technical Specifications
Smith and Wesson M1917 Revolver
Caliber .45ACP
Weight 2.25 lbs
Length 10.8 in
Barrel Length 5.5 in
Action Double Action/Single Action
Sights Blade Front, Notched Rear