Just picked up a used (almost like new) 317-3 .

It came with a generic owners manual "Smith and Wesson Owner's Manual , Revolvers. Modern Style"

I did a quick page through it and can find no reference to Dry Firing .

I remember reading that my 617 is fine to dry fire , wondered if the 317 was any different?

It has a ok trigger for a rim fire but it is no where as easy as my 617 to shoot . I am thinking some is because the 317 is a 3" with a fiber optic front and V notch rear while my 617 is a 4" with regular S&W target sights . The 317 is real light and harder to hold steady as well.

Bought it for the compactness and light  weight so not real disappointed but was surprised it is so hard to shoot compared to the 617

I really want a 617 4 inch mountain gun 10 shot. But never seen one for sale.

That's a good question.  I never thought of that.  The guys at the smith and wesson forum might know.  If no one here chimes in.  You could call the factory and see what their official stance is on that.

As an owner of close to 20-something rimfires, *I* cannot think of any that are "safe" for dry firing. The firing pin hits part of the chamber where the rim extends to, so dry firing would continue to allow this.

The BEST thing to do is either snap caps or fired casings. Stating the obvious here, it's wise to double check that the casings ARE indeed fired.    

But in no way would *I* dry fire a rimfire more than once or twice with nothing in the chamber.

My .o2

This man knows his .22 rimfires!

I have a new S&W317 3” with an 8 shot alloy cylinder & it came with an orange warning paper from S&W that specifically said DO NOT DRY FIRE!  It wasn’t in the owners manual, but it was a separate paper.  I’ve also read about the cylinder chamber becoming distorted & partially ejecting spent rounds enough the cylinder locks up, but I have never experienced this problem.  S&W was offering to install stainless cylinders to address sticking issues.

So, skip the dry firing & if you shoot it & it’s locking up, call Smith.

I like to shoot Colibris in mine—quieter than a CO2 pistol!

They need to make a run of these. Only 617 I have an interest in.

ripped from net.
"The following is quoted directly from a Smith & Wesson owner's manual printed in 1993:

Revolvers in which .38 Special +P ammunition can be used:
J frames - Models 60-4 (full underlug barrel only), 60-7, 60-8, 640, 649-2
K frames - Models 10, 13, 14, 15, 19, 64, 65, 66, 67
L frames - Models 581, 586, 681, 686
N frames - Models 27, 28, 627

Here is S&W's warning about +P ammunition -

"Plus P" (+P) ammunition generates pressures significantly in excess of the pressures associated with standard .38 Special ammunition. Such Pressures may affect the wear characteristics or exceed the margin of safety built into many revolvers and could therefore be DANGEROUS.

"Plus P" (+P) ammunition should not be used in medium (K frame) revolvers manufactured prior to 1958. Such pre-1958 medium (K frame) revolvers can be identified by the absence of a Model Number stamped inside the yoke cut of the frame (i.e. the area of the frame exposed when the cylinder is in the open position).

The "Plus-P-Plus" (+P+) marking on ammunition merely designates that it exceed established industry standards, but the designation does not represent defined pessure limits and therefore such ammunition may vary significantly as to the pressures generated. "Plus-P-Plus" (+P+) ammunition is not recommended for use in Smith & Wesson firearms."

I have a SW 317 2" J-frame AirLite 8 shot .22lr

Nice little gun to throw in a pocket.

I carry mine while jogging or fishing.

With aluminum cylinder it weighs about what a nice pocket knife weighs.

I DO NOT dry fire any .22 firearm.

Ammo is so cheap just practice with it.....

Attached File

Ive got a nib 317 I bought about 10 years ago. I looked through everything and it doesn't say one way or the other about dry firimg.

Easy solution buy a older used model 18, which would be a six shot blued version of what would be termed today’s very limited production “mountain gun”
I have been running blued guns for decades and never cared for nor saw a need for stainless, unless perhaps carried boating or youlive in a swamp

Doesn't have to. Anyone who's been around guns knows dry firing a rimfire is a no-no. It peens the chamber, revolver or semi.

That is what I was told 57 years sgo, and I have never dry fired one. But I beleive there are a few you presumably can. It also says all kinds of silly stuff in the manual that anyone should know. So why not that.

I take my dry fire statement back. My fathers mod 87 has been dry fired alot because there is no hold open. I probaby dry fired all my rimfire rifles, but never as a practice. That 87 is from the 1940s no telling how many times it has been dry fired after the last round. Still shoot it occasionally.