S&W 617 go with 4" or 6" barrel

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - S&W 617 go with 4" or 6" barrel

Posted: 1/29/2012 5:45:30 AM EDT

I've got another post about a Ruger Single Six/Ten but now I'm also looking at the S&W 617. For those that have shot them do you prefer the 4" or 6" barrel?

The only revolver I own is a 4" Ruger GP100 .357 I've never shot a 6" barreled revolver.

My wife and Father in Law will be shooting this so is the 6" barreled revolver a lot of weight to hold for an extended shooting session?

Posted: 1/29/2012 6:29:13 AM EDT

[#1]

Go 4". 4 is nicely balanced, and it isn't a light gun to begin with. 6" is a lot of iron hanging out the end, and the weight gets to you. My new 4" does dime sized groups at 50' (SA, gotta find someone to lighten the heavy DA without screwing it up)..

ETA:spelling...

Posted: 1/29/2012 8:09:18 AM EDT

[#2]

airman100, what mount are you using under that red dot sight, and what size dot does the sight have?

Posted: 1/29/2012 12:08:58 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
airman100, what mount are you using under that red dot sight, and what size dot does the sight have?

Ah, someone picked up that mount isn't stock...

It's a Weaver 401S ~$8 aluminum mount that I bobbed to a more appropriate K-frame length and raked back.
The sight is the Primary Arms green dot that is listed at 5 MOA- doesn't seem that big to me, but YMMV. A little more than $80 and a few tools, and you have a nice 22 fast-acquire sight...

Posted: 1/29/2012 4:28:56 PM EDT

[#4]

While I really like the 6” Model 17, the 6” 617 is excessively muzzle heavy, but the 4” is really nice, but of course, it is a matter of personal preference.

Another reason for selecting the 4” is because it will match your 4”GP100 and make a great surrogate for it in training.

Posted: 1/29/2012 7:58:03 PM EDT

[#5]

Allow me to row against the tide & suggest a 6" bbl. The extra 2" doesn't add that much extra weight so as to make it unnecessarily heavy, IMO.

Posted: 1/30/2012 4:21:30 AM EDT

[#6]

For some of us, the 6” 617 isn’t excessively heavy, it is excessively muzzle heavy, but that is just a matter of personal preference. I have my 6” 617-5 cut down to 5”. It didn’t lose much weight (just under 3 oz.), but it eliminated the excessive muzzle heavy feel that I didn’t care for and in the process became a match in weight and feel for my 5” 627PC.

Posted: 1/30/2012 4:41:43 AM EDT

[#7]

I have owned a 6" 686 for years and shot it a lot so I wanted a 6" 617 as a companion piece.

I stopped at a local range/gunshop to grab some targets and they were having a S&W day with factory reps and special pricing.
It was at the end of the day and all they had left was a 4" and I fell in love

The 4" 617 is a chunky solid gun with great balance that I have been very happy with . I have only shot the 6" a couple of times and not really alongside
the 4" but I can not see how it could be any great advantage.

As I get older and my eyesight causes various challenges I find medium sized pistols work a bit better than the 6" and longer guns.

Folks are different in what works for them so your best bet would be to find a range that rents guns and shoot the 4" alongside the 6"

Posted: 1/30/2012 6:28:19 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

As I get older and my eyesight causes various challenges I find medium sized pistols work a bit better than the 6" and longer guns.

Showing once again that I'm weird, at 53 I find I shoot the 6" & 8" bbls better than my snubbies & 4" bbls.

Folks are different in what works for them so your best bet would be to find a range that rents guns and shoot the 4" alongside the 6"

Quite true.

Posted: 1/30/2012 8:45:18 AM EDT

[#9]

Me being a grow'd man with muscles, I prefer the 6".

And the extra 2" helps me with those 100 yd shots.

Just kidding.. I bought the longer barrel because I thought it "looked" more accurate for plinking.

Posted: 1/30/2012 6:48:42 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

Quoted:

As I get older and my eyesight causes various challenges I find medium sized pistols work a bit better than the 6" and longer guns.

Showing once again that I'm weird, at 53 I find I shoot the 6" & 8" bbls better than my snubbies & 4" bbls.

Folks are different in what works for them so your best bet would be to find a range that rents guns and shoot the 4" alongside the 6"

Quite true.

The short answer is that different folks have different things going on with their eyes but the general truth is that it is a slippery slope and all downhill

Posted: 1/31/2012 1:57:09 PM EDT

[#11]

I appreciate all the feedback. I went with the 6" version just because with the cocobolo combat grips I think it's sexy. Should have it in about a week.

Posted: 1/31/2012 4:20:27 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
I appreciate all the feedback. I went with the 6" version just because with the cocobolo combat grips I think it's sexy. Should have it in about a week.

Sounds like it's a gorgous gun!

Looking forward to your pics.

Posted: 2/4/2012 7:56:27 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
I appreciate all the feedback. I went with the 6" version just because with the cocobolo combat grips I think it's sexy. Should have it in about a week.

Good choice. I have shot the shit out of my 6" 617 with an aluminum cylinder. No problems and beer cans can be taken at 100 yards.

Posted: 2/5/2012 7:45:02 AM EDT

[#14]

I prefer the balance of the 4" model and with a set of Ahrends grips, it's plenty sexy

Posted: 2/5/2012 12:54:26 PM EDT

[#15]

I've owned both a 6" and a 4" and while they were both fun and accurate the 4" balances better and handles better to me.
I now only own the 4".

Posted: 2/8/2012 4:39:59 PM EDT

[#16]

Picked her up today. Now to decide on the grips. This is going to be harder than deciding on barrel length...

ETA: Pics are FUBAR - they look right in photobucket.

Posted: 2/9/2012 2:29:57 PM EDT

[#17]

I'd like to have a 6" model 617 with an old school tapered barrel.

Long sight radius, but slim and light weight.

Posted: 2/9/2012 3:43:28 PM EDT

[#18]

I prefer the 4" as I find the balance better. That plus it matches it's bigger brothers in handling.

A few of my revolvers. The left side is a 629, 686 & 617.

Posted: 2/12/2012 2:53:33 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Picked her up today. Now to decide on the grips. This is going to be harder than deciding on barrel length...

Allow me to suggest rosewood fingergroove grips. I use them almost exclusively on my wheel guns. Great feel, great look. What's not to love?

Posted: 2/12/2012 3:17:07 AM EDT

[#20]

Yesterday I orderd: Hogue S&W K or L Rd. Handgun Grip Conver. Coco
There are so many beautiful grip options out there. All of the wood grips will be a huge improvement over those generic rubber ones.

Posted: 3/17/2012 4:25:47 PM EDT

[#21]

I searched some of my local shops today looking for a 4" 617 and couldn't find one. Did see a couple of 6" ones though. Are the 4" 617s rarer than the 6"?

Posted: 3/17/2012 5:41:53 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
I searched some of my local shops today looking for a 4" 617 and couldn't find one. Did see a couple of 6" ones though. Are the 4" 617s rarer than the 6"?

Not really, people just buy up the 4 inchers more than they do the 6s.

Posted: 3/18/2012 7:48:07 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
I searched some of my local shops today looking for a 4" 617 and couldn't find one. Did see a couple of 6" ones though. Are the 4" 617s rarer than the 6"?

Go ahead & get the 6" bbl model, IMO. You'll be able to pop coke cans @ 50 yards with iron sights using it. With some luck & practice, you might pop a plastic milk jug @ 100 yards. These things are that accurate.

My .o2