The Rimfire Report: S&W Model 617 Mountain Gun - First Impressions

Hello and welcome back to another edition of The Rimfire Report! This week, we’re checking out Smith & Wesson's newest rimfire firearm, and an extension of their popular and well-renowned K-Frame revolver series - the Model 617 Mountain Gun. I first got my hands on a Model 617 a few months back at a media event, but now I’ve been able to take out the 617 for a proper range session, and I wanted to give you guys my first impressions on this new, beefy, rimfire wheel gun.

More Rimfire Report @ TFB:

• The Rimfire Report: Henry’s Golden Boy Revolver
• The Rimfire Report: Smith & Wesson FPC 22LR First Impressions
• The Rimfire Report: The Henry Golden Boy 22LR Rifle

The Rimfire Report: S&W Model 617 Mountain Gun First Impressions

Smith & Wesson Model 617 Mountain Gun (.22LR)

Product Link: https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/model-617-mountain-gun

The Model 617 Mountain Gun is an iconic K-Frame revolver. Chambered in 22 LR with a 10-round capacity, this revolver features a lightweight, tapered-profile barrel and Tyler Gun Works high-grade walnut Bear Hug grips. Classic aesthetic, with superior performance.

All-Stainless Steel Construction - Offering both performance and durability in a traditional package

Gold Bead Front Sight - A patridge-style front sight with a gold bead insert for improved sight acquisition.

TGW Bear Hug Grips - Tyler Gun Works high-grade walnut Bear Hug Grips.

• 4.125” 1:15” twist stainless steel barrel.
• Double-action/Single-action.
• 10-round capacity.
• Stainless steel frame and cylinder.
• Tyler Gun Works high-grade walnut Bear Hug Grips.
• Gold bead front sight.
• Adjustable rear sight.
• Overall Dimensions:
• Weight: 36.1 oz
• Width: 1.45 in
• Height: 5.52 in
• Frame Size: Medium

The first thing most of you will notice is the lack of a “Hillary Hole” or frame safety lock. This is a feature that Smith & Wesson started adding to their revolvers in 2001. The feature was introduced under federal pressure during the Clinton administration to reduce legal risks and safeguard government contracts. The small keyhole mechanism allowed the user to theoretically immobilize the hammer and trigger. This was a decision that cost Smith & Wesson a lot of social credit with most of the gun-owning population.

The Model 617 has an official asking price of $1,199, making it a big ask for all but the most dedicated of rimfire shooters. On top of that, you’ll have to order one of these either from Gunbroker or Lipsey’s, as these are an exclusive Lipsey’s release. However, I think with what I’ve seen so far, the construction, timing, trigger, and overall presentation of the new Mountain Gun series (540, 629, and 686 included) at least partially justify the high asking price. Smith & Wesson makes special mention of Tyler Gun Works, which works with high-grade walnut Bear Hug Grips, which already cost about $250 if you’re planning on buying them à la carte.

Range Time

I’ve been able to shoot a variety of bulk ammunition out of the revolver so far, including some Federal Champion 36-grain as well as some of the leftover bulk Remington Standard V we’ve tested in the past. Since the Model 617 is a revolver, I am much less concerned with shot-to-shot consistency when it comes to cycling the firearm, but both ammunition types still produce noticeable differences in report when you get a severely underloaded or overloaded cartridge.

With that being said, my first two range trips put the Model 617 through about 500-600 rounds total. Loading the 10-shot cylinder is extremely simple and easy, with none of the cases getting stuck on the way in, and extraction is a similar story - I only wish I had moon clips. The mountain gun has an extremely robust crane, and that, combined with the overbuilt cylinder and beefy walnut grip, makes the gun feel like it can take a beating (or give one), and be loaded quickly without needing to gingerly re-seat the cylinder in the frame.

The revolver’s gold brass bead front sight is great in a wide variety of lighting conditions, but does tend to get washed out with brightly lit targets on bright sunny days. These sights could probably use some better geometry to help reflect that light better, but I’m no gunsmith, and this is a review gun, so I left them untouched. The sights are adjustable with simple common tools, and I think that my revolver came zeroed for 25 yards from the factory, as it was perfectly zeroed at the 25-yard range, where I have done most of my shooting.

The trigger - a DA/SA setup - is great and is very easy to stage in double action and delightfully light yet still predictable with the hammer cocked. In the 500-some odd rounds I’ve put through the Model 617 so far, I have not had any light primer strikes, ejection failures, or timing issues when using the firearm in either double action or single action. I have not tried to run the revolver into the ground, drop it, or rough-handle it in any way. I have even resisted the urge to fan the hammer, although, in this case, I don’t think it’d be very fun to do so anyway. In short, more testing is needed, but as it stands, the revolver is accurate, reliable, and built like a tank.

Thoughts Going Forward

You guys will notice that I haven’t put in any demonstrative accuracy data for the Model 617 - that’s because I want to give the revolver a proper chance at quite possibly stretching its legs out to much greater distances. Sometime in the next month or so, I plan to get a Picatinny rail added to the Model 617 (it is already drilled and tapped for a K-Frame compatible one), and that’s when we’ll revisit it, slap some glass on it, and see how it does when we try to push it beyond its normal scene.