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11/8/2019 6:04:18 AM

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Section 8: Handguns
Subject: M-37 Msg# 1060485

From:

TJ Parmele

Joined 6/1/2005

To:

Mark Freburg (Read) Forum Manager

Joined 4/3/2000

I have had numerous Brazilian Contract as well as non-Brazilian models. I keep coming back to them, and I decided to actually keep the 5 inch barreled one this time. You've seen the snub-nose variant that I stupidly traded for. Will probably send it, along with the parts I bought from you out to get re-worked by a custom smith after Christmas.

As for the Brazilian contracts, IIRC some of the sources said the contract was met with parts on hand from WWI. I'm not sure if I really believe that, but I can for the initial run. I'm thinking the total contract was for 25,000 model 1917 revolvers.

They sure are fun to shoot. Hell, my 625-2 is simply a later version of that venerable revolver, made with a different steel, with an underlug on the barrel.

Image below from TJ Parmele - Image Title: Model 1917 and 625-2
Image Info: Smith and Wesson Model 1917 and 625-2

For reference, the above message is a reply to a message where:
My son has one of those S&W .45ACP revolvers that uses moon clips. Not surprisingly it's one of his most treasured firearms. His was actually part of a contract Smith & Wesson produced for the Brazilian military in 1937, so it's actually newer than anything the U.S. military had in inventory all the way up through your military time, than the ones you guys had dated from WWI, with refurbishment in WWII. The only difference was that the U.S. military guns were Parkerized starting in 1918 along with all other U.S. military weapons, ans the Brazilians wanted their S&W revolvers polished and blued. Fine weapons indeed.

In actuality both those S&W revolvers and the M1911A1 had five inch barrels, so regarding performance both would probably fared about the same against bears. Both should have been fine against garden variety black bears, but if you fellas ran across Grizzlies or Brown bears, it would probably need an effort by your whole team of survivors to empty your .45ACPs in one of those monsters. Yikes.

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