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Smith & Wesson is reaching deep into its history books with two new additions to its Classics line: the Model 1917 Classic and Model 22 Classic.
Both are big, blued N-frame revolvers with walnut grips, six-round cylinders and military-style lanyard rings. They look properly old school, but Smith & Wesson builds them with modern materials and manufacturing.
The Model 1917 is the more historically faithful of the pair. The original revolver was developed during World War I when the U.S. military needed more .45-caliber handguns than manufacturers could supply with the M1911 alone. Smith & Wesson adapted its large-frame revolver to fire the rimless .45 ACP cartridge using half-moon clips.
The new Model 1917 carries that look forward with a 5.5-inch barrel, half-moon front sight and oversized ejector rod knob. Its six-round cylinder accepts .45 ACP ammunition using either half-moon or full-moon clips. Smith & Wesson says the revolver ships with five moon clips.
Basically, it is a modern-production version of a classic military wheelgun, complete with the long barrel, simple sights and lanyard loop that give the Model 1917 its unmistakable profile.
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The new Model 22 Classic takes the same basic idea in a slightly handier direction. It uses a shorter 4-inch barrel and a serrated ramp front sight, which should make it quicker to handle and easier to pick up on the range.
The Model 22 also brings some useful caliber flexibility. Shooters can load .45 Auto using moon clips or place .45 Colt cartridges directly into the six-round cylinder. That makes it the more versatile option for anyone who wants the classic N-frame experience without being tied to a single cartridge.
Both revolvers feature blued carbon-steel construction, traditional-style walnut grips and the kind of hefty N-frame build that earned these guns their reputations in the first place. These are not lightweight carry revolvers. They are unapologetically large, steel-framed classics built for shooters who appreciate history, big-bore cartridges and a satisfying double-action trigger pull.
The Model 1917 Classic and Model 22 Classic each carry an MSRP of $1,299.
Learn more about both revolvers and the rest of the Classics lineup at Smith-Wesson.com.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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