Picked up a 617 as a second gun - Have some questions

[kf4zht]

I've been shooting icore for about 3 years now, mostly with a 625 running moons. Recently the club said that they would do a .22 group also and for $5 extra you can run two guns. Been eyeing the 617s for a while and it was enough to convince me. Got a few questions after looking around

 

Speedloaders - are speedbeez the only game? I can't find an HKS that lists as fitting. If it is speedbeez I see you can save a few bucks on the polymer over the aluminum. Worth it or spend the extra?

 

Ammo - any major recommendations for most reliable ammo? I know reliable and 22 is a something of a relative thing

 

Trigger - While I would love it to match my 625 I know that 22 is going to have ignition issues. Searches range from only touching the strain screw to the JM trigger springs to the springs with an extended firing pin. I'd prefer not to run an extended FP so I can dryfire it safer. Whats the current recommendation. Its a new production model. 

 

 

[IowaNewbie]

DS10 speed loaders are the other option.

 

https://ds10speed.wordpress.com/

 

Dave is a great guy too.

 

The good thing about revolvers is that the ammo doesn't have to cycle the action so more ammo works well in revolvers than in semi-autos.

Edited September 17, 2020 by IowaNewbie
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[MikeBurgess]

I have the DS-10 speed loaders for mine, I believe they were the original, they are all plastic and cost a little less than the speed bees, not sure if they load as fast as I have never used the Speed Beez 

 

mine has the trigger down around 8 or 9 lb (my trigger gauge doesn't read that high) and will run federal bulk pack ammo pretty much 100% it varies with other ammo, all I did was adjust the main spring, I bent mine rather than play with the strain screw. I have heard that with a apex hammer and extended firing pin you can get into the 7lb range.

 

 

[Demus319]

I use my 617 for Speed Challenge and to practice for icore when I work on cardio movements. I did my trigger and you can see I had a custom barrel done. Great gun. I use manly Blazers. Never a problem. 

[Kustom]

10 hours ago, Demus319 said:

I use my 617 for Speed Challenge and to practice for icore when I work on cardio movements. I did my trigger and you can see I had a custom barrel done. Great gun. I use manly Blazers. Never a problem. 

 

Looks good. How does your revolver do in RFOP? I'm would like to buy a .22 revolver as a trainer, and to do Steel Challenge but am afraid of being blown away by automatics.

[Makicjf]

51 minutes ago, Kustom said:

Looks good. How does your revolver do in RFOP? I'm would like to buy a .22 revolver as a trainer, and to do Steel Challenge but am afraid of being blown away by automatics.

One of the great things about Steel Challenge, in my opinion, is that the indian is truly more important than the arrow.  Parity between divisions is much closer for revo's (especially optic revo's) than in any other shooting sport.  Good starts, crisp transitions and breaking shots as the dot touches the plate should go along ways towards equalizing the trigger pull time advantage of auto .22's.  Moreover, your risk of malfunction ,given a proper set up, is substantially less than a .22 auto.   I'd say precise, dedicated practice should get you close  to the  "any given Sunday" point in RFPO.  Just my opinion.  Also, I've never shot RFPO with a revo, so I'm truly extrapolating...

It would be pretty cool to keep the space guns honest with a revo ,though! 

 

Peak Stage Times Used for Classification

Division	SC-101	SC-102	SC-103	SC-104	SC-105	SC-106	SC-107	SC-108
Iron Sight Revolver	13.5	12	10.5	15.75	13	14.25	14	11
Limited	12.5	9.5	9.5	13.5	10.5	12.5	12.5	9.5
Optical Sight Revolver	12.25	10.5	10	14.25	12.75	13.5	12.75	10.5
Rimfire Pistol Iron	10.5	9	8	13	9.5	11.5	11	8.5
Rimfire Pistol Open	9	7.5	7	11.5	8.5	9.5	10	7.5
Rimfire Rifle Open	9.5	7	7	11	8.5	9	9	7
Production	13	10	10	14	11.5	13	13	10
Rimfire Rifle Iron	10	7.5	7.5	12	9	10	10.25	7.75
Open	11.5	9.5	8.5	12.5	10.5	11.5	11.5	8.5
Single Stack	13.25	10.5	10.25	14.75	11.75	13.5	13.5	10.5
Carry Optics	13	10	10	14	11	13	13	10
PCC Optics	9.5	7	7	11.5	8.75	9.25	9.5	7.5
PCC Iron	11	8.5	8	12.5	10	11	11	8

Edited September 18, 2020 by Makicjf

[DS-10-SPEED]

I wish that all SCSA matches were equal in divisions, I have competed in the Indiana State SCSA match and they have added divisions years ago for Rimfire Revolver Iron and Rimfire Revolver Optic, other states do it only for centerfire, why not rimfire? The Michigan State SCSA match last year put me in the same division as the Semi-autos against super fast guys, it's too bad things are not equal.

Edited September 18, 2020 by DS-10-SPEED
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[Tampa-XD45]

13 hours ago, Demus319 said:

I use my 617 for Speed Challenge and to practice for icore when I work on cardio movements. I did my trigger and you can see I had a custom barrel done. Great gun. I use manly Blazers. Never a problem. 

 

Looks good. Who did the cylinder & barrel work?

[Kustom]

1 hour ago, Makicjf said:

One of the great things about Steel Challenge, in my opinion, is that the indian is truly more important than the arrow.  Parity between divisions is much closer for revo's (especially optic revo's) than in any other shooting sport.  Good starts, crisp transitions and breaking shots as the dot touches the plate should go along ways towards equalizing the trigger pull time advantage of auto .22's.  Moreover, your risk of malfunction ,given a proper set up, is substantially less than a .22 auto.   I'd say precise, dedicated practice should get you close  to the  "any given Sunday" point in RFPO.  Just my opinion.  Also, I've never shot RFPO with a revo, so I'm truly extrapolating...

It would be pretty cool to keep the space guns honest with a revo ,though! 

 

Peak Stage Times Used for Classification

Division	SC-101	SC-102	SC-103	SC-104	SC-105	SC-106	SC-107	SC-108
Iron Sight Revolver	13.5	12	10.5	15.75	13	14.25	14	11
Limited	12.5	9.5	9.5	13.5	10.5	12.5	12.5	9.5
Optical Sight Revolver	12.25	10.5	10	14.25	12.75	13.5	12.75	10.5
Rimfire Pistol Iron	10.5	9	8	13	9.5	11.5	11	8.5
Rimfire Pistol Open	9	7.5	7	11.5	8.5	9.5	10	7.5
Rimfire Rifle Open	9.5	7	7	11	8.5	9	9	7
Production	13	10	10	14	11.5	13	13	10
Rimfire Rifle Iron	10	7.5	7.5	12	9	10	10.25	7.75
Open	11.5	9.5	8.5	12.5	10.5	11.5	11.5	8.5
Single Stack	13.25	10.5	10.25	14.75	11.75	13.5	13.5	10.5
Carry Optics	13	10	10	14	11	13	13	10
PCC Optics	9.5	7	7	11.5	8.75	9.25	9.5	7.5
PCC Iron	11	8.5	8	12.5	10	11	11	8

Thanks for the info. I forgot about the FTF and FTE with the autos.

[mchapman]

8 hours ago, Kustom said:

Looks good. How does your revolver do in RFOP? I'm would like to buy a .22 revolver as a trainer, and to do Steel Challenge but am afraid of being blown away by automatics.

I have some of both and I think that just because I am used to using my wheelguns, my times are actually better with a 617 with dot, than my carbonfiber victory 22 dot gun, but that's not saying I am burning down any barns either.LOL

[Kustom]

3 hours ago, mchapman said:

I have some of both and I think that just because I am used to using my wheelguns, my times are actually better with a 617 with dot, than my carbonfiber victory 22 dot gun, but that's not saying I am burning down any barns either.LOL

Right on!

[Demus319]

12 hours ago, Kustom said:

Looks good. How does your revolver do in RFOP? I'm would like to buy a .22 revolver as a trainer, and to do Steel Challenge but am afraid of being blown away by automatics.

It’s tough to be competitive with the simi auto. The main reason I enjoy the 617 is because it’s different and if your fast with it everyone is impressed. It take a lot of work. Plus it’s good training for my 929 for icore.

[Demus319]

10 hours ago, Tampa-XD45 said:

Looks good. Who did the cylinder & barrel work?

Mark at Pinnacle did the barrel and I can’t remember who did the cylinder.

[MWP]

I think until a shooter is below 70, a 617 is equal to other rim fire autos. Once you start getting towards the top of the game the gun you’re  most familiar with is more important than the gun itself. 
 

I honestly think a 617 can break 70. No one has done it, but it’s plenty capable. 

[AzShooter]

I too shoot my 617 for Steel Challenge.  I miss the years when we could shoot Rimfire Revolver Open and Limited but now I shoot against the autos and I'm hving a good time.  Hopefully I'll never have to reload under the clock but if I do at least I know I have the best loaders out there, the DS-10s.  Just a little slower than loading with moon clips on my 929.

 

 

[DS-10-SPEED]

Thanks AZ, I like to use a shot shell belt pouch with 2 pockets. I can easily fit 10 loaded speedloaders in one side and dump the empty loaders and ammo in the other.

 

 

Edited September 19, 2020 by DS-10-SPEED
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[ysrracer]

I

[odjoe]

On 9/17/2020 at 2:49 PM, IowaNewbie said:

DS10 speed loaders are the other option.

 

https://ds10speed.wordpress.com/

 

Dave is a great guy too.

 

The good thing about revolvers is that the ammo doesn't have to cycle the action so more ammo works well in revolvers than in semi-autos.

 + 1 on this dave a good guy^^^^^^^

[odjoe]

On 9/19/2020 at 2:22 AM, AzShooter said:

I too shoot my 617 for Steel Challenge.  I miss the years when we could shoot Rimfire Revolver Open and Limited but now I shoot against the autos and I'm hving a good time.  Hopefully I'll never have to reload under the clock but if I do at least I know I have the best loaders out there, the DS-10s.  Just a little slower than loading with moon clips on my 929.

 

 

what holster you have there ?

[AzShooter]

2 hours ago, odjoe said:

what holster you have there ?

I made the holster.  

[357454]

I currently own both the DS10 Speed loaders and the SpeedBeez, the Speedbeez has a smaller diameter than my old DS10s however the retaining spring has less tension on the cartridges which results in one or two falling out when I pull them out of my holder. From my personal experience a 4" barrel is the way to go, faster out of the holster and noticeably lighter. If you can find a target hammer for your 617 you can get reliable DA pull  below 8 lbs with good ammo. My current gun is at 7 1/4 lbs running Remington's Golden Bullet and a hybrid firing pin. The best firing pin I have seen was a factory hollow that measures .501 and came in a friends 929, worked great in his 617. Some of solid factory firing pins I have seen measured .497 .497 and work well in both centerfire and rimfire  revolvers. 

[Carmoney]

The other nice thing about running DS-10s is that you are supporting the originator and not a copycat.  That's important to me.   

[Wyoming Shooter]

On 10/8/2020 at 8:21 AM, 357454 said:

I currently own both the DS10 Speed loaders and the SpeedBeez, the Speedbeez has a smaller diameter than my old DS10s however the retaining spring has less tension on the cartridges which results in one or two falling out when I pull them out of my holder...

I've had the same problem with my SpeedBeez.  Is there a solution?

[AzShooter]

3 hours ago, Wyoming Shooter said:

I've had the same problem with my SpeedBeez.  Is there a solution?

By DS-10s

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by AzShooter

[Prange]

On 9/19/2020 at 9:22 AM, ysrracer said:

I

That is Spectacular!

 

Who did the work?