Last updated October 2026 · By Nick Hall, who ran 250 rounds through a Smith & Wesson Model 29 N-frame for our review
Quick take: Smith & Wesson has launched two .45-caliber N-frame revolvers patterned on the World War I M1917, the Model 1917 Classic and the Model 22 Classic. Both list at $1,299 on S&W’s site, and the shorter Model 22 also fires .45 Colt without moon clips.
- What it is: Two six-shot, blued carbon steel N-frame revolvers in .45 ACP with smooth walnut grips, lanyard loops and no internal lock.
- Price: S&W lists both the Model 1917 Classic (SKU 14057) and the Model 22 Classic (SKU 14058) at $1,299.
- Where: S&W announced both guns on October 27, 2026, and its product pages show both out of stock and send buyers to retailers and a dealer locator.
- Why it matters: The Model 22 Classic’s cylinder takes .45 ACP in moon clips or .45 Colt loaded straight into the chambers, so one revolver runs two common cartridges.
Most heritage reissues are either museum pieces you are scared to shoot or a famous name stamped on a modern gun that looks nothing like it. This pair splits the difference on purpose. We pulled the spec sheets straight from Smith & Wesson so you don’t have to, and the two guns are built for two very different buyers.
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Table of Contents
What S&W Put in the Model 1917 Classic
S&W’s Model 1917 Classic product page lists the gun as SKU 14057, and its spec sheet gives the full name as the Model 22 of 1917 Classic. It’s a large N-frame in blued carbon steel, double action and single action, with six rounds of .45 ACP in a fluted, moon-clip cut cylinder.
The barrel is 5.5 inches of blued carbon steel with a 1:16 right-hand twist. Up front is a fixed half-moon sight, and the rear is a gutter-style trench cut into the frame, with smooth walnut grips and an original-style lanyard loop at the butt. S&W lists it at 36.6 ounces, 1.71 inches wide and 5.38 inches tall.
The clip detail is the one collectors will care about. S&W’s feature list reads “Compatible with both original-style half-moon clips and modern full-moon clip designs”, and the gun ships with five sets of full moon clips.
S&W’s announcement says the 1917 Classic “captures the spirit and appearance of the original service revolver while delivering the performance standard of today’s manufacturing process.” Fair enough. The spec sheet reads like a parts list for 1917, not a range gun.
The Model 22 Classic Is the One You Shoot
The Model 22 Classic page lists SKU 14058 at the same $1,299. It keeps the blued N-frame, walnut grips, lanyard loop, six-round capacity and 1:16 twist, but cuts the barrel to 4 inches and swaps the half-moon blade for a black serrated ramp front sight.
The bigger change is inside. S&W says the cylinder is “Chambered to fire .45 AUTO using moon clips or .45 Colt ammunition directly in the cylinder.” Its spec sheet calls the cylinder fluted, moon-clip cut and multi-caliber, and the gun ships with five full moon clips like the 1917.
It’s also the handier gun. The spec sheet gives an overall length of 9.38 inches, with the same 1.71-inch width and 5.38-inch height as the 1917, and S&W lists it a little lighter than the long-barrel gun.
The .45 Colt option is the part I’d pay for. If you already reload or stock .45 Colt for a lever gun or a single-action, the Model 22 runs it with no clips at all, and our .45 Colt ammo guide covers which loads are safe in which guns. If you only shoot .45 ACP, the clips are the price of admission.
The M1917 Backdrop
The original M1917 was a six-shot, .45 ACP, large-frame double-action revolver that the US military adopted in 1917 to supplement the M1911 pistol during World War I. Colt and Smith & Wesson each built a version, and it makes our rundown of WW1 guns you can still own.
Rimless pistol ammunition is why the clips exist. A revolver extractor needs a rim to push against, and .45 ACP was designed for the magazine-fed 1911, so the M1917 used clips to hold the cartridges, speed up reloads and pull the empties. Our clip vs magazine explainer walks through how half-moon and full-moon clips work.
S&W later sold a refined commercial version of the gun, first as the Model 1950 and then as the Model 22.
And this isn’t the first time the Classic line has carried these names. S&W reintroduced the Model 1917 and the Model 22 as Classics in 2007.
Why No Internal Lock Matters to Revolver Buyers
S&W’s product pages lead with it: both are listed as “NO INTERNAL LOCK”. For plenty of S&W revolver buyers that line matters as much as the barrel length.
On a gun whose whole job is to look like 1917, a keyhole in the frame would have been a strange choice. S&W skipped it.
I ran 250 rounds through a Model 29 for our Smith & Wesson Model 29 review, and the N-frame is a big, heavy gun that soaks up recoil well. At 36.6 ounces with .45 ACP in the cylinder, the 1917 Classic should be a soft shooter, though we have not fired either Classic yet.
When You Can Buy the Model 1917 Classic and Model 22 Classic
S&W’s announcement, dated October 27, 2026, says it “today announces the release” of both guns and calls the Model 22 Classic “available starting today”. The product pages list $1,299 for each, show them out of stock in S&W’s own store and route buyers to retailers and a dealer locator.
That $1,299 is S&W’s list price, and dealers set their own once guns land on their counters, so if you want one early, ask your local shop to order it by SKU (14057 for the 1917, 14058 for the Model 22) rather than waiting for one to show up in the case.
Pick by what you want the gun to do. The 1917 Classic is the collector piece with the right sight, the right barrel and the right clips. The Model 22 Classic is the one that goes to the range every weekend.
Same N-frame. Same walnut. Two different reasons to spend $1,299.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Smith & Wesson Model 1917 Classic?
It is a six-shot, double-action/single-action .45 ACP revolver built on Smith & Wesson's large N-frame in blued carbon steel, patterned on the World War I M1917 service revolver. It has a 5.5-inch barrel with a 1:16 twist, a half-moon front sight, a gutter-style rear sight, smooth walnut grips, a lanyard loop and no internal lock. S&W's spec sheet calls it the Model 22 of 1917 Classic, SKU 14057.
How much do the Model 1917 Classic and Model 22 Classic cost?
Smith & Wesson lists both revolvers at $1,299 on its website. Dealer prices can differ from S&W's list price.
What is the difference between the Model 1917 Classic and the Model 22 Classic?
The Model 1917 Classic has a 5.5-inch barrel, a half-moon front sight and a .45 ACP cylinder. The Model 22 Classic has a 4-inch barrel, a black serrated ramp front sight and a multi-caliber cylinder that fires .45 ACP in moon clips or .45 Colt loaded directly. Both are blued N-frames with walnut grips, lanyard loops, six-round cylinders and no internal lock.
Can the Model 22 Classic shoot .45 Colt?
Yes. Smith & Wesson says the Model 22 Classic is chambered to fire .45 ACP using moon clips or .45 Colt ammunition directly in the cylinder. The Model 1917 Classic is listed in .45 ACP only.
Do the new S&W Classic revolvers come with moon clips?
Yes. Smith & Wesson says both revolvers ship with five sets of full moon clips. The Model 1917 Classic's cylinder also accepts original-style half-moon clips, which hold three rounds each.
Do the Model 1917 Classic and Model 22 Classic have an internal lock?
No. Smith & Wesson lists both revolvers with no internal lock system.
What was the original M1917 revolver?
The M1917 was a six-shot, .45 ACP, large-frame double-action revolver adopted by the US military in 1917 to supplement the M1911 pistol during World War I. Colt and Smith & Wesson each built a version, and both used moon clips because the .45 ACP cartridge is rimless.
Where can I buy the Model 1917 Classic?
Smith & Wesson's own store lists it as out of stock, and its product page sends buyers to retailers and a dealer locator, so the simplest route is to ask a local dealer to order SKU 14057 for the Model 1917 Classic or SKU 14058 for the Model 22 Classic.
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