Say you have a 25-2 with oversize chamber throats making it shoot inaccurately. For many reasons, you don't want to fit a new-style 45ACP cylinder to it.

I know it's possible to get, say, an old style 41 MAG cylinder and machine the cylinders to a perfect 45ACP size. But then the cylinder would be too long right? Would it be possible to reduce the length of the cylinder by machining to it matches the 45ACP length?

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Aaron Terry

Yes, you can do this. The rear of the cylinder also has to be machined as the distance from the rear of a .45 ACP cylinder to the breech face is greater that it is on any of the cylinders for rimmed cartridges. I would propose starting with a Model 27 cylinder. It is about the same overall length as the Model 25 cylinder and would require less work. This is going to be expensive.

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S&WCA 1729

And labor intensive and require the right tooling and then the blueing won't match unless you do the whole gun. Might see if a "Model 22, Model of 1917 - S&W Classics - Blue" cylinder will fit if the issue is a stainless or titanium cylinder being unacceptable.

Thanks guys. I figured this would be expensive but was more curious about whether it would be possible. I think using the Mod. 27 cylinder would be a good idea.

tomcatt51: I thought about this too, but the new cylinders are of a slightly different style so visually it would be different. I wonder though... would it require different parts? I don't think so, just visually different.

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Aaron Terry

Shouldn't require parts other than an ejector rod if yours is right hand thread. I'm not too keen on stainless cylinders in blued frames but the titanium cylinders in 25-2's look pretty nice. S&W will fit/install them.