At last..a model 25-5 Nickel Plated Beauty!
 

After about a year of searching and a couple of near misses, I have finally found the model 25-5 I was looking for.:D

There has been much discussion on the Forum about this particular model and the cylinder throat dimensions and probably just as many opinions as to whether or not these variances actually affect accuracy. I can't tell you how many sellers I would write to and ask if they would be kind enough to measure the cylinder bores on the gun they were selling and then ending up with either no reply or they were unable to accommodate my requests. I had my mind made up that I had to have one with .452 or .453 throat diameters so I kept looking. After all the searching, turns out one of our own members came to the rescue with this nickel plated beauty with the correct size cylinder. A special thanks to JOHNNY3.

After taking this gun to the range twice and shooting a box of shells each time, I am more than happy with the action, balance (gotta love those 4 inchers") and accuracy. The .45LC rounds are such fun to shoot due to very manageable recoil but yet still having that big bore punch.
Here are the photos of my circa 1980-81 model 25-5 in the .45 Long Colt caliber, S.N. -N826XXX a very welcome addition to my collection. Enjoy the photos! Bob

And let us not forget to pray for our troops!

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What a beauty!

warry pretty!!!!

Nice!. Very very nice!

Big ol' lead bullets, 45LC, NICKEL(!) and the box & docs.

Hell-of-a' 100th post I'd say!

You take good pics too.

GF

Thanks guys.
GF, I didn't realize this was my 100th post, but thanks for pointing that out. I have learned so much from all of the members of this fine Forum about collecting, restoring, maintaining, preserving AND photographing Smith & Wesson firearms that it is indeed a pleasure to be a member. Keeps me coming back every day! Bob

N-frame + Nickle = Viagra made of steel and wood.

Beautiful gun and those stocks are particularly nice too.

I recently acquired a nickle 29-2 to go with all my "blue" guns and wonder why it took so long to go shiny.

Yeah, it's hard to find a seller willing to measure the throats on a gun. Everyone seems to be way more concerned with the finish. There is more to a gun than that.

Congrats on a nice gun. :D

Very nice. Beautiful wood. I shudder at the thought of what you had to pay for it.

I buy lead bullets sized .454 and they work well in all of my 45 Colt caliber revolvers.

Actually I thought I got a pretty fair deal on it. $750.00 shipped for the gun only. I picked up the presentation case which needed relined ( did that myself ) and the documents and tools so all told I have about $850.00 in the package which I am very happy with considering the fine condition of the gun.

Great job, Bob. As others have stated, great gun, photos, and presentation case.

David

'Tis a beauty.

Much want!:cool:

That is one sweet piece. Makes big holes too.

I think there is a possibility that your gun shipped in a blue box rather than the wood presentation. I just picked a blue model that came with a blue one piece box, serial number is pretty close to yours. Still, it looks better in the presentation case. Great looking gun. Had it been fired before you got it? I think I'll check the throats on mine. Might get lucky.

I've got the same gun, ser # N821xxx with proper sized throats. Seems like S&W corrected the problem awhile before. Joe

That is a beautiful revolver congratulations.

MAG-NUM that's a beautiful gun! You did a fine job on the case. I have a mint 27 8 3/8" nickle but the presentation box is nowhere as nice as yours.

I sold a lot of Smith & Wessons back in that time frame, I worked for a sporting goods shop in Wichita. I remember the presentation cases coming in a separate cardboard box from the box the gun was in. Maybe not always, but I do remember that.

OP: Gorgeous gun, I think S&W must have put their nicest grips on the nickel guns.

Thanks for all the positive comments guys:)


Nightowl, it is possible that this gun came in a one pc. box and right now there is a mint 25-5 in a one pc. box on GB now but kinda steep..like 995.00 and they will not check the bores...I asked.

I am a big fan of the presentation cases so if the general time frame is correct for the revolver and the cases, you know how I'm gonna go:D

Looks like the gun was fired before I got it, which is fine because that's what I am going to do with it too. Thanks, Bob

Sound like ours were from the same litter:)

I checked out the box and it does not have a label on the end, so perhaps it should have come with the presentation case. Serial is very close to those above. The person I bought it from won it at a police chief's conference many years ago and never shot it. I was there, and do not remember a box (yes, it was a long time ago and I may have forgot). Anyway, the box has the tools and all the paperwork, so I just don't know! I measured the throats and they are a real consistent .456. I am pretty sure I got it in exactly the package he got it. It looks like it was made last week! A wood presentation box would be nice, though.

Model 25
 

I have 5 variations of the model 25 and love shooting them all. Since I fired my first centerfire Smith, a model 28 in 1968, my first love has always been shooting a 45 Colt. My standard line of reference to the beast is its "Like throwing baseballs at a barn."

NRA Benefactor Member

What a beauty
 

This is my first post . Just got into guns . Was at the range firing my new kimber 1911 met this guy who sold me this exact model 25 pictured above he wanted 700 we settled on 500 I just loved the look and feel I thought this gun had a defect with the ( crack ) above the cylinder on the right side but was amazed when I see it in the pictures above. Guess I got a good deal?

Glad you finally found what you wanted - and a very handsome one at that! Nice job re-lining the presentation case. :)

That's one handsome revolver. Congratulations on your find! Enjoy it!

Beautiful pictures, probably shoulda kept it, o-well, enjoy.

I was unaware the 25-5 came with a bright finish. It sure looks better than my blued 25-5

Wow, thats a nice one, good snag! I lucked into a nickeled six inch 25-5 in very nice condition for $600.00, no box. It's a N prefix with oversized throats. I load .455 dia RNL for it and it shoots just fine. I put a set of smooth presentation grips on it as the factory grips were not near as nice as yours.

Beauty.

Where are my sunglasses?

hello,this is my first post here. beautiful gun sir. i have 6 inch nickel "n" prefix 25-5 that i bought a presentation cae for. the case needs re-lined also. where did you get your material and what type glue did you use,thanks you

Beautiful gun. I bought the 6" nickel 25 Classic a year ago. I wanted nickel and correct throat sizes and was not interested in taking the time to search like you did. Something about the N frame .45 Colt that made me happy. Bought a 25-13 4" Mountain Gun and then decided to get a 5" 25-7 to go pre-lock. All are great shooters. The 6.5" Classic with a Wolff spring kit in it is nuts accurate.

I have one just like yours, but mine has the oversize throats. Factory ammo (soft bullets) and reloads with .454 bullets shoot well. Congrats on your find, it's a beauty.