Model 25 4 inch?

[mike56]

Are the Smith Model 25, .45colt in a 4 inch barrel common?
Their new classic series only shows 6.5 barrel.
Saw only 1 25-9 on gunbroker.

[DR505]

I don't know how many were made in comparison to the longer barrels, but it took me a while to acquire a 25-9 with a 4" barrel. I had been looking for several years. Seems I could always find a 6" or 6.5" of the various models. Maybe the 4" don't get sold as often because the owners hang on to them.

[richcory]

I know I’m not selling either of my 25-5’s. One of them a nickel 4”.

Cory

[robertrwalsh]

I don't know. I do know it took me a year or two of semi-serious looking to find mine. In that time I passed on several of the longer barrel samples.

[CH4]

The 4” 25-9 is a beautiful piece.

[ISCS Yoda]

A 25 in 4" was a grail gun for me for years.

Original:



Present:

[richcory]

Just realized I failed to provide the photos. 6" blued & 4" nickel.

Cory

[richcory]

A photo together.

Cory

[Grayfox]

Believe it or not, the 4" Model 25s in .45 Colt were fairly popular with Police officers back when revolvers still ruled. They liked the big holes and were more shootable than full house .357s with less over penetration concerns. Perhaps that's where many of them went?
I bought my 1985 4" 25-5 from a retired Sheriff's Dept Captain who carried it for many years.
In my local PD we had a Sergeant who carried one up until the day he was given a direct order to switch to the department issue Beretta 92 FS in the mid-90s. He still kept the 25-5 in his patrol car just in case.

[Art Doc]

I don't know exact production numbers but it seems from my limited observation that the 25-5 wasn't as commonly seen as most other models. I see more 6" 25s than 4" versions.

The 25-5 came out in the late 70s and made the transition to the unpinned barrel. I looked for 10 years hoping to find a 4" pinned 25-5 in nickel. Never did. I settled for one in blue when I found one at a local show 6 or 7 years back.

[bananaman]

Originally Posted by richcory

Just realized I failed to provide the photos. 6" blued & 4" nickel.

Cory

They are nice guns! The nickel example is BEAUTIFUL! I am partial to 25, and 45 Colt.
Only have 1 now. 25-15. What a pleasure to shoot! Bob

[ColbyBruce]

The DeKalb county, GA PD carried 4” 25-5’s year ago. There were plenty of surplus guns available in metro Atlanta when the department switched to Beretta 92’s. I bought mine around that time from a gun shop in Athens. I do not believe those guns were department marked.

[PALADIN85020]

The model 25-5s are some of my favorite Smiths. Along the way, I've managed to pick up one of each barrel length. Perfect combination of power and recoil management.

John

[41 fan]

I believe the model 25's issued by the DeKalb county police department had standard grooved triggers instead of the wide target version.

[Buford57]

This one fell into my lap at a LGS last year. It is promised to a friend (and forum member) in my will.

[ColbyBruce]

Originally Posted by 41 fan

I believe the model 25's issued by the DeKalb county police department had standard grooved triggers instead of the wide target version.

My 25-5 is as you describe. I know a few members from GA have such guns; perhaps they will post photos.

Here is mine.

[richcory]

Originally Posted by bananaman

They are nice guns! The nickel example is BEAUTIFUL! I am partial to 25, and 45 Colt.
Only have 1 now. 25-15. What a pleasure to shoot! Bob

Thanks, I bought them both on the forum. The nickel one is wearing elk stocks as it didn’t come with the original wood ones.

Cory

[kraynky]

I had a 45 colt in a 625 a few years back, and ended up swapping it for a 1006. I started missing it almost immediately. I soon ran across a Ruger Vaquero in 45 colt, while it was it was a nice gun, it just wasn't close enough.

Then about two years ago a fellow member here was looking to trade his 25-5 for a smaller gun his wife could enjoy, so we worked out a trade. I couldn't be any happier with it! While I'd still like to have another Mountain Gun again some day, I won't let this one go to get it.

[greenmachine]

I have these three.

[Loyaljeeper]

Originally Posted by ColbyBruce

The DeKalb county, GA PD carried 4” 25-5’s year ago. There were plenty of surplus guns available in metro Atlanta when the department switched to Beretta 92’s. I bought mine around that time from a gun shop in Athens. I do not believe those guns were department marked.

Did the GSP have 25s before the model 19s? I believe I heard one time they did.

[ColbyBruce]

I have no idea if the GSP ever carried S&W 25-5's. S&W made a 26-1 GS commemorative .45 Colt but I have only seen three of those over the years. GSP did issue the Glock 37 & 39 .45 GAP a few years ago.

[Loyaljeeper]

Originally Posted by ColbyBruce

I have no idea if the GSP ever carried S&W 25-5's. S&W made a 26-1 GS commemorative .45 Colt but I have only seen three of those over the years. GSP did issue the Glock 33 & 39 .45 GAP a few years ago.

I believe you meant to say Glock 37 and 39. The GSP, and Atlanta PD, have done some strange things with duty weapons over the last 20 or so years.

I believe the GSP Commemorative Set was a model 26. I believe they had issued 25s though. Then Pyhons and 19s before standardizing to model 66s. Then GSP went G17 to G22 to G37/39 to G17 to G45. I thought when they went back to 9mm in 2015 everyone got a 42 also. One of the guys I know swore up and down he didn’t get a new backup but still had the G39. It’s hard to keep up with them.

[ColbyBruce]

There is one of the GSP commemorative 26 models on display at the GBI headquarters here.

Several gun shops here had boxes of former GSP Glocks in .45 GAP collecting dust for years. I had a couple of the sub compact 39's, all they are good for is fishing guns.

[ISCS Yoda]

Believe it or not, the 4" Model 25s in .45 Colt were fairly popular with Police officers back when revolvers still ruled. They liked the big holes and were more shootable than full house .357s with less over penetration concerns.

Back around 1988 or so, maybe 1990, when I was in the Navy Reserve Intelligence Command, one of the other Petty Officers was a Dallas PD officer who carried a 4" Model 25 in .45 Colt. HE is the reason a 4" m25 was a grail gun for me for such a long time.

He was probably the only one, except other LEOs, permitted to carry a gun onto the base until the passage of the concealed handgun law. We had to turn them over to the base police and retrieve them only when we were headed home.

[robertrwalsh]

A buddy of mine who was with the Cal. State Police carried a 4" as a personally owned duty weapon for years. When the SP was disbanded and merged into the CHP they told him "NO, you can't do that."

[linde]

Originally Posted by ColbyBruce

The DeKalb county, GA PD carried 4” 25-5’s year ago. There were plenty of surplus guns available in metro Atlanta when the department switched to Beretta 92’s. I bought mine around that time from a gun shop in Athens. I do not believe those guns were department marked.

Originally Posted by 41 fan

I believe the model 25's issued by the DeKalb county police department had standard grooved triggers instead of the wide target version.

Here is one I was told was carried by a Captain in the DeKalb County P.D. According to the factory letter it shipped in December 1980 to the Georgia Public Safety Division (Georgia State Patrol) . . . not sure how it ended up with a member of the DKPD.

Lots of good discussion in this thread about Georgia's history with the S&W 25-5s.
Georgia Highway Patrol shipped 4” Model 25-5

Based on the .451"=.452" throats and the stamped serial number I believe it received a factory replacement cylinder.

Russ

[Andy Taylor]

Originally Posted by robertrwalsh

A buddy of mine who was with the Cal. State Police carried a 4" as a personally owned duty weapon for years. When the SP was disbanded and merged into the CHP they told him "NO, you can't do that."

Sad day when CSP was folded into the CHP. An acquaintance of mine who was a CSP officer took the opportunity to retire. I purchased a Sig P220 from him at that time.

[Muley Gil]

There were three or four of us that carried M25-5s at my PD. I bought mine, a blue 4", in June 1980. I round butted it and added Hogue grips. After a couple of years, I sold it to one of my lieutenants. Back about 2008, I bought it back from him. He passed away in 2009. He was one of the finest men I have ever known.

This one has the pinned barrel and a "N" serial number. The throats in the chambers won't pass a .451" bullet and it shoots just fine.

It won't be sold again, at least during my lifetime.

[Pine_Worker]

I had a 25-5 4” barrel back in 2012, good gun.

[ColbyBruce]

When I got home today I looked at my 25-5; it has a 844XXX serial number and a pinned barrel. I never checked the throats. It shoots fairly well for me. It shoots much better for my brother.

[Andy Taylor]

Back around 1998 or 99 I decided I wanted a 4". I started calling the various LGS around town. My second call was to a shop I rarely went to, because they were on the opposite side of the city and I really didn't like going to that part of town. However I knew they usually had a good stock of used guns. Low and behold, they had one. I asked if they could hold it for me. I went right down and bought it. I had it for several years and even carried it working armed security. Liked it enough that I also added a 6" to my stable. Several years ago I decided that I wanted to consolidate to fewer calibers. The .45 Colt didn't make the cut. So they were sold and helped finance the purchase of a new to me Chevy Suburban. Still have that.

[Art Doc]

Mine is just shy of N922,000 and is pinned. Must have been one of the last ones.

[kraynky]

[QUOTE=Muley a blue 4", in June 1980. I round butted it and added Hogue grips. This one has the pinned barrel and a "N" serial number. [/QUOTE]


I'd like to see that RB'ed 25! Sounds pretty nice.

[Muley Gil]

Originally Posted by kraynky

I'd like to see that RB'ed 25! Sounds pretty nice.

I'll see what I can do.

[Chukar60]

I looked for years for a 4” 25 in 45 Colt. Never found the right one and finally settled on a 625-6 Mountain Gun. Not the same. Just not the same, but close enough to provide a lot of enjoyment.

[StrawHat]

Originally Posted by kraynky

I'd like to see that RB'ed 25! Sounds pretty nice.

While we are waiting for Muley Gil, here is one I did back in the 80s.

Kevin

[jack the toad]

While I have more 25’s in ACP than Colt and more 625’s than 25’s, here’s 2 blued -5’s and a -9. Top is late N prefix (non pinned), second is AUC prefix (cut for moon clips), last is -9. All seem to shoot ok but never gaged charge holes.



ETA:
I had a blued 4" pinned -5 with loose charge holes that I sold to a gun bud that was aware of the problem but wanted it anyway. It did make a difference, at least on mine.

[jcelect]

Every one is assuming the OP meant the 25-5! However, he wrote "Model 25, 45 Colt"(no dash)! The answer to this question is, they are rare! The 25 was the 1955 Model .45 Target Heavy Barrel which was made in 45ACP with a few in 45 Colt! In 1978 the 25-5 became the standard production gun for the 45 Colt cartridge!
jcelect

[Richardford]

I still have my 4 inch un-pinned from Early 80's. I had 3 of them at one time but the throats were too big on 2 of them so I sold them. They didn't shoot very well. The one I kept shoots really good. Nice guns. Mine is probably a 98+ condition.

[Doug M.]

Forum member "Nyeti" has posted here about carrying a .45 Colt as a duty weapon and the success he and others in his agency had. As duty revolvers go, one of those with a Marlin 1894 in the same caliber with some mods would do most things adequately well. Not sure it would be a good choice for ME due to hand size ...but I carried an M58 for quite a while and did just fine with it.

[OldChief]

Here's my 1980 25-5 4" with pinned barrel, very accurate shooter.