I've been keeping an eye out for a nice S&W 45 Colt for awhile now & missed getting a 625-5 that would have filled the bill but this one seems worth the wait. I found this nice Model 25-13, 45 Colt, 5" full lug barrel, limited distributor edition at the recent gun show, complete with the factory box & paperwork, being sold by an individual. Virtually unused with purportedly only half a box shot thru it.

It's a Colorado Commemorative Special, "Rocky Mountain Ram", 1 of 300, that has a blued carbon steel frame, with gold etched ram's head & lettering, and a bead blasted stainless steel (1.670" long) cylinder. It wears Ahrends Cocobolo finger-grooved wood grips, & also included a set of soft rubber Hogue round butt grips from the factory. For sights it's equipped with a red Hi-Viz (.270") front sight & a black notched (.126") rear sight. The trigger (.300") is smooth while the hammer is a checkered combat (.400"). Weight: 44.4oz with the wood grips. Product code: 160928.

The SCSW says it's was a 2004 model offering but the box/fired case shows this one was made in Sept-2003. What surprised me the most, if I read the SCSW (2006) correctly, is that the Model 25, in 45 Colt, was not previously cataloged with a 5" bbl. & additionally this is the only Model 25 that had a full lug barrel. Is that correct? I don't know what models have been offered since then but that seems to put this variation in limited company, in that regard.

Does anybody remember the name of the distributor (sporting goods supplier?) that commissioned this from S&W?

The SCSW also shows that this model had a start serial number of CTA21xx but mine has a CTA14xx serial number.

Dimensionally the cylinder chambers & throats are ideally sized so I'm hoping it likes to shoot cast lead bullets as much as I do. Barrel-cylinder gap is .006" & the trigger pull is a crisp 4-1/2#. The red Hi-Viz stands out pretty good, when sighting, & I'm anxious to see if it's well regulated to the rear's height, for what I'll be shooting.

While I guess this one could be called my second "pinto", the first was blue & white, had three more cylinders & was pretty ordinary for the time ('74 Pinto). This one seems just a little more unique, & might just have more power.

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25-13, Rocky Mtn Ram

(-02b)

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25-13, Rocky Mtn Ram

(-04b)

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25-13, Rocky Mtn Ram

(-05b)

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25-13, Rocky Mtn Ram

(-07b)

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25-13, Rocky Mtn Ram

(-08b)

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25-13, Rocky Mtn Ram

(-09b)

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PS: It was posted in a related thread that these guns were made for Sports Authority Group/Gart Brothers.
As for the wooden grips, I believe they are Ahrends Cocobolo S&W Tactical Grips, Square Butt Finger Groove model grips.
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Waiting for the break of day

You done good. Have always liked .45 Colt chambered S&Ws over just about any other caliber in the N frame. A giant mound of .44s later, some .41s and that opinion hasn't changed.

Very nice!

Love the two tone (pinto) look.

BTW: I like the gage pin backdrop.

Your first pinto must have been the "Sprint" edition.

With luck, your second pinto -- nice score and great photos -- won't have a tendency to "go off" when struck forcefully from the rear.

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

Pintos usually don't strike me, but I love that one. Nice score.

That is beautiful! Saw one up on Gunbroker recently, but yours looks even nicer.

Not real big on the engraving, but I like that it's a 45 LC and the two-tone scheme.

I believe the Model 25-7 came with a 5" barrel, although it just had an ejector rod shroud - not a full underlug. Nothing sweeter than 5" N-frame.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

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NRA Benefactor Member

Bluedot;
I believe you have a unique handgun. Since I am a shooter (and you apparently are too), we can definitely relate. This should be a most useful shooter for both range and field.

My .45 ACP 625's are my most shot revolvers. I typically run 5000-7500 rounds per year through mine.

Congratulations on a great new acquisition!

Dale53

You're correct. I must have scanned it too quickly & that line is formatted differently, so I missed it. Thanks!
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That's about how I'm usually on engraving too. At least it's not too bold, or excessive, so it's other pluses outweigh it for me. It's kind of grown on me the more I look at it though. There's always the left side, if I'm in the mood for the "clean" look.
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The paint scheme I changed mine to came out a few years after mine. I can't remember if it was called "Sprint". I'm thinking it might have been a "Grabber" theme, flat white (or flat black) on the hood & hatchback upper surfaces, & mirrors. I got 11 good years of service out of it, fortunately.
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Thanks, guys! I loaded up an assortment of ammo for it so hopefully I can get to the range this week to see what it likes & how it shoots. I had a bunch of 45 Colt brass from the 454C I just sold so I "justified" getting this to shoot them in.

I think I saw where somebody thought the guns distributor was a sporting goods supplier & they have since gone out of business? I'm curious to find out for sure.

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Waiting for the break of day

Awesome photos Blue, Ted

Got to the range & I'm real happy with how it shot.

The front & rear sights are well regulated. I adjusted the rear to mid-setting before & that turned out to be good for the majority of the (14) various loads I had. The (3) different powders I had loaded for the 250gr LRNFP loads shot great, with no leading (.452" throats) though I think I'll lower the Longshot a few tenths. Looks like I4227 will be a bit too slow for this level of loads as there was a fair amount of unburnt powder left. Good old 2400 performed well, as usual.

I rechecked the trigger pull & it's now a more appropriate 3-1/2# after use. This gun's going to be fun.

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Waiting for the break of day