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S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present All NON-PINNED Barrels, the L-Frames, and the New Era Revolvers


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Old 08-05-2022, 01:13 PM
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Default 625-3 45 Colt

I have a 625-3 3” in 45 ACP. Can it be converted to 45 Colt? Maybe with a different cylinder so I could swap cylinders and have both calibers. Thanks in advance.
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Old 08-05-2022, 01:15 PM
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Yep, just takes $$$

I have the same gun and wish it were in 45 Colt. Will need to fit a longer cylinder and have the barrel extension shortened accordingly.
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Last edited by CH4; 08-05-2022 at 01:23 PM.
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Old 08-05-2022, 03:02 PM
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[QUOTE=CH4;141533437]Yep, just takes $$$

I have the same gun and wish it were in 45 Colt. Will need to fit a longer cylinder and have the barrel extension shortened accordingly.[/QUOTE
If converted this way, you cannot use the 45 ACP cylinder again, it will be too short!
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Old 08-11-2022, 01:33 PM
ladder13 ladder13 is offline
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So how does one convert a 625 to 45 Colt?
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Old 08-11-2022, 02:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ladder13 View Post
So how does one convert a 625 to 45 Colt?
A variety of methods will work.

Because all of the 625 45 colts use the longer 44 mag length cylinder in order to use a factory 45 colt cylinder you must shorten the barrel extension about 1/10" and recut forcing cone. You also have to trim frame lug about .040 because a ACP gun's lug is longer because of cylinder also being shorter to the rear for clip to hold rimless cases.

You could leave the barrel extension alone if you made the cylinder from a 6 shot 627 cylinder reamed to 45 colt. But, those cylinders would be hard to find at this point. You could also machine of the face of a factory 45 colt cylinder to the correct length to get the barrel to cylinder fit correct on an ACP gun. You would still have to trim about.040 off the frame lug because the acp is shorter at rear for clips

Shortening the frame lug to accommodate a rimmed Colt case cylinder in a acp gun will cause the ACP cylinder to slide back when open and ejecting, but it will close up fine as the center pin hitting the recoils shield moves it back. You can avoid going to the shorter frame lug by making a .040 long by about .040 deep around rear OD of Colt cylinder which allows the cylinder to clearance the acp lug instead of lug clearing cylinder. I did this on one once and it worked fine.

Another method is to fit the longer 45 colt cylinder and then clearance the center of it for moon clips. The colt rims then headspace on the ring of steel left on the .OD. I currently have 2 that use this method. Some velocity and accuracy may be lost with the ACP rounds as there is some space before they fit throats tight.


Another way is to simply ream the acp chambers just deep enough that the 45 colt rounds headspace by the front of the case the same as semi auto rounds to in a pistol chamber. I do not like this method. First the big colt uses a roll crimp that may vary the seating depth some and if you reloaded them using a taper crimp ala acp the heavier bullets might jump crimp and the shorter acp length cylinders are just long enough for most 45 colt rounds to start with.

The very best method is to simply by several guns in both

I have 6 45 colts 4 acps and that fire both 2 acp/colt

I gave up on the dual cylinder 45s, not because they did not work, but changing cylinders is a pain when there is no need.

A 4" stainless 45acp/colt (actually made using a 629-1 frame)


A 3 1/4" 45 acp/colt with a cut down grip frame, made from a 1917 and a chopped 1950 barrel

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Old 08-12-2022, 12:15 PM
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Steelslayer, what is the knife in the above picture? Home made or commercial? What is the handle materiel?
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Old 08-12-2022, 01:02 PM
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I made the knife too. The blade is from 3/16" thick D2 hardened and tempered to 61 RC. Fittings are 304 stainless and the wood is stabilized maple burl.

It is slaver not slayer by the way. As in I force steel to do my bidding.
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