In my mind, the Model 25-2 that S&W should have made in numbers, in addition to the fine 6-1/2 inch gun, was a Model 25-2 with a 4 inch barrel with the same profile as the longer one, with the same ejector rod shroud, with a ramp front sight blade. It would have been sweet. The later Model 625-3 and later Mountain Guns in .45 ACP have proven how wonderful such a .45 caliber holster gun can be.

Once you find good bullets and a powder charge that gives you a 230 grainer at 830 fps, and a 250-260 grainer at 860 fps, loadings that fire that big, heavy, large diameter chunk of lead with authority, but not belching fire and ear-splitting blasts, bullets that go "CHUNK' really hard at both launch and impact, you have got the makings of a useful and confidence building day in hand. The glamour of the raucous, flash and racket booming .44 Mags diminishes. I find a day at the range with a bucket full of standard .45 Colt and .45 ACP cartridges lets me enjoy a day of pounding mother earth with some authority, doing a lot of shooting , projecting useful power and allowing me to go home at the end of the day with my hands still not numb and aching and my ears not ringing but me still feeling I got some serious thumping accomplished.

I enjoy a range afternoon with 250-350 rounds of .45 ACP and/or .45 Colt to shoot. The same quantity of 250-260 grain bullets being shot at 1,470 to 1,530 fps with their extra noise, blast and recoil leaves me just a lot more tired at the end of the day. I feel beat up, instead of just having done some work.

The mid-power big bores are where it is at.