Model 25-5, .45 Colt, Safe Chamber Pressures & Ammo

[5erdriver]

Hi,
I'm new here with a just purchased 25-5 4" bbl that is about 34 years old. It is mainly going to be a fun gun and a back pack gun as I hike a lot in black bear country. I know, get a .44 or .357 for the bears but I don't want one (had them). I'm looking for .45 Colt ammo with more punch than Cowboy loads which fly out around 725~750 fps. I came across some factory reloads topped with 250 gr. copper plated bullets and filled with Tite Group powder advertised to be at 887 fps. I don't know how to calculate chamber pressure or if that info will help. After reading around and gleaning info from those who own this type revolver and reload for themselves, the general consensus is that rounds loaded to 900~1000 fps will not generate enough shock to damage the N frame or internal parts. Do you agree with this? I know to stay away from +P as they are well over 1000 fps and not to be fired in my weapon.

Thanks.

 

[ronnie gore]

45 colt

around 900 fps is what I load my ammo to, will not hurt gun and is pleasant to shoot. I shoot a 4 inch 25-5 and a 625-6, and a ruger single action old model and a new vaquero.

 

[Bearbait in NM]

5er,

I you do a little web searching, this article is linked frequently. John is no stranger to handguns and pressure.

Gunnotes...Smith & Wesson Mod 25-5

I have been loading my 625PC (45acp) to 45 Super levels, and from the amount of shooting I have done, I can at least say with certainty the N Frame in Colt or ACP will handle above book loads. You'll just have to do some research to get your comfort zone.

I love Tightgroup powder, and it will certainly work with upping the velocity some over book, but it is a tad faster (powder) than I would recommend for experimenting on "really" pressing for maximum velocity.

Craig

 

[Doubless]

What Bearbait said... I will guarantee you that John Linebaugh knows more about handgun pressures than almost anyone else alive. If he lists a load as being safe in the 25-5, you can take it to the bank!

 

[5erdriver]

Thanks for the info guys. I settled for some Buffalo Bore rounds topped with 255 gr. hard cast Keith's that should leave the muzzle at around 1000 fps. I was smiling real hard at the 325 gr. HSM Bear Load but their disclaimer says "not suitable for...any S&W revolvers".

 

[USSR]

I have spoken with John Linebaugh on several occasions, and subscribe to his assessment of the safe power level for the 25-5. Since the 25-2 is perfectly safe with .45 ACP+P ammo (23k psi), I keep my 25-5 heavy loads to sub-25k psi pressure levels. Some of my favorite heavy loads using 255gr to 270gr SWC bullets are 18.0gr of 2400, 13.0gr of HS-6, and 22.0gr of 4227. Hope that helps.

Don

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Check out the back issue of Handloader for Brian Pearce's article on the new mid size flat top Ruger in .45 Colt/.45 ACP. He has some really good .45 Colt loads in the standard pressure of 14,000 PSI. I have come to favor Power Pistol powder for my .45 Colt loads.

 

[lebomm]

If I'm not misremembering badly, wasn't the standard load for .45 Colt a 255 gr. RNFP @ about 855 fps for many years ? That was supposed to be a BP-equiv. load suitable for all SAAs, New Services, etc. back to roughly 1890. That strikes me as a pretty potent load, smoke or no.

Larry

 

[kaaskop49]

I clearly remember when the 25-5 in .45LC came out in the early 80s. I immediately bought one. Virtually every review of the gun mentioned the extremely thin metal between the bottom of the cylinder notches and the chamber walls. At that time, they recommended standard factory ammo, the 255gr LRN which was the only load produced back then.

Other bullet loadings soon appeared, such as Federal's 225gr LHP and CCI Blazer's 200gr 'flying ashtray,' but pressures remained pretty much standard.

 

[Snapping Twig]

255g SWC over 9g Unique for 900fps.

Standard load, accurate, hard hitting and comfortable to shoot.

 

[David R]

255g SWC over 9g Unique for 900fps.

Standard load, accurate, hard hitting and comfortable to shoot.

I have shot thousands of these in my 25-7 . Extreme accuracy.

David

 

[Old Corp]

255g SWC over 9g Unique for 900fps.

Standard load, accurate, hard hitting and comfortable to shoot.

^ I'll echo that this has also been my 'standard' M25-5 load for a long time. Shoots accurately, and is a proven game stopper without a bunch of blast and recoil.

 

[DR505]

I like the Linebaugh article and have tried a couple of his recipes in my 25-9. I didn't stoke them quite as hot, but they still pack plenty of wallop. I too try to keep at or below the 23,000 PSI of the .45 ACP +P pressure level. I use a program called "Quickload" to check my loads and look for what is happening inside the firearm. I've found it to be pretty reputable...and they have sold many licenses to Sandia National Labs, for whatever that is worth.

I shoot a 255 grain SWC over 16 grains of 2400 and get good accuracy with comfortable recoil. I still need to chrono the load though. I just picked up a 625 MG and have yet to fire that. So, this thread needs some gratuitous 25/625 pictures!

 

[steelslaver]

If you notice on Linebaugh's loads that the increase between 18gr of 2400 and 22 grains of 2400 for a 260gr bullet gets you just 180fps. I used to be a maximum type guy, but came to realize that that with big bore handguns that a little more velocity doesn't accomplish that much. First of all the trajectories sucks over 100 yards and that doesn't change much from 1000fps to 1400fps. With a 50yrd 0 at 1400fps drop is about 5" at 1400fps and 8" at 1000fps (at 200yds you have 36" of drop with a 240gr 44 mag at 1400fps and 56" at 1000fps). Even the 5" of drop means you had best be able to estimate range and hold over to make a good shot. Anything over 100 yards you need to do it well with either round. Next big heavy bullets do a lot of damage at reasonable velocities. A .452 255gr bullet trundling along at 1000fps doesn't need to expand and will penetrate a lot of flesh and bone.

I believe this so much that I took a 8 3/8" 629 and redid it into a 4" 45acp/colt. I don't believe anything I hit with it is going to walk away that would have gone down with a 1400fps 44 mag slug. I have made 19gr of 2400 my standard even though I used to do 21gr of 2400 and never had a problem. I have 3 S&Ws that fire 45 colt. I like em. I have a 6" 629 and never shoot it. If I could find a 6" stainless 45 barrel, I would convert it.

 

[ElmerKeith]

I like the Linebaugh article and have tried a couple of his recipes in my 25-9. I didn't stoke them quite as hot, but they still pack plenty of wallop. I too try to keep at or below the 23,000 PSI of the .45 ACP +P pressure level. I use a program called "Quickload" to check my loads and look for what is happening inside the firearm. I've found it to be pretty reputable...and they have sold many licenses to Sandia National Labs, for whatever that is worth.

I shoot a 255 grain SWC over 16 grains of 2400 and get good accuracy with comfortable recoil. I still need to chrono the load though. I just picked up a 625 MG and have yet to fire that. So, this thread needs some gratuitous 25/625 pictures!

What size do your bullets have? 452 or 454?

What about the point of impact at 25 yards? Can you hold dead center or at the six o'clock hold because the rear sight can't be moved any lower?

Did you already try your Mountain Gun? Can you describe the difference of the felt recoil while using the same ammunition in both guns?

 

[DR505]

What size do your bullets have? 452 or 454?

The throats in both are 452.

What about the point of impact at 25 yards? Can you hold dead center or at the six o'clock hold because the rear sight can't be moved any lower?

The sight is bottomed out for 25 yard shooting, and I use a 6 o'clock hold on a bullseye target, but at 50 yards it is much closer to POA/POI.

Did you already try your Mountain Gun? Can you describe the difference of the felt recoil while using the same ammunition in both guns?

Haven't shot the MG and the 25 side by side yet with these loads. I just picked up some 270 grain Keith style from RimRock that I need to load. I'll report back when I do. Been away on business much of June and July looks the same, so it will be a while.

 

[Shooter338]

Bought some 265grain keith style from Marshal at Bear tooth Bullets wouldb9grains of Unique be too much pressure or would it be safe?

 

[Shooter338]

Will be shooting them in Smith 25-5, 457 cylinder throats.

 

[Snapping Twig]

Sounds within the bounds of the caliber, but LOOK IT UP!

Never take interweb info as a final word.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Bought some 265grain keith style from Marshal at Bear tooth Bullets wouldb 9grains of Unique be too much pressure or would it be safe?

That'll be higher than standard SAAMI pressure for the 45 Colt.

9grs/Unique with a 255gr LSWC is +P.

A 270gr LSWC & 7.0grs/Unique is 13.6K PSI, per Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook #4.

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