25-2 8 3/8" rarity?

[Revolver-time]

Wow all this talk about a long 25 made me open the safe to look at mine. Mine is a 25-5, blue, 8 3/8. I need to shoot it one of these days.
But to USMC0802, I hope you found a treasure.

 

[Photog]

I have a question. Where did the barrel come from? On the 25-2, 24. 27 and 28 series, the rear of the barrel is longer to be able to "meet up with" the face of the cylinder for proper barrel/cylinder gap. The caliber marking sure looks like what the factory put on the barrel of a 25-2. It is a "heavy" barrel and I can think of no other barrel that could have been rebored that would have would have that contour and shank (if that is the proper term) that is that length....or is it just me?

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

I have a question. Where did the barrel come from? On the 25-2, 24. 27 and 28 series, the rear of the barrel is longer to be able to "meet up with" the face of the cylinder for proper barrel/cylinder gap. The caliber marking sure looks like what the factory put on the barrel of a 25-2. It is a "heavy" barrel and I can think of no other barrel that could have been rebored that would have would have that contour and shank (if that is the proper term) that is that length....or is it just me?

I was thinking exactly the same thing

 

[wistex]

I have a 25-2 with an 8 3/8" barrel. 45 ACP. not original but custom fitted high polished blue 45 LC barrel. the rest of the revolver has a matt hard chrome finish. the hammer was modified with the removal of the thumb portion. it was set up for pin shooting. the trigger is slim, rounded and polished. there is a viler trigger stop. the action is very slick. light trigger pull (don't recall the poundaged it's very light) its been in the safe for years. is very accurate. never did take it to a pin shoot though. gun is for sale. $1200.00 plus shipping conus, no california. I have pix someplace in the computer as well as some more details. send email if interested in this unique revolver.
wistex

 

[Art Doc]

The presence of the extra cylinder makes me lean even further towards it being a gun modified after leaving S&W. When one custom modification is present odds are good there are others. But there is still the matter of that 8" barrel with correct 1955 markings...

Need the letter. Be sure to get back to us when you get it.

 

[Doc44]

N25000 with KB stocks made of zebrawood.

Bill

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

Any ideas where the OP's barrel came from Bill?

 

[series guy]

I just compared the model number stamped in the frame on the OP's gun to my 25-2. It's obvious that mine was stamped and the lines of the actual letters and numbers are very skinny. The model marking on the OP's gun almost looks CNC'd. Like it was done with a ball end mill. Most of these markings also look like they are done by hand, one character at a time and not always in a nice straight line. The ones on the OP's gun are absolutely perfect. Of course I'm sure there was more than one set of stamps used at the factory but it still looks too neat.

 

[Doc44]

The only 8 3/8-inch heavy barrels made were to be used in making 44 and 41 Magnums. I suppose this is the source of the barrels for the long barreled 25-2s. I don't know what the forcing cone looks like when the barrel is forged and before being fitted to a frame. I know the length of the barrel on the 25-2 measured from the frame is 7 3/8-inches, whereas, a 44 Magnum barrel measures 7 1/2-inches. The ejector rod on the 25-2 is also about 1/8-inch shorter as is the ejector rod shroud.

Bill

 

[amazingflapjack]

Looks a lot like my 25-5 8 3/8, which has a cylinder cut for moon clips. I have found the best application is 45 Winchester Magnum brass loaded to 45 Colt levels; apx 950-1000 FPS. Neat with the moon clips-very robust brass.

 

[aphelion]

The only 8 3/8-inch heavy barrels made were to be used in making 44 and 41 Magnums. I suppose this is the source of the barrels for the long barreled 25-2s. I don't know what the forcing cone looks like when the barrel is forged and before being fitted to a frame. I know the length of the barrel on the 25-2 measured from the frame is 7 3/8-inches, whereas, a 44 Magnum barrel measures 7 1/2-inches. The ejector rod on the 25-2 is also about 1/8-inch shorter as is the ejector rod shroud.

Bill

I don't know how long the barrel shank on the forging is either, but I'd say that explains how the OP's barrel was made, all right. There are only two basic lengths of protrusion into the cylinder window by the breech end of the barrel on the N frame. One is the length of the 41/44/later 45 Colts, and the other shared by the 25/27/28, etc. The difference is about an 1/8". It sounds like a 41/44 blank was machined down to allow enough protrusion to get to the cylinder face. The barrel marking sure looks factory. The model marking on the frame is consistent with the two 25-2s I have from the early '70s.

USMC, I imagine the rifling is the M25-style 6 narrow lands/wide grooves as opposed to the more typical S&W 5 lands/grooves?

 

[USMC0802]

Bingo on the rifling pattern, alphelion...6-groove, narrow lands.

Length from muzzle to frame is 7 3/8".

The wait on this letter is gonna kill me.

 

[Doc44]

USMC...regardless of how it shipped, your 25-2 was most likely made by S&W. Let's hope it is original and it the fourth gun discovered!!!

Bill

 

[toddimusnimski]

I just stepped out on the front porch (joys of living in the country) and went 2 for 6 standing/unsupported on a conspicuous cow pie that the range finder says is 142 yards out there...and excepting one trigger jerk, the rest were within a foot or so.

I love it.

Most people have to go to Vegas to shoot craps.

 

[USMC0802]

Good news, bad news, and good news...


First, the (first) good news - letter arrived.

 

[USMC0802]

Bad news is that the letter says revolver originally had 6.5" barrel.

 

[Photog]

Sorry to hear it wasn't an original, but am still wondering where the barrel came from.

 

[Art Doc]

A re-marked 25-5 barrel?

 

[USMC0802]

Wait! Wait! I didn't post the other "good news" yet...



My revolver is SN N24024...they lettered N24025. Still in the fight.


I am just hoping that when I call this week, they will be able to pull my order form - I am 99% certain that I entered the correct number on the letter request, and I sent photos of the SN as well. Fingers crossed that they will bump me to the head of the line on a re-research of the correct number. If I screwed up the number on the request, which is within the realm of possibility as I've made my share of bone-headed mistakes in the past, the saga will unfortunately continue for another 4-5 months.

 

[Doug M.]

Slightly tangential question: how are the cylinder throats? That is, what do they measure?