Model 25 question

[Hill536]

A friends widow contacted me with info on her late husbands guns. There are 15 handguns and long guns. Most of it I deciphered already. She does lists a Model 25, 45 cal, with no other info as to bbl, finish etc., the Ser No appears to start with "AJE". Trying to fix a year made.

Pics are coming soon! Thanks

 

[Alpo]

According to the book AHS -AHT were Nov. 1985, and ALA -ALC were Jan. 1986, so I'm going to make a SWAG that AJE was December 1985.

 

[Hair Trigger]

A friends widow contacted me with info on her late husbands guns. There are 15 handguns and long guns. Most of it I deciphered already. She does lists a Model 25, 45 cal, with no other info as to bbl, finish etc., the Ser No appears to start with "AJE". Trying to fix a year made.

Pics are coming soon! Thanks

It would be after 1982, my guess is 1985 or thereabouts. I don't have my SCSW at the moment to look it up. Is it a .45 Colt or .45 Auto? The M25 series numbers alternate and certain ones are in concurrent production. Even number dash numbers (series) are chambered in .45 Auto, and odd number series are chambered in .45 Colt. The one you are asking about could be a dash 5 or dash 7, or a dash 4 or a dash 6, depending on the cartridge it's chambered for.

Serial numbering changed at 1982-1985, depending on model. Up to that point, the SN prefix was a single letter, it would have been "N" for the M25. After 1982, it would have changed to a three letter prefix, beginning with AAA, then AAB, AAC, etc through AAZ and then to ABA, on through the alphabet. Not all three letter combinations are used and some are not used in alphabetical order, making dating these guns more difficult.

 

[Hill536]

Thanks I did my research and got
nowhere. One old forum post "hinted" the AJE prefix M25's were designed to chamber 45 Colt as well as 45 ACP. There was nothing else to support that.

 

[Doug M.]

^ Highly unlikely, as the cylinders have different dimensions. You need to look at it to be sure, but either caliber is likely to be desirable.

 

[Model19man]

^ Highly unlikely, as the cylinders have different dimensions. You need to look at it to be sure, but either caliber is likely to be desirable.

Agree, it is either a Model 25-2 in 45 ACP or a Model 25-5 in 45 Colt. They have vastly different cylinders and barrels. Neither will chamber the other.

 

[Hill536]

Why I asked. I got a handwritten list from an elderly lady who knows nothing about guns.

 

[Hair Trigger]

Thanks I did my research and got
nowhere. One old forum post "hinted" the AJE prefix M25's were designed to chamber 45 Colt as well as 45 ACP. There was nothing else to support that.

You need to know the series number (dash number) to know what it is chambered for. Even dash is .45 Auto, odd dash is .45 Colt. Both could be in the same serial number range, as the two series are concurrently manufactured.

AJE doesn't show in the SCSW listings, but AJD shows up in both 1985 and 1986 production, so it is somewhat reasonable to figure AJE is probably one of those two years. The original box for the gun has a Julian date on the label which gives the day and year it was made.

 

[Model19man]

You need to know the series number (dash number) to know what it is chambered for. Even dash is .45 Auto, odd dash is .45 Colt.

That sounds good but it is not accurate. The 25-3, 25-4, and 25-5 (and others) are all chambered for the 45 Colt.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

A friends widow contacted me with info on her late husbands guns. There are 15 handguns and long guns. Most of it I deciphered already. She does lists a Model 25, 45 cal, with no other info as to bbl, finish etc., the Ser No appears to start with "AJE". Trying to fix a year made.

Pics are coming soon! Thanks

It is commendable that you are helping out.

Being the old Cop at Church and at my American Legion Post I get asked for help with firearms especially revolvers.

 

[Hair Trigger]

That sounds good but it is not accurate. The 25-3, 25-4, and 25-5 (and others) are all chambered for the 45 Colt.

The M25 could be ordered in .45 Colt, but not many were. Very few dash-1's were made. The Dash-2 is .45 ACP, dash 3 and 4 are 125th Anniversary models, in .45 Colt with the short cylinder. Starting with the dash-5, series numbers are odd for .45 Colt, even for .45 ACP. Dash 2 and dash 5 were concurrently produced, as are dash 6 and 7, dash 8 and 9, dash 10 and 11, and so on. This is all laid out in the SCSW. To me, this is the most confusing of all S&W models. The M10 is kind of similar, the dash numbers go odd-even for the heavy and tapered barrels.

 

[Murdock]

My 25-2 is marked "45 Caliber Model of 1955" on the barrel, and is of course chambered in 45 ACP. Model 25-2s in .45 Colt are quite uncommon but do exist.

The Model 25-5 and later were roll marked as ".45 Colt CTG." So the "elderly lady" who provided the hand-written decription likely was careful in reading the roll mark and writing it down just as it appearrd to her in a roll mark.

 

[Hill536]

We are about a 1000 miles away from her and I have detailed the instructions I would like her to follow. Pictures proving difficult. The questions surrounding the serial number starting with "AJE" seems to be the issue. My post was placed in this forum by a moderator who gave me a "gig" for initially putting it in the Lounge since I had no idea what year it was made.

I believe it to be chambered in 45 Colt as Murdock points out, not ACP. This is based in her note, especially the note about 6 rds in a leather cartridge holder.

 

[Hair Trigger]

Why I asked. I got a handwritten list from an elderly lady who knows nothing about guns.

Given that information, it's a M25-5. .45 Colt models have ".45 Colt CTG". roll stamped on the barrel, and the SN range would put it in dash-5 production years

 

[Hill536]

You are correct Hair Trigger. Got a txt plus a pic stating it is a 25-5, 4" bbl and of course blueing that still looks great. The bonus is that the box and papers are there too.

This woman had never touched a gun! Yet now she can now open a cylinder, drop a mag and rack a slide. So all weapons are now rendered safe! Thanks to all!!

 

[Model19man]

The M25 could be ordered in .45 Colt, but not many were. Very few dash-1's were made. The Dash-2 is .45 ACP, dash 3 and 4 are 125th Anniversary models, in .45 Colt with the short cylinder. Starting with the dash-5, series numbers are odd for .45 Colt, even for .45 ACP. Dash 2 and dash 5 were concurrently produced, as are dash 6 and 7, dash 8 and 9, dash 10 and 11, and so on. This is all laid out in the SCSW. To me, this is the most confusing of all S&W models. The M10 is kind of similar, the dash numbers go odd-even for the heavy and tapered barrels.

My Dash Model 25-2 chambered in 45 Colt. It has a 45 ACP cylinder in the bag resting on the display case.

 

[Model29-26.5]

My Dash Model 25-2 chambered in 45 Colt. It has a 45 ACP cylinder in the bag resting on the display case.

So you can shoot either 45 LC or 45 ACP??
Just swap cylinders?

 

[Model19man]

So you can shoot either 45 LC or 45 ACP??
Just swap cylinders?

Right. And cranes too - it has a spare one of those.

 

[Hill536]

Well I asked Roy! His reply was " Ken. Model 25-5 serial AJE1115 was shipped in October 1985. I hope that this helps Roy

Hairtrigger you were right in the ballpark. I also got pics of the gun. It does not have a pinned barrel. It retains a nice blue finish and no signs of holster wear. It has target grips as well as magnas.

Thank you for your replies!!