I was introduced to the S&W Model 25-5 as a young lad. Probably 12 years old or so. My Father came home from his night shift with a huge, shiny black revolver that he was thrilled about. a North Georgia Police Department had traded them in, and he picked his up for $200. He tells me the department that traded them in had moved to a 9mm of some configuration. Shortly afterwards some officers had serious issues stopping assailants with them, got riddled with lawsuits for excessive force, and the Officers in the field were pining away for their old .45 Colts. I dunno that I fully believe that story, but it's fun to consider. My Father found that model 25 much to his liking. It delivered alot of power without excessive recoil. He shot it regularly with his buddies that were smitten with the .44 mag. Though we know hot rodding was starting up for the .45 Colt, most common fellas were not partaking of that trend, least of all, my Father. He was always being told how underpowered it was, and the bullets didn't even move fast enough to expand reliably. The oversized cylinder throats weren't even known, or he would have heard plenty about that too. My Father believed there was only one level of dead, and anything that walked, crawled, or slithered in the state of Georgia could be made so with that round. His practical experience shooting deer, wild dogs, and various vermin around the spread proved him out, and gave him confidence in it. Additionally, he acquitted himself quite well with it around his shooting buddies, despite it being such a weak, antiquated old thing. It's hard to tell how much I saw him shoot and carry that thing, but it was enough for me to form quite the association between my Father, and that heavy old revolver.
I was probly....sixteen or so when we started coming to Alaska every chance we got. We were camped out in Talkeetna visiting some friends and doing some fishing when my Father handed it to me to carry. He himself had a 629 that he could just flat out handle better than me. I had been raised in a "Proper" Southern kinda way, and didn't normally get to use or carry a handgun in my youth. When he passed that .45 Colt to me, I felt ten foot tall and bullet proof. I guess my Father's change of thinking really came through some time later when I got a short barrel 870 shotgun with a magazine extension for bear protection.
As the next couple years went by, I still got to carry that old gun from time to time when we were out doing things in the woods. Eventually, my older brother ended up taking a job in Arizona and needed a gun for protection, and my Father sent him off with that one. He did some tough living down there. It's never been discussed much, but during the year or two he was down there, the 25-5 was stolen.
I went through a ridiculous slew of handguns when I got old enough to carry. I went through the 1911 phase, Glock phase, Sig phase, and Heaven only knows what else. There were weeks when my closet saw more fresh guns than my feet saw fresh socks. I finally settled into revolvers about 2009 or so. It was then that I decided there was a hole in my heart that could only be filled by a S&W .45 Colt. I eventually ended up with a 625-9 Mountain Gun. It is a quality gun that I still use today. Accurate, powerful, reliable, easy to carry, etc. Heck, I regularly carried it for five years. Unfortunately, I found that it did not scratch that itch left by the 25-5. My Father came to miss that gun as well, but he's on a fixed income, and they remained beyond what he could bring himself to pay. He and I both have done without for many years, and had many wistful conversations about that thing.
About a year ago, I finally found one I could afford right here on these forums. It was clean, well kept, seller was honest, price was right. This one had been touched by the hand of Hamilton Bowen, had Weigand front sights, and a slew of extra speed loaders and brass. It shoots really well. I was fortunate enough to have Steelslaver bore me out a proper cylinder for it, but have not seen the need for it yet. It was a dream come true. I remain wildly in love with that revolver, sometimes worrying myself with the level of affinity I could find for an inanimate object. But...there has been something off. I have my bucket list 25-5, but the man who inspired my love for that gun does not.
I have spent months agonizing over the matter, and I'm finally resolved to action. My Father is turning 81 next week. He will be receiving my bucket list 25-5 for his Birthday. Some friends joke that I will get it back one day. I'm not so sure, and I don't expect so. Things happen, and when you give something away, you have to completely let go of it, otherwise I feel that it falls short as a gift in a Karmic kinda way.
As part of me letting go, I resolved to find another .45 Colt. Rather than finding a similar one that would likely always fall short, I went in a bit of a new direction with a Ruger Redhawk in .45 Colt/.45 ACP. It's just...a different gun entirely, but not without it's assets. It's amazingly smooth, and well timed. I like that I can basically use it as a garbage disposal for any .45 that rolls off my bench that isn't questionably charged or something similarly dangerous. As much as I've loved the S&W .45 Colts throughout the years, I have kinda burned out on the hot load controversy with them. It'll be nice to run some hot and snotty Buffalo Bore heavies without voices in the back of my head taunting "You'll blow your hand off!" The .45 Colt will always have a home with me, whether it's in my Mountain Gun or the Redhawk. At this point, I just plan to keep the Mountain Gun handy when more bipedal threats are to be considered, and carry the Redhawk when I know I'm going deep into big bear country. I'll be giving the 25-5 away with some middle of the road 255 grain KSWC all arounders that I've loaded up, and a couple boxes of 200 grain Barnes hollow points. I suspect he'll keep it loaded with hollow points around his house or motorhome. If he gives it away to some random stranger, I'll come to peace with that too.
to hear about it. I'll eventually post some pics for fun, but current circumstances won't allow that.
If anyone has their own tales to share about sacrificing beloved guns, or would like to tell me how amazingly awesome the Ruger Redhawk in .45 Colt is, I'll be eagerly listening.
