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02-02-2011, 08:23 PM
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S&W Model 25-5 45 Colt CTG.
My first S&W revolver and I was trying to find out more info about it and I couldn't find a current model of S&W that uses 45 colt round.
Is this an obsolete caliber?
Does anyone know when these were made?
Are the grips original? or an after market upgrade.
Is this a target or a hunting pistol?
I paid $500 for this and it included a really nice Galco holster and a 50 round box of bullets. How did I do? (I was told that it was only fired about 20 times)
I like the gun a lot and that is why I would like to know a bit more about it.
Thank you very much your replies are greatly appreciated.
Last edited by Militarytorch; 02-02-2011 at 08:33 PM.
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02-02-2011, 08:25 PM
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More pictures
Also, the serial number is N827xxx
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02-02-2011, 08:28 PM
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25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Militarytorch
My first S&W revolver and I was trying to find out more info about it and I couldn't find a current model of S&W that uses 45 colt round.
Is this an obsolete caliber?
Does anyone know when these were made?
Are the grips original? or an after market upgrade.
I paid $500 for this and it included a really nice Galco holster and a 50 round box of bullets. How did I do? (I was told that it was only fired about 20 times)
I like the gun a lot and that is why I would like to know a bit more about it.
Thank you very much your replies are greatly appreciated.
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Post this in here and you may get some help...
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-rev...on-thread.html
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02-02-2011, 08:32 PM
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S&W Model 25-5 45 Colt CTG.
Thank you but I have read that one before posting.
Unless I missed something there it didn't really talk about grip styles and other questions I had.
Best regards,
Steve
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02-02-2011, 09:02 PM
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Sir.
I will give you my opinion to your questions.
It is an old caliber, 100 plus years. Obsolete no. Has a good following among various shooters of various manufactures of revolvers.
Gun appears to be 25-5 from serial number. Yours would be from the 80's give or take a little. Model 25's from S&W have been around since 1955, and 45 Colt in a S&W goes back 100 plus years.
Grips appear to be S&W for a later model, those have some value do not give them away. If they fit your hand and style of shooting use them. There are others more correct for your gun. They would fit you differently.
500 for the package is bargain, most folks here would jump all over that.
You did good on the buying and have a gun that folks look for.
Bill@Yuma
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02-02-2011, 09:03 PM
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Steve, you have a nickel 4" m25-5 in 45 Colt. The grips are Smith & Wesson, but may not be original to your revolver, most 25-5's came with target stocks. The 25-5 dates back to the late 70's and 80's. The 45 Colt is not obsolete and is quiet popular with new loads being introduced often. You have a fine shooter! Bob!
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02-02-2011, 09:16 PM
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Thank you very much for the information.
This was an impulse buy, actually I wasn't looking for one but a guy I know recently had a heart attack and said there is lots of things I don't need anymore so here is a deal for you, but knowing nothing about S&Ws I wasn't sure what I was getting.
For a 30 year old gun this looks like brand new.
Thanks again,
Steve
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02-02-2011, 09:21 PM
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You got a GREAT deal. Those grips are worth 150 by themselves. But then of course you'd have to relpace them with a 100 dollar set to keep it "original." Gorgeous gun, too, and in a really fun caliber. You can buy factory loads in a wide range of power levels. Start reading as much as you can about the 25-5 and the .45 Colt... You won't get bored for a WHILE.
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02-02-2011, 09:37 PM
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Nicely done. I bought this one (N821xxx) in new condition w/o accessories last year for $100 more. These are the grips that came on it, although without ser# on them I can't say they are original. Joe
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02-02-2011, 09:41 PM
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Yeah the more I look at it and handle it, I like it more and more.
So the grips should be numbered to the gun?
I wonder how much this gun was sold for when it was brand new back in the 80s
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02-02-2011, 09:43 PM
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pharmer,
needless to say that is a beautiful gun!
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02-02-2011, 10:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Militarytorch
Yeah the more I look at it and handle it, I like it more and more.
So the grips should be numbered to the gun?
I wonder how much this gun was sold for when it was brand new back in the 80s
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Your gun was made prior to 1983. It appears to be from around mid-to late '80. S&W dropped the pinned barrels in late '82. Your gun would have sold for about $329-$350 depending on what area of the country you were in at the time, and in central Florida back then, that price would have included a presentation case.
Those grips would not be numbered to the gun, and they are S&W combat grips. They never came on the model 25-5. The ones pharmer has on his are correct for your vintage gun.
Last edited by Gun 4 Fun; 02-02-2011 at 10:02 PM.
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02-02-2011, 10:28 PM
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I have been reading another post on the forum where they said the pinned barrels were a bit of a problem for S&W on 25-5 revolvers.
How could I check that? I think the problem was accuracy so I guess I can just go shooting.
Look at that I answered my own question but if you have some more information about that I would really appreciate it.
PS I have also been reading that pinned barrels were more expensive to make and that is why S&W stopped making them.
They were saying how pinned was better than not.
I am sorry if i seem silly with my questions and comments but I mostly collect WW2 stuff so this is a totally new area for me.
So far from what I can tell, this is a GREAT forum.
Last edited by Militarytorch; 02-02-2011 at 10:37 PM.
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02-02-2011, 10:40 PM
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There is a lot of discussion about the size of the chamber throats on 25s. Yours may be oversized. To check try dropping a Hornady XTP through, just the bullet. If it drops straight through you may need to shoot larger diameter cast bullets.
I have three S&W .45 Colt revolvers. I reload. They are a hoot to shoot.
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02-02-2011, 10:58 PM
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I went to the box of ammo that I got and there are 3 different bullet makers in it. One of the 2 would fall in if the bullet was out of the shell. So I guess it is all about finding the right Maker.
Who makes rounds with bigger bullets?
Thank you.
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02-02-2011, 11:16 PM
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Nice looking 25. From your serial #, this gun was manufactured '80-'82. If you take the grips off, you may find a date stamped inside one of the panels. The grips look to have excellent figure in the wood and appear to be in very nice condition. Go to Ebay or Gunbroker: Do a search for N frame grips. You will be pleasantly surprised to see what those square butt N-frame smooth combat grips are going for. That was probably around a $350 gun retail when new. That gun was a nice find...........but I suspect that you know that.........you are simply messing with the rest of us...........right???!!!!
Last edited by tdan; 02-02-2011 at 11:31 PM.
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02-02-2011, 11:16 PM
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With those grips would someone have ground off a corner of the grip frame to make them work like on a round butt, or will that grip fit a square butt without alteration?
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02-02-2011, 11:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by feralmerril
With those grips would someone have ground off a corner of the grip frame to make them work like on a round butt, or will that grip fit a square butt without alteration?
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feral-
they came in they came in both round butt, and square butt configurations.
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02-02-2011, 11:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Militarytorch
I have been reading another post on the forum where they said the pinned barrels were a bit of a problem for S&W on 25-5 revolvers.
How could I check that? I think the problem was accuracy so I guess I can just go shooting.
Look at that I answered my own question but if you have some more information about that I would really appreciate it.
PS I have also been reading that pinned barrels were more expensive to make and that is why S&W stopped making them.
They were saying how pinned was better than not.
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See post # 14 here by yours truly-
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-rev...on-thread.html
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02-02-2011, 11:40 PM
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<With those grips would someone have ground off a corner of the grip frame to make them work like on a round butt, or will that grip fit a square butt without alteration? >
These were specifically designed for a square butt N-frame. These are much less common than the wood combats made for the N-frame round butt. I'm thinking this style grip first appeared in the late 80's. They also put a similar version on a few of the K-frames in that same time frame. That's why I was kind of curious about the date that may be stamped inside the grip panel.
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02-02-2011, 11:58 PM
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45 colt
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdan
Nice looking 25. From your serial #, this gun was manufactured '80-'82. If you take the grips off, you may find a date stamped inside one of the panels. The grips look to have excellent figure in the wood and appear to be in very nice condition. Go to Ebay or Gunbroker: Do a search for N frame grips. You will be pleasantly surprised to see what those square butt N-frame smooth combat grips are going for. That was probably around a $350 gun retail when new. That gun was a nice find...........but I suspect that you know that.........you are simply messing with the rest of us...........right???!!!!
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I seriously didn't know what I was getting.
Revolvers are so out of my world. I am mostly into bayonets
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02-03-2011, 12:05 AM
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I have to disagree with tdan on the issue of the square butt cambats from S&W beng less common than the round butt version. The square butt version was around for several years before the round butt version came out, and remained in production until S&W made the switch to all round butt frames.
You simply don't see them for sale as often because too many of us like them and won't sell them. On top of that, a lot of us hate round butt guns, and switched the factory round butt combats out for RB-SB conversion grips like those made by Hogue. Therefore there are more RB combats around for sale.
feral-
You can just see the backstrap on this 29-4 wearing this set of combats. These are dated March 1989 on the inside of the right panel. I know that these grips were available for at least 3 years before then though. These type grips were never numbered to any gun though.
Last edited by Gun 4 Fun; 02-03-2011 at 12:08 AM.
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02-03-2011, 12:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Militarytorch
I seriously didn't know what I was getting.
Revolvers are so out of my world. I am mostly into bayonets
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Well, just remember- never bring a knife to a gunfight.
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The Following User Likes This Post:
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02-03-2011, 12:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gun 4 Fun
Well, just remember- never bring a knife to a gunfight.
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Great point right on the money
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02-03-2011, 12:30 AM
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Thanks guys.
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02-03-2011, 12:36 AM
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S&W Colt 45
Just took grips off.
Here are some pictures.
Why would the grips be numbered like that? by that I mean why number them at all?
Thank you so very much!
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02-03-2011, 12:39 AM
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The numbers were/are assembly numbers to help keep both halves together while going though shaping and finishing.
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02-03-2011, 01:03 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gun 4 Fun
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Very educational.
Thank you very much!
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02-03-2011, 02:06 AM
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Always glad to help.
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02-03-2011, 10:37 AM
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<I seriously didn't know what I was getting.
Revolvers are so out of my world. I am mostly into bayonets >
Just a little friendly teasing, as most of us are not lucky enough to find nice, classic N-frames at such a great price.
Gun4Fun...........I am certainly no expert on these combat grips. In fact SCSW-3 doesn't really have much info on these combats. I did have a family member that was in the gun biz back in the 80's and 90's. I recall that virtually all N-frames came with the checkered targets back then. I'm thinking that the only square-frame combats that I ever saw on a NIB gun were a couple of 29's. I believe the box end label was so marked. Once Smith began transitioning to the round butt N-frame in the late 80's, these combat grips were more commonly seen. I've seen these on the 610's, the 627, as well as several on various 29/629's. The square butt combats do seem to command more money than the round butts on the auction sites. Perhaps the next edition of SCSW will have some more detailed info on this style of factory grip.
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02-03-2011, 01:17 PM
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tdan-
The only square butt N frame that I can recall being shipped with the combats was the short lived M-29-4's that had the milled (or as the factory calls it- broaching) scallops in the sight rib for scope rings.
However, the SB combats were an add on item sold in most gunshops in factory blister packs for several years in the late '80's. That's exactly how I bought mine in the picture above. They were quite expensive to buy even back then, but they still sold pretty well in my area. You had to keep an eye on when they restocked the display racks if you wanted a set.
You may be right about SB combats bringing more on auction sites. I don't know, 'cause I don't watch them (like I need any more insentive to buy gun related stuff ), but here in the forum classifieds, the RB version always commands higher prices.
The reason is simple- here on this site, we are all S&W fans, and everyone wants to put their gun back to original condition, and since RB combats came stock on several different guns, they are in higher demand to do just that.
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02-17-2012, 11:26 PM
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25-5
MT : 4mos. ago I traded my 25-5, the same as post# 22, pinned though. In exchange I recieved a Springfield X-D subcompact 9mm, 1 10 round,3 16rd hi-caps, equipped with a LaserMax guide rod laser sight. Also had factory case with a cc BlackHawk leather holster. Only reason I traded is cause times are a little hard & I wanted my S&W 645 back from my daughter. I know worth way less, but sentimental.
You did great!
PC.
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02-18-2012, 01:12 PM
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25-5 Chambers
If your bullets drop right in to the chambers they are oversize. This usually causes mediocre accuracy. I had one of these back in the 80's that I had to cast bullets for and swage them to .455 in order to get good accuracy(or not swage them at all). As far as I know no one makes oversize bullets. Don't know if some of the lead bullet casters might make up a special run for you?
Nice gun, wish I hadn't traded mine.
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06-01-2014, 04:43 PM
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Questions about my 25-5
I got this gun from a family member and can't seem to get an accurate value on this particular model. It is not listed in any price guides, or atleast the ones i check, found a similar listing in a s&w guide that states "add 100% value if it is a model 25-5" and the value was $900, and i didn't think $1,800 sounded right, nor $300 that some goof told me in a gun shop. I do know that it has a 4 1/2 barrell, don't believe these are original grips, and has a little holster wear on the blueing. Dang nice gun though, want to get it restored and pass it on to my son later on. Any info and help is greatly appreciated.
once i figure how to upload a pic, i will add it to this feed.
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06-01-2014, 05:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tha-Beav77
once i figure how to upload a pic, i will add it to this feed.
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Upload several photos. Oh, and next time, just start a new thread instead of resurrecting a 2+ year old thread that many will just skip over.
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06-01-2014, 05:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DR505
Upload several photos. Oh, and next time, just start a new thread instead of resurrecting a 2+ year old thread that many will just skip over.
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Bingo. Start a new thread with pics. You'll get more responses. A popular and sought after revolver.
"Restoring" it, unless it is in terrible condition, will decrease value, unless you mean cleaning it up a bit and finding original grips.
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610, 627, 629, 645, colt, combats, galco, hogue, hornady, lasermax, leather, military, model 25, model 29, model 625, n-frame, presentation, round butt, s&w, scope, scsw, smith-wessonforum.com, springfield, subcompact |
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