Can a model 25-3 shoot both 45 acp and 45 Long COLT BY using half moon clips for the 45acp?
Thanks, Centex Bill

It might be able to be done if you have the rear of the cylinder properly machined off to offer clearance for the moon-clipped ACPs. Then you might have to use clips for your Colt rounds as well.

If you have a 45 Colt cylinder, the inner portion of the rear can be machined for 45acp in Full Moon clips. The 45 Colt rimmed cartridges will still headspace on the outer edge of the cylinder.

Ruger offered this on one version of their Redhawk.

The solutions
With a 25-3 I would go with solution #3

#1

the acp in moon clips drop in the recessed center section while the 45 colts head space on the original length outer rim

#2 Or you machine off the outer portion of cylinder and extractor and use the acp in the old 1/2 moons and the 45 colts headspace off the original length inner portion. This was actually a 45 acp cylinder reamed to 45 colt depth, fit with a colt extractor with the ends of the arms machined for the 1/2 moons, but you could do the same thing with a colt cylinder.



#3 The other option with a 25-3 is simply fit a 25-2 acp cylinder as the 25-3 uses the short cylinder. This will NOT work with the 25-5 or later guns as they run a longer magnum length cylinder.

45 acp cylinders are rather easy to find. Just check ebay about once a week and you will find one at a reasonable price.

No the gun will not work with moon clips and 45 ACP ammunition. None of that will fit. The gun is spectacularly accurate using 45 Colt ammunition - why would you even want to use 45 ACP?

Mine:

Attached Images

25 dash 3 sept 24 22 b.jpg (53.1 KB, 11 views)

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Probably, the cost of ammunition. I can certainly reload good ACP ammunition for less money than I can for the 45 long Colt.

Kevin

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By the time I buy bullets, powder, and primers I cannot detect much difference. I use W231 for both cartridges, about the same amount too. 45 ACP is slightly hotter than 45 Colt. If you are buying ammo for that revolver you need to learn how to reload.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

TK Customs machined the cylinder on my Model 25 and supplied the moon clips. It now shoots both .45 ACP and 45 Colt flawlessly.

Attached Images

TK Model 25.jpg (122.1 KB, 9 views)