My 1976 Model 25-2 has over-sized cylinder throats. .4555-.4570" to be specific. Apparently the S&W Performance Center will fit a new cylinder assembly to the gun for $160-200. The existing ejector, ejector rod, etc. would all be incompatible with a new cylinder.

OK so far, but then I asked if I could get my old cylinder back and was told that I could but it wouldn't fit correctly. He said that they needed to "turn the barrel" and fit/adjust the forcing cone. I pointed out that it's a pinned barrel and he said "No problem."

Please forgive my ignorance. I understand the importance of a proper B-C gap. I don't understand what "turning the barrel" would involve.

Also, would the Performance Center do a good job ensuring that the timing and lockup of the revolver stays the way it is now with the new cylinder?

Is there an alternative other than a whole new cylinder? Is it possible to put sleeves in to reduce the cylinder throats to the proper dimension? Please keep in mind that this is chambered in .45 ACP so the chamber pressure isn't all that high (relatively speaking).

This isn't the right forum to discuss collector value, but this oddball has "Model of 1950" stamped on the barrel instead of "1955". S&W shipped about 1,000 of these in September of 1976 according to a letter from S&W dated in 1978 that I got with the gun. I also have the original wooden box and manual. The problem is that the gun was virtually unfired when I bought it for $610 but it had terrible hammer rub. I fixed that with shims, but not after the case hardened finish got scraped up on the right side of the hammer.

Bottom line: although I bought a collector's curiosity, I wanted to shoot the gun. In doing so, I diminished it's value somewhat. So I have to decide whether to treat the purchase price as a sunk cost and make the gun as shootable as possible or else put it up for sale and eat whatever loss and transaction costs require.

Sounds like you already hurt the guns collector value.

Cylinders: You can have a stainless (625) or titanium (325) or maybe blued, if there are "classic" series blued .45acp cylinders, cylinder fitted. They usually return the original parts with the gun. They may need to set the barrel back to adjust the barrel/cylinder gap with the new cylinder. They may need to stretch or shorten the yoke to set the cylinder endshake. If they don't set the barrel back there's a reasonable chance the original cylinder can be refitted just by shimming the endshake. As example I have a 17 and 617 I can interchange stainless and aluminum cylinders in.

You can fairly easily get a like new target N frame hammer to replace the one you have now and fit it to the gun. Have you tried factory jacketed stuff? Handloads? Sometimes those oversized throats don't cause much problem with some loads.

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