The Ranch Product moon clips are marketed by Brownells, Midway, Dillons, etc. and work very well.
1955 Model 25
- Thread starter DRJ
- Start date
Modern "full moon" clips from Brownells (or many other places) will work just fine. I never really liked the "half moon" type. Don't forget about a loading/unloading tool, they will save your fingers and a lot of time.
So now what would the date be? Thanks everyone sorry I gave the wrong number.
Hello Doyle
Not all gun's had model numbers stamped into them that left the factory after 1957 time span, Nor were the ones that left later on, after 1956 all Four screw variations. The Proof of that would be my Pre-25 that left S&W in April of 1959 and has an S-161XXX serial number. I was told that S&W made up a bunch of N-frames & cylinder's feeling that the .44 Magnum revolver would sell well. They ended up with more frames than order's for the .44 Magnum so the frame of my Pre-25 is that of one made up for the .44 Magnum as well as the cylinder which was pulled from stock and punched out to .45 ACP caliber. So, In Essence I have no worries or concern's about shooting it with Warm hand loads as it's frame and cylinder have been heat treated to take the punishment of the fierce .44 Magnum loads. Another odd feature of this gun is that it has a 5-7/8" barrel that has Not been docked. I have had to learn the hard way Never say Never about anything S&W. They were not a company to waste materials and the late shipping of this Non Model stamped gun being in Five screw variation Leaving the factory in April of 1959 proves just that. It is a Tack driver when I do my part right as shown below, and as a side Note: You can shoot the .45 Auto-Rim cartridge cases in these gun's without the use of Moon clip's they extract just fine due to the thicker cartridge case rim. Regards, Hammerdown
Very nice! Great shooting for sure. I couldnt shoot that group from 3'. I have a pre 25 thats a bit earlier than yours its SN 160XXX. I have sent off for a letter. When it returns I will let you know the ship date.
ETA: how many grooves in the grip straps? 6 or 10? your SN would indicate 6 but the ship date would suggest 10. I am betting 6.
Last edited:
Hello flundertaker
Well, I didn't know so you made me get up and open my safe to have a look at it. Mine has Six grooves on it's back strap. I spotted this gun in one of my local Honey holes. It was marked at $675.00. I told the owner of the shop I would be a Player at $550.00 out the door and left telling him to call me if that would help him ? I got Ten minutes down the road and he called me. I returned we ran it under my C&R license and I was out of there with it for $550.00 cash five minutes later... Regards, Hammerdown
I hope that happened 10+ years ago.
I paid $600 for mine 6 months ago IIRC and had to replace the stocks. The non relieved targets were provided to me by a fellow forum SWCA member at the brother in law price so I have less than $700 in mine and consider it a fantastic deal. Yours at $550 is crazy good unless it was 10+ years ago, and even then its a super nice piece that clearly shoots light out. Yours is definetly in better condition than mine from looking at the pics. I hate to make you get up again but does it have the "W" shaped main spring or the standard straight style?
I hope that happened 10+ years ago.
I paid $600 for mine 6 months ago IIRC and had to replace the stocks. The non relieved targets were provided to me by a fellow forum SWCA member at the brother in law price so I have less than $700 in mine and consider it a fantastic deal. Yours at $550 is crazy good unless it was 10+ years ago, and even then its a super nice piece that clearly shoots light out. Yours is definetly in better condition than mine from looking at the pics. I hate to make you get up again but does it have the "W" shaped main spring or the standard straight style?
Hello flundertaker
I have had the gun about Two years now is all. It has the standard flat main spring in it. Regards, Hammerdown
Art Doc
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I love it when I'm right...
BTW, checking my list of serials if the gun shipped about when it should have it will likely prove to be a 1960 date.
BTW, checking my list of serials if the gun shipped about when it should have it will likely prove to be a 1960 date.
Hello
The Pre-25's and the model 25's run different than most other revolver's that S&W made as far as an actual pin pointing or even guessing of their shipping date there is no clear cut answer of when one left S&W as mine show's that to be true being that left the factory In April of 1959 which is real late for a Pre-Model 25 or Five Five screw variant. I was told that the Model 25's were slow mover's so often they would pull inventory frames and cylinder's that were all ready on hand to build them to use in the making of a Model of 1955 .45 target revolver as customer's placed order's for them S&W would make them up as they evidently did not have any Model of 1955 .45 Target revolver frames on hand in surplus amounts. I am very Pleased that Mine was Pulled from inventory and made as a Pre-25 gun as it has the heat treated frame and cylinder that S&W used on the .44 Magnum caliber revolver's. You can fire these without the use of Moon clip's as Remington makes what is called The .45 Auto rim cartridge case. It has a shoulder much thicker on the base of the brass to take up the difference when shooting one without moon clips. I re-load all my own ammo for mine so I lucked out and located 500 Remington .45 Auto rim caliber primed cases for it and they work fine and Extract after they have been fired just like any other round shot in a revolver. Regards, Hammerdown
Pizza Bob
Member
Art Doc
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
You're right. Slow selling guns often did ship later than the serials would suggest due to setting in inventory for a while. That's why I said IF it shipped when it should have... Certainly may letter as a later ship date.
amazingflapjack
US Veteran
I always suggest chamfering the cylinder bores on these guns-makes things much more pleasant.
Hello
Correct. Fast Moving gun's such as the K-22 had engineering changes much sooner as far as them being shipped out of the factory than that of these Model of 1955 Target .45's did. I have a Pre-17 that is of four screw variation that left S&W in June of 1956 and it is a Pre-model stamped gun but the frame upper side plate screw was all ready dropped by that shipping date, so they must not have had any spare Five screw frames to use in Jun of 1956. Since S&W is a company to not waste Part's they often used up all part's on hand before tooling up for more or including newer engineering design changes so long as it did not have to do with a safety issue, they used up existing supplies. I was shocked to learn that my model of 1955 .45 Target revolver left so late and still was a pre-Model in five screw form which was Two year's after S&W started stamping gun's with model number's and Three full Year's after they dropped the upper side plate screw. I am not complaining I would rather have a Pre-Model in five screw form. Regards, Hammerdown
05CarbonDRZ
Member
I hope that happened 10+ years ago.
I paid $600 for mine 6 months ago IIRC and had to replace the stocks. The non relieved targets were provided to me by a fellow forum SWCA member at the brother in law price so I have less than $700 in mine and consider it a fantastic deal. Yours at $550 is crazy good unless it was 10+ years ago, and even then its a super nice piece that clearly shoots light out. Yours is definetly in better condition than mine from looking at the pics. I hate to make you get up again but does it have the "W" shaped main spring or the standard straight style?
Someone sold you unrelieved diamond Targets for less than $100? That is not the brother in law price....That is THEFT!
Thanks everyone, I have learned quite a bit about Mod 25's. I did tell my FFL about the Ser number. Now I've got to find out about a Mod 19-2 with a strange hammer and stocks that I got today. Thanks again for all the help.
Doyle
Doyle
Similar threads
