25-2 Cut 6"

[brucekime]

Just bought a 25-2 that had a 6" barrel but was cut to 4". It appears to be a professional job. My problem is it is a 25-2 but the serial # starts with an N805***. It has a pinned barrel TT,TH. The Standard Catalog says the 25-3 was manufactured in 1977 but in the back of the book it says N800000 were made from 1980 to 1983. Whats up this?

 

[A10]

Never say never with Smith & Wesson. Chances are yours was numbered stamped and shipped out of sequence. They did that kinda thing.....especially during transitions it seems..

 

[colt_saa]

The most important rule of Smith and Wesson collecting is that every rule has an exception.

 

[Doug M.]

Unlike many/most other models, those variation numbers don't run consecutively on the M25 variants. The 25-2 is a 45ACP Target revolver; my recollection is that the 25-3 was a limited production 45 Colt with a cylinder shorter than most 45 Colts would have (maybe the same as the 45ACP cylinder, but rechambered; not my knowledge set). IIRC, the 25-4 was some kind of commemorative, and the positive response to the 45 Colt variants resulted in the 25-5. The production periods overlap, and thus you have this confusing set of information.

My recall of the details may be wrong, but I think I am right in general, and that if you search the forum you would find some very detailed answers.