.45 Colt help

[gunblade]

It's amazing how when I'm thinking of adding a particular gun to my collection I can come here and there's at least one active thread running about the same gun complete with pics to drool over. Anyway, I selling off my Vaquero in .45 Colt to help fund another N frame, and I'm considering a S&W in that caliber...a pre lock 25 or 625. I've loaded some "Ruger only" type loads for the Vaquero, but don't plan to do that with a Smith...have a 629 if I wan't to shoot a magnum. I've read a little about cylinder throats on the 25-5, but not much about the mountain gun, or standard barrel vs tapered barrel vs full underlug, etc. I was also wondering if there was an endurance mod prior to the MIM and lock on the 25s and 625s like on my 629-4? I like the heavy profile barrel over the tapered barrel of the mountain gun...seems like all the 625s have full underlugs or tapered barrels. I'm thinking a nice 6" blued gun with some ivory handles would make a handsome replacement for that old Ruger. Thanks for any input.

 

[tbury]

I have two 25-5s a 6" and a 4". The 4" has loose throats but shoots .454 lead bullets like a laser. The 6" has tight throats and shoots .452 bullets great. I tested the cylinders by dropping a .452 jacketed bullet through the charge holes. The 4" serial N681xxx (1979) let the bullet pass through with no drag at all -- fell right through. The 6" N825xxx(1985), was a snug fit with the bullet passing through with slight pressure from a pencil or rod. Model 25s made after 1982 should have no barrel pin and tighter cylinders; however both of my 25-5s have pinned barrels. The other option is to look for a 25-7 which is 45 colt and has tight cylinders. So it is your choice you can load .454 bullets if you find an older 25-5 and it will shoot great or you can look for a later 25-5 or 25-7 and load the same bullets you use for 45 acp. Since I have a 1st gen Colt SSA which needs .454 bullets having both sizes is not a bother to me.

 

[CajunBass]

I got this one a few months ago. I've only fired fifty rounds through it, but I shot a milk jug full of holes that time. Boy it was fun to shoot.

IIRC, it was made in 1980. I'll have to look it up again.