625 barrel

[Milton]

I recently saw a barrel for a 625 that had 45 ACP stamped deeply on one side and Smith and Wesson stamped deeply on the other side,when did Smith use these barrel types on the 625 series and what "dash' guns had this?

 

[JoeHatley]

I've got a 625 V-comp and a PC625 that are both marked .45 ACP on the left side of the barrel, but on the right side they have Performance Center.

 

[Sebago Son]

You'll find these Roll Marks on the Models of 1988, but Laser Markings (more like a shallow 'stain') on the Models of 1989.

Drew

 

[Milton]

1988,Thank you for the answer! How else did these '88 barrels differ from the '89?

 

[scooter123]

I have a 625JM that was produced in August 2011 that has the barrel stamped. It's not very deeply stamped but it is definately stampled instead of laser engraved, I know the difference quite well. My hunch is that is was "straight" stamped instead of roll stamped due to it's somewhat shallow depth.

 

[k22fan]

I'm not sure what you've got. The first year or so of 625 production had only five inch barrels that were roll stamped "Model of 1988". They also had black ramp front sights while five inch model 1989s had patridge front sights. During the 1990s Model 1989s had "Model of 1989" laser engraved on them and were made in 3 barrel lengths: 3", 4", and 5". In more recent years S&W has used larger stamped lettering on performance center and mountain gun barrels.

 

[Milton]

This barrel is a five inch barrel.It is stamped as noted in the first post and it has a black patridge front sight.It has some odd looking rifling with the grooves "cut" at an angle to the top of the lands making the grooves appear to be "V' shaped with the bottom of the V truncated with a flat.The bore measures 0.451.It came wrapped in thin brown paper with the number 216920000 and the notation BBL GT45 ACP 5" GB PAT.

 

[GrimJim]

I have a 625 5" barrel just like that. I just bought it from a gun parts house. The rifling exactly as described by Milton was not what I expected. I don't know whether to complain or be overjoyed.

 

[k22fan]

I have a 625 5" barrel just like that. I just bought it from a gun parts house. The rifling exactly as described by Milton was not what I expected. I don't know whether to complain or be overjoyed.

Since about 1997 S&W has been rifling most of their center fire barrels by eroding away metal with electricity. Some use the acronym EDM for the process. The result is land sides with various degrees of slanting and or rounded corners. I have a 625-8 with EDM rifling that looks like polygonal rifling. EDM rifling's lead bullet accuracy is controversial. My 625-8 groups great with low powered target lead bullets. I have not yet tried EDM rifling with magnum cast bullet loads which seems to be where the controversy arises. Some members are reporting great lead bullet magnum results while others are complaining the lead magnum loads their broach cut rifled barrels group well with don't shoot worth a darn in newly acquired EDM barrels. It could be they need to develop loads specifically for their new EDM barrels.
You might be able to return it, but complaining looks useless to me. You bought a new barrel so you got new style rifling. Quite a few of us old luddites are not overjoyed with each new change in manufacturing at S&W.

 

[GrimJim]

Thanks, k22fan,

Since my 625's were built before 1997, I had no standard of comparison. If it shoots lead bullets well at standard .45 ACP/AR velocities, I will have no complaint.

GrimJim, Luddite wannabe