Anyone have a 25-5 with proper cylinder throats?

[aterry33]

I am curious about how many are out there with proper throats (according to a knowledgable person at S&W who I talked to, not many). They said that if you can find one with the ABC1234 serial number system that it will have proper throats, but I have never seen a 25-5 with that sort of serial number, only the new 625 mountain guns.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

Here is one that shipped in '87 (AVA 26XX) with the three letter serial system and correct throats. I have posted many times here that any 25-5 with the three letter, four number serial will be correct. Just look for a non pinned version. In this case, being non pinned is a plus, since they tightened up the throats at the same time the dropped the pinned barrels.

There are many, many of them around, but most who have them know they are right, and won't sell them. The throats on this one run .453" and this gun shoots outstandingly. The 25-7's are even better. Their throats run .452" as they should be. They are real tack drivers

 

[aterry33]

Thanks. So how much do you want for that one

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I'd have to get a very serious offer to ever let it go. I have the original box and unopened tools for it too.

 

[aterry33]

Jealous I have a feeling that a 4" 25-5 in that serial number range will be about as hard to find as the 5" no dash Model 27 that took me years to locate. Oh well, I guess that's part of the fun.

Out of curiousity, did they make 25-2s in that serial number range with proper 45ACP cylinder throats as well?

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

Not that I'm aware of.

As to the hard to find aspect of these guns- not really. Like I said, those that have them know they have the correct throats, and won't sell them. That is a big reason you don't see them very often. For years, I saw far more non pinned, than pinned 25-5's.

 

[aterry33]

So will any non-pinned 25-5 have proper chamber throats? Or are there non-pinned ones with the old serial number system? THanks for the info.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

Some of the last guns produced in the N series will have the correct throats, and yes, all of the non pinned guns should be correct. I say should, because with S&W you can never be 100% certain. They knew years ago they had a problem, and for a time during the N series, they offered to replace the cylinder free of charge if you sent the gun back, but those cylindfers were long ago used up, and they haven't offered that for a long time.

I do know that you can send in a pinned gun (or any that has an oversized throat issue), and they will fit it with the current style of cylinder and extractor system for a reasonable fee.

 

[Allen-frame]

Hello Aaron. If you haven't seen a model 25 with an alpha numeric serial number ,you just haven't been looking hard enough.

Here is a list of Smiths in 45 Colt and their respective dates
of manufacture and cylinder throat dimensions.
Obviously ,with the oldest being a 1988 gun ,it is well past the
approximate 1982 cutoff point when S&W started really paying
attention to the manufacture of these guns.

1. 25-5 AZB49xx May 1988 all 6 chambers at .451 .

2. 25-7 BDS68xx April 1989 3 at .451,,2 at .4515 ,and 1 at.452 for a variance of .001 total.

3. 25-9 BFE23xx Late 1992 6 chambers at .451 exactly.

4. 625-6 P.C. CLT00xx, Light hunter Late 1997 , all chambers at .450 exactly.

5. 625-7 P.C. LCH02xx 1999 for R.S.R. all chambers at .450 exactly.

6. 625-7 Power Port 6.5" CDF83xx April 1999 ,all .450 exactly.

7. 625-7 3" CDB59xx ,January 1999 , all chambers .450 exactly.

I also have 2 auxiliary cylinders purchased separately along the way.

1. blue , all chamber throats measure .457.

2. Stainless ,all throats measure .450.

I hope this helps ,good luck ,Allen Frame

 

[aterry33]

Thanks guys!

 

[ronnie gore]

25-5

i have one with an N prefix and the throats measure as they should, but it was a dekalb co. ga. p.d. gun. and may have been sent back and corrected. i added the pc magnas as it had pachmayers when i got it,also replaced the narrow trigger with a target trigger i narrowed and smoothed.

 

[feralmerril]

I have one that I never measured. However it seems just as accurate as my favorite .44 specials. I once bought a 3rd generation .45 colt SAA. I took both out together with various ammo, both factory and handloads.
All fired cases easily dropped right out of the 25-5 but in the colt SAA they swelled and had to be tapped out!
I sent the colt back to colt and got a new clyinder that I havent tried yet.

 

[Bend]

Will a 25-7, 25-9 cylinder fit/work an older 25-5? Modifications needed if not?

 

[pharmer]

I have N 821xxx that has proper sized throats. The cylinder may have been replaced as it looks unfired. no rework marks under the grips that I can find. Joe

 

[max]

Mine is also an N prefix. .452 bullets will not drop through, but can easily be pushed through. The gun is accurate enough or maybe better than me.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

Will a 25-7, 25-9 cylinder fit/work an older 25-5? Modifications needed if not?

Yes, they'll work, but the timing will need to be checked and adjusted to be correct for the new home.

 

[Allen-frame]

Once an N frame cylinder has been fit to a frame ,it may or may not drop into another similar ,or older frame. Barrel-cylinder gap will need to be set.
End shake shims may need to be employed. If it has been fit, it may be too short for the new frame.
Finding a new old stock cylinder is best,as it can be properly fit to
any frame and barrel setup.
Good luck finding one though ,they are 'scarce'.

AlleN frame

 

[Muley Gil]

My M25-5 will just pass a .452 bullet. It is in the N697xxx range. It has always been an accurate shooter. I bought it new in 1980 and round butted it. I sold it to my Lt at the PD a few years later. I was able to buy it back from him in 2007. He passed last year, way too young at 65.

 

[thedane]

I had an 8 3/8" 25-5 in the early 80's that was very accurate. I recently purchased the following 25-5 in the range N678XXX. It has .454 throats and is very accurate. .452 cast bullets will fall through the throats of all of my Colt SAAs and the 25-5. All are accurate.

25-5, pinned barrel, .454 throats, 4 shots 1 1/4" 5 shots 1 3/4" at 50 ft.