curious.....45 acp in a moonclip in a 25-5?

[rogerwnuss]

recently received a nice 25-5 in 45 Colt in a trade and started to wonder, could you stick a full moon of acp in a 25-5 cylinder? would it even fit, and if it did would it fire ok? would it even be safe? this is a 1980 built 25, so pinned barrel but no recessed chambers...

 

[colt_saa]

It will not work on a Factory original model 25/325/625 chambered in 45 Long Colt

Now, you can have the cylinder machined so that it will work with both the moon clipped 45 ACP or 45 Super ammunition or the rim on any of the various cartridges like 45 Long Colt, 45 Short Colt, Etc.

 

[jeffrefrig]

recently received a nice 25-5 in 45 Colt in a trade and started to wonder, could you stick a full moon of acp in a 25-5 cylinder? would it even fit, and if it did would it fire ok? would it even be safe? this is a 1980 built 25, so pinned barrel but no recessed chambers...

I've had my ears up lately for a model 25-?. Do you have any pictures? Plus, I would probably have to sell something to appease Mrs. Refrigeration. (You may know the drill: she gets half of everything and all of my half!) I had a nice Uberti SAA clone in .45 Colt, but I'd like a DA/SA S&W revolver.
Jeff

 

[StrawHat]

recently received a nice 25-5 in 45 Colt in a trade and started to wonder, could you stick a full moon of acp in a 25-5 cylinder? would it even fit, and if it did would it fire ok? would it even be safe? this is a 1980 built 25, so pinned barrel but no recessed chambers...

The Model 25-5, as issued from the factory, did NOT have recessed chambers for the cartridge. Only revolvers chambered for the Magnum cartridges and the rimfires had the recessed chambers.

Kevin

 

[Muley Gil]

Congrats on the "new" revolver.

Have you checked the throats on he cylinder? Some of those early M25-5s had large throats. I got lucky and my M25-5 has tight ones; a jacketed .451" bullet "catches" when dropped into the chambers.

 

[.38SuperMan]

I have a 625-2 45acp and now curious if the cylinder could be modified to work with both acp and Long Colt? I seem to remember reading that the cylinder is to short but not sure of that.

 

[Ruger 13]

Try it and find out!

 

[rogerwnuss]

I've had my ears up lately for a model 25-?. Do you have any pictures? Plus, I would probably have to sell something to appease Mrs. Refrigeration. (You may know the drill: she gets half of everything and all of my half!) I had a nice Uberti SAA clone in .45 Colt, but I'd like a DA/SA S&W revolver.
Jeff

Jeff, hey-
I'm probably gonna hang on to this one, love N frames but in the past I kept getting talked out of them, may not tell anyone around here who's
into Smiths that I even have it. I always preferred the 25-2 because acp was cheaper to shoot, but these days I only go out shooting about four times a year instead of every weekend, so not a financial burden even if 45 Colt ammo is more expensive.

 

[rockquarry]

Maybe a little more expensive in the short term, but more convenient with fewer headaches... buy a 25-2 for shooting ACP and Auto Rim. You'll wind with two fine original unmolested revolvers that will always be desirable on the used market and will hold value well.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

I want to back up to roger’s comment, you only shoot 4 times a year! That’s terrible, you need to join a cas or ipsc club or .22 pistol league. I’ve done ipsc, idpa, WB, BAMM, zombie, cas and garand matches. Never shot any bullseye or silhouette. And shoot something [currently cas] monthly, weather permitting. You need to get to the range more son. Btw, I’m only 70. Many years ago when I was shooting bowling pins my main revolver was an Anaconda in .45 Colt, second was a 625 in 45acp. As an experiment I thinned a steel full moon clip, hand loaded .45 win mag brass to my pin load and got them to chamber fine. Did it as an experiment for a fast reload. Eventually went with a NY reload, my second revolver.

 

[Buford57]

While I haven't used this shop, I have heard nothing but good about them and seriously considered sending my 25-5 to them before concluding that since I reload both .45 Colt and .45 ACP there was nothing to be gained.

MACHINING SERVICES S&W | TK Custom Store

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

Had my used J frame .38 altered to use moon clips by TK Custom. Brilliant idea. Works great.

 

[Patrick L]

There is a very interesting story in the 1981 Gun Digest on this very project by Ed Harris. Basically you need a second cylinder, and it was easier to start with a . 45 ACP revolver and add the . 45 Long Colt cylinder. Some other clever mods made it all work. IIRC you also had some coal limitations on the . 45 Colt that you wouldn't with a "straight" .45 Colt revolver, but nothing you couldn't really deal with.

 

[rogerwnuss]

I want to back up to roger’s comment, you only shoot 4 times a year! That’s terrible, you need to join a cas or ipsc club or .22 pistol league. I’ve done ipsc, idpa, WB, BAMM, zombie, cas and garand matches. Never shot any bullseye or silhouette. And shoot something [currently cas] monthly, weather permitting. You need to get to the range more son. Btw, I’m only 70. Many years ago when I was shooting bowling pins my main revolver was an Anaconda in .45 Colt, second was a 625 in 45acp. As an experiment I thinned a steel full moon clip, hand loaded .45 win mag brass to my pin load and got them to chamber fine. Did it as an experiment for a fast reload. Eventually went with a NY reload, my second revolver.

I'd love to, but I have a disabled son, 30 going on 4, so I'm lucky to shoot when I do.

 

[rockquarry]

There is a very interesting story in the 1981 Gun Digest on this very project by Ed Harris. Basically you need a second cylinder, and it was easier to start with a . 45 ACP revolver and add the . 45 Long Colt cylinder. Some other clever mods made it all work. IIRC you also had some coal limitations on the . 45 Colt that you wouldn't with a "straight" .45 Colt revolver, but nothing you couldn't really deal with.

From a different perspective... a very good and comprehensive article worth reading. Written by one of the very best of gunwriters.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

Sorry to hear that roger. My wife’s stroke kept me from many shoots so I know what you mean. My son is dealing with ms but for now is doing ok. Stay strong. I ask the Lord for strength every day.

 

[rogerwnuss]

Congrats on the "new" revolver.

Have you checked the throats on he cylinder? Some of those early M25-5s had large throats. I got lucky and my M25-5 has tight ones; a jacketed .451" bullet "catches" when dropped into the chambers.

Nah, I'm sure it'll outshoot me either way

 

[Zuchus]

Here's a thread about my TK Custom work on my 25-5:

My 25-5 with TK Custom moonclip conversion

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I have a 625-2 45acp and now curious if the cylinder could be modified to work with both acp and Long Colt?
I seem to remember reading that the cylinder is to short but not sure of that.

Here's an alternative mod worth considering:

When .45ACP In Your S&W 625 Isn’t Quite Enough… Step Up to the 45 WSM

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