When they were new on the market and, in new in box condition, were selling for double retail, I bough a Model 25-3 .45 Colt. Their huge throats had not been publicized. In addition to its .458" throats the local S&W warranty center had to set its barrel back a revolution. As delivered the front locking lug was so far out of alignment with the extractor rod that the rod flexed as it rotated making a heavy DA pull. The warranty center, Davis, said I had to live with the huge throats. Paying double retail for a junk revolver was a big disappointment. Members who claim the 1970s was the time of skilled S&W craftsmen who never turned out lemons simply were not active shooting S&W revolvers at the time.
The only way I got my 25-3 to shoot acceptably, meaning 3" six shot groups at 25 yards, was using relatively light .45-70 rifle bullet molds. I launched approximately 340 grain bullets with the recoil of standard .44 Magnum 240 grain cartridges but without the loud muzzle blast. While they did not damage the gun they were not approved by any source so do not ask for my loads.
I had no interest in shooting anyone else's bullets, only my own castings, so it did not occur to me to experiment with Winchester or Remington's ~ 250 grain soft swaged bullets that have dimpled bases. Members here write they are happy with the accuracy they get firing those through large .45 Colt throats but none have ever written what it took to make them happy. There are too many 5 yard experts here to give any credibility to statements like "shoots like a laser."
Replacing a cylinder with a custom reamed Model 29 cylinder is ideal but only if you have the machine tools, skill and time to do it yourself. Other wise that is a couple hundred bucks. It occurs to me that the simpler way for a machinist to get better accuracy out of a large throated revolver would be to mill off a .45-70 rifle bullet mold so it casts lighter bullets.
The only way I got my 25-3 to shoot acceptably, meaning 3" six shot groups at 25 yards, was using relatively light .45-70 rifle bullet molds. I launched approximately 340 grain bullets with the recoil of standard .44 Magnum 240 grain cartridges but without the loud muzzle blast. While they did not damage the gun they were not approved by any source so do not ask for my loads.
I had no interest in shooting anyone else's bullets, only my own castings, so it did not occur to me to experiment with Winchester or Remington's ~ 250 grain soft swaged bullets that have dimpled bases. Members here write they are happy with the accuracy they get firing those through large .45 Colt throats but none have ever written what it took to make them happy. There are too many 5 yard experts here to give any credibility to statements like "shoots like a laser."
Replacing a cylinder with a custom reamed Model 29 cylinder is ideal but only if you have the machine tools, skill and time to do it yourself. Other wise that is a couple hundred bucks. It occurs to me that the simpler way for a machinist to get better accuracy out of a large throated revolver would be to mill off a .45-70 rifle bullet mold so it casts lighter bullets.
