M25-5

[machinist mike]

Long time lurker, first time poster. I am supposed to go look at a M25-5 at a LGS on Tuesday. Supposed to be a 4" nickel but am unsure whether it is a mountain gun, or a heavy target bbl. Is there anything in particular that I should be looking for when examining the pistol? Price is $1000.00 but I may be able to talk him down a bit, we shall see. My only other option for a 4" would be buy a m25 classic, and send it back to the mother ship and have the barrel changed. Thanks in advance for any reply's.

 

[RGNewell]

If the gun is nice. That's a bargain.
No it's not a mountain gun.
Some of the dash 5s had pinned barrels and are more desirable.
Go get it.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[Pizza Bob]

Early -5's with pinned barrels may also have had oversized throats. Take a .452" bullet ( not a cartridge) with you, if it drops through from the front of the cylinder, run away. If you have access to them, a set of pin gauges is really the way to go to measure cylinder throats.

I had an early, pinned, 4" 25-5 and it patterned like a shotgun. Also keyholes. Throats measured .458" - .460".

Good luck with your acquisition.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[Muley Gil]

Yes, the M25-5s that weren't pinned tend to have tighter throats. However, you can get lucky with an older one. My M25-5 was shipped in 1980 and has tight throats and shoots good.

Ditto on carrying a .452" jacketed bullet to check the throats.

 

[OldChief]

I have a real nice 25-5, cira 1980, it's a 4" with a pinned barrel that shoots really great. I've been putting .452 lead and jacketed through it and both provide great accuracy.

 

[stansdds]

First, welcome to the S&W Forums!

With the S&W revolvers in 45 Colt, it is a very good idea to check the chamber throat diameters. For a long time, they were bored to around 0.454", the bullet diameter of the 45 Shofield, but the 45 Colt used a 0.452". Oversized cylinder throats can result in significant leading when using lead bullets.

If the chamber throats are good, then look at overall condition of the revolver, check for excessive cylinder end shake, make sure the cylinder locks up correctly when cocking to single action, make sure the hammer cannot be pushed off of the single action cocking notch with thumb pressure. If the side plate is warped or bent, beware as that is an indication that someone with poor knowledge of revolvers has removed the side plate. Look for screw heads with distorted screwdriver slots, that can also be an indication of someone who did not know what they were doing removed or attempted to remove the side plate.

 

[ME94]

Well I really I should have posted questions before I bought mine 25-5 with a pinned barrel. I have not shot it yet but I just bought some 45 colt a month ago. Now I am going to need to check.

 

[st regis]

I can look at the pic and tell it will be a terrible shooter. Just give it to me and save the stress

 

[rockquarry]

The ones with oversized chamber throats will shoot fine. You have to match the bullet diameter to the throats. Usually a .456" or .457" bullet works well and with good accuracy. A .454" bullet will work well, too, if the alloy is soft enough. Takes some experimenting. If you cast your own, you'll be okay, but there may be commercial casters that offer the necessary options for good accuracy in these guns if you don't cast.

 

[RodD]

Kinda thinking those cylinders throats were SAMMI spec dimensions at the time. Plus or minus normal tolerance, of course. Copped bases on factory lesd ammo jelped some