Model 25-9 question
- Thread starter Stonegate
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Thanks for your reply. Here's a bit more info. My 25-9 is chambered in 45 Colt. I bought it used. Have had it for some number of years and am just getting around to work with it. Yes, it has adjustable sights and with the rear sight bottomed out it prints about 4" high @ 25 yards, shooting a 250 grain standard velocity (Winchester) load. I'm wondering if these revolvers were regulated to shoot lighter bullets?
RdrBill
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Sir.
A lighter, faster bullet would clear the barrel quicker and print a little lower on the target. Is there a chance that the front sight has been filed down a little?
I have 5 inch 25-7's and have not run into a problem of not shooting to point of aim.
You might try various loads and you will find one that works better. If you are reloading, make the bullet go a little faster.
Bill@Yuma
A lighter, faster bullet would clear the barrel quicker and print a little lower on the target. Is there a chance that the front sight has been filed down a little?
I have 5 inch 25-7's and have not run into a problem of not shooting to point of aim.
You might try various loads and you will find one that works better. If you are reloading, make the bullet go a little faster.
Bill@Yuma
GLC1
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I had one of the new Model 25 Classics in 45 Colt and it too hit about 4" high at 25 yards. I could not hit point of aim at 25 with the rear sight all the way down using standard 255 grain LSWC bullets which is about the most common weight for the 45 Colt. I found that it had a .273" front sight and replaced it with a .300 SDM gold bead sight. It was dead on then. Sights are available from S&W, Brownells and others. Easy switch if you have a pinned in front sight.
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S&W 25's chambered for .45 Colt are famous for having too short a front sight on them. They did increase the front sights on the 25-7's and later guns, but not enough. I have to keep my 25-7 bottomed out on the rear sight, and I had to stone down the top of the rear sight on my 25-5 to get it to print in the bull even with it bottomed out. The 25's came with .126" rear sight lades, but you can either do what I did and stone the top down until it is printing in the black, or order a .106" rear blade kit from S&W.
The factory sights are setup to be usable with factory ammo, or handloads that are equivalent to the original load of a 250-255 grain lead bullet at approximately 800-850 fps. Anything else outside of a much lighter bullet at much higher velocity, and they won't adjust down far enough to center shots in the bullseye at 25 yards.
The factory sights are setup to be usable with factory ammo, or handloads that are equivalent to the original load of a 250-255 grain lead bullet at approximately 800-850 fps. Anything else outside of a much lighter bullet at much higher velocity, and they won't adjust down far enough to center shots in the bullseye at 25 yards.
Sir, what you're seeing is typical of the polished blue 25-5s and 25-9s. My 4-inch 25-9 does the same thing, as did a pinned-barrel 4-inch 25-5 I used to own. John Linebaugh's written about it as well. The 5-inch matte-finish 25-7s and 25-9s don't seem to have this problem, despite being made around the same time as the polished 25-9s. It took Smith a while to figure out the .45 Colt.
Anyway, yes, a lighter bullet will print closer to point of aim in your 25-9. In mine, 200-grain cast bullets pretty much shoot to the sights, as did the old 225-grain Winchester Silvertips.
Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.
Ron H.
Front sight is one piece (not pinned). No evidence of having been filed. I see Brownells has a rear replacement blade (.106") for $16.95. I was also considering a 200 gr. lswc since I would likely use this revolver primarily for target work. Looks promising as all the throats measure exactly .452". I slugged the bore but can't figure out how in hell to get an accurate groove measurement from the slug using my caliper. I see there appear to be 5 lands? I'm kinda guessing it's .4505" maybe .451".
