Model 25 discontinued?

[Mike SC Hunter]

Much superiour??? I can kill anything just as dead with one of my 45 colts as anyone can with a 44 mag and at any range. If you don't know your gun and ballistics the drop on either over 100 yard starts to become substantial. Modern S&W 45 colts can safely launch 250 gr slugs at over 1100fps from a 6" barrel forever.

Either load will go completely though an elk, no problem and a poor hit with a 44 mag will not kill anything any better than the same hit with a 45. 200fps isn't magic

You only to splain it to those that don't know.....Rest of us have been there..Done that.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Reading the replies makes me wonder if I am the only one reloading for his 25-2 using 45 Auto Rim brass? Shoots great. My 25-5 in 45 Colt shoots just fine too. Both were made in 1980 and the bluing is still impressive.

You ain't alone. I've been loading AR brass with 250 gr bullets for years for my 3 ea 625's and a mdl 22.........Works great. Ya'll have saw this pic before.

 

[Model1567]

I am aware that a lot of people don't care for 45 acp revolvers (25-2's and 625's) because of the moon clips and I gotta' say, I don't blame them. But...45 Auto Rim to the rescue. Once you use them they take the accuracy of n N frame S&W to a new level-IMHO. I know there is not room in the cylinder for it but a 5 shot L frame in 45 acp would get my credit card out post haste. I have been eyeballing a new Charter Pit bull in 45 for just that reason.

This basically points to my question...Murf, are you saying you can shoot .45 Auto Rim out of a revolver chambered for .45 Colt?
I thought the rim of the AR was too thick to work.
Apparently not the case?

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Sounds like he's saying 45ARs are more accurate than 45AUTOs with moonclips in 45ACP revolvers?

The inner dimensions of modern 45AR & 45AUTO brass are the same.

Either brass, loaded with the same components, bullet, powder & primer, and assembled the same ways, COAL" & crimp, shoot the same for me.

I don't see a difference in their accuracy.

I just prefer the 45ARs. I love those stumpy little guys.

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[BLUEDOT37]

Around 1995 the SAAMI specs were revised so that 45 ACP and 45 Colt could use the same diameter bullets.

Not sure what you're referring to with this?

The 2015 SAAMI specs for the 45 Colt cartridge (see attachment) show the bullet can be anywhere from .4500" to .4560" (.4560" -.0060"), the throats .4520" to .4595", and groove .4500" to .4540", if I read this right.

I believe the "change" to .452" throats in the 45 Colt was a manufacturer change, probably as much for economics as anything.

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Do you...

 

[Model1567]

Sounds like he's saying 45ARs are more accurate than 45AUTOs with moonclips in 45ACP revolvers?

The inner dimensions of modern 45AR & 45AUTO brass are the same.

Either brass, loaded with the same components, bullet, powder & primer, and assembled the same ways, COAL" & crimp, shoot the same for me.

I don't see a difference in their accuracy.

I just prefer the 45ARs. I love those stumpy little guys.

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Oh yeah, I get what he was saying.
I was only addressing the fact that he was the only person in this whole thread who mentioned AR's, so I thought he might have some personal experience with them.
Apologies if that didn't come across in my question.

 

[steelslaver]

When I started reloading maybe 45 years ago all the 45 Colt bullets were .454" diameter. Around 1995 the SAAMI specs were revised so that 45 ACP and 45 Colt could use the same diameter bullets. None of the ones I own are that small because all of the revolvers I own were shipped from S&W prior to 1980. So the only diameter I use is .454" for 45 Colt.

Suggest you learn before you post erroneous and misleading information.

I have a machine rest and I know for a fact that a cylinder with throats above .454 will not be as accurate as one with proper throats. IF you have .454 or .455 throats you will be ok with .454 bullets, with .456 or larger throats accuracy will suffer depending on your chamber size (no they are NOT all the same there either). LOTS of early 45 had large throats. I also have a set of pin gauges, so I know exactly what I am dealing with. Do you? I had a 25-5 with a cylinder with .457 throats that would NOT shoot well no mater what sized bullets I stuck in it. I could not even chamber cases loaded with bullets over .454. I reamed a 44 cylinder to have .452 throats and it is now very accurate.

Just so you know, not only do I have a machine rest, pin gauges, I also have 8 S&W 45 colts and 4 in ACP, I also have a plastic bucket that is nearly full of various S&W 45 cylinders. I have made them from 357 cylinders, 44 mag cylinders. I have 5 different 45 molds and sizers in .452, .454 and .457 I have shot buckets full of ammo from them. I HAVE LEARNED a whole lot about them.

Just loading .454 bullets will NOT fix all early 45 accuracy problems. Some yes. All, hardly

An accurate 45 revolver should make a group where all the holes nearly touch at 25 yards

NOT THIS

I suggest YOU learn before you post erroneous and misleading information.

 

[Hawg Rider]

IMHO, the blued longer-barreled .45 ACP revolver is no longer desirable or saleable to the younger generations. Those few folks who shoot .45 ACP in revolver competitions use tuned SS revolvers, and the CCW versions are also SS. The SS revolvers and capacity of semi-auto pistols (and their prevalence- 1911s, M&Ps, etc.) has probably doomed the Model 25 in .45 ACP forever. I have a 6-1/2" Model 25-2 that is a tack driver, and I shoot it often alongside my Model 1917. I also like the modern .45 Colt cartridge, even though it was pooh poohed by Mike "Duke" Venturino in a recent "Wheelgunner" article. I shoot .45 Colt in a Winchester 94AE carbine and Uberti Cattleman, and it's an excellent round. The fact that both S&W and Taurus chamber it in their Governors and Judges is also a testament to its effectiveness.

 

[Inland7-45]

I always wanted a pinned 6.5 " Model 25 or pre model number but never got one. A long time ago I did find a mid 60s 6.5" Model 29 which I mostly shoot .44 Specials from. This filled the requirement for a large frame big large bore revolver with good accuracy and soft recoil when .44 Specials are used.

The last new S&W that I bought was a model 34-1 in 1978. If the factory turned out a new .45 ACP with a tapered 6.5" barrel and called it a Model 26 1950 Target in the classic series I might be tempted to open my wallet.

Since I don't see this happening I will continue to have fun tracking down the old stuff.

 

[Drm50]

I think that when S&W runs out of frames for any of the models that will be the end of production. Classic models will be built on the new frames and will have MIM parts, barrels ala Dan Wesson, rubber grips, ect.
Gun Gobblers can put their new ones in drawer beside their Rough Rider that shoots better than a K22.

 

[GypsmJim]

Gun Gobblers can put their new ones in drawer beside their Rough Rider that shoots better than a K22.

I have a Rough Rider, a couple of Single Sixes, a couple Wranglers, a Single Ten, a GP100 .22, and yes, a K22.

The K22 is the best of the lot, followed closely by the Single Sixes. The RR is far inferior to any of them. The only pro is the price.

Just my humble observations.

 

[StrawHat]

IMHO, the blued longer-barreled .45 ACP revolver is no longer desirable or saleable to the younger generations. Those few folks who shoot .45 ACP in revolver competitions use tuned SS revolvers, and the CCW versions are also SS.

Nuts, I guess I better get rid of this one. Too bad, it was X ring accurate at 15 yards. When I was in my prime, that range would probably have been 25 yards.

Kevin

 

[Onty]

Much superiour??? I can kill anything just as dead with one of my 45 colts as anyone can with a 44 mag and at any range. If you don't know your gun and ballistics the drop on either over 100 yard starts to become substantial. Modern S&W 45 colts can safely launch 250 gr slugs at over 1100fps from a 6" barrel forever.

Either load will go completely though an elk, no problem and a poor hit with a 44 mag will not kill anything any better than the same hit with a 45. 200fps isn't magic

FYI:

by Terry Murbach » Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:31 pm
NO ONE, AND I DO MEAN NO ONE, CAN TELL YOU WHAT THE BEST LOADS WILL BE IN YOUR GUN. THAT IS FOR YOU TO TEST AND FIGURE OUT.
I DO KNOW I CAN RUN 300gr BULLETS AT 1100FPS FROM ALL MY 45COLT SIXGUNS INCLUDING THE COLT AND S&W M25-5 GUNS OF VARIOUS BARREL LENGTHS WITH LOADS THAT ARE STRAIGHT OUT OF THE LAST FEW SPEER MANUALS.
A 45 CALIBER 300gr LFN BULLET AT 1100 WILL COMPLETELY PENETRATE ANY ANIMAL IN NORTH AMERICA AND YOU NEED NOTHING ELSE. MORE SPEED MAY FLATTEN THE TRAJECTORY A BIT-- darned LITTLE TOO AS A MATTER OF FACT-- BUT ALL YOU ARE DOING AT 1100 OR 1300 IS POKING A 45 CALIBER HOLE IN AND A 45 CALIBER HOLE OUT.
THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF THIS TO ME IS THE FACT THAT A 454424 KEITH BULLET AT THE SAME SPEEDS--1050 TO 1100-- DOES THE SAME WORK AND DOES IT AT EVEN LOWER PRESSURES. THIRTY SIX YEARS AGO I PUT FIVE TONS OF MEAT ON THE GROUND WITH THE KEITH LOAD FROM A RUGER 45COLT 4 5/8" SIXGUN [ 1075FPS FROM THIS GUN ] AND NEVER RECOVERED A SINGLE BULLET. THEY WENT COMPLETELY THROUGH FROM EVERY CONCEIVABLE ANGLE INCLUDING FROM STRAIGHT ABOVE.
THERE IS NO NEED FOR ANY HEAVIER BULLETS OF ANY KIND IN THE 45COLT CARTRIDGE.

Most Accurate 45 Colt +P Load? - Paco Kelly's Leverguns.com

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

IMHO, the blued longer-barreled .45 ACP revolver is no longer desirable or saleable to the younger generations. Those few folks who shoot .45 ACP in revolver competitions use tuned SS revolvers, and the CCW versions are also SS. The SS revolvers and capacity of semi-auto pistols (and their prevalence- 1911s, M&Ps, etc.) has probably doomed the Model 25 in .45 ACP forever. I have a 6-1/2" Model 25-2 that is a tack driver, and I shoot it often alongside my Model 1917. I also like the modern .45 Colt cartridge, even though it was pooh poohed by Mike "Duke" Venturino in a recent "Wheelgunner" article. I shoot .45 Colt in a Winchester 94AE carbine and Uberti Cattleman, and it's an excellent round. The fact that both S&W and Taurus chamber it in their Governors and Judges is also a testament to its effectiveness.

Venturino is just a writer with an opinion........GO back far enough you will find his praise for the 45LC..........They just write to stir up controversy..........Million of us know better and pay no attention to his drivel.

 

[dogg069]

M25, 4 screw, 5 screw are my favorite shooters, I have AR brass but sold my press long ago, just getting back into it. Nice to see all the interest in M25

 

[StrawHat]

M25, 4 screw, 5 screw are my favorite shooters, I have AR brass but sold my press long ago, just getting back into it. Nice to see all the interest in M25

Many of us on this forum have an affection for the Model 25s of the ACP variety. For some of us, it go beyond affection and borders on infatuation. There is a restraining order between myself and several ACP revolvers! But, I have managed to snag a few. Still looking for at least two more, but that is another topic for another thread.

If you have any questions, start another thread, lots of information on revolvers, reloading equipment and recipes in the heads of the members, and they are enablers, I mean, willing to share.

Kevin