MODEL 25 QUESTION

[procurement92]

Hi All,




I am looking at getting a model 25 so I can shoot .45 colt


I was wondering is there any dash series that was better or worse?

 

[Hoot]

25-3 and 25-4 have short cylinders, so if you want to use standard factory 45 Colt, you don't want these.

I have a 25-5, and it's a great shooter.

The 625 series are good shooters also.

 

[Hair Trigger]

25-3 and 25-4 have short cylinders, so if you want to use standard factory 45 Colt, you don't want these.

I have a 25-5, and it's a great shooter.


The 625 series are good shooters also.

The M25-5 sometimes have issues with oversized throats on the cylinder, which can affect accuracy, and sometimes needs a careful bullet selection for it to shoot well.

I just purchased a 4" M25-5 that has oversized throats. I took it to the range for the first time and shot 20 rounds of factory Hornady FTX loads and they did very well, so I'm hopeful my gun will be a good shooter. I shot a standard IDPA target and put 10 rounds all in the chest circle at 15 yards, and kept 10 in the chest area at 25 yards. Once I find a source of brass and some lead bullets in the 210-240 grain range, I'll play with some hand loads, which is what I shoot exclusively in my other revolvers.

 

[29aholic]

The 25-7 was the best of the pre lock 45s

Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

 

[Nightowl]

I shot my 25-7, 5 inch today! It is a great gun!! Perfect action, correct cylinder throats. I like the slick finish too. Great fun! There is a 25-9 in 5 inch too, but I have never seen one.

 

[StrawHat]

While I am not a 45 long Colt aficionado, I do like the Model 25 revolver. I believe the oversized throat condition was cured at the same time the pin in the barrel was discontinued, so you are looking for a non-pinned, non-recessed model.

Having said that, if you handload, .454 diameter bullets from my Model 25-5 are wonderfully accurate.

Kevin

 

[serger]

When you get bullets sized for the throats of your gun the 25's
pretty much all shoot very well.

In my case I got lucky with the first one I bought at a pawn shop.
It was a 25-7 that shoots much better than I can. I found another
one at a later date. It also makes me look like I know what I'm
doing.

 

[series guy]

One more vote for a Model 25-7. They are just amazing to shoot.

 

[bananaman]

When you get bullets sized for the throats of your gun the 25's
pretty much all shoot very well.

In my case I got lucky with the first one I bought at a pawn shop.
It was a 25-7 that shoots much better than I can. I found another
one at a later date. It also makes me look like I know what I'm
doing.

Fantastic! I don't remember ever seeing 1 in in person! There is just something about the looks that really appeals to me. Probably the unfluted cylinder.
I have a 25-15 in Colt, a Blackhawk, 45 convertible, and a 625 JM in45 ACP.
Enjoy your 25's ! Bob

 

[Skyhunter]

I recently scored a 25-9, but haven't shot it yet. The weather has been crazy in my AO, plus I need to belly up to the bench and load some ammo!

WYT-P
Skyhunter

 

[BLUEDOT37]

My M25-13 is an awesome shooting 45 Colt with it's .4518" throats.

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[CH4]

The 25-7 was the best of the pre lock 45s

Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

Almost. The 25-9 is the same gun as the -7, but has the endurance package. They made about 2000 of the -7 and -9, but the -9 was at the end of the run and are MUCH rarer. Both share the same product code.

The 625-6 is the 45 Colt version of the Mountain Gun, which has all the upgrades, but no lock, MIM hammer or trigger.

 

[Thunderbolt84]

My M25-13 is an awesome shooting 45 Colt with it's .4518" throats.

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Those wood stocks on your 25-13 are beautiful. Tell me about them.

 

[DR505]

Almost. The 25-9 is the same gun as the -7, but has the endurance package. They made about 2000 of the -7 and -9, but the -9 was at the end of the run and are MUCH rarer. Both share the same product code.

This is spot on...the 25-9 seems like a contender for the best of the engineering changes. I have a 25-9 in both 4" and 6", the fluted variety. They are both fine examples of S&W revolvers. I also have a Mountain Gun which gets carried even more than the other two.

 

[Baxter6551]

Model 25

I have a 25-9. Can someone elaborate on the “endurance package” as mentioned above by CH4 ? Thanks.
Forgot to mention when I bought it around 25 or so years ago it came with these beautiful Bear Hug grips.

 

[DR505]

I have a 25-9. Cam someone elaborate on the “endurance package” as mentioned above by CH4 ? Thanks.

It has the longer stop-notches in the cylinder, not the full-blown endurance package as started in the Model 29-3E.

Among the endurance upgrades were a deeper cut bolt notch on the cylinder, new style cylinder bolt, and a radius(flare) was put at the bottom of the internal pins so the were bigger/thicker where they attached to the frame, instead of being the same skinny size throughout its length.

 

[Grayfox]

How did I miss this thread earlier?

I'm a huge fan of S&Ws in .45 Colt.
As mentioned, the cylinder throat problem disappeared about the same time as the barrel pin was discontinued. Generally, non pinned barrels have correct throats. But with all things S&W, don't expect that to be written in stone.

I also agree that the 25-7 is without a doubt the finest .45 Colt revolvers S&W ever made. Mine ain't going nowhere!

 

[Hondo44]

I have so many N frames in 45 ACP, I didn't need another gun. So I picked up a Mod 25 ACP cylinder and yoke assembly. I was amazed that it just dropped into my Pre Model 26. And of course I didn't have to alter the frame window lug in the lower right corner of the window because the cyls are the exact same length.

Then I extended the shoulders in the chambers, but not far enough for the 45 Colt cartridges to seat on the rim. I let them stick out .030", the difference between 45 ACP headspace and the normal 45 Colt headspace.

No less safe than shooting 45 ACP since its case head sticks out of the chamber the exact same amount.

Plus it added back the .030" to make the chamber length the same as the S&W short 45 Colt cylinders that handle standard 45 Colt bullets. I never had any trouble finding off the shelf 45 ammo that would fit the cylinder, (when you could buy ammo!) The reamer I used put a nice rounded shoulder (like S&W 45 Colt cyls) for my rd crimped 45 Colt cases.

But mostly I handload, especially for the extra long nose 45 bullets, like the 250 gr Keith bullets. I just deep seat them enough to be flush with the front face of the cyl. I don't 'hotrod' my loads that much and with the right powders, never had a problem with compressed loads. In fact the fuller the load, the better volumetric burning efficiency I get and therefore more consistent groups on target.

I found myself not even changing back to the original ACP cyl to shoot ACP rounds, (just use 1/2 moon and full moon clips, or 45 AR cases.

 

[steelslaver]

Hondo, another thing a guy could do is get a 45acp cylinder, lengthen the chambers then fit a 45 colt extractor to the cylinder. With a stainless gun and the new style extractor star it would be easy

I have ended up having a bunch of 45 colts and only 4 revolvers that fire acps, 2 of those use 45 colt cylinders recessed for clipped acps

 

[Buford57]

My 25-5 (pinned) 4" shoots 250 gr RNFPs sized .452 just fine. I use the same load in a 5.5 inch Ruger Vaquero and a Winchester 94.