S&W Model 25-5 45 Colt CTG.

[Militarytorch]

My first S&W revolver and I was trying to find out more info about it and I couldn't find a current model of S&W that uses 45 colt round.

Is this an obsolete caliber?
Does anyone know when these were made?
Are the grips original? or an after market upgrade.
Is this a target or a hunting pistol?

I paid $500 for this and it included a really nice Galco holster and a 50 round box of bullets. How did I do? (I was told that it was only fired about 20 times)

I like the gun a lot and that is why I would like to know a bit more about it.

Thank you very much your replies are greatly appreciated.

 

[Militarytorch]

More pictures

Also, the serial number is N827xxx

 

[rollin_hot]

25

My first S&W revolver and I was trying to find out more info about it and I couldn't find a current model of S&W that uses 45 colt round.

Is this an obsolete caliber?
Does anyone know when these were made?
Are the grips original? or an after market upgrade.

I paid $500 for this and it included a really nice Galco holster and a 50 round box of bullets. How did I do? (I was told that it was only fired about 20 times)

I like the gun a lot and that is why I would like to know a bit more about it.

Thank you very much your replies are greatly appreciated.

Post this in here and you may get some help...

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...5-colt-ultimate-25-625-discussion-thread.html

 

[Militarytorch]

Thank you but I have read that one before posting.
Unless I missed something there it didn't really talk about grip styles and other questions I had.

Best regards,
Steve

 

[RdrBill]

Sir.
I will give you my opinion to your questions.
It is an old caliber, 100 plus years. Obsolete no. Has a good following among various shooters of various manufactures of revolvers.

Gun appears to be 25-5 from serial number. Yours would be from the 80's give or take a little. Model 25's from S&W have been around since 1955, and 45 Colt in a S&W goes back 100 plus years.

Grips appear to be S&W for a later model, those have some value do not give them away. If they fit your hand and style of shooting use them. There are others more correct for your gun. They would fit you differently.

500 for the package is bargain, most folks here would jump all over that.

You did good on the buying and have a gun that folks look for.
Bill@Yuma

 

[Roadranger]

Steve, you have a nickel 4" m25-5 in 45 Colt. The grips are Smith & Wesson, but may not be original to your revolver, most 25-5's came with target stocks. The 25-5 dates back to the late 70's and 80's. The 45 Colt is not obsolete and is quiet popular with new loads being introduced often. You have a fine shooter! Bob!

 

[Militarytorch]

Thank you very much for the information.
This was an impulse buy, actually I wasn't looking for one but a guy I know recently had a heart attack and said there is lots of things I don't need anymore so here is a deal for you, but knowing nothing about S&Ws I wasn't sure what I was getting.
For a 30 year old gun this looks like brand new.

Thanks again,
Steve

 

[Charles]

You got a GREAT deal. Those grips are worth 150 by themselves. But then of course you'd have to relpace them with a 100 dollar set to keep it "original." Gorgeous gun, too, and in a really fun caliber. You can buy factory loads in a wide range of power levels. Start reading as much as you can about the 25-5 and the .45 Colt... You won't get bored for a WHILE.

 

[pharmer]

Nicely done. I bought this one (N821xxx) in new condition w/o accessories last year for $100 more. These are the grips that came on it, although without ser# on them I can't say they are original. Joe

 

[Militarytorch]

Yeah the more I look at it and handle it, I like it more and more.
So the grips should be numbered to the gun?

I wonder how much this gun was sold for when it was brand new back in the 80s

 

[Militarytorch]

pharmer,
needless to say that is a beautiful gun!

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

Yeah the more I look at it and handle it, I like it more and more.
So the grips should be numbered to the gun?

I wonder how much this gun was sold for when it was brand new back in the 80s

Your gun was made prior to 1983. It appears to be from around mid-to late '80. S&W dropped the pinned barrels in late '82. Your gun would have sold for about $329-$350 depending on what area of the country you were in at the time, and in central Florida back then, that price would have included a presentation case.

Those grips would not be numbered to the gun, and they are S&W combat grips. They never came on the model 25-5. The ones pharmer has on his are correct for your vintage gun.

 

[Militarytorch]

I have been reading another post on the forum where they said the pinned barrels were a bit of a problem for S&W on 25-5 revolvers.
How could I check that? I think the problem was accuracy so I guess I can just go shooting.
Look at that I answered my own question but if you have some more information about that I would really appreciate it.

PS I have also been reading that pinned barrels were more expensive to make and that is why S&W stopped making them.
They were saying how pinned was better than not.

I am sorry if i seem silly with my questions and comments but I mostly collect WW2 stuff so this is a totally new area for me.

So far from what I can tell, this is a GREAT forum.

 

[robctwo]

There is a lot of discussion about the size of the chamber throats on 25s. Yours may be oversized. To check try dropping a Hornady XTP through, just the bullet. If it drops straight through you may need to shoot larger diameter cast bullets.

I have three S&W .45 Colt revolvers. I reload. They are a hoot to shoot.

 

[Militarytorch]

I went to the box of ammo that I got and there are 3 different bullet makers in it. One of the 2 would fall in if the bullet was out of the shell. So I guess it is all about finding the right Maker.

Who makes rounds with bigger bullets?

Thank you.

 

[tdan]

Nice looking 25. From your serial #, this gun was manufactured '80-'82. If you take the grips off, you may find a date stamped inside one of the panels. The grips look to have excellent figure in the wood and appear to be in very nice condition. Go to Ebay or Gunbroker: Do a search for N frame grips. You will be pleasantly surprised to see what those square butt N-frame smooth combat grips are going for. That was probably around a $350 gun retail when new. That gun was a nice find...........but I suspect that you know that.........you are simply messing with the rest of us...........right???!!!!

 

[feralmerril]

With those grips would someone have ground off a corner of the grip frame to make them work like on a round butt, or will that grip fit a square butt without alteration?

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

With those grips would someone have ground off a corner of the grip frame to make them work like on a round butt, or will that grip fit a square butt without alteration?

feral-
they came in they came in both round butt, and square butt configurations.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I have been reading another post on the forum where they said the pinned barrels were a bit of a problem for S&W on 25-5 revolvers.
How could I check that? I think the problem was accuracy so I guess I can just go shooting.
Look at that I answered my own question but if you have some more information about that I would really appreciate it.

PS I have also been reading that pinned barrels were more expensive to make and that is why S&W stopped making them.
They were saying how pinned was better than not.

See post # 14 here by yours truly-
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...5-colt-ultimate-25-625-discussion-thread.html

 

[tdan]

<With those grips would someone have ground off a corner of the grip frame to make them work like on a round butt, or will that grip fit a square butt without alteration? >

These were specifically designed for a square butt N-frame. These are much less common than the wood combats made for the N-frame round butt. I'm thinking this style grip first appeared in the late 80's. They also put a similar version on a few of the K-frames in that same time frame. That's why I was kind of curious about the date that may be stamped inside the grip panel.