Would one of the new production classic cylinders be the same?
Will S&W still fit a new cylinder to a 25-5?
- Thread starter dusty3030
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They can replace the cylinder and the ejector/ratchet with one of the new ones as long as they have them available. They may need to replace the yoke as well. Also, they can replace the cylinder stop with the newer slightly larger version.
That's what they told me on the phone.
Production guns get top priority, and if there's enough extra cylinders available when you send your gun in they'll do it. I'd say call and check before shiping one to them.
That's what they told me on the phone.
Production guns get top priority, and if there's enough extra cylinders available when you send your gun in they'll do it. I'd say call and check before shiping one to them.
pistolairo
Member
Gun 4 Fun has it right. I called S&W 2 wk's ago for a cylinder replacement on my 25-5. I even have a thread going now on here at the forum on O/S Cyl throats. They told me to send it in and they would determine what it required to fix. They will send you the repairs required & a quote.
In addition they mentioned that the bluing of the Cyl & frame would not match. I decided to try a few things prior to sending it in, that I picked up here on the forums before I sent it in. Your problem my be different than what I have, the cylinder locks up tight & the timing is right.
With that being said call the Smith & Wesson rep & explain what's going on with your 25-5 and go from there. I found out that if you have your concerns written down it goes much better because they are in a hurry to talk to the next person.
Good Luck & Best Regards
In addition they mentioned that the bluing of the Cyl & frame would not match. I decided to try a few things prior to sending it in, that I picked up here on the forums before I sent it in. Your problem my be different than what I have, the cylinder locks up tight & the timing is right.
With that being said call the Smith & Wesson rep & explain what's going on with your 25-5 and go from there. I found out that if you have your concerns written down it goes much better because they are in a hurry to talk to the next person.
Good Luck & Best Regards
Art Doc
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Why do you need a new cylinder?
OP
Looking at one to get. It's a n prefix with a pinned barrel so I suspect it will have oversize throats.
I have thousands of .452 200gr cast bullets that I reload for SASS shooting. I would like to use the same load.
Thanks for the replies.
I have thousands of .452 200gr cast bullets that I reload for SASS shooting. I would like to use the same load.
Thanks for the replies.
Before you get a new cylinder try shooting with your bullets. You may not have a problem. To reiterate what Gun 4 Fun said, if you decide to get a new cylinder, you need to replace the cylinder/ejector assembly. You can't just get a cylinder. By the time you've shipped the gun to S&W and paid for the parts and labor, you'll be looking at over $200.00.
pistolairo
Member
From my investigation in the problem of 25-5, O/S Throats were not in all of the pinned & single prefix 25's. My advice is to measure the throats if you already haven't. I would first go out and shoot the pistiol. Look at the bore & forcing cone for abnormal leading and see if you have a large & high pattern on your intended target.
You should beaware that Smith still regards 0.054" as a benchmark for the 45 Colt throats ( Per conversation with rep). My 25-7 measures 0.4525" + 0.0002" on all throats.
After you have fired your pistol and still have concerns and you haven't already measured the throats I would consider the following.
The best way that I have found to do this is to remove the cylinder, disassemble the cylinder and then try measuring it.
You can get a rough measurement by using calipers often within a couple of thousands.
You can also try passing one of your un-loaded bullets thru the throat. If a sized 0.452" cast gets a little tight in the throats you might be ok. If a un-sized or sized 0.454" gets a little tight, you still might be ok. Mine fell thru without an indication of slowing down. the 0.0454 also fell thru.
I also used telescopics & a mic to measure the bore. This will get you real close. Closer than thru reading threads, other than haveing a gunsmith plug the cylinder throats or using gage pins is by passing a 1/8 oz egg, pure soft lead, sinker thru the throats. One for each throat. Sand down the rough edges of the sinker,prior, then push it thru with a wood dowel or something simular. You get the idea. Then measure the sinker with mic's. This will get you within 0.0005" if your real good.
My 25-5, 45 Colt, measured on the avg of six throats 0.4577", way O/S'd. I plan to work with different size/hardness cast bullets and powder loads and some of the variables inbetween to improve leading & accuracy. I might end up sending it to S&W for a cylinder swap out, but I will learn a lot from the trials and from all of the good advise I have gotten for this forum.
Good Luck
You should beaware that Smith still regards 0.054" as a benchmark for the 45 Colt throats ( Per conversation with rep). My 25-7 measures 0.4525" + 0.0002" on all throats.
After you have fired your pistol and still have concerns and you haven't already measured the throats I would consider the following.
The best way that I have found to do this is to remove the cylinder, disassemble the cylinder and then try measuring it.
You can get a rough measurement by using calipers often within a couple of thousands.
You can also try passing one of your un-loaded bullets thru the throat. If a sized 0.452" cast gets a little tight in the throats you might be ok. If a un-sized or sized 0.454" gets a little tight, you still might be ok. Mine fell thru without an indication of slowing down. the 0.0454 also fell thru.
I also used telescopics & a mic to measure the bore. This will get you real close. Closer than thru reading threads, other than haveing a gunsmith plug the cylinder throats or using gage pins is by passing a 1/8 oz egg, pure soft lead, sinker thru the throats. One for each throat. Sand down the rough edges of the sinker,prior, then push it thru with a wood dowel or something simular. You get the idea. Then measure the sinker with mic's. This will get you within 0.0005" if your real good.
My 25-5, 45 Colt, measured on the avg of six throats 0.4577", way O/S'd. I plan to work with different size/hardness cast bullets and powder loads and some of the variables inbetween to improve leading & accuracy. I might end up sending it to S&W for a cylinder swap out, but I will learn a lot from the trials and from all of the good advise I have gotten for this forum.
Good Luck
OP
Don't have the gun in hand yet. Just wanted to make sure it would still be fairly easy to get a cylinder if needed.
When in hand I'm going to clean first, drop some slugs down second, shoot it third and if it won't shoot or leads like hell then go from there.
Thanks for all the information.
When in hand I'm going to clean first, drop some slugs down second, shoot it third and if it won't shoot or leads like hell then go from there.
Thanks for all the information.
USSR
Member
Replacing a cylinder that you SUSPECT has oversized throats just because you have some undersized bullets is, IMHO, just plain foolish. I have a S&W 25-5 with throats between .454" and .455". So, in addition to sizing my bullets to .454", I will soon be able to size them to .455" and see what that does as far as accuracy goes. There ARE relatively inexpensive potential solutions to the problem that can and should be tried first. Again, just MHO, but at the very least, measure your throats.
Don
OP
I was just asking a question on a gun I'm looking at aquiring to see if it is a worst case scenario that a fix would be simple and easy to get from S&W. I'm not an idiot, I am not going to get the gun in hand and immediately ship it to S&W.
Again, just a simple question and previous posters have graciously answered it and I am thankful.
Also, it is valid for me to not have two different loads around for .45 Colt.
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TwoPoundPull
Member
S&W fit a new cylinder on my '79 25-5 in '08, perfect color match, shoots great.......$182 total.....
ramptester
Member
Do they use the newer style extractor star? I've had some problems with consistent extraction of the 45 Colt cases.
TwoPoundPull
Member
The only other part they billed me for was a new yoke screw.
I have to assume they re-installed the orig extractor assy.
I have to assume they re-installed the orig extractor assy.
If you know what the difference is and how to spot it, I believe that you will find that you also have a new extractor in your gun. The new cylinders, aren't compliant with the old extractors.
For lack of a better way to describe them, the old style looks like spokes radiating outwards from the center getting progressively smaller towards the ends, and the new style looks more like a caplital X with an extra line running through it to form the final two legs. The old style has the two small locating pins, while the new style has the flared out ends on the star to locate it in its seat.
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TwoPoundPull
Member
Gun 4 Fun, I assumed wrong, I opened the returned cyl. The orig exctractor is indeed packed with the old cyl, locating pins and all.
