New wheel gun

[GSCSA]

Picked this up on Monday.



It's a 25-2 that was marked as being chambered in .45 Colt. The barrel is roll marked .45 Colt but it's .45acp. It looks a lot better in person than my crappy picture. Anyways, my local shop got in a bunch of used reloading stuff from two different sources and with it was a bunch of .45 auto rim brass. I picked up 500 of them and I also got a RCBS shell holder for 45 auto rim and a pack of moon clips for the acp brass. I'm going to try out my standard 1911 loads with the both the Lee 230gr RN TL and the 200gr LSWC TL and see how she does. I'll spend more time on load development later. I itching to take her for a test spin!

[LUCKYDAWG13]

thats a nice looking pistol you have

[Dale53]

I have a pair of 625's chambered in .45 ACP. One is a 4" (625-8 JM Special) and the other is a 5" (625-6 Model of 1989). They are my most treasured revolvers and also the ones I shoot the most. I use Auto Rim AND ACP cases. When using the ACP's I mostly use RIMZ clips. I prefer their carbon fiber/polymer clips but also use their straight polymer clips. I have steel full moon clips along with the tools to use them for "business use".

My favorite load is an MP molded #68 200 gr SWC ahead of 4.0 grs of Bullseye or equivalent (currently 4.0 grs of Titegroup). If the situation calls for a quick reload, then the Lee TC 230 gr (normal lube groove) ahead of a full charge of Titegroup or Unique handles the chore. These load extremely well.

My heavy hunting load is an NOE molded Lyman 454424 (250 gr Keith SWC) ahead of 7.0 grs of Unique. This chronographs at just over 900 fps.

The Model 25's and 625's are some of the finest and most practical revolvers made.

You hit the jackpot.

Dale53

[just10mm]

Very nice piece! I picked up a 125 th anniversary 25-3 in 45 colt and sourced a period 45 acp cylinder for it. She has a great bore and mechanic's but had some finish issues so it made a good candidate for a cylinder swap and re-finish... I can't wait to get her back. I had a 25-2 in 45 acp when I was young and it was the best shooting wheel gun I have every had the privilege to enjoy, thus the inspiration for this project. Enjoy your new piece as she will be a shooter...

[M-Tecs]

I don’t understand why the S&W 25/625 45 acp revolvers aren’t more popular than they are. Like Dale they are my most prized revolvers. You will enjoy it.

[GSCSA]

Thanks everyone. I took her out around noon time today. She didn't disappoint! My standard 1911 load of 3.9gr of Clays with the Lee 200gr LSWC TL shot really well! I think I have a new favorite hand gun.

[GSCSA]

Oh and I have a set of S&W target grips on the way as well!

[longhorn]

Interesting revolver. I'd bet it's a 25-2 with a 4" 25-5 barrel on it (marked "45 Colt"). Hope it's a great shooter for you.

[x101airborne]

I woulda snatched that thing up in a bear trap also. Good Job!
I have a 625PD two inch that I just love. I wish it had a 4 inch barrel, though.

[Thumbcocker]

A roll crimp die for auto rim is nice to have.

[GLL]

I'd bet it's a 25-2 with a 4" 25-5 barrel on it (marked "45 Colt").

I agree ! Someone took off the 6.5" 25-2 barrel and replaced it with the 4" 25-5 version.

Jerry

[km101]

I have wanted a 625 for a long time. Just never found one when I had the money! Looks like you got a good one, so hang on tight.

[TheDoctor]

I want one! My 25-5 needs a younger brother.

[GSCSA]

A roll crimp die for auto rim is nice to have.

I need to get one. I used the taper crimp on both the acp and auto rim loads I shot yesterday and it worked fine.

[Bullwolf]

Picked this up on Monday.



It's a 25-2 that was marked as being chambered in .45 Colt. The barrel is roll marked .45 Colt but it's .45acp. It looks a lot better in person than my crappy picture. Anyways, my local shop got in a bunch of used reloading stuff from two different sources and with it was a bunch of .45 auto rim brass. I picked up 500 of them and I also got a RCBS shell holder for 45 auto rim and a pack of moon clips for the acp brass. I'm going to try out my standard 1911 loads with the both the Lee 230gr RN TL and the 200gr LSWC TL and see how she does. I'll spend more time on load development later. I itching to take her for a test spin!

Congratulations on your find. You have definitely found a beautiful model 25 there. I also have been looking for a nice model 25 or 625, at a reasonable price (what I consider reasonable anyways) for quite some time now. While I haven't managed to come across one quite yet, I'm still keeping up hope that one may turn up locally some day.


- Bullwolf

[Lloyd Smale]

it takes more then swapping cylinders to do this conversion. The acp cylinder is shorter so youd have to cut the barrel shoulder back and thread the barrel to get the barrels forcing cone closer to the cylinder or youd have a huge gap between them. My guess would go more toward the barrel having been misstamped at the factory.

[Hogdaddy]

Great find, Great gun ; )
H/D

[TheGrimReaper]

Very nice you lucky feller!!!

[GSCSA]

My guess would go more toward the barrel having been misstamped at the factory.

The barrel bluing has more of a purple hue to it as opposed the the rest of the revolver which is more black. The color difference leads me to believe its had a barrel swap

[rintinglen]

it takes more then swapping cylinders to do this conversion. The acp cylinder is shorter so youd have to cut the barrel shoulder back and thread the barrel to get the barrels forcing cone closer to the cylinder or youd have a huge gap between them. My guess would go more toward the barrel having been misstamped at the factory.

If that was a 70's gun, I'd believe it in a heart beat, But it looks to me as though it is an aftermarket conversion. IIRC, the 4 inch 45 LC didn't hit town until well after Bangor Punta had divested itself of S&W and quality control became more of a reality and less an empty promise. Every 25-2 I ever saw came with a 6 1/2 inch tube.

Some S&W junkies today would not believe some of the guns that Bangor-Punta foisted off on the public. My personal favorite was a Boxed Model 57 that came with a 44 Mag Cylinder. But I saw many others, Model 19 with no forcing cone, Model 28's with multiple problems, Handguns were in short supply