S&W 25-1 and 25-3 Woes

[reed1911]

Well, I'm sad today. I have two beautiful S&W 25's -1 and -3 and both have way oversized throats on the cylinder. One comes in at .4595 the other at .4580. Anyone else have this problem?

[Artful]

Yep, it was known issue - two choices as I see it

Contact S&W for a correctly sized cylinder

Or you can try a larger than normal cast to fit the throat...
I helped a friend with some soft lead that cast .456 as I remember and we loaded with
bullseye and got the bump enough to give decent but not match accuracy in his.

[square butte]

Yes I have one - and Smith and Wesson does not have any cylinders for these. Most of them with oversize throats were made in the 70's and early 80's. I think they resolved the problem along about 1983 or so. Mine has .458 throats. I have a couple of molds that drop .455 and .456 that work OK. Mine actually shoots standard ball pretty well - But have not found a tack driver for it. Often thought a hollow base wadcutter might work well.

[reed1911]

Just called them. Cost would be well over 200.00 each and they will do the replacement. They no loner sell parts at all! And I quote "...because we are a firearms company not a parts company...". Well, heck, I can buy a mold from Accurate for less than that and just shoot bigger bullets. Man, they have changed a lot for the worse, too bad.

[reed1911]

I have some 300g .459" here I'll give a go and see what she does. Beautiful guns, deep blue, gold lettering, perfect shape, just big mouths.

[376Steyr]

What we 25-2 (ACP and AR) owners have found is a hard bullet over fast powder can sometimes defy the big throats and result in good accuracy. Some discussion of this quirk can be found here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?288801-452190-GC-SWC-for-45-Auto-Rim

[Nueces]

A big mouth 25-2 was my first big bore revolver, back in the 70s. I shot Lyman 452490 GC, cast hard over a stiff load of Unique and, despite the horror of the large throats, got good field accuracy. Never put it on paper. So, I agree with 376Steyr.

But, take a look at the Keith design being run over at NOE, http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php/topic,1301.0.html

The buy is in a holding pattern because Al lost his tool grinder, but this design comes in with a diameter of 0.454" and it's available with a hollow base. I plan to use it in that 25-2 and a few other large mouth 45s, including a 455 Webley, if I ever find an original one at a decent price.

[square butte]

Last time I called Smith they told me no way could they provide a new cylinder for a 25-2 made in the70's. If they have changed their mind on that - I'd say $200 is not to bad. Guess it depends on how much over $200. Not great - But not to bad.

[Outpost75]

Just called them. Cost would be well over 200.00 each and they will do the replacement. They no loner sell parts at all! And I quote "...because we are a firearms company not a parts company...". Well, heck, I can buy a mold from Accurate for less than that and just shoot bigger bullets. Man, they have changed a lot for the worse, too bad.

$200 for a factory cylinder replacement is a bargain. I bought a used .44 Magnum cylinder and had it line bored, rechambered and fitted to my gun. Cost $350 plus cost of the used .44 cylinder, don't ask, if you need to know what it cost, you can't afford it.

[Piedmont]

I think you should look into purchasing a hollow base mold or having someone like Accurate Molds make you a mold that you then send to Erik Ohlen to be made into a hollow base mold. I think NOE made some off the shelf HB molds, but don't know if they did so in .45 caliber.

[Catshooter]

I had the same gun, same issue. Bought a 454424 (not 452) of of eBay. It cast just a little over .457 and sized .457 it gave excellent accuracy down the .452 bore.


Cat

[reed1911]

I suppose I take a different view, charging to correct a defect is not proper in my opinion. Regardless, I can do the install and fitting here, just the fact that they will not sell the replacement part is disappointing.

[Walla2]

I have a 25-5 with .457 cylinder throats. Got a LBT mold to fit. Shoots very well now.

[Char-Gar]

Smith and Wesson did not change the cylinder throats until the Model 25-7. This was a limited run 5" barrel with unfluted cylinder and throats of .453. They are first rate revolvers in 45 Colt if they can be found. I sold mine when a guy made me an offer I could not refuse.

[rintinglen]

I sold mine years ago when I couldn't get it to shoot half way decent. In those days, I did not appreciate the relationship between throats and groove diameter I might have tried a larger boolit, but I still think that it would not have shot very well. Was a pretty gun though.

[Hickok]

I understand it seems like a real "major malfunction" but it isn't as terrible as it seems. Like the fellas said, order a good mold that will cast a large boolit.

If it were my two revolvers, I would contact Tom at Accurate molds, tell him I want a mold that drops a boolit at .460" with COWW, and then get a sizer for .459", use this diameter boolit in both handguns. But one CAUTION, the larger boolit has to be able to chamber in the revolvers. It may have to be sized down to .458" or .457" in order to fit the cylinders, this would have to be checked.

[.45Cole]

Not to take away from the 25 discussion, but a 625 can be had for relatively cheap nowadays. A .45 colt will be a little pricy, but everything about a 625-4 and below is right on (gap, throats, bbl dims)

[reed1911]

If she does not shoot well with current .454" then yes, as I stated I'll be calling Tom.

I have some 625's and yes, they are cut correct.

[scattershot]

I have one, too, and my throats measure .456, as I recall. Not quite as severely oversized as yours, but big, nonetheless. I reload with the Hornady .454 soft lead bullet, and it shoots fine. Just accept these fine old pistols for what they are, and enjoy them.

When you think about it, that's one of the benefits of handloading, is it not?