S&W Model 1950, 45 ACP, Target Revolver

[StrawHat]

My wife just arranged for me to get a new revolver for my birthday. It shipped from the factory in July 1955. I was born four months earlier.

324772

324773

I prefer a grip adapter with my Magnas, for me it provides the best stocking option.

324774

I also prefer smooth antler stocks. Here it is with a set of caribou Magnas and a grip adapter.

324776

I have only fired six rounds through it but it is a keeper.

Kevin

[Bass Ackward]

:2_high5:

[Buzz Krumhunger]

It’s a beauty

[MATT HELM]

����

[35remington]

How big are the cylinder throats?

[Charliemac]

Lucky guy!! Enjoy!

[square butte]

How big are the cylinder throats?

Inquiring minds would like to know...

[WRideout]

Your wife is likely to become jealous of your new "relationship."

Wayne

[schutzen-jager]

nice - Straw hat have you tried to obtain any Tyler t grips lately ? -

[Jtarm]

How many .45 ACP revolvers does this make?

[StrawHat]

nice - Straw hat have you tried to obtain any Tyler t grips lately ? -


As in from the Tyler Family/Company? No, the last ones I got from the company were probably made by Melvin, himself. I get all I want from the secondary market. But, I do not limit myself to the Tyler brand. I have grip adapters marked Pachmyar, Mershon, Tyler, BK, and both styles from S&W.

A variety of sizes also. I just keep putting them on until one speaks to me when Dryfiring.

Kevin

[StrawHat]

How big are the cylinder throats?


Inquiring minds would like to know...


No idea. I squeezed off six shots. The ammunition was the SAECO 453 boolit, sized .454 over a hardball dose of Bullseye. The target was a 5 gallon pail lid at about 80 yards, braced offhand. The first two were low, the next four were on the lid. I usually do bother to worry about things like that. Unless the revolver is very inaccurate. Too many folks think the gun is bad if the throats are big. As a bullet caster, I can vary the size of the boolit to fit my needs.


How many .45 ACP revolvers does this make?

Off the top of my head, 15? Which brings up another point. I do not develop a specific load for each revolver. What a nightmare! I have developed two loads currently, one with the mentioned 453 and another with the GB clone of the Lyman 452423. Both over hardball dose of powder. Good solid loads and both have given success in the field.

This summer I will try two heavier bullets, a 260 rnfp and a 260 wadcutter and see if either replaces one of my loads or joins them. BUT, it has to work in all of them.

Kevin

[Beast of Burden]

I love the vintage Smith & Wesson wheelguns. Congrats!!

[Bazoo]

Very nice, congratulations! Quite classy looking with the silver grip adapter on it.

[35remington]

Still curious about it because I hear stories of variance and wonder about what matters and what works despite what dimensionality is found. If you are getting good accuracy shooting through a particular sized throat that is worth knowing for my or maybe someone else’s mental reference compared to what I am experiencing with what I have. Mine run .4515” through a 625-3. This tends to make me fonder of Alliant 2400 in the ACP/Auto Rim than others who report larger throat diameters and the interference fit of shooting .452” bullets through 4515” throats is possibly something to do with that.

So that is why I asked. If .454” cast is shooting well through a big throat that is something to consider. Or maybe it isn’t so big. When I have a particular outcome sometimes I tend to look as to why. Just how I roll.

[RonIa]

My 25-2 shoots everything I run in it very happy with it TH TT pinned tapered barrel
Ron

[Jtarm]

My 25-2 shoots everything I run in it very happy with it TH TT pinned tapered barrel
Ron

I thought the 25 was the bull barrel and the 26 tapered.

My 25-2 has the bull.

[StrawHat]

Still curious about it because I hear stories of variance and wonder about what matters and what works despite what dimensionality is found. If you are getting good accuracy shooting through a particular sized throat that is worth knowing for my or maybe someone else’s mental reference compared to what I am experiencing with what I have. Mine run .4515” through a 625-3. This tends to make me fonder of Alliant 2400 in the ACP/Auto Rim than others who report larger throat diameters and the interference fit of shooting .452” bullets through 4515” throats is possibly something to do with that.

So that is why I asked. If .454” cast is shooting well through a big throat that is something to consider. Or maybe it isn’t so big. When I have a particular outcome sometimes I tend to look as to why. Just how I roll.

The variance was most notable in the Model 25-5, 45 long Colt. Some oversized throats were also found in some Model 25-2s but a lot of that is also the echo chamber we call the internet. I currently have 15 ACP revolvers. I have had and sold maybe 80 more. All of them shot well with hardball. All of the shot well with cast bullets. The best cast boolit loads I found involved boolits with a long bearing surface, .454 diameter and a good lube. I settled on the SAECO 453 and the GB 452423. At .454 diameter and a hardball dose of powder they are good shooters. Yes, some better than other but all capable of putting down game as far as a hunter can shoot accurately.

Kevin

[StrawHat]

I thought the 25 was the bull barrel and the 26 tapered.

My 25-2 has the bull.

Correct.

In this image the 1950 Model barrel is on the bottom and the 1955 Model is the top one.

324907

Kevin

[StrawHat]

For a variety of reasons, this is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Yesterday, I swapped stocks around and came up with this combination.

324983

324984

Curly maple magnas with a shiny grip adapter. The stocks were a gift from a fellow who specializes in Targets and Ropers. I sent him a couple of pieces of firewood and he sent me stocks made from one of the chunks. I was very surprised when I opened the package! I think the two compliment each other well.

Kevin

[Gray Fox]

I think I have an even half dozen 25s in .45 ACP and Colt right now, and the blued ones would sure look good with those maple grips. Any chance you would share contact info for the maker? GF

[StrawHat]

… Any chance you would share contact info for the maker? GF

At this time, Curt has a two year wait and is not accepting new orders until he is caught up. Not sure what will happen then. He is keeping those cards close to his vest.

Kevin

[boatswainsmate]

:2gunsfiring_v1:

[StrawHat]

Still curious about it because I hear stories of variance and wonder about what matters and what works despite what dimensionality is found. If you are getting good accuracy shooting through a particular sized throat that is worth knowing for my or maybe someone else’s mental reference compared to what I am experiencing with what I have. Mine run .4515” through a 625-3. This tends to make me fonder of Alliant 2400 in the ACP/Auto Rim than others who report larger throat diameters and the interference fit of shooting .452” bullets through 4515” throats is possibly something to do with that.

So that is why I asked. If .454” cast is shooting well through a big throat that is something to consider. Or maybe it isn’t so big. When I have a particular outcome sometimes I tend to look as to why. Just how I roll.

I grabbed some .452” and some .454” boolits. The 454 caught in the throats of both Model 1950 Target revolvers (also in a Model 1950 Army, but that is for a different thread.) I thought they would.

I then tried the .452” boolits and they also caught in the throats. I do not have plug gauges nor any smaller boolits so the throats are at least .452”.

Kevin

[35remington]

As I mentioned mine (625-3) are .4515” and it does shoot very well but due to the very shallow rifling skidding when striking the forcing cone is rather well developed and the heavier the bullet the wider the land marks are on the bullets. This is common to shallow rifled 45 ACP revolvers and also considering the longer jump to forcing cone, more so than standard deeper rifled calibers in Smiths like 38 Special. Skidding is noticeably less on 190ish grain target type 45 ACP bullets than the 452423 or the 452454 so the barrel fouls somewhat less over a long string of shots.

No problem with the heavier bullets for hunting use but for ultimate accuracy and frugality of lead usage my choice for practice and plinking is the lighter target type SWC’s with the 452423 used for hunting at around 960 fps with 6.8 grains Unique. One time I lengthwised a decent buck with that bullet at about 40 yards. Hit the base of the neck forward of the shoulder and the bullet came out the back of the right ham. The revolver is a five inch. Decent for woods range deer. Casting or heat treating to attain a harder bullet helps the skidding to some degree.

Sounds like your throats are definitely not too big so you have quashed that rumor for your collection. A friend had a 45 Colt Anaconda that accepted .458! Sheesh!

[StrawHat]

…

Sounds like your throats are definitely not too big so you have quashed that rumor for your collection. A friend had a 45 Colt Anaconda that accepted .458!…

I have not measured all of my ACP revolvers. I might get to it some day. The GB 453423 and the SAECO 453 both have a long bearing surface which I prefer in the S&W ACP rifling. I don’t cast them very hard, 20/1 and I have no idea what they look like as I do not collect fired boolits. I am very content when they all stay in a 5” circle at 50 yards from offhand. Like I mentioned, I have two loads that work in my revolvers. Both are similar to hardball. If the revolver does not like one of them, down the road it goes.

Kevin

[35remington]

The target wadcutters I like have short noses and quite long bearing surfaces for their length like the 452488 and the discontinued Lee 190 sorta slight round nosed semiwadcutter so there is some commonality of function there I think. I just like being frugal with lead when clanging steel or punching paper and an N frame Smith shooting a target wadcutter at 750 fps is a pleasant respite from shooting 19-24 ounce 9mm pistols.

Those blunt fat bullets sling a steel can of any sort a lot further than 9mm ball. I remember back in the day how much further the old metal coffee cans would get slung along the ground when shot. No comparison actually. Plinking is way more fun using a wheelie and I don’t have to chase brass.

[StrawHat]

325076

On the left is the SAECO 453, middle is a 250 RNFP and far right is a 250 WC. This summer I hope to get a chance to test the middle and right boolits. Can they unseat the 453 or 452423? We will see!

Kevin

[StrawHat]

As I mentioned mine (625-3) are .4515” and it does shoot very well but due to the very shallow rifling skidding when striking the forcing cone is rather well developed and the heavier the bullet the wider the land marks are on the bullets. This is common to shallow rifled 45 ACP revolvers and also considering the longer jump to forcing cone, more so than standard deeper rifled calibers in Smiths like 38 Special. Skidding is noticeably less on 190ish grain target type 45 ACP bullets than the 452423 or the 452454 so the barrel fouls somewhat less over a long string of shots.

No problem with the heavier bullets for hunting use but for ultimate accuracy and frugality of lead usage my choice for practice and plinking is the lighter target type SWC’s with the 452423 used for hunting at around 960 fps with 6.8 grains Unique. One time I lengthwised a decent buck with that bullet at about 40 yards. Hit the base of the neck forward of the shoulder and the bullet came out the back of the right ham. The revolver is a five inch. Decent for woods range deer. Casting or heat treating to attain a harder bullet helps the skidding to some degree.

Sounds like your throats are definitely not too big so you have quashed that rumor for your collection. A friend had a 45 Colt Anaconda that accepted .458! Sheesh!

I just reread your post. You are getting better accuracy with the shorter bearing surface of the lighter boolit? That sounds contrary to logic but, empirical evidence trump intuitive logic. Any specific boolit? I certainly would not mind a boolit that save me 25% each shot.

Kevin

[StrawHat]

I was just given a new grip adapter that I have fit to this revolver. I am not sure about it.

325236

325237

Your thoughts?

Kevin

[35remington]

The bearing surface might be slightly shorter compared to the heavy SWC’s but the overall length of the bullet is shorter as well, at least comparing SWC versus SWC. So bearing surface as a percentage of overall length is more favorable. They are used for target shooting for what I presume to be good reason, so I followed the crowd and have no complaint. Look for any of those favored by the bullseye crowd. These would be relatively short nosed SWC type.

[StrawHat]

The bearing surface might be slightly shorter compared to the heavy SWC’s but the overall length of the bullet is shorter as well, at least comparing SWC versus SWC. So bearing surface as a percentage of overall length is more favorable. They are used for target shooting for what I presume to be good reason, so I followed the crowd and have no complaint. Look for any of those favored by the bullseye crowd. These would be relatively short nosed SWC type.

I have thought about the 200/210 SWC but have not tried them.

As much as I like to experiment, I have nearly two dozen ACP revolvers, I want 1 or 2 loads that work in all. I may buy 500 boolits to try out.

Kevin

[Bazoo]

325076

On the left is the SAECO 453, middle is a 250 RNFP and far right is a 250 WC. This summer I hope to get a chance to test the middle and right boolits. Can they unseat the 453 or 452423? We will see!

Kevin

A useful looking variety of bullets. That middle one, provided accuracy was there, would check all my boxes.

[Bazoo]

I was just given a new grip adapter that I have fit to this revolver. I am not sure about it.

325236

325237

Your thoughts?

Kevin

Is that grip adapter brass/gold colored?

[StrawHat]

Is that grip adapter brass/gold colored?


I believe it is called bronze. This is the first one I have had in the flesh. I had seen images but never the real thing. I am not sure what revolver this will end up gracing.

Kevin

[StrawHat]

A useful looking variety of bullets. That middle one, provided accuracy was there, would check all my boxes.


I will give it a good trial but I really prefer the wadcutter boolits.

Kevin

[35remington]

I like a nice fat strong leading band myself to grab ahold of the rifling ASAP.

[Jtarm]

I will give it a good trial but I really prefer the wadcutter boolits.

Kevin

A double-ended wadcutter based on the SAECO 348 (.38 special) has a bevel at the nose.

Crimped in the groove, it should fit right up against and the chamber throats and align itself.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-225W

[StrawHat]

A double-ended wadcutter based on the SAECO 348 (.38 special) has a bevel at the nose.

Crimped in the groove, it should fit right up against and the chamber throats and align itself.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-225W

Correct. But, I am only interested in wadcutters, or very blunt noses, for the 45 calibers, preferably, ACP.

Kevin

[StrawHat]

A double-ended wadcutter based on the SAECO 348 (.38 special) has a bevel at the nose.

Crimped in the groove, it should fit right up against and the chamber throats and align itself.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-225W


Correct. But, I am only interested in wadcutters, or very blunt noses, for the 45 calibers, preferably, ACP.

Kevin

My apologies, I misread your post and did not follow the link. I now see the link took me to a 45 caliber wadcutter. Interesting looking boolit.

I may try to find some for sale before ordering a mold.

Kevin

[Green Frog]

The first N frame S&W I ever shot was a 4 screw 44 Magnum. The owner’s hands were just a little larger than medium so he equipped it with service grips from a Model 28 and a Tyler T grip (this was when the old man was young enough to be making them). He let me shoot some of his mild then some of his warmer loads, and it was a great way for me to start out on the NT-44!
Froggie

[Tall]

I have a Model 25-2. Roy says it shipped in February 1980. It has a spare 45 Colt cylinder that is not serialized to the gun (neither is the 45 ACP cylinder). It's a tack driver. I have not removed the 45 Colt cylinder since 2012.

326186

[StrawHat]

I have a Model 25-2. Roy says it shipped in February 1980. It has a spare 45 Colt cylinder that is not serialized to the gun (neither is the 45 ACP cylinder). It's a tack driver. I have not removed the 45 Colt cylinder since 2012.
…

The serial number was stamped on various parts during the soft fitting stage. S&W did away with that process in the late 50s, roughly 1957. I would not expect a revolver from the 80s to have the numbers.

Kevin