Best 45LC S&W revolvers.

[Changeling]

I know very little about S&W revolvers, but I do know what I like the looks of, and caliber "45 LC".

What are the most sought after S&W models in 45LC. I know StarMetal (Joe) has and really likes his model 25 and I just looked at a model 625 that I thought was awesome, but what do I know.

Yea, I have definitely caught the BUG! It would also be interesting what you think the models appreciation value would be in any way you would like to put it, personally I like $$$ since everything will be left to my son and some new wife.

[GLL]

These 5" 25-7 & 25-9 versions are the most accurate .45Colts that S&W ever produced !

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/EE67B6D58B974FB/orig.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/2F33E90498D411D/orig.jpg

[crgaston]

Here's a 625-5 Classic. 5" full underlug barrel. 1550 made in 1993.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/8669625a.jpg

Here are my 625-6 and 625-7 Mountain Guns. The -6 (bottom) has forged hammer and trigger, the -7 has MIM h&t.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/8669P1090811.JPG

A better pic of the -6...
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/8669625-6.jpg

Some folks fuss about the MIM parts, but they don't bother me. They're really smooth from the factory. On that 625-7 I've been able to get the DA down to just under 7 pounds with 100% ignition reliability and a good solid return. The -6 needs a bit over 8 to keep the return where I like it.



I keep my eye out for a non-pinned 4" 25-5 around here, but no luck yet. The MG's carry pretty easy and hit pretty hard. One of those might be my "last gun" if it ever got that bad.

I don't know about appreciation. Around here, anyway, it seems like we're getting into a bear market for guns. Lots of good stuff is coming up at good prices, and most of it isn't moving. I'm guessing the next few months will be a great time to buy used guns.

Here's a great place to go for info about Smiths...
http://smith-wessonforum.com/forum.php

WARNING! That place has cost me a lot of money, but it has sure been fun!

Oh, and if you want a rare one, try finding a Model 26-1 contract overrun. Smith made 800 of these for the Georgia State Patrol with a commemorative marking. 40 of them were contract overruns without the marking. 5" tapered barrel and a lanyard loop on the butt.

[Changeling]

That 625-5 Classic looks AWESOME.

I sure would like to hear some owner comments to it concerning everything regarding it and the older models. I know some don't like the SS, but I just happen to like it, Hell, I also like "Blue" a heck of a lot.
Good grief I'm FICKLE!

Thanks.

[MtGun44]

There was a recent thread on older S&W 25 that have seriously oversized throats and usually
reported to have very poor accuracy.

Bill

[StarMetal]

There was a recent thread on older S&W 25 that have seriously oversized throats and usually
reported to have very poor accuracy.

Bill

My Model 25 45 Colt will most likely outshoot most folks tuned high dollar 1911's....and that's no lie or joke. Ask 44man about my 1.5 inch group at 100 yards. You should see what it does at 25 and 50.

Joe

[TDC]

There was a recent thread on older S&W 25 that have seriously oversized throats and usually reported to have very poor accuracy.

Bill

Hmmmmm...

I have 4 S&W Mod. 25's in my collection. One is a 25-2 45 ACP and the others are 25-3's in 45 LC. None have the over-sized throats that have been reported occasionally. That's not to say they don't exist. I'm wondering how much of that condition is a rumor that has been expanded on by people who have never owned one.

I hear this most frequently about the 25-3 which is the S&W 125th Anniversary Commemorative pistol made in 1977. Usually when I hear this I ask if the person owns one. The answer is always no. When I ask how they gathered that assessment the answer is usually "I heard it" or "I read it somewhere."

Maybe I just got lucky....:smile:

[crgaston]

Well, I had a couple of folks PM me about the 625-5 Classic.
It's been a couple of years since I've shot it, but I went out and did so today. Previously it had been with pretty mild loads, but today I was using the 18 gr of 2400 under a RCBS 270 SAA that I had worked up for the Mountain Guns. (Please don't jump down my throat and tell me it's too hot for a Smith. This load is straight from Handloader Magazine, I worked up to it very slowly, and there are no pressure signs. Brass falls out of the cylinder. All my guns have been shimmed for minimal endshake, and I'm not running a bunch them through any one gun. And it's 3KPSI under SAAMI spec for .45ACP +P, which Smith says is OK in their 625's.)

I was somewhat surprised to find that the recoil was a bit more objectionable to me with this gun than with the MG's. Now that I think about it it does make sense, however. Once all that barrel mass starts moving, it puts more torque on my wrist to stop it, and also starts back a bit straighter, so it slaps my palm a bit harder. It's still not bad, but I get NO sting in the palm nor twinge in the wrist with the MG's. I had Pachmayr Compacs on this gun, though, and some custom Hogue grips on the others. I'll have to re-test with a set of the Hogues on the 625-5 and see how it does.

Another issue is that the front sight needs to be taller. These loads were still about 4-5" high at 25 yards with the rear sight cranked all the way down. Same with the 625-6. Fortunately, the front sight of the Classic models is easily replaced. It's held in with a spring-loaded plunger. The 625-7 is spot on with the rear sight all the way down.

As to accuracy, I was shooting with my back rested against a wall and my wrists on my knees, and wasn't having a really good day. The best I could do with the -5 and -6 was about 3 inches, and just under 2 with the -7. It has the best trigger so I assume that's the real difference.

Hope this helps,

[boatswainsmate]

I have this nice gem that likes eating lymans 452424 over 6 7/10 grains of unique for a fun all around round. I guess I got lucky since this one is a tack driver.
Good Luck Boats

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn271/ericlee1971/img_0614.jpg

[Changeling]

Well, I had a couple of folks PM me about the 625-5 Classic.
It's been a couple of years since I've shot it, but I went out and did so today. Previously it had been with pretty mild loads, but today I was using the 18 gr of 2400 under a RCBS 270 SAA that I had worked up for the Mountain Guns. (Please don't jump down my throat and tell me it's too hot for a Smith. This load is straight from Handloader Magazine, I worked up to it very slowly, and there are no pressure signs. Brass falls out of the cylinder. All my guns have been shimmed for minimal endshake, and I'm not running a bunch them through any one gun. And it's 3KPSI under SAAMI spec for .45ACP +P, which Smith says is OK in their 625's.)

I was somewhat surprised to find that the recoil was a bit more objectionable to me with this gun than with the MG's. Now that I think about it it does make sense, however. Once all that barrel mass starts moving, it puts more torque on my wrist to stop it, and also starts back a bit straighter, so it slaps my palm a bit harder. It's still not bad, but I get NO sting in the palm nor twinge in the wrist with the MG's. I had Pachmayr Compacs on this gun, though, and some custom Hogue grips on the others. I'll have to re-test with a set of the Hogues on the 625-5 and see how it does.



Another issue is that the front sight needs to be taller. These loads were still about 4-5" high at 25 yards with the rear sight cranked all the way down. Same with the 625-6. Fortunately, the front sight of the Classic models is easily replaced. It's held in with a spring-loaded plunger. The 625-7 is spot on with the rear sight all the way down.

As to accuracy, I was shooting with my back rested against a wall and my wrists on my knees, and wasn't having a really good day. The best I could do with the -5 and -6 was about 3 inches, and just under 2 with the -7. It has the best trigger so I assume that's the real difference.

Hope this helps,


I was somewhat surprised to find that the recoil was a bit more objectionable to me with this gun than with the MG's. Now that I think about it it does make sense, however. Once all that barrel mass starts moving, it puts more torque on my wrist to stop it, and also starts back a bit straighter, so it slaps my palm a bit harder. It's still not bad, but I get NO sting in the palm nor twinge in the wrist with the MG's. I had Pachmayr Compacs on this gun, though, and some custom Hogue grips on the others. I'll have to re-test with a set of the Hogues on the 625-5 and see how it does.


ANSWER:

You seem to be very well educated in the SW revolvers, I know basically nothing.
What does the "MG" guns mean?

I guess the things that impress me on the looks is the full underlug barrel. I say this because I just plain wouldn't want to own a revolver if it didn't appeal to me aesthetically. It is like a woman, if her looks don't touch off a spark, then I am just not interested insofar as a personal relationship. This might be a strange way to put it, but hay, thats me.

Then if the looks of the revolver ignite some feeling of, hey I gotta have that, it has to meet the requirements of being able to shoot very to extremely accurately or I just am not interested. In short no problems that can't be solved with a reasonable amount of money.

So what I'm saying is I want a full underlug with a fluted cylinder in 4 or 5 inch (preferably 5) that has the ability to shoot awesome. I am really finicky about triggers.

Will the 625-5 Classic or others meet these requirements?

[dubber123]

MG is short for Mountain Gun. S&W makes these with a light tapered 4" barrel. Crgaston has some nice pics of them in his first post. As for the full lug being a must-have, you will probably have to get a 625 in .45 ACP, not the Colt cartridge. They only made approximately 1,500 of the 625 Classics in .45 Colt. I am fortunate enough to have found one recently. It is the first I have personally seen.

[crgaston]

First, Let me just sat that Jerry, those are really nice revolvers! What is the difference between the -7 and the -9?

Changeling, dubber123 answered your MG question. Sorry I wasn't more clear. Hey dubber, I'm moving up to west Maine on the Saco this summer. We should get our 625-5's together and compare. I've never seen another in person either. Mine's #122!

As far as accuracy and smoothness of action, really, each Smith is a law unto itself. Especially with the stainless guns and the double action pulls (in single action, I've yet to find one that wasn't superb). There for some reason seems to be a greater number of machining marks on the inside of the stainless guns that hinder their ability to have a glass-smooth DA pull. My 625 Classic is the second-best pre-MIM stainless Smith that I've had (I have a 629-1 that is just supernatural). With only about an hours worth of work, slightly relieving the mainspring tension, and an 11 pound rebound spring, it's sporting a 7.5# DA stroke. I've never come across any Smith that wouldn't benefit from a little massaging of the interior, although my 57 was close.

If I were wanting one Smith revolver that would be the "ultimate .45 Colt" and wanted a stainless 5" full lug gun, I'd find a pre-lock, pre MIM 629 Classic (that'd be a 629-3 or 629-4) and send it to Clements custom guns to have it re-worked. He line-bores the cylinder so they're all perfectly aligned, and can do a bunch of other little accuracy tricks as well.
http://www.clementscustomguns.com/smithwessonrevolvers.html


Here's another shot of all 3... from top to bottom, the -5, -6, & -7.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/P1140248.JPG

Hope this helps!

[dubber123]

(Quote), Changeling, dubber123 answered your MG question. Sorry I wasn't more clear. Hey dubber, I'm moving up to west Maine on the Saco this summer. We should get our 625-5's together and compare. I've never seen another in person either. Mine's #122!.. (End Quote).

Probably made within a day or two of each other. Mine is #146. I will have to get some nice grips for it. Your idea of having a .44 Classic reworked into a .45 Colt would make a nice, (albeit expensive) piece for sure.

[Changeling]

Thanks to all and a special thanks to crgaston for all his help. I really appreciate it.

[Ed K]

I hear this most frequently about the 25-3 which is the S&W 125th Anniversary Commemorative pistol made in 1977.

I can confirm 0.455" on my particular specimen measured by me using Starrett small hole gages and later Enco pin gages.

I know slugging works well but it is rather primitive and unnecessary if you have the right tools. Then there are those who try with a imported plastic verner or dial caliper ... :roll:

[targetshootr]

My 4" pinned model has correct throats and shoots fine. It needs a higher front blade though, and it'll get a smooth trigger someday too.

[Jack Stanley]

Years ago I got the chance to fire a Model of 1989 a man at the range owned . It was an incredible experience both single and double action and shot very good groups with the factory ammo he was using .

Another chance to shot a "N" frame forty-five came with a model twenty-eight that had the barrel and cylinder replaced with those of a model of 1955 using ACP ammo . This one I did get a chance to measure the cylinder and they were right at .456" so accuracy with "normal" ammo wasn't much good . I did find an old Ideal mold that dropped bullets out of the mold at .4565 and was ablet to load them into unsized primed cases using Unique poder and get very good groups .

Yet another "N" frame to go by was a twenty-five dash something or other with a six inch barrel . Two fifty-five grain bullets and Unique and it put the slugs right where you wanted them , Lighter bullets shot well but needed a sight change .

I think I might like the five inch version lugged or not but the six inch is fine for hunting . When out with the chain saw I usually have the four inch twenty-nine under the coat . I thought about going to something smaller but haven't got past the thought part yet :)

Jack