Drawbacks using 25-2 vs 625?

[whizz]

Are there any particular drawbacks to consider when thinking of using a 25-2 instead of a 625 in IPSC?

I like the 6" barrel length and of course the "looks" of a blue gun.

Right now I am using my model 29 but feel the reloading would be much smoother with a .45 ACP.

Conny Forsberg

[Airedale]

I use my 25-2 6 1/2" for USPSA. I put my 5" PC 625 in the safe and left it there. I know of no drawbacks to shooting the 25.

Dave

[Carmoney]

Two minor drawbacks to the 25-2:

(1) They tend not to shoot very well with cast lead bullets. Jacketed or plated bullets work much better in them, as a general rule.

(2) You can't tune the action quite as light on the older guns with the hammer nose.

Neither of these minor issues should dissuade you from shooting the 25-2, particularly if you like the longer barrel.

[Nemo]

I like the balance of my 625 better but my 25 is much more accurate, even with the moly-coated bullets I use. As soon as my 25-2 gets the rest of the treatment it'll be my main gun. Both my 45 revos are hammer nose guns.

[fdkay]

You could also have your 29 modified for full moon clips and use 44 russian brass.

[whizz]

That is exactly the case. I do use the 29 with full moon clips and .44 Russian. The floppyness makes the reloads quite a bit less fast compared with a 625. When it works, it works equally fine but when it starts bugging... man, I can become pretty ehhh, upset. My reloads are on average about 3.5 sec with the 29 and were between 2.2 and 2.5 when I used a 625.

I shoot pretty accurately with the 29 but need to reduce spent time on each stage. One part is speeding the reloads but also split time. During the swedish nationals I had 197 A, 29 C and 4 D. No Mike and no NS. I think my result would have been better if I had reduced split times with 0.1 sec and balanced the number of A:s and C:s to 65-35 instead of 85-15. Have to do some calculating I think.

Might just get myself a 25-2 as the minor drawbacks seems to be of no concern to me. I do not shoot lead and the trigger pull on my 29 is pretty OK which would be the same with the same work done to a 25, I think.

Thanks for the input guys!

[vrmn1]

One option may be to get some moon clips made that hold the Russian brass tighter.

I am sure Hearthco could do that.

[underlug]

One option may be to get some moon clips made that hold the Russian brass tighter.

I am sure Hearthco could do that.

vis a vis 25-2 and 625, I have both, and, at my level, my old eyes see the front sight a little better on the 25-2. That, and the Randy Lee action job and chamfer on my cylinder are the reasons I use it.

Edited September 6, 2007 by underlug

[hearthco]

One option may be to get some moon clips made that hold the Russian brass tighter.

I am sure Hearthco could do that.

Have any children you would like to sell into slavery??

[hopalong]

I have a pair of 625 s that I have set up IDENTICAL to each other. I also have a pair of 25-2 s set up IDENTICAL to each other. (except one is a 6 1/2 incher).

I have shot some specific drills with the 625 on Monday and then go back and do the same drills on Tueday with the 25.

Pretty much the same results, time wise and hits wise so to me there is no difference where it shows on paper.

Having said that, Opposite of my buddy NEMO I like the way the 25s feel in my hand. The balance of the longer but non lugged barrel just fits me better.

PLUS..............

Blue Guns are cool !

Price and availability are the biggest obsticles.

Hopalong

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

I am going one step more on this and I am putting a 6" 25-2 barrel on my 625. It will give me the lighter action of the new style firing pin, the longer sight radius, and the lighter profile barrel. I hope to have the job completed and ready to shoot by November if I can squeeze out a little time.

[pskys2]

Whzz, I too started out with the 29 and MC .44 Russians. It's not the tightness, but the thickness of the Moon Clips that's the difference between the .44 and .45 clips. That, cost and the lack of Jacketed RN bullets were the reasons I stepped up to a 625. Due to that thickness the .44 MC's are touchier on the type and age of brass. The more used the brass, the sloppier the fit. My times between the .44 & .45 were never much different. The amount of foul ups were greater by a larger degree.

I couldn't find a 25 or I would have done that.

The big differences I've seen in the "old" blued S&W's and the "new" SS ones is in the metal. I've had my 625 wear out of time 3 times in 2 years. The Cylinder Notches peen more and the Ratchets on the Extractor Star seem to wear faster.

The plus side of the 625 is it's easier to get set up than the older 2* series, the 625 just doesn't seem to hold up as well.

If you don't need FO sights and can find a 25 that's in good shape and timed, grab it, run and never look back.

If you got's to have a FO FS it may be best to get one with a pinned, or classic (read interchangable) FS.

[whizz]

Well pskys2, I am definately not in need of a FO sight as I am used to the Patridge type and like it. Been thinking of getting a 625 but after seeing what happened to a buddy at the nationals I would never spend the money on a NEW S&W. The ratchets in his brand new 625 got so beat up after less than 1K rounds that it stopped working. He had to borrow another gun during day 2.

Seems S&W has got serious quality problems. That is what made me start looking for a 25-2. Are the 25-2:s from around 1980 reliable?

[underlug]

Well pskys2, I am definately not in need of a FO sight as I am used to the Patridge type and like it. Been thinking of getting a 625 but after seeing what happened to a buddy at the nationals I would never spend the money on a NEW S&W. The ratchets in his brand new 625 got so beat up after less than 1K rounds that it stopped working. He had to borrow another gun during day 2.

Seems S&W has got serious quality problems. That is what made me start looking for a 25-2. Are the 25-2:s from around 1980 reliable?

All 25-2s have potential cylinder issues. 1980 was Bangor Punta (sp?) ownership times and folks at that time complained about inconsistent quality and denigrated the bluing.

You pays your money and takes your chances.

[Carmoney]

If you don't need FO sights and can find a 25 that's in good shape and timed, grab it, run and never look back.

Every 25-2 I've ever seen has a pinned and replaceable front sight. They are often darn near invisible to see, though, because they obviously install the pin before performing the final surface finishing on the gun. The 25-2 Sam shoots has an EGW FO sight, and the original plain black patridge is down in my gun room somewhere.

[Carmoney]

The ratchets in his brand new 625 got so beat up after less than 1K rounds that it stopped working. He had to borrow another gun during day 2. Seems S&W has got serious quality problems.

The whole "peening" issue has become way overblown in people's minds, in my opinion. Most of the visible peening causes no functioning problem at all. The nearly-invisible ledge that builds up at the bottom of the lead-in ramps can eventually lead to chamber-skipping, but if you keep an eye on it and dress it down when it becomes an issue, and ensure that the cylinder stop and spring are in good shape, a 625 can and will function very well on an indefinite basis.

Next week approximately 40 of us are queuing up for the "big show"--the USPSA Revolver Nationals in Tulsa. More than 30 of those, and probably all of the Top 5, will be shooting S&W 625s. That oughta tell you something.

[mwx40x40]

I have both 625 with 4" and 25-2 with 6" bbl. The 625 done by SDM fabricating and the 25-2 done by Randy Lee. I find myself shooting the 25-2 more and more in USPSA. The downside as mentioned in early post is , I have not found a cast bullet yet that it will shoot. All my shooting with it has been done with plated and jacketed 230's. The 625 will shoot cast and jacketed equally well. I am sure it has to do with throat diameters and such.

[Tom E]

Next week approximately 40 of us are queuing up for the "big show"--the USPSA Revolver Nationals in Tulsa. More than 30 of those, and probably all of the Top 5, will be shooting S&W 625s. That oughta tell you something.

I'd love to know how many of those are using titanium cylinders, and those that aren't, how many SS cylinders they've gone thru. Just curious, Tom

[Carmoney]

Next week approximately 40 of us are queuing up for the "big show"--the USPSA Revolver Nationals in Tulsa. More than 30 of those, and probably all of the Top 5, will be shooting S&W 625s. That oughta tell you something.

I'd love to know how many of those are using titanium cylinders, and those that aren't, how many SS cylinders they've gone thru. Just curious, Tom

Only a few of those 40 wheels will be titanium. A few people seem to have repeated problems with cylinders--I personally think it has something to do with certain rough gun-handling habits: dry-fire, reload drills, spin-checking, and slamming the cylinder closed unnecessarily hard. Watch Jerry sometime--as fast as he goes, he doesn't slam the cylinder shut.

I anticipate that at least 4 of the Top 5 revolvers this week will be shooting regular stainless cylinders.

My own 625s both have their original cylinders. In fact, in 20 years of competitive shooting I have never replaced a cylinder on a S&W revolver for any reason. Never once. The 625 I'm shooting in Tulsa has had one occasion (Area 5 in 2005) where it gave me a couple skips, replacing the stop and spring solved the problem. I have dressed down the above-mentioned peened ramp "ledges" a grand total of once. I just cleaned and checked the gun over carefully tonight, in preparation for the match, everything looks good--and it's had quite a few rounds through it.

Don't misunderstand me--the peening is a real issue with stainless Smiths. It's just not nearly as big an issue as people might think reading this forum, and it is generally easy to fix without replacing cylinders and such.

[whizz]

Next week approximately 40 of us are queuing up for the "big show"--the USPSA Revolver Nationals in Tulsa. More than 30 of those, and probably all of the Top 5, will be shooting S&W 625s. That oughta tell you something.

I ended up 84.78% at our nationals which I have to be pretty satisfied with. Shootin' a 29-3 when the rest of the shooters between 100% and 80% where running 625:s and 625 JM:s. Maybe I could have closed in towards 90% with a 625 but that is merely speculation. The truth is probably that I also have to practise to become better...

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

The ratchets in his brand new 625 got so beat up after less than 1K rounds that it stopped working. He had to borrow another gun during day 2. Seems S&W has got serious quality problems.

The whole "peening" issue has become way overblown in people's minds, in my opinion. Most of the visible peening causes no functioning problem at all. The nearly-invisible ledge that builds up at the bottom of the lead-in ramps can eventually lead to chamber-skipping, but if you keep an eye on it and dress it down when it becomes an issue, and ensure that the cylinder stop and spring are in good shape, a 625 can and will function very well on an indefinite basis.

Next week approximately 40 of us are queuing up for the "big show"--the USPSA Revolver Nationals in Tulsa. More than 30 of those, and probably all of the Top 5, will be shooting S&W 625s. That oughta tell you something.

+1 on this. Most failures I have seen are due to end shake problems. End shake will show up early in the revolvers life cycle and as time goes on it will return.

I just finished redoing MOONEY's 625 as he had lots of misfires and other problems. End shake was excessive (fixed it), he had a dimple in the hammer from hitting the firing pin (replaced it), cylinder was OK but I did the ream job Mike suggests, changed and adjusted the springs and all is good in Mooneyville .

Like any mechanical thing that is used a lot, they need a check up every so often.

The 25-2s may not have the end shake a new 625 will have because they are usually not new so someone else already fixed the problem.

No matter what you shoot, take care of your gear and your gear will take care of you.

[Mooney]

...and Mooney can't wait to go nutz with it. I've been playing in Limited while waiting for time to make more 625 food, and will probably get the chance this Wednesday.

I never thought I'd shoot a hammer into dimpletown....but I did I don't know how many rounds it took, but they were almost all major PF (the first year I had it was all 190+ PF WWB from Wallyworld- that stuff was HOT).

Limited has been fun (and gave me my first overall stage win in a match), but it's too much like cheating after shooting revolver. I mean, you only have to reload once in a stage (usually)- what the heck kind of fun is that???????

Gary, I have been playing with some dummy rounds, and can't WAIT to shoot her in a match- that chamfer and ream job is just buttery

Edited September 10, 2007 by Mooney

[Patrick Sweeney]

The only drawback to using a 25-2 is rust.

[Tom E]

Bores can be big and cylinder throats bigger. I just measured a 25-2 cylinder with .4565 throats. Seems to be potluck. Tom

[Ron Ankeny]

The only drawback to using a 25-2 is rust.

I would agree. Rust and cosmetic blue wear.

(1) They tend not to shoot very well with cast lead bullets. Jacketed or plated bullets work much better in them, as a general rule.

(2) You can't tune the action quite as light on the older guns with the hammer nose.

I didn't know that. Can you elaborate? Ron Power did the action on mine and it's as good as it gets. Testing at 50 yards with a Ransom Rest shows incredible accuracy with hard cast lead.