New 6 1/2" Model 25

[Revopop]

I remember Carmoney posting recently that now that S&W was making a 6 1/2" Model 29 and a 3" Model 25 maybe they'd wise up and bring back the 6 1/2" 25. Well here it is. I suppose I may have to try one out.

Edit to add: false alarm. The 3" is .45ACP, but the 6 1/2" is .45 Colt. You bastards, S&W!

Edited March 14, 2008 by Glockopop

[vrmn1]

It could easily be made to take 45 acp.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

It could easily be made to take 45 acp.

They will probably ad that next year.

[vrmn1]

We can hope.

[Brian Gonsalves]

While we are on this subject, how much does everyone think a 6 1/2" 25-2 in .45 acp is worth? I have a chance to buy a very nice early one. Of course there will be some type of California premium

This revolver thing is taking over my life! I bought a 625 earlier this week and now maybe a 25-2, yikes!

Edited March 14, 2008 by Brian Gonsalves

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

While we are on this subject, how much does everyone think a 6 1/2" 25-2 in .45 acp is worth? I have a chance to buy a very nice early one. Of course there will be some type of California premium

This revolver thing is taking over my life! I bought a 625 earlier this week and now maybe a 25-2, yikes!

Stock guns go anywhere from $500 to $700 depending on condition. Barrels alone are going for $100 if you can find a 6.5". I just got one for $90 in case I need another

[Tom E]

Nothing to worry about. I'm having a 625 rebarreled with a longer custom barrel. The way my luck runs S&W will announce they are making 6 1/2" 625s right after my gun is finished.

[pskys2]

The "IN" look is Bagakis's 2 tone 6 1/2" Revolver as seen in the latest Front Sight. I sure wish they had put those pix in color. That's what they were sent.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

The "IN" look is Bagakis's 2 tone 6 1/2" Revolver as seen in the latest Front Sight. I sure wish they had put those pix in color. That's what they were sent.

I guess I am "IN"

[pskys2]

Hmmm, I don't know Round_Gun, maybe a stripe or two?

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

Hmmm, I don't know Round_Gun, maybe a stripe or two?

Mine is a pinto. What does he have a Zebra??

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

This one is kind of 2 tone too

[Carmoney]

The "IN" look is Bagakis's 2 tone 6 1/2" Revolver as seen in the latest Front Sight. I sure wish they had put those pix in color. That's what they were sent.

And as of January 2008, J-Bag's two-tone revolver is actually legal in USPSA Revolver Division.

[Brian Gonsalves]

So, should I buy the 25-2 or get a 625 and build a 2-tone of my own???

Thanks!

Brian

[Carmoney]

As long as you don't want to shoot cast lead bullets, that 25-2 would be a great USPSA gun. They generally shoot very well with jacketed or plated bullets, and you won't have to worry about the peening issue that sometimes affects the cylinder stop notches on the stainless guns.

[Carmoney]

...plus, these days you just can't call up and order a 6" or 6.5" 25-2 barrel. If you scour around long enough, you might find one, but it might take you a long time.

[20nickels]

Brian,

I'd take a look at the new one and machine it for 45 Auto. They have potentially moddified a few things that Mike mentioned. I'm curious how the chargeholes mic out.

Wouldn't surprise me if they offered one in .45 Auto next year since they discontinued the 625.

[Ron Ankeny]

As long as you don't want to shoot cast lead bullets, that 25-2 would be a great USPSA gun.

Why is that? I shot cast in mine for almost 30 years without issues. Edited March 15, 2008 by Ron Ankeny

[Revopop]

Apparently the general consensus is that many of the 25-2s don't shoot as accurately with cast bullets, though there are exceptions. Just like how most 625s have no problem shooting cast bullets, but the one Carmoney sold me doesn't like them.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

As long as you don't want to shoot cast lead bullets, that 25-2 would be a great USPSA gun.

Why is that? I shot cast in mine for almost 30 years without issues.

So did I and I still do for center fire bulls eye

Edited March 15, 2008 by Round_Gun_Shooter

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

Apparently the general consensus is that many of the 25-2s don't shoot as accurately with cast bullets, though there are exceptions. Just like how most 625s have no problem shooting cast bullets, but the one Carmoney sold me doesn't like them.

General consensus of who?

[Carmoney]

It's been well-documented for a long time that most 25-2s do not shoot well with cast lead bullets. When the 625 was introduced in 1988, the industry was curious to see whether the 625 would exhibit the same problem--it did not, although the early "Model of 1988" 625-2 version had its share of other bugs (floating hand, tight chambers) that needed to be worked out. All of this was discussed in the gun press fairly extensively--I remember Mas Ayoob was one correspondent who discussed the problem with lead bullets in 25-2s in several articles. I remember a long conversation I had with the late John Nowlin in the early '90s regarding this issue, and he believed it was not the cylinder throats, but the actual barrel dimensions that caused instability with lead bullets.

I learned very early on that my first 25-2, when shot with cast bullets, would literally keyhole at 25 yards--the rifling was not stabilizing the bullets and they were literally tumbling out of the gun. Two or three other 25-2s I've bought and sold since then did the same thing. Then one day, a veteran competitive shooting friend of mine recommended that I try shooting unsized .45 bullets. So we cast a bunch of them up, tumble-lubed them with liquid Alox instead of running them through the lubri-sizer, and damned if they didn't shoot just fine in our 25-2s! Apparently, a couple extra thousands was all it took to stabilize the projectile and get things back on track accuracy-wise. When I told Don he had solved my problem, he just laughed and said it was an old trick, and all the guys with 25-2s had been doing it for years.

Every time this topic is discussed, somebody jumps in and says "Well, my 25-2 was always fine with cast bullets." Which leads me to believe that some individual specimens must not have had this issue. Maybe some barrels came out of the factory better than others, who knows.

Anyway, it's something to consider when deciding between a 25-2 or a 625.

[Tom E]

So how do the 625s that had 25-2 barrels added shoot with cast bullets? Anybody shot theirs rested to see? Several of the guys I shoot bullseye with have 25-2s they talk about a lot, but if I want shoot one as a comparison to my 625 the excuses flow and the guns go back in their boxes real fast. I have measured the throats in a few and they have been consistently huge, .456+. Never slugged a barrel.

To digress: What gun did Jerry shoot at the IDPA indoor nationals? I'm also wondering if S&W is going to keep him shooting a discontinued gun for USPSA revolver?

[JakeMartens]

I remember Carmoney posting recently that now that S&W was making a 6 1/2" Model 29 and a 3" Model 25 maybe they'd wise up and bring back the 6 1/2" 25. Well here it is. I suppose I may have to try one out.

Edit to add: false alarm. The 3" is .45ACP, but the 6 1/2" is .45 Colt. You bastards, S&W!

Seems like if you want this to get built you would just call up to Thunder Ranch, plead your case with Clint Smith. If he calls them they will build it!!!

Of course it will have the TR logo on it somewhere

I would think that if a distributor like Camfour or Lew Horton could order up 500 or so in 45acp.

Or just start calling them and sending them emails, who knows they may listen.

[David Sinko]

I keep hearing talk about machining a .45 Colt cylinder to shoot .45 ACP in moonclips, but has anybody actually done this and experienced any success? I tried this some years ago with a 25-7 and it was a disaster. A sloppy .45 Colt chamber is a very unsanitary environment for a .45 ACP cartridge!

On the subject of chamber variances, here's an interesting consideration... I loaded six of my own cast 255 gr. SWC bullets sized .452" into once fired FC07 brass, snapped them into a moonclip and tried to drop it into my 625-4 Mountain Gun. They dropped in halfway up the brass case and then wouldn't go in any further. I grabbed my 625-4 3" and they dropped in without difficulty. Then I grabbed my other 625-4 4" and they almost dropped in, needing to be pushed in for a slightly tight fit. I then took a loaded round and dropped it into my chamber checker, and they wouldn't go all the way in. I'm not sure what the problem is with my ammo , but here are three Model 625-4s and they all have slightly different chamber dimensions. In spite of this, they all produce excellent accuracy with cast bullets.

My 627-4 would not shoot cast bullets no matter what the diameter but it produced excellent accuracy with jacketed and plated bullets. I never measured the chambers or the bore to find out why and then traded it. It was a great gun within its element, but I can not live with any revolver that will not shoot cast bullets.

Dave Sinko