So what are the good year/model number Smiths?

[badchad]

I’m trying to resist the urge to get a revolver, but I think it’s only a matter of time. However from reading old threads here it seems there are some years with safeties, hammers, and/or other feature differences that are a little better or worse for IPSC.

I’m pretty clear on what barrel lengths I would want but that’s about it. Aside from that what should I try to find and try to avoid.

Guns I’m considering are a 5” 625, a 6.5” 610, and 6.5” 617 for practice.

[Tom Mainus]

Do a search for "floating Hand" in the revolver forum. Lots of info. It was the 625-2 models that had the floating hand.

Tom

[Toolguy]

The floating hand (not good) can be changed out for a regular hand. In some cases you have to get a different

trigger, sometimes you can use the same trigger.

[Carmoney]

True. And sometimes you get lucky and the floating hand feels fine and doesn't even need to be replaced.

The other problem that plagued the 625-2 (Model of 1988) is that they were all tight-chambered (even more so than the current 625-8s which also exhibit this problem). Again, this is readily fixable, but you need a chamber finisher reamer to do the job. 625-2s can be made to work just fine, but I only recommend buying one if it's cheap enough to allow you to absorb the additional gunsmithing costs.

For competition use, pretty much any other 625 variants are just fine. I'm not aware of any issues with 610s or 617s.

Some folks have strong preferences regarding the internal lock system, the frame-mounted versus hammer-mounted firing pins, and that sort of thing. In reality, for what we do, the lock doesn't matter (and is easily disabled) and either type of firing pin system can be tuned into an excellent and reliable competition action. So other than the 625-2 issue mentioned above, you really can't go too far wrong.

[Tom E]

I prefer the frame mounted firing pin MIM guns 625-6 and 625-8. The -6 is cosmetically nicer because it doesn't have the frame lock. Any 617 is a good one. Old ones were 6 shot, newest ones are 10 shot, for a while they made both. For 617's I prefer the old guns with the early version firing pin (identified by the external firing pin bushing cross pin just below the rear sight) and (heavier) forged hammer, but they're (mostly?) 6 shots so need the 10 shot cylinder fitted. My 2 cents.

[Glenn Tracey]

I haven't met a 625 that Mike Carmoney can't make shoot, including the 625-2.

I'm such a bum shooter and soooo slow I just can't shoot them. Mike has worked on three of mine and I own one of his. (Lot of good it all does me. I'm the one stage per hour guy.)