S&W 25-5 44 magnum?

[Guillermo]

Buddy showed me a S&W 25-5 that has "44 magnum" clearly marked on the barrel.

Blue is even...looks factory. Serial numbers match.

Is this a mistake or a cobbled up conversion?

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Very possible that someone had a cylinder and barrel and put them on a .45 Colt frame. I do not know if any structural difference might be a concern as both are N-frames, and possibly heat treated the same, etc. It COULD be a factory mistake, and a factory letter (you have to purchase a historical letter) would tell you if the number and caliber match.

 

[Jim Watson]

Which is the actual caliber, .44 or .45?
There have been some factory mismarks but there have been a number of parts guns made up, too. A friend had what looked like a real nice "Model 26" that was really a rebarrelled and rechambered .357.

 

[Fishslayer]

Mismarked S&W are not particularly uncommon. While a curiosity, I'm told that they aren't even rare enough to be of any particular interest to collectors.

 

[Guillermo]

it is chambered 44 magnum

If it is a conversion, kudos to the smith...the blueing is identical on the frame and the barrel.

Looks factory

 

[Fishslayer]

it is chambered 44 magnum

If it is a conversion, kudos to the smith...the blueing is identical on the frame and the barrel.

Looks factory

Then my guess would be that somehow a 25-5 frame got into the wrong box or the correct frame got misstamped. Not really sure how the process goes but I'm pretty sure all the stampings would be done prior to final assembly.

 

[rcmodel]

I think somebody bubba'd it.

Look at the scratch marks on the top of the crane where it is apparently rubbing hard in the top of the frame cut. The top of the frame cut looks like it has buggers there too where it is rubbing too hard.

S&W didn't make no 25-5 OR Model 29 like that.

rc

 

[Slamfire]

Call Smith and Wesson. You have the serial number. If they tell you it went out the door as a 45 LC, then it went out the door as a 45 LC.

While it makes sense that all N frames might be made of the same materials and receive the same heat treatment, I would not assume it. Might be wrong.

 

[Guillermo]

If they tell you it went out the door as a 45 LC, then it went out the door as a 45 LC.

that supposes they caught the mistake

 

[StrawHat]

I have owned a few mismarked S&Ws and handled a lot more. I still have a 45 long Colt that is marked M25-2 and over stamped -5. It happens, but S&W will know how it left the factory.

 

[IBEWBULL]

1970s Dirty Harry

Back in the 70s M 29s A lot of 27,28 and other N frames were converted to 44 magnum.
There were some Guns and Ammo and Shooting Times articles on these.
My magazine stack is not organized well or I would check.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I thought the barrels were marked ".44 S & W Magnum?

 

[pendennis]

The .44 Magnum N frames had different heat treating than non-magnum calibers. Before I put the first round through it, I'd confirm with S&W as to how it left the factory.

 

[rcmodel]

IMO: That is not a S&W caliber barrel marking.

IMO: It has been Bubba'ed together by somebody.

rc

 

[DPris]

When Smith & Wesson replaced a bad barrel on my 25-5 back in the 80s, it came back with a different stamp font than the original.
The one shown here could easily be a factory stamping.
Denis

 

[Lloyd Smale]

like ibewbull said it was a popular conversion back in the day. Many for the 45lc were so inaccurate as is that they were converted.

He ibewbull. Are you a fellow lineman. Im a retired lead lineman from the local power company.

 

[witchhunter]

Is this a trick? Guillermo asking us about a revolver is like my wife's jeweler asking me if a diamond is real.....

 

[BYJO4]

As others have stated, the barrel was incorrectly stamped at the factory or the gun has been modified.

 

[rcmodel]

And it seems very unlikely some S&W employee brought in a set of unauthorized letter & number stamps from home into work in their lunch box!

rc

 

[DPris]

RC,
Like I said, the replacement barrel they put on mine had different markings than the original.
It IS a possible factory job.
Denis

 

[DPris]

RC,
Can you, or anybody else, post good images of both sides of the barrel on a 4-inch 25-5 in .45 Colt from circa 1981, showing what the factory markings should be?
Denis

 

[rcmodel]

I sure can't as I don't have one.

But I do have a bunce of S&W's from before & after that, and none of them look like that one.

rc

 

[DPris]

Hauled mine out, pulled up some images off the web.
My markings appear different.
Slightly different lettering, mine have raised edges not polished flat like they originally were.

It was rebarreled in about 86-87 by S&W to replace a butchered forcing cone on the original.
When it came back I noticed the new type markings.

Denis

 

[dickydalton]

I thought the barrels were marked ".44 S & W Magnum?

There is no such thing as a 44 S & W Magnum. There are 44 S & W Specials and 44 Remington Magnums.

 

[DPris]

Guill,
When mine was done, they replaced the crane & barrel and reblued the gun.
There was something noted on the bill about the barrel that my hazy memory can't recall, but seems to think it involved something outside the norm.
Was done just for my gun, something like that.
Too long ago.

The one you show could very easily be a factory re-do, not a mis-marking, and it doesn't have to be a Bubbajob.

It's hard to say "never" with S&W, and what I can see of the barrel markings in the photos appears to match the style on mine.
The lettering also appears fractionally smaller on my later 25-9 than on my 25-5.
Denis