S&W model 25 original barrel length?

[tankertom]

I have a .45 acp model 25. It has a 4" barrel. How do I tell if it was shortened or came from the factory as a 4". I bought it at a gun show a couple of years ago without a box or paperwork. I posted the serial number a while back and Mike Irwin informed me that it was built in the 1981 time frame.

Thanks,

tt

 

[JoeHatley]

Look to see if the lettering is centered on the barrel. Like this...



If it's been cut off, the lettering will be off enter toward the front.

Joe

 

[9mmepiphany]

the only lenght i remember cataloged from that timeframe was the 5.5" version

 

[C.R.Sam]

What Joe said about centering of lettering.

That late, 4", 6" and 8 3/8" were cataloged.

Sam

 

[russlate]

IIRC, both the 1950 and 1955 Targets had 6&1/2" bbls.

 

[tankertom]

Thanks,

I will have to pull it out of the safe and take a look at the centering of the lettering.

tt

 

[Archie]

Hey Tanker.....

It is obviously defective.



I'll take it off your hands for $300.

 

[Maddock]

C.R.Sam - Good to see you again.
tankertom - As I recall, the 6" were the most common. Around the same time yours was made I was looking for a 4" and no one could even order one. I ended up having Frank Glenn cutting a 6" down.

 

[tankertom]

Hmm,

Archie, I think I will have to forego your offer.

Thanks for the info folks.

tt

 

[BluesBear]

S&W catalogued the 25-5 with 4" 6" and 8.375" barrels. But the 25-5 came only in .45 Colt.
By the way a 4" 25-5 barrel won't "headspace" properly with a 25-2 cylinder.

The 25-2 was only offered with a 6.5" tube until the time S&W standardized lenghts and reduced all 6.5 inch models down to 6". The 25-2 was the .45acp/Auto Rim model also known as the 1955 Target.

If you were to have a 4" that was not cut down it would be very very extremely rare. I won't say there weren't any but as far as I know S&W only admits to making a 4" in .45acp in the skinny barrel 1950 model and those are as rare as rooster teeth.

I have come across a few nicely cut down S&Ws and even carried a 4" 25-2 on duty for a while.

 

[tankertom]

Took the model 25 out to the NRA range this evening.

The lettering is definitely off center towards the front so it was cut off in the past. It is nicely crowned and the sights reattached so it is hard to spot.

Thanks again for the info.

tt

 

[BluesBear]

What a tease!

Took the model 25 out to the NRA range this evening.

What!?! No photos? No range report?

 

[wwhitby]

>S&W catalogued the 25-5 with 4" 6" and 8.375" barrels. But the 25-5 came >only in .45 Colt.
>By the way a 4" 25-5 barrel won't "headspace" properly with a 25-2 cylinder.

Let me guess - it will have a large gap between the forcing cone and the cylinder? Right?

I've got a Model 25 that my dad bought used years ago. It has a very large gap between the forcing cone and cylinder. Now i'm wondering if it was originally .45 colt, and someone put a .45 ACP cylinder in it?

 

[BluesBear]

If your definition of "a very large gap" is 1/8" or so then that's probably what happened.

The 25-5 .45 Colt cylinder is slightly over 1/8" longer than the 25-2 .45 acp cylinder.

The flash would be superior and the velocity loss incredible.

 

[sigma40sw]

I believe S&W 45ACP and 45 Colt Barrels have a different rifling twist. I was once told S&W put out a bad batch of 1955 targets because they had the Long Colt Twist rate. Their accuracy was poor do to the twist rate for the heavier 250gr bullets.

I like playing with the ACP revolvers,I have a 5" 625, a 70's vintage 1955 target,a 5 screw 1955 target that was cut to 4" before I got it, and my mongrel 4" gun I use for IDPA. The mongrel started it's life as a 3.5" model 27 that had been poorly taken care of so it made for a great project gun.

Attached is a picture of it which shows how a 6.5" 1955 barrel looks when cut to 4". I had a Wiegand Combat Front sight installed which allows me to easily change sight blades. (uses the same blades as S&W classic front sight)

Also attached is a picture of a 4" 45 Long Colt barrel (top) and a 6.5" 1955 barrel (bottom)

BTW - I am on the look out for another N Frame to build 2nd mongrel.

Sigma40sw

 

[BluesBear]

I believe S&W 45ACP and 45 Colt Barrels have a different rifling twist. I was once told S&W put out a bad batch of 1955 targets because they had the Long Colt Twist rate. Their accuracy was poor do to the twist rate for the heavier 250gr bullets.

Oh so very wrong.

There's not much difference in twist needed to properly spin a 250 gr bullet vs a 230 gr bullet.
I believe S&W uses a 1-16" twist for both, which is more than enough spin to stabilize a 350+gr bullet in .45 caliber.

 

[sigma40sw]

Bluesbear,

I did not think the twist rate should be different, but it was one of many myth's/stories about the 1955 accuracy problem. I think they let out a few screwed up barrels and the story just escalated. You have to remember the 1955 target was for very demanding bullseye shooters.

Anyway, I will find out when I get my hands on a N frame to mount that barrel on. The shoulder will have to be turned back to make up for the differance in cylinder length.

Sigma40sw