what to do (new model 25)

I'm neither a collector nor a flipper, so if it were mine and I wanted to shoot it, I would shoot it. We can't take 'em with us

Beautiful piece, btw.

All guns should be shot….

BOARHUNTER

I feel your dilemma. I would also be torn but I feel I would end up shooting it as that’s why I buys guns, to shoot them.
Beautiful model 25

captain awesome said:

Well I like S&W N frames. I own several. I like going to the range with them, one is my primary woods carry (629 classic 5"), others are range toys or on occasion hunting revolvers. I just Bought a new to me Model 25-3 45 colt anniversary edition off gunbroker. It looked nice in the pictures, and the price was way less than what others were listed for, I can only assume this was because the seller would only take postal money orders. No big deal. It came with the presentation box and the original cardboard box and papers, commemorative coin and the history of Smith and Wesson book. All in great shape. It was just delivered today, so I took it out and examined it. It is perfect. It is beautiful, and it has never been fired. I hadn't counted on that and the seller didn't describe it as such. I am sure that sounds like great news but I didn't buy it to put it on a shelf or display (though I may at this point) I bought it to play with at the range and enjoy going shooting.
So now, here I thought I was buying a range toy and ended up with this 45 year old brand new revolver they dont make anymore. The very definition of what a safe queen would be. I feel guilty even thinking about firing it. Should I? The 125 year commemorative editions aren't super rare, and I suspect many of them remain unfired as collectors pieces. But still, I keep going back and forth. I'll probably never get another opportunity to be the first one to fire a brand new pinned barrel N frame. What do y'all think?

Here is a picture, hastily taken, doesn't do it justice at all.
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Well I look at it this way: you bought it and paid the price you paid fully believing it had been fired so why wouldn't somebody else buy it and pay a good price for it knowing it was fired?

Chootum!

You didn’t buy it as an investment. Shooting it will not harm it. After the fun of shooting it, you can enjoy cleaning it. (One can enjoy cleaning guns, seeing the mirror finish reappear inside and out.). The more you handle it at the range or on the cleaning table the more fun you will have!

I wanna see target pictures!

I can empathize with your dilemma.
It obviously is on your mind enough to ask...


If it bothered me that much, I'd probably go get an Uberti for a shooter and safe queen the model 25.
That being said, shooting it is fine. None of us will be here forever.

Wow, what a find! Gorgeous gun

Shoot it!!

Threads like this remind me of the old joke about holding an AA meeting in the corner bar...

At least no one has suggested the OP relieve himself of such a burdensome decision by sending them the gun.

But, now that I mention it, I would be willing to sacrifice my time and a box of .45Colts, if it helps...

That poor gun has been waiting decades to be shot, why deny it its pleasure?

Or yours, for that matter?

I concur

This "dilemma" has 1 of 2 endings.

1. Resell it as "unfired and immaculate". Then buy a chooter.

2. Enjoy the H*** out of it.


I buy them to choot. That is what I would do with it. I have no need of a safe queen.

Man that is pretty!!! That's all I know..... I bought a 27-2 from Gunbroker born in 1978 that appeared to be unfired, not a ding, turn line on the cylinder or anything, I had the same dilemma. Realizing that I would never sell the beauty.....well, lets just say that it has a turn line in the cylinder now.

No safe queens allowed in my my house.

Choot it!

captain awesome said:

Well I like S&W N frames. I own several. I like going to the range with them, one is my primary woods carry (629 classic 5"), others are range toys or on occasion hunting revolvers. I just Bought a new to me Model 25-3 45 colt anniversary edition off gunbroker. ..... It was just delivered today, so I took it out and examined it. It is perfect. It is beautiful, and it has never been fired. I hadn't counted on that and the seller didn't describe it as such. I am sure that sounds like great news but I didn't buy it to put it on a shelf or display (though I may at this point) I bought it to play with at the range and enjoy going shooting.
So now, here I thought I was buying a range toy and ended up with this 45 year old brand new revolver they dont make anymore. The very definition of what a safe queen would be. I feel guilty even thinking about firing it. Should I? The 125 year commemorative editions aren't super rare, and I suspect many of them remain unfired as collectors pieces. But still, I keep going back and forth. I'll probably never get another opportunity to be the first one to fire a brand new pinned barrel N frame. What do y'all think?
View attachment 1087354

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I think you ought to enjoy it fully; take it to the range and shoot it. The standard 3 screw M25 is listed with ANIB value of $1200. Here's what the 4th Ed. SCSW says about the 125th Anniversary M25:

"This model was made in 3 editions with smooth tangs, and is classed as a 'Curio and Relic'
Standard edition: 9948 units, 6-1/2" barrel, bright blue finish, barrel marking 'Smith & Wesson 125th Anniversary', gold filled. Side plate marked: '125th Commemorative Seal'. Gold filled smooth Goncalo Alves target grips with nickel plated S&W medallions, red ramp front sight with white outline rear. Mahogany presentation case with rosewood finish, nickel silver 125th Anniversary medallion. Book included by Roy G. Jinks '125 Years with Smith & Wesson'. Serial number range S&W 0001 to S&W 10000, except as allocated below. ANIB $900-$1000"

The "otherwise allocated" are the Deluxe Edition of 50 units, which are Class A engraved, and retailed for $1500 when issued. They are also M25-4. There were two Custom Deluxe Editions, both engraved, and both are in museums, and retailed for $25K.

I found it rather curious that the 125th Anniversary Standard edition is only valued at $900-$1000, when the standard M25's in ANIB condition were valued at $1200. Remember, these values are as of 2016, when the catalog was last published, so they are undoubtedly higher today. That your anniversary model isn't worth more than a standard one, I'd not worry about its unfired condition. Shooting them doesn't hurt them, and I don't imagine you'd be mistreating a nice revolver anyway when you are out at the range.

If you do shoot it, keep to lower-powered ammunition, 850 fps or less; the M25 won't withstand the same loads a Ruger Red Hawk or Thompson Contender can use. I've used the factory Hornady 225 grain FTX loads, made more for the carbines chambered for .45C, but i only use my reloads now, and shoot a 250 grain RNFP plated bullet and keep my MV around 800 fps. My M25 is a 4" dash-5, and with those loads is a very pleasant round to shoot. Still has a fair recoil due to the heavy bullet, but it doesn't numb you hand as bad as .41 or .44 magnum will.

That's a beautiful revolver, I would feel truly lucky to find one in nearly that shape.

Comemmoratives are usualy worth less than a standard blued model with the same features to collectors. Go shoot it.

I shot a previously unfired '67 Colt 1911.......so I'd shoot it.

Several years ago, I ran into a special edition S&W N-frame chambered in 44-40. I forget the Model number or what is was commenerating but I passed on it figuring some real collector would want it while I was going to shoot it.

I regret that decision.

So, shoot youe new 25-3 and enjoy it.

That can be a tough choice. When I started buying Ruger single action revolvers in 32 H&R magnum that choice had to be made. One was a John Wayne commemorative, one of 1,250 made. Like you, I bought it not knowing if had been shot. That one I shoot from time to time and has been mentioned, I like cleaning it and knowing it’s mine to enjoy.

Another was a Ruger Last Cowboy in 32 magnum. Since I had a regular Single Six with the same barrel length, it sits in the safe unfired except at the factory. Now I know there is a difference between a Ruger and Smith like you have but a similar situation….

If you can flip it for a profit, easily get another, and have money left over, that seems like a no-brainer.

If not, shoot it and enjoy it.

I shoot my 625 more than any of my other N-frames.

If you bought it figuring it was used and had already been fired before you got it, I think you should carry on with that first premise and shoot it.

Keeping it as a safe queen to me is like you're running a museum and your guns are only to be looked at, rarely touched, and never used.

I'm perplexed by this whole 'safe queen' thing. Do you buy a new car to park it in the garage and never drive it? Do you buy a new shirt and never wear it? Do you buy food and not eat it?

The acquisition of this revolver is part of the ever changing life experience available to you, in the big picture, for a very brief time. Why curtail that experience?

Shoot that bad boy! And then shoot it again, and again, and again! Take the advice of the member on this forum who said he was busy turning all his firearms into smoothbores - by god, that's the spirit!

No, don’t shoot it. Save it for the next guy…

You buy a Picasso to look at---a gun to shoot !

Pat Riot said:

No, don’t shoot it. Save it for the next guy…

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I like your sarcasm.

I too am proficient in that medium

willb said:

I'm perplexed by this whole 'safe queen' thing. Do you buy a new car to park it in the garage and never drive it? Do you buy a new shirt and never wear it? Do you buy food and not eat it?

The acquisition of this revolver is part of the ever changing life experience available to you, in the big picture, for a very brief time. Why curtail that experience?

Shoot that bad boy! And then shoot it again, and again, and again! Take the advice of the member on this forum who said he was busy turning all his firearms into smoothbores - by god, that's the spirit!

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Fabulous post!