Classic Blue Carbon Steel 45acp

I've had my Les Baer Commanche for some time. I love carbon steel blue guns. I started out on my dads model 19 when I was 12. I still have it. I'm not a fan of these modern coatings on top of stainless steel. Since I also have my loadmaster cranking out 45acp ammo with 200g lswc bullets for Les, it made sense to have a revolver that uses the same ammo and is carbon steel blue. I couldn't resist. I picked up this LNIB 25-2. What a beauty. All of this along with those polymer moonclips made by Rimz, loading and unloading is a piece of cake. I am well stocked with components for many years of shooting with my son. I wonder which 45 we will each reach for first when at the range banging steel plates.

 

A very nice pairing. It should make for years of shooting enjoyment.

 

DC Plumber

Two classic .45 ACP handguns! Congrats on the new acquisition!

 

Nice pair of blued carbon steel beauties

I have a S&W 625 5" bbl. .45 ACP w/full moon clips &
.45 Auto Rim and a SW1911 .45 ACP both are matte
finish Stainless Steel

R-

 

I love my M25 and have done some of my best shooting with it; even out to 145 yards.

 

I wonder which one will wear out first. You'll have to leave a note to be passed down to your great grandchildren asking them to try.

 

Thank you for the kind comments. Yes, think this is a great pair of 45s. My son is 11 and he just loves shooting steel. He's a good sized kid and has been shooting my 1911s since he was 8 and was shooting the 22 rifle off the sand bag at age three. He's now shooting most of my guns except for the 458 win mag. He'll end up with all of my guns when I'm gone.

Regarding shooting at long distances, yes, I love hitting steel at 100 yards. People always stop and look like they don't believe what they are seeing. Heading up to the cabin in 3 weeks to make some empties. I'll report back with some chrono numbers. I'm wondering wha 5.0g of 231 does with a 200g lswc out of 6 1/2" barrel.

Again, thanks guys.

 

Both are wonderful handguns; a great 1911, and the legendary 25-2. Some of the 25-2 years measure with larger throats than expected. IIRC, the later years had the tighter throats.

Mine came from later years (a 1980) and it is a tackdriver, well equal to my 625-4 with a 5" barrel BUT . . . my 25-2 had an amputation years ago, long before S&W came out with shorter barrel versions.

It now has a 3 1/4" barrel and the most jaw-dropping single and double action trigger pull I've ever seen. A long deceased gunsmith from Savannah supposedly customized it early in its life for someone wanting the ultimate "little" 45 ACP N frame using moon clips. It will be the last handgun I'll ever part with . . . and THE handgun I want in my hands if trouble ever comes my way.

Heck, since you are into shooting steel, here's a 25-2 story you'll enjoy . . . I once won an all-comers "any iron sighted handgun" special match at the conclusion of an area steel match. Lots of fine shooters, and this final match was for the entire pot of the entry fee to the special match that wasn't scored at the end. Probably about 30 competitors, and at $10 a person, why not try!

Rules - It was named a "Bill Clinton" match, for the firearm started UNLOADED, in a standard plastic black gun box on a table, with the competitor seated. At the buzzer, you got the handgun out, loaded it, then moved a few feet to the shooting box to engage EIGHTEEN steel poppers or plates, in a 90 degree radius at distances of 10-40 yards.

IT GETS BETTER:
The guns started empty, with ONE mandatory reloads, favoring hot loads and high cap bottom feeders.

Most used their limited single stack 1911 raceguns, either in .45ACP or .38Super, with extended mags, but a few used their STI or Para Hi-Caps. A couple use G17s with the 30 something round mags.

I signed up using a .45ACP, and they assumed it would be my 1st gen. Colt Combat Elite, highly warmed over. LOL However, I'd had a mediocre day with my 1911, but as usual, very fast with my chopped 25-2.

I decided to use my chopped 25-2. Heck, what did I have to lose (plus I can reload it as fast as my 1911s anyway, I'd just have to load three times if perfect, rather than two. You should have heard the ribbing I knew I'd get! This might be real fun!

"How do you think you are going to win using a REVOLVER in a match like this," someone loudly said. HE TOOK THE BAIT, and everyone got quiet!

I replied, "Gosh, by shooting 18 targets faster and everybody else, and NOT missing a single target, AND I STILL have to load one more time than anyone else!" Then I continued loudly, "I'd sure HATE getting my a__ kicked in a match like this to an old guy shooting a revolver!" Everyone had a good laugh but . . .

The effect was what I hoped. I shot pretty early on, and and every time the barrel came down the next smooth double action pull made the big revolver boom again the second the sights fell on the next target. I've never shot it faster (but I shot a LOT at that time) and had it feet sooooo good! The best thing? There's no pressure losing a match you never should win! HOWEVER, this put unbearable pressure on the rest of the field. No one wanted to be beat by the revolver guy! LOL They simply could NOT miss fast enough.

My gamble paid off! And, after that. It really messed with their minds and with every miss came an even more frantic effort to shoot faster. The guy coming in second was a seasoned area competitor shooting a nice tuned single stack 1911 with 10 round mags. He missed three but didn't have to reload a third mag, but that cost him too much time! LOL

Frankly, I can reload that 25-2 with moonclips as fast as my 1911 . . . at least back "in the day" when I shot matches! The gun fit my hand better than anything else, and my best times were with Smith revolvers.

Yep, please forgive this 65 year old remembering a special day about 16 years ago. We all love days like that!

BACK TO YOUR "NEW" 25-2 . . . don't be too amazed if it doesn't become possibly your most favorite to shoot handgun of your life. Congratulations! Enjoy!

BTW, here's my "amputee" . . . with the wide target trigger radically narrowed and with a smooth, round face for fast, double action matches (I loved bowling pin matches back "in the day." The "modern" S&W cylinder latch replaces the 1980 type, due to really helping this left-hander make faster reloads. In matches I'd use Hogue "rubbers," but these days it only wears Elk stag grips and a Tyler T-grip . . . old school indeed!

 

S&WFan,

Great story and great looking gun. I remember my 1982 copy of Shooters Bible having pictures of 45acp revolvers. I couldn't understand the concept. Now the more I know about reloading, case capacity, and standard component availability, I see the draw. My 25 was shipped October of 1984. I hope it shoots.

I have a 29-2 and used to shoot light target loads for indoor league. The 25 makes way more sense for that purpose. For whitetail hunting, my 29-2 gets the nod.

 

Here is my Colt Mk IV Series 80 which I bought new in 1984...

She still runs good!

Edmo

 

I'm not a stainless steel fan, at least not matte stainless. I don't mind polished stainless.

I've got a 6" Smith 25-2 as well as a Colt Series 70 wadcutter gun and a Springfield M1911 ball gun, all beautiful blue.

 

Nice handguns!

The first brand new center fire pistols I bought were a S&W Moldel 19 and a Colt Mark IV Series '70 Government Model, both blue. (Bought in 1976) I still have both, they were keepers!

 

There is something special about a blue steel 45.

 

I also have a blued 1911 45acp and a blued 45acp revolver. They are more humble than most. The 1911 was the first one I ever purchased. It is a plain jane GI model from Turkey (Tisas). The sights are small, but it is reliable and as accurate as my middle aged eyes will allow. The revolver is a base model Ruger Blackhawk 45 "convertible". It has a 7.5" barrel and is equally accurate with either 45 caliber. The larger sights and long sight radius help me shoot it quite well.

I like taking them out to the range together. They fit my XL hands nicely and taken in turns will chew the center out of a target. They are plain, functional examples of two of my favorite platforms.

 

nice story s&wfan. to the op nice guns. how come all i see now are 4 inch 625s.

 

I think you will only find new production 625 models unless they reintroduce the 25 in the classic line like they did with 29s, 27s and 586 models. Check the gun auction sites. There are a few out there in like new condition.

 

IIRC, there is some niche IPSC rule affectation.
4" is a pretty good compromise barrel length for something that can be easily carried, IWB or OWB and a usable sight radius.
YMMV

 

Sold my Baer, never really warmed up to it after several thousand rounds. Replaced it with a Dan Wesson Specialist that I now call "Thor's Hammer" since it crushes everything I point it at. Love that gun.
I run a 625JM for .45ACP revo and love it. BMT Mooner and the flawless wire EDM cut moon clips from TK Custom feed it.
Both get fed 240g lead bullets from the RCBS 45-230-CM mold that seem to drop ~240'ish for my lead mix. They have around ~500ft-lb of energy at the muzzle, therefore Hammer of Thor.