S&W 25-2 / 625 Question

[Got_Lead?]

Hello All:

Got a question about the 25-2 and the 625 Smith revolvers. I was wondering what are common throat diameters are for these guns.

I have a mid 80's vintage 25-5, which measures .457" in the throats and has a .451" bore. Sized bullets have always shot pretty poorly from this gun.

I read that Smith continued to make cylinders based on pre-WWII tooling dimensions (.454 bullet sizing for 45 colt), long after .451 became the standard diameter bullet for the .45 Colt, although newer barrels were bored to .451".

No wonder the old gal wouldn't shoot sized bullets well.

I've grown to really want a 25-2 or 625 in .45 ACP, and was wondering if the cylinders are bored to a more appropriate diameter in these models.

 

[StrawHat]

On the numbered models, S&W has always held the 45 ACP revolvers to target dimensions. Starting with the 25-2 and continuing up to whatever model they are selling today. The problem child was the 45 long Colt and they have solved that as well, any of the non pinned 45 LC have good dimensions.

 

[ClemY]

S&W seemed to use the .45 Colt size of .454” bullets for the 1917 revo and kept it until the early ‘80s. My 25-2 is .456”, but shoots .45 ACP quite well. This didn’t work in .45 Colt. The newer ones, like my 625JM and 625PC, are both .452” and shoot everything very well. If you have a 25-5 that you really like, you could have S&W replace the cylinder with a new one. I suspect it would make a world of difference.

 

[steveno]

I have a S & W M25-5 45 Colt with a pinned barrel (1980) and the cylinder throats are about .453 to .454. I have shot hard cast bullets , and some soft factory bullets along with Winchester factory loads (not the cowboy loads) and at 25 yards I'm hard pressed to tell the difference between any of them accuracy wise. all of them are in the 2.5 to 3 inch range and I doubt that I'm good enough to do any better. they are however "pop can" accurate and that is good enough for me.

 

[robctwo]

I recently bought two 25-2s. One from 1975 and one from 1980. Measuring the throats with bullets on hand. The .451 Hornady Action Pistol all fell through without hesitation. The .452 lead swc all stuck, with one chamber on the 1975 gun less secure than all other chambers. A bump sent it through. All other chambers were snug.

 

[Got_Lead?]

Thanks guys, all I gotta do now is save my greenbacks until one comes along that wants to go home with me.