With Smith revolvers, particularly the more desirable ones like a 25-2, the price you walked away from two years ago is this year's steal . . . and always will be.
They were only made with 6 1/2 and 6 inch barrels back "in the day," and had the super-wide, grooved target triggers and target hammers. They were target revolvers with great accuracy with the right loads.
Here's a 25-2 from 1980 that's may favorite handgun of any type and size. The barrel was reduced to that sexy 3 1/4" length that makes the vintage M27s look so great.
The trigger was rounded and severely narrowed for fast, double action shooting for action handgun competitions. It is incredibly fast out of the holster with wonderful recovery times as one swings between targets in double action mode. And, using full moon clips, reloads are as fast as reloading an auto for some of us. IMHO, the ultimate fighting revolver.
BTW, it loves .452 cast bullets and will eat out single jagged holes in a target at 10 yards, standing/unsupported.
IMHO, this is the gun that S&W made a mistake not making back then. However, lots of gunsmiths DID convert those big ol' target revolvers back in the '60s-'80s, including the legendary John Jovino of NYC. Mine was converted in Savannah by a long passed away revolver master.
AND WITH MOONCLIPS SHOWN:
T.