S&W 25-2

[joneb]

I saw one today in good condition asking $1400
45 acp 5" barrel, seems a bit high to me.
What say you?

 

[Gordon]

I saw one today in good condition asking $1400
45 acp 5" barrel, seems a bit high to me.
What say you?

5" barrel on that model is rare ! It is an excellent length. Everyone should have a .45acp revolver ! The 25-2 is a Classic Masterpiece and done the right way with craftsmanship that will never be seen again .

 

[243winxb]

Many S&W revolvers full retail is around $1000. Come with a life time warrenty. So more then i would pay, but i owned one before. Pain to load and unload the clips.

Currently, S&W doesnt list a 45 acp revolver? That i see?

 

[mcb]

45ACP on moonclips is the faster reloading revolver going. Moonclips rule! Loading and unloading moonclips is no more difficult than loading a magazine and with proper tools (you can make yourself if you're on a tight budget) it's easier than a magazine.

As for the price that's seems high. The most I have ever paid for a used N-frame has been $850 for a 627 PC. Even if that 25-2 was in NIB condition I would be hesitant to go much over $1000 for it.

My 625, moonclips rule!

 

[Armored farmer]

I monitor prices on s&w 25 on Gunbroker....just because I want one in .45colt.....
That price does seem a couple hundred too high, but hey, close enough if you want it. Don't wait two years for a bargain and finally pay $1500.

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

NRA standards? good condition would give me pause to start negotiations.
Just saying 'good condition' covers an awful lot of different ground to a lot different people.
How much blue is missing, original stocks, serial range etc...
Maybe a photo or two?

As Gordon mentioned, a 5" is considered rare, I've never seen one.

Just not enough info for an informed decision, although if it is an 'S' prefix
with the correct diamond stocks and has 95% or better blue with no pitting?
I would buy it today at that price.

Good luck with your decisions, JT

 

[Jim Watson]

As Gordon says, a FACTORY 5" M25-2 would be an extreme rarity and $1400 wouldn't touch it from a knowledgeable seller.
So do we have a naive seller, a sawn barrel, or a mismeasured barrel?

I had mine cut off to 5" for the period when IDPA allowed it and it was a great handling big bore.

 

[Cornhusker77]

I don't know about the price, but they are really nice guns.
Here's one I've had for quite a while and only shot it once. (6rounds)

 

[mcb]

I don't know about the price, but they are really nice guns.
Here's one I've had for quite a while and only shot it once. (6rounds)
View attachment 1072317

You really should shoot that more! My 625 in my previous picture has something well over 20,000 rds through it.

 

[bangswitch]

I saw one today in good condition asking $1400
45 acp 5" barrel, seems a bit high to me.
What say you?

Need to know more. Dash-2's were made from 1961 to at least 1977, and the catalog does mention that 5" barrels are rare. Value is going to be dependent on 1- condition, 2- age, 3- blued or nickel finish, 4-original box, tools and paperwork. SCSW gives the ANIB value of a 3-screw M25 as $1200, EXC is $900, then tack on the premiums for barrel length and finish. What's the SN? "S" prefix is another premium (1961-1968).

If that one is in good mechanical shape, and the barrel can be shown as the original, and the finish is 90% or better, I'd say it's worth the asking price. I gave $1250 for a perfect condition 1980 M25-5, .45 Colt 4" Nickel gun on New Year's Day this year, no box or tools/paperwork.

 

[Tallball]

I think this is a dash 3. It has a five inch barrel.

I shoot it the most out of all of my larger-caliber revolvers.

The ammo is easy to come by and not expensive.

It's a very accurate shooter, way way more accurate than I am.

Smith And Wesson Model 625

• Tallball
• Apr 5, 2018

 

[LaneP]

This was $400 brand new in the box in 1979. According to the inflation calculator, about $1683.77 today. I'm not sure if I had it to do over I would want to pay that much for one even today brand new, but as noted by others, "they don't make 'em like that anymore". There was a time when bullseye shooting was so popular where I lived and 25-2's were in such short supply, I got some ridiculous offers for it, but there was no way I was going to part with it. To this day I'm glad I didn't.

 

[DR505]

Need to know more. Dash-2's were made from 1961 to at least 1977, and the catalog does mention that 5" barrels are rare. Value is going to be dependent on 1- condition, 2- age, 3- blued or nickel finish, 4-original box, tools and paperwork. SCSW gives the ANIB value of a 3-screw M25 as $1200, EXC is $900, then tack on the premiums for barrel length and finish. What's the SN? "S" prefix is another premium (1961-1968).

If that one is in good mechanical shape, and the barrel can be shown as the original, and the finish is 90% or better, I'd say it's worth the asking price. I gave $1250 for a perfect condition 1980 M25-5, .45 Colt 4" Nickel gun on New Year's Day this year, no box or tools/paperwork.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to the values listed in the SCSW 4th Edition, or to Fjestad's Blue Book of Gun Values. They seem to bear very little relation to what various firearms are actually selling for. Buyers always pull these books out and quote the values listed, but most sellers just laugh at that tactic.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Werent there some issues with the -2s having outsized bores or charge holes or somesuch?

I saw a minty 5" a couple years ago, that they had advertised as factory for $900. Was too good to be true, sure enough it was a cut-down barrel. They refused to lower the price any and I walked away.

 

[bangswitch]

I wouldn't pay too much attention to the values listed in the SCSW 4th Edition, or to Fjestad's Blue Book of Gun Values. They seem to bear very little relation to what various firearms are actually selling for. Buyers always pull these books out and quote the values listed, but most sellers just laugh at that tactic.

As long as buyers let Gunbroker set the bar height, everybody will be paying too much. They've done to gun prices what Mecum and Barrett-Jackson have done to the collector car world.

Werent there some issues with the -2s having outsized bores or charge holes or somesuch? I saw a minty 5" a couple years ago, that they had advertised as factory for $900. Was too good to be true, sure enough it was a cut-down barrel. They refused to lower the price any and I walked away.

I know that the dash-5's are known for oversized throats in the chambers, supposedly negatively affecting accuracy. The ones on my revolver are bigger than the standard spec, but I haven't noticed an issue with not hitting where I've pointed it.

 

[DR505]

As long as buyers let Gunbroker set the bar height, everybody will be paying too much. They've done to gun prices what Mecum and Barrett-Jackson have done to the collector car world.

True, but that is the world in which we now live. I wish I had kept that 1971 Plymouth GTX with the 440 Super Commando motor.

I know that the dash-5's are known for oversized throats in the chambers, supposedly negatively affecting accuracy. The ones on my revolver are bigger than the standard spec, but I haven't noticed an issue with not hitting where I've pointed it.

Some of the dash-5's had oversized throats, but S&W apparently made a standardization during their production run and they all seemed consistent after that. The dash-7s and up are all the same.

 

[cfullgraf]

I bought a 6-1/2" Model 25-2 in 2017 for $1200. But around the same time frame I got a couple 25-5 (4" and 8-3/8") and 624's (4" and 6-1/2") for $800-$1000. So make your own judgement based on the current market.

I like moon clip fed revolvers. Besides the 25-2 and a 625, I have three 38 Special J-frames machined for moon clips as well as a couple S&W 986's.

If the gun is in good shape, I'd jump on it. At least in my area, Model 25-2's do not come up for sale much.

To add, I'd recommend looking into a BMT Moon Clip loader/unloader tool. A bit expensive but it is the cats meow when it comes to dealing with moon clips. There are other options for loading tools out there that work OK, but the BMT Equipped tools are the best.

 

[DC Plumber]

I bought a LNIB 25-2 with 6.5" barrel around 4 or 5 years ago. I happily paid $1450. I shoot it a lot. My progressive is set up to load 45 auto with 200g lswc over 5.5g of 231.

I also have a 4" model of 1989 and a les baer 45 auto.

It is a tie which one I enjoy shooting the most, but I hate picking up brass so the revolvers get shot the most. I used to dislike the idea of moonclips until I got a good tool.

I haven't shot my 44mag in years.

If I really want something I don't let a few bucks stop me.

I had a nice El Paso saddlery made for my 625. Except for the girth it is a great carry gun under my flannel shirt. Also my favorite night stand gun.

 

[lightman]

I bought a dash 2 a few years ago with a 6-1/2 in barrel and the target front sight. I bought a supply of auto rim brass and its a fun gun to shoot. Would love to fine a nice dash 5 at a fair price.

 

[Master Blaster]

Prices are out of control. If it's really a 5" barrel and not a 6 measured from the forcing cone to the muzzle. If it's in excellent + condition it could be worth that.

I own several .45 acp Smith revolvers including a 25-2. My oldest is a 1932 da 45 commercial.

The newest a 2017 4" PC 625 is my favorite to shoot. It is more accurate than the 25-2 with lead bullets. My 25-2 prefers jacketed bullets.





The going rate for a pc 625 new is about $1100. I paid $700 for it used in 2017 lnib. That was a deal then.

 

[Gordon]

The .45acp guns didn't have the oversize throat issues. The nickel finish is sweet and highly desireable. The 5" is a real great treat , not too long and not too short 4" are pretty rare also. Pinned barrels are the hot set up !

 

[.38 Special]

As is often the case, collectors - and the perceived value of rarity - have driven the price beyond reason, at least from a "using" perspective.

It's a great gun. Its price will continue to increase, overall, barring some calamity. Its value as a device used to propel bits of metal out of one end was exceeded by its price about a decade ago, at least as far as I am concerned.

 

[joneb]

Thanks for the feed back
I will go back and take another look, along with some pics.

 

[Gordon]

Thanks for the feed back
I will go back and take another look, along with some pics.

If you can swing it cash is king and I have got big discounts with counting out short piles of Benjamins. Count out what you want to pay, hold one or two in your pocket and pick up the short pile and start to walk away. Works for me

 

[Monster Zero]

I saw one today in good condition asking $1400
45 acp 5" barrel, seems a bit high to me.
What say you?

Seems high to me.

However, that's just the way things are these days. If you want it enough to buy it for that, then it's worth it.

They don't make them no more...