S&W .45 Revolver, opinions wanted

[MagnumDweeb]

I almost traded my Taurus PT 1911 for a S&W 25 6" barrel and a few hundred rounds of .45 LC. I've decided though just to save up and get one. I want to get the revolver in a 6" barrel.

I'm thinkin a 6" rather than 4" barrel. I'm mostly looking at used S&W 25 Long Colt models that I could send the cylinders to pinnacle(http://www.pinnacle-guns.com/revolver.asp) to get it cut for moonclips and be able to shoot both Long Colt and .45 ACP. I have tons of .45 ACP rounds in stash( 1.5k reloadable, and nearly 1.5k nonreloadable, plus lots of reloading component) so feeing the .45 ACP is an easy choice and for an additional $87 after work and shipping, it's not that big a deal.

I might get a 625 though, I'm going to hunt through the local pawnshops and estate auctions over the next couple of months. I'd have the gun for target shooting, home defense, and possibly CCW(I sometimes carry my Ruger Redhawk 7.5" in a shoulder holster just to do it, and yes I load .44 Special). I plan to do a fair amount of shooting with the gun. At least one hundred rounds of mildly loaded .45 ACP each month. And I'd get some .45 ACP +P appropriate JHPs that the gun can handles and maybe shoot six rounds a month.

It's like getting a 1911, I just want one. I really like revolvers. When I look at revolvers my first thoughts are reliability. When I look at semi-autos my first thoughts are about ammo potency(why I tend to stick with 10mm hot loads). I know a 4" would be more practical but I just want a 6" barrel. Also does anyoen know where I could find spare cylinders for the 625 and 25.

 

[230therapy]

I find the N-Frame with 4" barrel to be handy. I do like the 3" barrels for carry.

 

[snorko]

The .45 Colt round is great, especially if you reload. I would not personally cut a cylinder for moon clips, I am thinking it might affect the value. I admit I have wanted to do that, though, on my Model of 1989. I like 5" barrels on the N frames.

 

[Chuck Perry]

Check Numrich's for a spare cylinder. I know they have stainless 45ACP cylinders, not sure about blued for the 25.

 

[rcmodel]

Interchangeable .45 ACP/.45 Colt cylinders are not easily doable on a S&W N-frame.

The cylinder stop stud on the frame is in a different place (.030" further foreword) on the .45 ACP then the .45 Colt version due to the shorter cylinder with much more headspace for the moon-clips.

If you put a .45 ACP cylinder on a .45 Colt frame, excess end slop when the cylinder is open will result.

If you put a .45 Colt cylinder on a .45 ACP frame, the cylinder won't open all the way.

rc

 

[Jim Watson]

Cylinders are considerably different length, too; except for an obscure commemorative model.

 

[WC145]

I'd have made the trade, the 625 and ammo are worth more than your PT1911 and the Taurus is easy to replace cheaper than the S&W. Plus the Taurus will never increase in value while, as long as you take care of it, you'll never lose money on the 625, even after a moonclip conversion.

 

[MagnumDweeb]

I've got plenty of things that have value and will gain value, my grandfather gave me twenty pounds of gold in his will when he died, and it's sitting in my safety deposit box and will hopefully never have to be touched.

I just like the Taurus PT1911, I wanted a 1911, now I got one so that's all there is to it. The way I understood it with pinnacle is that they cut the Cylinder so you can use moonclips for your .45 Long Colt ammunition, and coincidentally you can also shoot .45 ACP then, they are not making a converible cylinder, it just happens to be that way. With that said if I could find a spare .45 LC cylinder I think I would have that one cut and leave the original cylinder it comes with untouched.

I'm not looking for a gun that gains value, I just want a good gun that'll go bang when I need it to, and offer me the .45 ACP stopping power. I'm a revolver fan, I like .357 magnums and will eventually get a Ruger Sp101 to join my Rossi Braztech productions right next to my S&W 640.

I consider the .45 ACP a good medium between .44 Magnum and .357 magnum in a revolver. And what the heck I want a revolver in a caliber other than .357 or .44 magnum that is a well reputed man-stopper(and yeah I could go with 10mm or 9mm but that just doesn't sit with me is all).

Any real big difference between the S&W 25 and 625. Oh and one more thing, is there anyone who makes an attachment to cover the hammer(I'm thinking shrouded hammer) so I don't have to get a spare hammer to de-spur.

 

[bhp9mm]

625 3 inch

 

[Walkalong]

I almost traded my Taurus PT 1911 for a S&W 25 6" barrel and a few hundred rounds of .45 LC.

I did trade a Colt Mk V for a 25-5 .45 Colt, and am glad I did. I love the 25-5, and much preferred my Trooper Mk III to the Mk V.

 

[sw282]

Jim Watson,
How are these commerative model frames different? Which cyls interchange?

 

[Stainz]

I would suggest getting the 25 & ammo in trade for the Taurus PT1911 - you can probably get more for the .45 Colt as it is, so don't bugger up that cylinder. I'm sorry if my distaste for things Taurus offends anyone, but my friends have not had stellar results with them. Instead, spend ~$800 for a new 4" 625JM - the current .45 ACP SS S&W. You can load .45 Colt lead in .45 Auto Rim brass at hotter than SAAMI spec's, too. Of course, that 20 lb of gold you said you have won't miss an ounce to buy a new proper .45 ACP revolver, accessories, and reloading supplies. You can't beat a .45 ACP revolver for frugal big bore fun.

Stainz

PS I have a pair of 625 Mountain Guns in .45 Colt and a 625JM in .45 ACP.

 

[StrawHat]

I have several N frames in both of the 45 calibers. I prefer the 4" barrels to carry (my daily carry piece is a 4" 45 ACP on the N frame) and the 6" tube was what I used to shoot Bullseye competition.

and offer me the .45 ACP stopping power.

The 45 Colt can easily be loaded to duplicate that and as easily loaded to surpass it. Remember the 45 ACP was developed to equal the stopping powder of the old black powder 45 Colt. Realistically, while both cartridges can be improved with handloading when fired from the S&W revolver, there is no need to go beyond the original ballistics of either cartridge except to change the shape of the bullet.

 

[orionengnr]

With gold at $1200 per ounce, and you claim to have 20 pounds? My calculator calls that $384,000.

My BS detector calls it ...something else.

So, Mr. Gates, why are you spliiting hairs here? Buy whatever you want, and if you don't like it, throw it in the pond and buy something else.

 

[MagnumDweeb]

No you are quite correct, it's twenty ounces in bar. My poor and unfocused thinking which I am given to doing when typing on forums. I just keep wishing it was twenty pounds. I got the bar back in January, wrapped and with a certificate. I am just wishing it was twenty pounds lol.

 

[Jim Watson]

SW282

The frames are the same, what differs is the cylinder length. The difference is taken up in the amount of barrel shank protruding back through the receiver ring.

No cylinders interchange without gunsmithing, even the short commemorative 25-3 .45 Colt's. The rear gauge (headspace dimension) is different, appropriate to the rim thickness of the caliber.

 

[sw282]

Jim Watson '

Since the 25-2 & 25-3 frames are the same, Does that I mean could have a 25-2 45 ACP cylinder fitted to my 25-3 by a gunsmith? Assuming I could locate a 25-2 45ACP cylinder?


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