[boxhead]

I have read that the earlier 45 Colt guns had oversize throats, up to .458" while later ones had proper .452 throats. Any idea when the change occured?

 

[toroflow]

I dunno, but I have a 1980 vintage 25-5 4" and its more accurate than I can hold it!! I shoot .452" lead out of it.

 

[Sebago Son]

The rule of thumb is that the dimensions were straightened out about the time the barrel pin went away.... for once, the non-pinned versions are more desirable than the earlier pinned guns...

Drew

 

[toroflow]

The rule of thumb is that the dimensions were straightened out about the time the barrel pin went away.... for once, the non-pinned versions are more desirable than the earlier pinned guns...

Drew

Nah, I will keep my pinned 25, thank you very much!

 

[Clem]

I have a 35 yr. old 25-2 with .456” throats, and a 2 yr. old 625-8JM with .452” throats. Both shoot about the same, very well using .451” and .452” bullets. I did have to do some gunsmithing on the 25 to get the chambers to like up with the barrel, but after that, it stopped spitting and shoots well.

 

[carl418_resigned]

I know there's a lot of people that think the model 25-5 is somehow inferior, but I've had good luck with mine... even with the oversize charge holes.

It's just a matter of matching bullets to the gun... easy to do if you reload.

 

[Boats]

Mine is a non pinned 25-5 45 LC the cylinder throats measured just fine. It is very accurate with .452 cast bullets

Boats

 

[Sebago Son]

To tell you the truth, I've never seen any real difference between my pinned and non-pinned 25-5's.

But the best shooter of all my Smith .45 Colts is a 625-6 Mountain Gun.... go figure.

Speaking of which, I think I'll go dry fire it a little more....

Drew

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

25's are kind of my passion, so I have studied up on them more than most other N frames except the 29's.

Any 25-5 with the three letter four number serial has the correct throats. So do the 25-7's. They can be scary accurate. Most guys that have the pinned version won't admit that their gun doesn't shoot as well as it could. That would be sacriledge on a Smith forum. Either that or they won't/don't shoot at long enough distance to notice. Once you get to 25 yards and beyond, the tighter throats will show much better accuracy than the looser throats will.

As already pointed out, the throats can be overcome with careful selection of bullet size and design.