N frame porn.

[Chuck Whitlock]

So help me out here tribe, do I shoot it or put it up for some S&W collector some place to own and just look at some day, what say yea PF?

I'm with the others. Shoot the snot out of it. Take a video of your first shots and post it on the blue forum and give them a case of vapors!

[Bruce Cartwright]

Last week I picked up an item I won at a local auction house. It is pretty special. This is a NIB unfired 520, part of the original NSP run, not an overstamp 58 like @SouthNarc just picked up. In 2000 my long time gunsmith, mentor of sorts, and dear friend Harry Deal, Birmingham's best gunsmith (and some would say our last good one) passed away suddenly. Most of his collection was auctioned off a year later and I picked up a well used 1911from that auction that I still shoot often.

His widow passed away last year and his only daughter found one more whole gunsafe of stuff that she just sent to the auction house here. I had to have this one, and bid at a level I was certain to get it. It has his original receipt in the box from McCain Uniform, which was Birmingham's cop shop for decades, Galls finally bought them out a few years ago. The receipt showed Sgt. Harry Deal, Birmingham PD, $200 out the door including tax in the summer of 1980. Harry went on to be a Lt. and Captain before he retired after 22 years with Birmingham PD and became the police chief of Calera, AL a town south of Birmingham. When he retired from that he went into full time gunsmithing. His skills and talent were exceptional. He was also a great guy to be around and helpful to all his less experienced customers like me.

I will never bring myself to sell this because of the history. Since I am a member of the S&W collector association I will probably use my privilege to get it lettered. It goes in the estate sale since I have no one to pass it on to, my nephew is not a gun person, and he or Mrs. Fatdog will just turn it over to my Gunbroker consignment seller locustfork or Woodlawnboys with the rest of whatever is left.

So to maximize the value it would just go in the the back of the safe with a fresh coat of Ezox and get wiped down once a year. That is what you would do to preserve the value. That is certainly the rational thing to do based on its condition, history, etc.

But the truth is I want to go shoot it. Hell I might even carry it since I have a nice Kramer holster for these things.

By doing so and making it part of my shooter battery, I probably drop the value by +40% but quite honestly in the context of estate dollars that is really nothing, not even round down dollars to Mrs. Fatdog or my niece and nephew some day.

So help me out here tribe, do I shoot it or put it up for some S&W collector some place to own and just look at some day, what say yea PF?

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Attachment 112699

Fatdog:

Chief Neal was, by your description, a dear friend and mentor. If I were in your shoes, I would shoot that gun both as a way to honor him and keep your memories of him alive. I have a gun that was built for one of my mentors. I won't carry it (I have similar guns for that) though because the gun might be confiscated in the wake of a lawful defensive shooting, but I shoot that gun regularly.
It is a true joy to shoot by the way. I have friends who have been in the same boat and almost to a person, the value they get out of shooting a sentimental gun outweighs the monetary reward that their estate may eventually get. That's my two cents.

Bruce

[MDFA]

Honor your friend and shoot it as it was meant to be. I would care for it, but it would be carried and shot.

[SwampDweller]

I just ordered this New Old Stock in box S&W 25-2 Model 1955 Target Revolver from the early 70s [1973 is mentioned in the listing, I will do my own research when it gets here] in .45 ACP/Auto Rim. Since I was 18 I lusted after a .45 ACP double action service-capable revolver (in addition to the normal things 18 year old guys go after... besides flying low & slow airplanes to the duck camp after school Friday night, maybe that's a little not normal but I'm not sure). Now I'm 31 and finally about to have one, and even better than when I was 18-- it's a NIB pre-lock, pinned barrel model rather than a 625 JM with the lock or 625PC! (I'd still love either of those)

I want to make sure I can keep this thing going if I do end up shooting it a lot. As of now I still have a lot of normal .45 ACP reloading stuff via inheritance from my Uncle. I would eventually like to reload for .45 Auto Rim. In the meantime, what's a good source of truly reliable moonclips? I'm not sure if this comes with any or not, as it did not specify in the listing. Either way, I want more, but I want them to be good and reliable, even if they are more expensive than other current offerings.

Secondly, what is a good source of spare parts, and which should I stock up on? Are there any reputable smiths still active that would work on this in the coming years if it needed service that I could not perform? I am familiar with Numrich Gun Parts, and there are certain parts there, but some are out of stock. I'm not sure which I should keep on hand as I haven't owned an out-of-production revolver since my 1980 Colt Python, and Colt was still accepting work on older Pythons when I sent it back for cylinder catch/latch repair in 2011.

[revchuck38]

@SwampDweller - Congrats on snagging that 25-2!

Before you start loading for it, mike the chamber mouths. A bunch of them were made with oversized (~.455") chamber mouths and .451-.452" groove diameters. If yours is one of those, it's no big deal; lots of commercial casters offer .454" bullets or at least will size them that size for you. It's not an issue if you're loading jacketed bullets.

Don't get wrapped around the axles about stocking up on spare parts. S&W revolvers do break occasionally, but IME it's a pretty rare occurrence. I've got two K frames that have at least 7k rounds through each of them from the time I was an active IDPA competitor and neither of them have broken anything...yet, anyway. Get in the habit of checking the side plate and cylinder latch screws and the ejector rod after each range session since they do loosen from a lot of shooting. The sight adjustment screwdriver that should come with your revolver also fits the side plate and cylinder latch screws well enough for this. Brownell's sells a screwdriver handle with the four bits you need that exactly fit those screws.

I like the TK Custom full moon clips, but I have a bunch of no-name ones that work too.

We want targets!

[Malamute]

I just ordered this New Old Stock in box S&W 25-2 Model 1955 Target Revolver from the early 70s

...what is a good source of spare parts, and which should I stock up on? Are there any reputable smiths still active that would work on this in the coming years if it needed service that I could not perform?...

Ive broken one mainspring since I started messing with Smiths in the mid 70s. So, since that one that broke in the 1980s I keep one around. FWIW, I bought a parts set from a 1930s gun that had a broken mainspring that was brazed back together at some point and presumably it worked, judging by the condition of it.

The hand is the main wear part. You may or may not ever need to replace one, theres no way to know until the fateful day. Ideally you would want an N frame hand thats a couple thousandths fatter than the one in the gun, thats often enough without undue work fitting. If you cant choose, just get an oversize hand from whatever parts source has one, or get one from Power Custom I believe. or whoever is making standard type replacement parts. If you ever take it apart, measure the hand width and note the size, then if you need another some day you have an idea where to start. Theres quite a few people working on Smiths, TK (the moonclips guy) used to, Im not sure if he still does.

I also dropped my 29 on a steel truck bumper and cracked one side of the rear sight blade. It still worked of course, I got a replacement sight blade and was fine since then. Im not sure why theres as much online heartburn about rear sights, they seem pretty tough to me. Theres different heights, so if you ever break it you can either look it up or measure it to get the correct one.

Midway and others stock factory parts.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/100449125?pid=637972

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1004128710?pid=354308

https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page...prod/411750000

mainspring

https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page...prod/050470000

The only other part ive really ever needed to replace is the extractor rod. They can become bent slightly, making the DA trigger pull slightly stiffer part way around and not on the other part, a spin of the cylinder out of the frame and giving it a look with your eyecrometer, if you detect any slight wobble, just get a rod and be done with it. They can be straightened, but for the price and how easy they are to change, I see no point trying to straighten them unless you are on the frontier somewhere. The gun will still work, it just has the slightly annoying stiffer pull on some chambers.

Looking at the parts linked, unless you got the super expensive Power Custom hand ($29), you may be into a probable lifetime supply of basic parts for under $50. If you get an extractor rod, get 2, they are cheap, and shipping costs more than the rod. Just how I roll...

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1004459756?pid=432233


Edit: After you get to shoot it a bit, remember to post in the .45 acp in 2023/24 thread.

[SwampDweller]

Ive broken one mainspring since I started messing with Smiths in the mid 70s. So, since that one that broke in the 1980s I keep one around. FWIW, I bought a parts set from a 1930s gun that had a broken mainspring that was brazed back together at some point and presumably it worked, judging by the condition of it.

The hand is the main wear part. You may or may not ever need to replace one, theres no way to know until the fateful day. Ideally you would want an N frame hand thats a couple thousandths fatter than the one in the gun, thats often enough without undue work fitting. If you cant choose, just get an oversize hand from whatever parts source has one, or get one from Power Custom I believe. or whoever is making standard type replacement parts. If you ever take it apart, measure the hand width and note the size, then if you need another some day you have an idea where to start. Theres quite a few people working on Smiths, TK (the moonclips guy) used to, Im not sure if he still does.

I also dropped my 29 on a steel truck bumper and cracked one side of the rear sight blade. It still worked of course, I got a replacement sight blade and was fine since then. Im not sure why theres as much online heartburn about rear sights, they seem pretty tough to me. Theres different heights, so if you ever break it you can either look it up or measure it to get the correct one.

Midway and others stock factory parts.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/100449125?pid=637972

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1004128710?pid=354308

https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page...prod/411750000

mainspring

https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page...prod/050470000

The only other part ive really ever needed to replace is the extractor rod. They can become bent slightly, making the DA trigger pull slightly stiffer part way around and not on the other part, a spin of the cylinder out of the frame and giving it a look with your eyecrometer, if you detect any slight wobble, just get a rod and be done with it. They can be straightened, but for the price and how easy they are to change, I see no point trying to straighten them unless you are on the frontier somewhere. The gun will still work, it just has the slightly annoying stiffer pull on some chambers.

Looking at the parts linked, unless you got the super expensive Power Custom hand ($29), you may be into a probable lifetime supply of basic parts for under $50. If you get an extractor rod, get 2, they are cheap, and shipping costs more than the rod. Just how I roll...

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1004459756?pid=432233


Edit: After you get to shoot it a bit, remember to post in the .45 acp in 2023/24 thread.

Thanks, I'll be sure to stock up on a few spare parts just in case. And you know I'll be posting in the .45 ACP in 23/24 thread! I don't expect to have the gun before Christmas. Would sure be nice, though.
I really want to get some full wadcutters for it. Probably Buffalo Bore's .45 Auto Rim 225gr full wadcutter.

I see there are several manufacturers of moon clips for N Frame .45 ACP's, but I'm not sure which is the best one to go with. I want to say I've read TK Custom be recommended but I'm not sure. Also need to get the moon clip tool to load/unload moon clips.

[Half Moon]

Thanks, I'll be sure to stock up on a few spare parts just in case. And you know I'll be posting in the .45 ACP in 23/24 thread! I don't expect to have the gun before Christmas. Would sure be nice, though.
I really want to get some full wadcutters for it. Probably Buffalo Bore's .45 Auto Rim 225gr full wadcutter.

I see there are several manufacturers of moon clips for N Frame .45 ACP's, but I'm not sure which is the best one to go with. I want to say I've read TK Custom be recommended but I'm not sure. Also need to get the moon clip tool to load/unload moon clips.

FWIW, the basic full moon clips you can buy from Numrich are pretty solid. I've heard the TK's are easier to load but no experience with them. I've also heard they're more prone to bending though.

For the no name clips there is a sort of push and twist motion that makes rounds load fairly easy compared to just trying to push them in. For unloading it's the reverse: twist and pull with something like needle nose pliers in the case mouth with light pressure (redneck demooner). You get in rhythm sort of like snapping beans. Straight push or pull on the other hand is an exercise in frustration.

[AzShooter]

Ranch Products has the cheapest moon clips. I think they used to be .25 each. Mine have held up for over 40 years.

[SwampDweller]

What choices are there for "I don't care how much they are I just want the best" for moonclips? If the TK customs bend easy that doesn't sound great. I wonder what competitors gravitate too?

Also, my M25-2 has already shipped and it shows a delivery date of tomorrow... Which means I would take it home tomorrow after work (perks of working at the same gun shop I have stuff sent to). I'll believe it when I see it but looks like I'll be getting it before Christmas after all! I might even get to shoot it this weekend