Smith Wesson Model 25 Classic 45 Colt – Superb Blued Revolver

Description

The Smith Wesson Model 25 Classic 45 Colt is an N-frame in 45 Colt with a 6.5 inch blued barrel and checkered walnut grips, part of the Classics line that revives the designs Smith and Wesson built its reputation on. It is a large, deliberate, beautifully finished revolver in a cartridge older than smokeless powder.

Smith Wesson Model 25 Classic 45 Colt Forty Five Colt on an N-Frame

Forty five Colt dates to 1873 and has never gone out of production. It throws a heavy .452 inch bullet at moderate velocity, which is a formula that works as well now as it did then, and in a six and a half inch barrel it is both accurate and pleasant to shoot.

The N-frame is the largest of the traditional Smith and Wesson double action frames, and its size is what makes the Smith Wesson Model 25 Classic 45 Colt so comfortable with a cartridge this large. Weight absorbs recoil, and a long barrel adds both velocity and sight radius.

An important safety note: 45 Colt is loaded across a very wide pressure range. Standard pressure ammunition is what this revolver is built for. Heavy handloads intended for large-frame single action revolvers and lever guns must never be fired in a gun not specifically rated for them, and the consequences of getting that wrong are severe.

Finish, Grips and Build

The barrel and frame are blued carbon steel. Bluing is a traditional finish rather than a modern coating: it looks right on a revolver of this design, it develops character with use, and it requires more care against corrosion than stainless does. On a Classics revolver that trade is the entire point.

Grips are checkered walnut. Grip shape matters more on a revolver than on almost any other handgun, because the way the gun rolls under recoil is determined almost entirely by how the grip meets your palm, and hand-checkered wood on an N-frame is both functional and handsome.

Six rounds in a large cylinder, a smooth double action pull and the option of single action for a deliberate shot make this as versatile on a range as it is on a shelf. The Classics line takes designs known for legendary performance and builds them with modern manufacturing, which is a considerably better proposition than hunting for a good used example.

Shooting the Smith Wesson Model 25 Classic 45 Colt

A six and a half inch N-frame is a big revolver, and that is entirely to its advantage on the range. Standard pressure 45 Colt in a gun this size recoils very mildly, the long sight radius makes precision straightforward, and the weight means you can shoot a great deal in a session without fatigue setting in.

Running it double action is the skill worth building. A smooth double action stroke on a quality N-frame is one of the more satisfying things in shooting, and the single action option is there for a deliberate long shot rather than as the default. Dry fire costs nothing and is the fastest route there.

The cartridge is also a handloading favourite, and for good reason. Forty five Colt is a large-capacity case at low pressure, which makes it forgiving to load and easy to tailor. Just be certain any load you assemble or buy is intended for a standard-pressure revolver rather than for a large-frame single action or a lever gun.

Maintenance Notes

Bluing needs attention that stainless does not. Wipe the revolver down with an oiled cloth after handling, particularly after shooting or if your hands sweat, and store it somewhere dry. Neglected bluing pits, and pitting on a gun like this is both permanent and avoidable.

Revolvers are mechanically simple but not maintenance free. Keep the cylinder face and the forcing cone clean, since carbon build-up there can eventually bind the cylinder or affect accuracy. Check that the ejector rod stays tight, as it can back out under recoil and lock the cylinder closed at exactly the wrong moment.

Walnut grips benefit from occasional care. A light coat of a suitable wood finish every year or two keeps them from drying out, and keeping solvent off them during cleaning avoids clouding the finish.

Smith Wesson Model 25 Classic 45 Colt Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 150256
• UPC: 022188133578
• Caliber: 45 Colt
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Barrel: 6.5 inches
• Finish: blued carbon steel
• Grips: checkered walnut
• Frame: N-frame
• Action: double action and single action

Why Buyers Choose the Smith Wesson Model 25 Classic 45 Colt

A blued steel N-frame with walnut grips is bought as much for what it is as for what it does. That is a perfectly good reason, and this one is also a genuinely accurate revolver that will reward range time.

Forty five Colt ammunition costs more and is less widely stocked than 38 Special or 357 Magnum. Handloaders love the cartridge for exactly this reason, since it is easy to load and very forgiving. Factory shooters should plan on ordering ammunition rather than expecting to find it everywhere.

Bluing is not stainless. It resists corrosion far less well, and a blued revolver will show neglect. A wipe with an oiled cloth after handling is not optional maintenance on a gun like this.

Who Should Buy It

The Smith Wesson Model 25 Classic 45 Colt suits revolver enthusiasts, collectors and single-action-cartridge devotees: shooters who want a large-frame 45 Colt without buying used, handloaders, and anyone who appreciates a blued steel revolver with wood grips.

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