Winter project stalled

The recent conversation in the ammo section about wad cutter ammo in a 45 ACP has made me revisit a stalled project. I have wanted to shoot WC in my wheel gun for quite awhile now and decided to invest in the necessary parts ( I thought). I stalked E-bay until a 45 cylinder with crane came up for auction and got it fairly cheap. The only problem is it won't fit. I can install it in my 27 (wouldn't that be fun) but there is a ridge on the frame of the 25-2 that won't let the cylinder go into place. Which leads me to several questions. 1. Do you think the ridge is there only so I can't do this? 2. Would it damage anything to remove it from the frame? except looks. 3 would you remove the extra from the frame or relieve the cylinder till it fits? Anyone do this before?  Thanks

side by side

model27

Model 25-2

Greetings,

The 45 ACP cylinder has more gap than the 45 Colt cylinder due to the thicker rim of the 45 Auto Rim ammo, or 45 ACP with moon clips.

The model 27 might be a better option.

Cheers,

Dave

Wrong 25. You need a 25-5 in 45 Colt. Is your cylinder in Colt?

The stud your pointing to acts as a stop so the hold the cylinder during extraction.

Wobbley/fc60. I know it's the wrong 25. I am trying to get a twofer. I was trying to get my 25-2 to fire 45 Colt by swapping cylinders like Ruger does on their 22/22mag. I think I got my answer from Wobbley. Don't mess with the 25-2 frame if I want my shell extractor to work. I know the cylinder fits in the frame since it fits fine without crane installed. The extra cylinder is 45 Colt I just need to reduce it a little in one area. Thanks

Len, isn't the .45 Colt cylinder too long for the window on your 25-2?
Mine had the 25-2 cylinder bored out to .45 Colt, 1.600 long.

S&W double action revolvers are not designed to have interchangeable cylinders and each one is fitted to the specific frame.

As another poster mentioned, the frame window on the 25-2 is too small for the 25-5 cylinder.

Actually they can be modified to take interchangeable cylinders. Usually they just swap cylinders and use a common crane because the cranes are a booger to fit and it won’t ever look right.

The frame window is not too small. I have had the cylinder in the 25-2. The cylinder is the same length as the one in my 27. It just won't go together with the crane in because it can not go far enough rearward because that notch I was worried about is designed to stop the shorter 45acp cylinder from going back too far. Both the 27 and the new 45 Colt cylinder are recessed. You know what they say about a picture being worth....

25-2 with 45 Colt cylinder

Len: Deep in this thread a poster claimed that Cylinder and Slide did such a conversion some years ago. http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1961-1980/82625-45-colt-cylinder-25-2-a.html

Might want to give them a call and see what options you have.

Thanks Wobbley. That answered a lot of questions. I got this cylinder pretty cheap because seller said it looked too short for 45 Colt. Obviously I found one of the 25-3 cylinders that fit the 25-2 frame without modification. They say the only drawback with these shorter cylinders is that you can't fire the longer loads. Since I am trying to shoot reduced loads and WC's if I find them I only need to figure out what I need to do to get it together. I only have 35.00 into the 25-3 part. If I screw it up too bad I can always float test it.

Len

Drum roll.....ta daa. Fitting was easy. Now I have to work on the extractor a little. The timing is off on two holes. I need to remove a little metal. It goes into lock on two holes before hammer is all the way back.

How's the barrel/cylinder gap and headspace?

Gap is consistent and small. I am using the 25-2 crane. Headspace hard to measure but also consistent and is as far as eyeballing it goes it matches the 27-2 I had out to compare it too. I plopped the 25-3 into the 27 and they looked identical. And had the same problem with timing. The original 25-3 must of had a real short stroke.

Len

Sorry Len, I missed the 25-3 cylinder reference. I'm in the opposite direction, having a 45 acp cylinder fit to my 25-2. Timing also off and a little tight

Hi James. I think I have it figured out. I believe it is in the shape of the extractor. I placed the 25-2 in the 27 and it worked fine. The 25-3 drags or doesn't even get back to cock in both the 27 and the 25-2. Close inspection shows a definite difference in their cut angle. File file file.

I think your right as odd as it would seem.

I have to give a bunch of disclaimers like. Trained stunt man don't try this at home. Do this at your own risk. Don't mess up a great pistol etc etc. Having said all that it worked perfectly. Just as smooth and locks up the same as the original 25-2 cylinder. I got out the jewelers glasses a fine file and went to work. Yea that lasted 10 minutes. Got out the Dremel put a cutting wheel on it and went to work. Two minutes later it was finished. I cleaned it up nice and smooth and gave it a try. It really did only take two minutes. Scary how quick the metal will come off with that little wheel. I have a picture here also of what I had to do to the cylinder to make the 25-3 cylinder fit past that extended notch. I only had to remove a small strip at the strongest point between holes.

I didn't realize the 45Colt cylinder was recessed. Thought that was just magnums and rimfires. Probably would have fit if it wasn't recessed.

Geez Len. That cylinder is certainly Bubbaized!
Was it really originally a 45 Colt? Almost looks like it was badly opened up.

It really did start out as a 45 Colt cylinder. It wouldn't have fit if it wasn't designed as recessed. There would have been a problem with headspace. Probably why the 25-5 are longer. It works. That mod on the extractor is probably what you are going to have to do to yours.

Len