Hillary Hole Plug

1

1972RedNeck

New member
Wanting to delete the lock and plug the hole on my new model 25 Smith & Wesson. I have used the TK Customs kit before and am happy with it on my stainless revolvers.

What color do I need for my 25? Black polished I assume? Black matte would be for the scandium frame revolvers?
 
The color can't be for the Scandium as those revolvers are the only models without the lock.

That is because the lock has never once failed but in the imagine of the internet for anything other than the scandium airweights...which is why they don't don't currently have the locks. It is also thought that it was a dropped gun that was the only possible way for the lock to fail on the j frame airweights.

Good luck. I personally think the flat screw on the cylinder release is more glaringly unattractive than the simple small hole. :)
 
That is because the lock has never once failed but (...)
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It spontaneously engaged on my 642, in the middle of the desert, and locked the hammer at about 40% travel. With a live round under the hammer, and a cylinder that was then stuck locked.

But they never fail. Never. Not possibly in a ridiculously dangerous way, either...
 
Assuming that your Model 25 has the polished blue finish, then the black polished plug should match the finish most closely (I've never used the plug myself, so I can't say how closely it will match). The matte black plug would more closely match revolvers with bead-blast blue or black anodized finishes like the scandium or black-finished aluminum frame models such as the 442.

Most of the scandium frame models do indeed have the lock as only the DAO concealed hammer "centennial" style J-Frames such as the 642, 442, 340, 640, 43c, and 351 are available without it (though these are optional models and many centennials are available with the lock also). All current-production S&W revolvers with either the standard spur hammer or shrouded "bodyguard" style hammer come equipped with the lock.

I will not say that malfunctions with the lock are impossible or that they never happen, but I will say that they're very rare especially in all-steel guns and/or those in non-magnum calibers. The majority of stories of lock malfunctions seem to be with the lightweight scandium-frame guns in hard-recoiling magnum calibers like .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. The chances of you having an issue with your M25, particularly if you shoot standard pressure ammunition, are quite low.

The lock is actually a fairly simple mechanism in that, when engaged, the lock "flag" rotates up and back so that a small tab on its inboard surface moves into a groove in the hammer and prevents movement of the hammer. Because a revolver's recoil arc is up and back, when fired inertia actually pushes the lock flag down and forward out of engagement with the hammer. Because of this, I believe that most, if not all, cases of the lock malfunctioning are due to either defective/broken parts or improperly installed parts. The tremendous recoil of magnum ammunition in extremely lightweight guns will only increase the likelihood or accelerate the failure of broken/defective/improperly installed parts. In short, I believe that malfunctions of the lock have more to do with QC issues than with an inherent flaw in the design.

Of course, many people want to eliminate any possibility, no matter how remote, of malfunction by removing the lock all together and others simply dislike the look of it or resent what they perceive it to represent. Those are matters of personal preference and really can't be argued. Bear in mind, however, that removing or modifying the lock may impact the gun's warranty and under the right (or perhaps wrong) circumstances could possibly open the owner to increased legal liability. At the end of the day, it's your gun and you can do as you wish with it, just bear the mechanics of the lock and potential consequences of removing it in mind.
 
I appreciate the input. I'm not really worried about the lock failing, although I may or may not run quite a few 325 grain bullets at 1200 FPS through it (I'm a bit of a recoil junkie).

Mainly I just don't like the looks or the reason they were installed in the first place. I have deleted the locks on my other revolvers and am happy with them.
 
Originally posted by 1972RedNeck
I appreciate the input. I'm not really worried about the lock failing, although I may or may not run quite a few 325 grain bullets at 1200 FPS through it (I'm a bit of a recoil junkie).
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The lock notwithstanding, I don't think it's advisable to put ammunition that powerful through your M25. Per Hodgdon's data, a 325 gr bullet at 1200 fps is solidly into their .45 Colt Ruger/Freedom Arms/TC only data. While the S&W M25 is certainly stronger than a Colt SAA (particularly a vintage one), it isn't quite up to the strength of the guns that Hodgdon specifies for that kind of ammunition. While I doubt the gun would blow up, it would probably shoot loose in short order with such powerful ammunition. Were the revolver in question mine, I'd probably limit it to something in the neighborhood of a 250-255 gr bullet at around 1000 fps as that's a useful amount of power and well within the limits of your S&W's strength.
 
325 gr bullets at 1200 fps out of a M25 seem abusive to me. The locking bolt cuts are right over the thinnest part of the chamber. Your gun, I sure wouldn’t do it to mine.
 
Again, it's your gun and you can do what you like but I'll reiterate that 325 gr at 1200 fps isn't going to be healthy for a S&W M25. If that's the kind of ammo you want to shoot, I'd suggest that you consider trading it for a Ruger Redhawk in .45 Long Colt as it's better suited to that sort of ammunition and doesn't have any locks to begin with.
 
No. All the scandium line 357mags are lockless minus the R8.

The 44mag 329D for example. Hammer fired. Scandium.

Out the door for logic on the 22mag revolvers 22mag 351 pd not greater than 357, lock. 351C no lock.

Only an issue on the alloy airweights/arelite pd scandium. So that's why there aren't on them.

The 25 is clearly a gloss finish, not the matte airweight spray paint flat black.
 
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Again, it's your gun and you can do what you like but I'll reiterate that 325 gr at 1200 fps isn't going to be healthy for a S&W M25. If that's the kind of ammo you want to shoot, I'd suggest that you consider trading it for a Ruger Redhawk in .45 Long Colt as it's better suited to that sort of ammunition and doesn't have any locks to begin with.
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I have a Super Redhawk in 454 Casull. I wanted something a bit lighter that still packed a punch. After a lot of research, I decided on a Model 25, and it doesn't disappoint. And it is noticeably more accurate than my SRH 454 as well.
 
Originally posted by wild cat mccane
No. All the scandium line 357mags are lockless minus the R8.

The 44mag 329D for example. Hammer fired. Scandium.
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No, you are incorrect. The only revolvers currently available from S&W without locks, regardless of frame material, are DAO, concealed hammer "centennial" style J-Frames. All of S&W's current DA/SA revolvers regardless of frame material or caliber have the ILS. This includes the following models with Scandium frames: 360 PD, Performance Center 327, Performance Center 327 TRR8, Performance Center M&P R8, 329 PD, and Governor. If you simply look at the left side of any of these revolvers, you can see the lock hole just above the thumbpiece as you can here:

https://www.guns.com/firearms/handguns/revolver/smith-&-wesson-360pd-357-mag-double-action-5-rounds-2-barrel-new?p=634813

or here:

https://www.guns.com/firearms/handguns/revolver/smith-&-wesson-329pd-44-magnum-double-action-6-rounds-4-1-barrel-used?p=996588&soldout=1

or here:

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/n-frame-170245

or here:

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/gun-review-smith-wesson-performance-center-mp-r8-357-magnum/

or here:

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/performance-center-model-m-p-r8

or here:

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/model-governor-black
 
325gr bullets at 1200fps fired from a S&W Model 25 (.45 Colt)??

Can you even get that from a model 25?? (barrel length?? 6"??)
IF so, do the cases extract normally? Or do you have to pound them out??

Please keep a round count so you can come back here and tell us how many rounds it took to beat your gun into unserviceability. When it does stop working right, and I sincerely believe it will, shooting loads at that level, send it to S&W. IF you haven't stretched the frame, they will fix it, ONCE.

They will also tell you what percentage of the gun's service life you have used up- (I'm guessing it will be high, like 80% or so) and that they will not repair it again.

I know of a somewhat similar case, a guy was convinced he could shoot 180s at 1200fps from his .357 model 19 4". No one could convince him it was a poor idea. Don't know if he ever got the velocity he was after, but he surely did try. He had to use a rod and hammer to extract the empties, but that didn't stop him, either.

I don't know how many rounds it took, but he kept at it until the cylinder wouldn't open or close without a mallet.....

He took the gun to our local smith who sent it to S&W.

S&W did fix the gun. Also said he had used up 80% of its service life, don't do that, and they would not fix it again.

Your gun, your call, but I think a 325 at 1200fps is an overload for the S&W and the rough equivalent of repeatedly revving past the red line and popping the clutch, Something is going to go wrong, probably sooner than later.

Good Luck, if you shoot overloads, you'll need it! :rolleyes:
 
Can you even get that from a model 25?? (barrel length?? 6"??)
IF so, do the cases extract normally? Or do you have to pound them out??
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6.5" barrel. Cases fall out. I question the velocity myself, but it is a healthy charge of H110.
 
that's over 18k copper crush pressure. in an m25 ???
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I understand it's not in everyone's comfort zone. Look up the writings of John Linebaugh if you're interested. According to him, the M25 frame is equal in strength to the M29 (44 Mag) and the cylinder is 80% as strong as the M29.

The cases literally just fall out of the cylinder when I tip the barrel up.
 
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