Differences Between the Phoenix Arms HP22A and HP25A

Apparently there are not many HP25A pistols out there in gunland, compared to the number of HP22A pistols. So, this web page is made to inform the Saturday Night Special fans, who crave more information. I hope the photos will be informative and fun. I'm going to put them up quickly as they come, and not in any special order. Also, everyone is welcome to copy or use these photos for any legitimate purpose.

These are the two barrels that came with the HP22A "kit."

This is the lock that came with the HP22A kit. It is inserted in the magazine well.
The HP25A comes with a cheap ordinary padlock on a long cable.

On the left you see an HP22A feed ramp and chamber. On the right is the HP25A.

This is the barrel of my HP25A pistol.

This is the underside of the HP25A barrel. You can see that there is a
nut bolted on to the bottom of the feed ramp. Why? Your guess is as good as mine.
My guess is that Phoenix Arms got a defective batch of barrels, and fixed them
by bolting on this nut. This slot is the place where the fork end
of the take down latch snaps into, and keeps the barrel on the frame.

This is the simple padlock on a cable that came with my HP25A.

This is the feed ramp/chamber to the HP25A. One way to tell it from the HP22A, is that
the slot cut in the barrel to accomodate the extractor is a little larger, and a little better formed.

The underside of each barrel. Of course the HP25A barrel is easily recognized by the bolted nut.

Another close-up of the two barrels and the lugs that fit on the frame pins

Yet another close up. You will notice that the nut on the HP25A has been ground and beveled
along the flat, and also on the corners. This must have been done to make it fit in the frame.

By now you should be able to tell which is the HP22A, and which is the HP25A.

A close-up view of the lug and nut on the HP25A

Another close-up of the HP25A

Yet another close-up shot of the HP25A

In this photo I have taken the long barrel of the HP22A, and I am trying to fit it into the HP25A.
Why? Someone on the Bryco, Jennings, Jimenez, Phoenix Arms Saturday Night Special Forum is thinking
about trying to get a long .22 barrel, and have it bored out, and see if it can work in his HP25A.
I discovered that MY .22 barrel won't fit. The lug is just a tad too broad to fit.

Look closely here and you can see that the .22 ramp is just a bit too broad for the slot in the HP25A.
This makes no sense to me. But it is what it is. Your particular pistol may measure differently.
My opinion is that I could make a long .22 barrel fit my .25 by filing a bit on the sides of the feed ramp,
and by opening up the slot for the extractor on the .22 barrel.

The HP25A frame is at the bottom of the photo. You will notice that another bolt is used here, and you
can see that there is no corresponding bolt on the HP22A. I don't know why there is this difference in construction.
Also I found the takedown gizmo (I'm going to call it an "H") fit too tightly in the frame of my HP25A,
which made it difficult to disassemble the firearm. I've been sanding it and working with it, and it is improving.
I also find that the recoil spring on the HP25A is a coil or two longer than the one on my HP22A.