S&w M625 45 Acp Ammo Options

[newarmy]

I'm on the verge of buying either a S&W 625-5" or 625 JM. This will be my first competition revolver. Two questions. Which would be good for a beginner? Can the 625 handle some of the hotter 45 acp loads I've read about for hunting?

Thnx,

[cslinger]

625s are N frame revolvers and .45 ACP is relatively low pressure even in its hotter varieties. I would expect you to be able to shoot just about any crazy buttstomping .45 you could find out of a 625.

[RussB]

A 625 in 45 acp can handle a steady diet any factory load out there.

[20nickels]

Read this;
The Model 625 dilemma
Author: Grant Cunningham
http://www.grantcunningham.com/blog_...62aed-150.html

My 625 laughs at factory loads.

[gus3836]

Why would you want to shoot hot ammo? I have two 625's a 5 and a 3 incher the 5 is set up for target and with 180 gr SWC and 5gr of Bullseye it will put them in the same hole hand held at 25' and 50'. If you want to hunt buy a 44 mag and shoot 44 specials for SD and targets. My 2 cents Gus

[newarmy]

Thanks for the input.

Gus,
I probably would'nt be hunting with the 625 but was just curious about what the rev would handle after some posts i have read somewhere. For personal defense and stopping power the basic 45 acp has proven itself.

20nickels,
I read the Grant Cunningham article and agree with what he's saying. Where I'm planning to buy there is no cost difference between the 625 & 625JM. That's partly why i'm torn between the two. One hand i'm thinking, hum, JM, custom rev out of the box, on the other 625-5" stock rev that i can customize to my liking if needed.

If i had the cash i'd probably buy both because if deserve them.

[DMK]

For personal defense and stopping power the basic 45 acp has proven itself.

Just keep in mind that 230gr. 45ACP was designed for a 5" barrel and even at that, it's still a low velocity round. If you go shorter than 4" and you want to use it for self defense you should start looking at the lighter grain specialty bullets with higher velocity.

The gun itself will eat up anything you can feed a 1911 and say "is that all you got?"

[Stainz]

My original 625-8 from 9/02 couldn't hold a candle to my 625JM, purchased new 2/05. I'm sure Mr. Cunnigham has seen some problems, but I haven't - nor has a friend with his, bought from my recomendation. They will shoot any boxed .45 ACP ammo without problem - or my wimpy-normal loads. I also load .45 Colt lead in the .45 Auto Rim cases, which is available loaded commercially by Georgia Arms, etc. Just a fun revolver! You may also want to check competition rules - IDPA went to 4" barrels. Actually, the re-introduction of the 4" in 8/02 was at the bequest of competitors with the then upcoming fall changes.

Oh, the spring loaded front sight, which can be changed in seconds, is worth it, too. I go from the gold beaded Patridge, which comes stock and isn't available on the 5"-er without a trip to a gunsmith, for bullseye to a HiViz for plinking/SPC.

Stainz

[newarmy]

Thanks Stainz,
I was just reading the 2005 IDPA rule book and your right. The rule for revolver divisions states "Rule B. Have a barrel length of 4.2” or less (as measured from the front of the cylinder)." I assume the JM meets that criteria?

[Captain38]

I have a S&W Model 625-2 in five inch barrel, SN CBBXXXX, which I had Smith convert to DAO, bob the hammer and give it a first rate trigger job with rounded trigger . They also added a red ramp front sight/white outline rear sight combination as per my request.

It is PROBABLY the best shooting revolver in my personal inventory. Firing double-action from a standing isosceles stance, it's never yet wandered outside the 6in. x 4in. 10-ring on a B-27 target.

With the modifications and its extra inch of barrel length, it IS, however, NOT acceptable for IDPA competition.

I'd recommend you spring for the four inch non-JM version, and modify it to suit yourself based on what you'll be using it for, but, of course, the choice obviously is yours to make.

[newarmy]

Captain38,

Looking at the S&W web site I didn't see a 4" M625. Are you referring the
M629 - 4"? That's the only other 4" in 45 acp except for the M29 mountain gun and a couple of PD and M&P models that are more expensive. Am I missing something?

[RussB]

Here's my 625-4 "Model of 1989"

I absolutely Luv this gun!

SDM fiber optic front sight, PINNACLE cylinder release lever, an S&W trigger job, and my own "cylinder treament" I shoot the gun with good 'ol Hogue rubber grips, but these Miculek grips look cool!

[newarmy]

Beee-you-te-full handgun Rus. Wonder why SW quit makin the 625-4"?

[20nickels]

RussB,
Nice pic, it is my new desktop background. I was curious about the two tone on your cylinder. What is your cylinder treament as you call it?

Newarmy;
Here is a consideration for higher power and clips. N frame in .45 Colt machined for clips.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=281653

[pinotguy]

Anyone here ever shot 45 Super out of their 25/625? I have heard this is OK and I would guess the N-Frame could stand up to it.

[RussB]

RussB,
Nice pic, it is my new desktop background. I was curious about the two tone on your cylinder. What is your cylinder treament as you call it?

Thanks 20nickels

I rolled the front edges of the cylinder with a scotchbrite wheel mounted on a pedestal buffer, and then glass bead blasted the entire (outside) cylinder.

Then I chucked the cylinder in a lathe, and carefully polished the back with 800 grit paper

[newarmy]

20nickels
Thanks for the link. That is an option to consider. A 45 LC in a 4" might be easier to find.

[Deaf Smith]

I have a 3 inch 625. Clark's custom guns told me any .45 ACP will not hurt at all. What is more they told me .45 Supers are fine (and I chroned the 230 gr Super load at 1000 fps from my 625.) What is more the rechamber the 625s to .460 Rowland! Now that's a hint. 230gr at 1200 fps.

Yea the 625 might no be a .44 magnum, but if you need to jack the 625 up, it's safe to do so.

[20nickels]

I am not an expert in magnumizing the .45 Colt. Be sure and do your research, do a search, there is a ton of threads out there.
Had I to do it over again, that is a tasty option.

[Tom C.]

I have a 625-8JM. It had a couple of minor issues: the forcing cone was the roughest I have ever seen. Fortunately, it cleaned up nicely. The chamber throats are .452" and very clean. The trigger action was cleaned up a bit. It is very nice now. And I took off the sharp edges from the trigger grooves to keep it from tearing up my finger. I also exchanged the gold bead front sight for a serated ramp and put in a longer firing pin to reach short rounds when they aren't supported by moon clips. Now it is perfect for me and shoots very well.

[RickB]

I have a photocopy of an old gunrag article, in which the writer explores turning the .45 Auto Rim into sort of a junior magnum. His approach revolved around (pun) loading the rounds long, to increase the air space in the case, and allowing higher velocities without greatly increasing pressures. He was comparing it to a hot-loaded .44 Special, the long-loaded AR rounds having about the same OAL and internal volume. I loaded some long rounds, hoping to improve accuracy by moving the bullet toward the front of the cylinder, but didn't try to hop it up at all, as I was working with an old Hand Ejector, and not a new(ish) gun. I shoot mostly poly-coated bullets in my .45s, so it would be easy to roll crimp into a grease groove, or, you could taper crimp just ahead of the grease groove on a conventional cast bullet, but you might have trouble with the bullets moving under heavy recoil. I'll dig up the article, and see if it's worth repeating.

[Crosshair]

If you are going to use it for competitions that involve speed reloads, use Round nose bullets. When speed loading with moon clips, SWC bullets just don't want to find the cylinder and you have to manualy index them. Round nose bullets tend to guide themselves into the chamber.

[Stainz]

The 4" 625-8 variant dropped from the S&W catalog in '07, leaving only the 5" 625-8 @ MSRP of $869 and the hopped up 4" version of the 625-8 known as the 625JM @ MSRP of $909. For less than $40 more, you get a spring-loaded gold bead Patridge style front sight, eased ejector star for faster reloading, a slight trigger improvement, the Miculek-style wood grips, a hard-chromed hammer and trigger, the latter being grooved a la Jerry Miculek's preference, and full-moon clips. It's a bargain - if you just like the grips, which, admittedly, are an acquired taste.

Yes, the 4" 625 - and the current 625JM - meet IDPA rules requirements. For me, it's just a blast to shoot - even if my loads are sub-'ball ammo' level. They still easily make 'Major Power Factor' (PF = muzzle velocity in kfps times bullet weight in grains) 0f 165 with everything I reload.

As to 'hot-rodding'... don't! It's a great revolver as is - with proper specification ammo, it will enjoy a long life. If you need more 'oomph' in a .45, get a meaner caliber - like a .454 Casull or .460 Magnum. I do load my .45 Auto Rims hotter than standard .45 Colt, which is a 14 kpsi max round. But... the .45 ACP & AR are already rated at 22 kpsi. At any rate, my 625MGs in .45 Colt are not loaded as 'hot' as the 625 in .45 ACP/AR.

I guess my 'hotter' rounds are in .45 AR cases - like a load that pushes a 255gr LSWC, actually, a .45 Colt bullet, to 829 fps from 4.8 gr Titegroup, which I regularly load. A slight increase in propellant to 5.3 gr, still reportedly safely below 22 kpsi, yields ~890 fps. Some folks go to 950 fps - not me - I only load to 4.8gr nowadays. Interestingly, that same bullet over a max load of 6.2gr Titegroup in a .45 Colt case only makes 786 fps. All measurements were from a 4" baarel, either that 625JM or a 625MG. That 255gr LSWC/829 fps should be fair for deer or hogs.

My loads are good in my guns - loaded from my equipment and I take no responsibility for their accuracy - or safety.

Stainz

[newarmy]

The M629 is another model available in 45 acp, which comes in 4". It does'nt have the full length under lug but I'm not sure that is necessary. After all I'm and an ameteur and shoot for fun anyway. The cost for me between the 625JM and the 629 is minor. I keep going back to the standard models due to some of the semi-negative posts I've read regarding the JM. Just thinking out loud. I know what your all thinking, just buy a dang gun and tell us how is shoots. Be patient, I will.

[RussB]

The M629 is another model available in 45 acp, which comes in 4". It does'nt have the full length under lug but I'm not sure that is necessary...

The model 29 (Blued) and 629 (stainless) do not, and have never come in cal 45 ACP

They are 44 Magnum revolvers