[jpickar]

I went to a gun show today and bought a S&W 625 in 45 acp. It has a 4" barrel. It locks up VERY tight. I have only shot it twice today but it shoots very well at 25 yards. I hit a pine cone twice OFF HAND. Of course with me it could be luck but I will take that! ;D

I have been wanting one of these for a while. I bought it from a friend of my sons. A real nice guy.

John

 

[miatakix]

That's a nice looking handgun, John.

 

[MontanaMan]

Nice gun John! Keep us posted on how it shoots.

MM

 

[janott]

That is a good looker, and will be a fun pistol. 8) 8) 8)

 

[Dr. A]

One of my favorites of all time. PIty they are big (really to big to carry much), and not all that powerful for woods walking (at least in your grizzly country). We kill alot of skunks with them here.

I have loaded up some of Taffin's loads with 255gr. going around 900fps. Nothing to sneeze at, but when I've got Ruger 45 colts laying around, why bother?

 

[jpickar]

Yea, it's not much for a woods gun here, but I have been wanting one for a while. I shot it some yesterday, just plinking. I shot it 4 times at a 50 yard prairie dog steel swinger. I hit it twice! Probably luck on my part but hey I'll take what I can get with my eyes. ;D ;D

It is VERY tight. You can hardly get the cylinger to move in the fired position with the finger off the trigger and it is rock solid while cocked or hammer down with the finger on the trigger. Barrel cylinder gap is at the minimum or less. I wish all my revolvers were this tight!

John

 

[Dr. A]

Mine likes the 200gr. SWC. I load them with Unique, TItegroup etc. and it doesn't really matter. THat 50 yard and 75 yard dinger will be going crazy after a little practice.

 

[skmarsh77]

Thats a nice gun.I have a 625 jm and I love it. very accurate and well built firearm. you'll have a lot of fun with it.

 

[jpickar]

I'm impressed with this gun! This is the first target I shot today and then had to quite because it started to rain. I wasn't worried about my nice stainess gun, but I thought I might melt! ;D

This was shot at 50ft + two hands standing with some reloads I was shooting up because I found a better load for my Kimber. This is 45 acp ammo.

I was looking through my relaoding manuals and have found some loads to use with 45 AR brass. The 45 AR loads are not a strong as the 45 acp loads. Can I shoot it somewhat hotter? I'm mot going to get rediculas with it though. If I want more power I'll shoot my Ruger BH in 45 LC

John

 

[Dr. A]

Taffin does the 250gr. SWC with 7.5gr. of Unique. That's a pretty hot load. Reflex does some with Herco, which I think get about 20fps more I don't think you'd want much more than 900fps or so.

http://handloads.com/loaddata/taffin.asp

There are loads in the older Handloader mags and if I can find it I'll post a link, but most involve that 250gr. Keith SWC and your choice of med. speed powder. I've pretty much stuck with the 45ACP brass, and though they have a different rim, are otherwise built the same. I like being able to carry a good moon clip. That is the whole advantage of this gun. Rimz clips are what I got I think.

I like these for this gun...

If you cast, you can make some 200gr. hollow points that are shaped like a volcano. They simply must be seen to be believed. I use a healthy dose of Unique, and they are heck on anything up to a coyote. No second shots needed. ;D

http://www.ezmoonclip.com/page_4.htm

 

[35remington]

Depending upon just which 250 SWC we're talking about, 7.5 grains Unique could be way too much. Deeply seated bullets tolerate less powder and run pressures up higher. Beware of some of Taffin's loads.....they're plenty hot, maybe too hot if you use a deeper seated SWC. I wouldn't go as high as he does even using the identical bullets he is using. 7.5 is too much in some of these revolvers, if not most of them, with a 250 SWC.

6.8 Unique and the 246 grain Lyman 452423 (A Keith semiwadcutter) runs at 960 fps or so, which is plenty fast enough through my five inch 625-3. This SWC does not seat as deeply as some of the others do. I'd cut the powder charge down to six grains and work up with a chronograph. Don't have a chronograph?

Well, then, you cannot run things to the limit. Call it good at six grains to be on the safe side with the heavy semiwadcutters.

 

[jpickar]

Thanks for all the replys. I shot some AR cartridges out the 625 tonight. These are handloads I loaded up for my 1917 Colt. I have some factory 45 AR ammo. Remington made. I guess I will chrony them all and see what I have. For all practical purposes this will be a plinker and fun gun. When I go to the woods I will have to take my 629 or Redhawk in 44 mag. No option there as it just isn't wise anymore to go with less.

I wasn't doing so well tonight shooting it and my youngest son stepped out the door onto the deck and said "how's it shooting pops?" I said not to well with the AR ammo. Of course he had to try. Little turd shoot all shoots into a 1 1/2" group at 50 ft.!!! Of course he made some wise crack and went back in the house!
I'm not dealing with this getting old crap very well! : I know I shoot much better in the morning than at the end of the day.

Any other experiances out there. I'm all ears! ;D

John

 

[Barenjager]

I never pushed the envelope with my 625...I've got my .44 Specials and Mags if I want more power. The 625's primary purpose is for DA practice and the occasional revolver competition and fact is, I don't recall shooting it single action since I sighted it in.

My usual loads for this revolver are the same as I've used in my 1911's for many years. 5.7 to 5.9 gr of W231 behind an H&G 200 gr SWC in .45 Auto brass loaded in moon clips. I can't say I've ever chronographed this load in a revolver but it will do right at 900 fps from a 5" 1911. I do have a few hundred rounds of AR brass, but used it primarily while experimenting with loads for a S&W 1950 Target.

Roe

 

[jpickar]

I went to another gun show this weekend and found a (Holy Grail to me) 625-3 5"!!! And it was $25 less than what I paid for mine!! I asked to see it. After checking it out I was sad to see that it was very loose. The guy said he shot 10,000 +plus hot rounds through it. So I passed.

Roe, you take good pics. I like your guns.

JOhn

 

[Barenjager]

Thanks, John.

I am very fond of the 5" underlugged N-frames and have a few of them. I consider them a perfect compromise between the 4 inch and 6 inch lugged examples with better balance than either. With the 629's and the 627's, the 5" is not nearly as common as the other lengths. In the case of the 625, the 4" is actually less common than the 5" and generally brings a small premium in price if condition is equal, although not as much as the very desireable 3 inch examples.

Enjoy that 625, John. A .45 ACP revolver is just plain fun.

Roe

 

[DDS444]

Roe, just as an aside to the topic, what's your secret behind how you get such awesome pictures of your firearms? They always look like something you would see out of a gun rag or catalog? Any trade secrets to share?

 

[papajohn]

John, I was lucky enough to snag this five-inch 625-3 off Gunbroker about the time you found yours, and by the time it arrived, I had 200 rounds of Auto-Rim brass loaded, and several other test loads eagerly awaiting their new launch platform. It was used but is very tight, and has downright stingy chamber dimensions.

Those tight chambers throats translated into good accuracy, made even better with better sights and a better handle. I haven't shot it at paper much yet, but what I did was pretty gratifying.

What astounds me is how many of these guns are out there and being enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of shooters........They're everywhere.

 

[Barenjager]

Roe, just as an aside to the topic, what's your secret behind how you get such awesome pictures of your firearms? They always look like something you would see out of a gun rag or catalog? Any trade secrets to share?

I only buy photogenic guns. 8)

Roe

 

[planeflyer21]

I think Roe airbrushes his models.

Jon

 

[jpickar]

Roe, Photogenic guns??? Isn''t that like a trophy wife? ;D ;D

Wow PJ, it seems everyone has a 5 incher but me ??? : : Well maybe I could have said that different! ;D I have shot 100 rounds of AR ammo in mine and have improved my groups quite a bit since my first target. I do love that gun. But the AR ammo isn't the reason. Practice is. Congrats on your new 625.

John