S&W Model 325 Thunder Ranch 45 AP revolver

[Ramjet-SS]

Just a short review I will get some additional work with this gun when Mother Nature decides it is actually April and not Janurary

A when removing this gun from the box the first impression was this is a fighting handgun. Yes it's a large revolver but the weight is light. That led me to think about the recoil. 230 Grain HST HP is not an issue at all the rubber grips help and the muzzle rise was not bad at all. Despite the light weight the recoil is not bad at all.

I like the idea of the rail although I will not carry an attached light all the time the option is nice and the bottom mounted rail is not a problem or does it add allot of weight.

I like the moon clips so I purchased the mooner de-mooner from Midway to make it easier I also purchased a bunch of extra moon clips. I will get some hard pouches coming to carry extra ammo in the moon clips to minimize the possibility of bending them etc.

Shooting; they tune the double action trigger on this weapon so I did subject comparison to my Ruger 44 snubbie and without question the Smith and Wesson is smooth as silk and breaks consistently and cleanly. When I ran this gun yesterday I ran close to 100 rounds through it, Whinchester 230 grain RN and Federal HST 230 grain. I also ran some Hornady 180 grain XTP. All my shooting except a couple of cylinders of HST were double action only. The gun is very capable of great accuracy at combat distances for me that was 5 feet to 25 yards. The 185 grain loads were really soft and easy to shoot. The double action on this gun you can easily predict the hammer drop during the stroke of the trigger. Faster shooting was easily accomplished with disipline and good fundamentals.

The only thing I may change is putting a good set of non-adjustable combat rear sights on this gun. I will run a another couple hundred rounds through it and decide.

Overall I really like this revolver and feel it is great addition. The weight and ability to keep shots in the zone at combat distances easily surpasses my Ruger 44 snubby even with light loads. It is far easier to carry because it weighs less.

the one huge advantage I see is this revolver can shoot any shaped properly sized cast bullet without feeding issues. If that is huge deal? I am not sure. Defensive ammo I carry HST 230 HP anyways but plinking and playing around one can have fun with different cast boolits without consideration of nose shape.

Well executed thought out defensive revolver in a proven caliber. I would not feel under-gunned or at a disadvantage carring this gun at all.

[bluelund79]

Excellent review. With the exception of the weight, I feel the exact same about my PC 625-8. Any N Frame or 44cal L Frame I own wear Herrett Jordan Troopers, and that made all the difference in the world for comfort while shooting. Also, I did purchase a couple hundred pieces of Starline 45 Auto rim brass to use. Thanks for sharing about your 325....

[Ramjet-SS]

I thought about auto rim brass but becaus I shoot allot of other 45 Autos wanted to stay consistent .

[Ramjet-SS]

Excellent review. With the exception of the weight, I feel the exact same about my PC 625-8. Any N Frame or 44cal L Frame I own wear Herrett Jordan Troopers, and that made all the difference in the world for comfort while shooting. Also, I did purchase a couple hundred pieces of Starline 45 Auto rim brass to use. Thanks for sharing about your 325....

Is that the 357 like the TRR 8? I like that weapon.

[bluelund79]

No, mine is the Performance Center in 45acp. I also have the 627-5 Pro Series in 357mag (8 shot). I’m anxiously awaiting an order from Herrett’s for the 627. Pictures to follow when I get home.

[Ramjet-SS]

Ok I found it I like that very nice.

[35remington]

For fairly obvious reasons the rounds in my gun for defensive purposes are in Auto Rim cases. Full moon clips for reloads only if the carriers holding them can prevent the fragile metal from bending, so you have a good plan there.

I have said this before and I will repeat it now: clipping rather heavy rounds together with a loose piece of metal does not add to revolver reliability particularly if the muzzle is elevated to some degree or the rounds are rearward instead of forward in the chamber when the firing pin drops.

Said by a guy who has had a whole bunch of trigger time in ACP/Auto Rim revolvers, as well as clipped rounds in other calibers. Do NOT weaken mainsprings on revolvers of this type to slicken the action.

It is also especially smart to keep the chambers clean if carried for defensive use. The gang movement of clipped rounds in adjacent chambers when the firing pin drops is the Achillie’s heel of moon clipped revolvers.

[Ramjet-SS]

For fairly obvious reasons the rounds in my gun for defensive purposes are in Auto Rim cases. Full moon clips for reloads only if the carriers holding them can prevent the fragile metal from bending, so you have a good plan there.

I have said this before and I will repeat it now: clipping rather heavy rounds together with a loose piece of metal does not add to revolver reliability particularly if the muzzle is elevated to some degree or the rounds are rearward instead of forward in the chamber when the firing pin drops.

Said by a guy who has had a whole bunch of trigger time in ACP/Auto Rim revolvers, as well as clipped rounds in other calibers. Do NOT weaken mainsprings on revolvers of this type to slicken the action.

It is also especially smart to keep the chambers clean if carried for defensive use. The gang movement of clipped rounds in adjacent chambers when the firing pin drops is the Achillie’s heel of moon clipped revolvers.

Great advice I will heed that advice and operate accordingly. The action job is done by the Performnce Shop but the double action pull is still really strong just very smooth.

[35remington]

No crticism of their work is implied by me. They know better than to reduce mainspring strength.

[35remington]

Carriers strong enough to prevent the clips from bending stick out like a wart on your side when carried on a belt in T shirt weather, but then an N frame revolver is not particularly flat itself. For colder climes and times of the year a covering jacket takes care of the problem.

Hot weather and fat guns and accessories never did go together, which is why the snubbie 38 and smaller flat autoloaders exist.

[Cheeto303]

I have a 625-8 Jerry Miculek ,Model 1950 22-4 Thunder Ranch and a Colt 1917. They are all fantastic revolvers. I really like the 22-4 because I point it at the target and it hits it every time.It just seems to have a natural pointability to it.I like the 3 round clips as they lay fairly flat in the pocket. I also use 45 GAP brass for my reloads as the OAL length is shorter and this makes for an easier quicker reload. Nothing like a .45 acp revolver,I just love them.

[Love Life]

I’ve never bent a steel moo clip. I buy them by the hundred from Ranch Products.

[35remington]

For defensive use, figure “bent” and “moonclip” will go together when you least need it to happen. Making sure the rounds in the gun are Auto Rims avoids the problem altogether. Really, there are two types of moon clip users that use them in defensive revolvers.....those who have bent a moonclip, and those who are about to.

For your benefit in a gun to save your life, figure you are in one of the above two categories. If your revolver is just for playing games you may ignore that suggestion.

A bent clip is difficult to detect until you find out it is bent because the gun misfires. I discovered bent moonclips only after the fact. It is also possible to bend them loading them if you are in a hurry.

Just say “No!” to carrying moon clips in a pocket as that is the easiest way to bend them.

Revolver aficionados like Grant Cunningham do not recommend moon clip using revolvers at all for defensive purposes. Compromising by using Auto Rim cases in the gun for the first six shots and carrying the moon clips in a bending resistant container is probably as reasonable a middle ground as can be managed if you want to use one. Taking away from the reliability of a revolver to any degree is probably not a good step to take in a potentially life saving device.

The “move as a unit” headspace slack potential of joined together ammo in a moonclipped revolver leading to an increased propensity for misfires is also worth considering. And avoiding to the extent possible.

[Groo]

Groo here
Got one, shot it in a class.[other students hated me!]
The best moon clip pouches for the 45 are leather speed loader pouches [ hold #2] like the police used.
As an option, Ranch products makes a 1/3 moon or 2 round clip.
They lay flat in a dump pouch or speed strip pouch[or pocket] ,load 2 at a time and can be loaded and unloaded by hand.

[Jtarm]

I recently picked up a 325PD snubbie & love it. The trigger is awesome.

Reminds me, I need to take it to the range tomorrow, when the weather is 84 & sunny

No surprise your TR is smoother than a Ruger.

My next Smith will be a 625.

Wish to heck they’d offer a steel frame .45 ACP with Ti cylinder and tapered barrel.