New (To Me) S&W 625-4

[Michael J. Spangler]

woo hoo!

i love 686s, 629s, 625s and 610s

well i saw a sweet 625-4 5" at the shop about 3 days ago. being a -4 it has all the kinks worked out but pre lock and pre mim parts. gotta love it.

i came back and bought it ($675 seems like a nice deal) and i'm selling off some stuff i don't use anymore.

so i took her to the range today to test it out with some of my 1911 loads.

454200 Mihec Cramer Cast from ACWW
sized to .453
BAC lube
4.5 grains of bullseye
seated to 1.190

shoots like a dream. i'm sure with some practice and a little load tweaking it going to be amazing. also the older model 625s still have a shoulder machined in the cylinder so they can be fired without moon clips. i hear the new 625s don't have a shoulder to headspace on, therefore need moon clips.
and the best part

no leading at all!!!! about 100 or so rounds down the pipe without any leading. i was worried with all the troubles i hear about revolvers throats being off and causing issues. i really lucked out on this one! i actually had about 20 rounds of .452 that i ran through it first with no leading issues. better than i can say for my 1911

i'll have to post some pics after i clean her up. she's a little dirty now.

wait i need a name for her. :-)

now i need to test out some of the 255 and 270 grain boolits i have woohoo!!!

[Catshooter]

Very nice, very nice.

Pics of a dirty gun are quite acceptable you know. :)


Cat

[Dale53]

Michael J.;
I have a pair of 625's (5" Model 625-6 Model of 1989 and a 4" 625-8 JM Special). They are my two most shot revolvers (5000-7500 rounds per year). I cast my own bullets and have Mihec moulds for the H&G #68 (my most shot bullet) and the 200 gr H.P. as well as an NOE mould for a copy of the Lyman 454424 250 gr Keith. An excellent bullet for speed loading with full moon clips is the Lee 230 gr TC (I have the conventional lube groove bullet). It is not quite as accurate as the Mihec #68 but gives me 1 1/4" at 25 yards and that is good enough for government work...

These are the least load sensitive revolvers I have owned (and I have owned quite a few). One time I had two different bullets with three different powder charges (left overs) and put ten of them in a 25 yard timed fire target at 25 yards, standing, and scored 100x100. That can be a very useful characteristic for a field revolver, also. The .45 ACP with proper bullets makes an excellent field revolver.

I mostly shoot Auto Rim cases but also use quite a few loaded with .45 ACP brass (I have several thousand empties from my IPSC days). I use Ranch Products steel full moon clips but my new "standard" is the new RIMZ Hydrocarbon-Polymer clip. It is semi rigid (not like the original Rimz Clip which was flexible). The new one (Model 25) retains the cartridges securely if a loaded moon clip is dropped. They still can be mooned and re-mooned without tools like the originals but are MUCH more secure.

Congratulations on your new acquisition, I predict you will LOVE it!

Dale53

[StrawHat]

I don't have a 625 of any sort but do have a couple of blued 45 ACP revolvers by S&W. I like both of them. The 25-2 was a mainstay of competition and I bought it for that. Unfortunately the 6 1/2" barrel prevented me from using it in PPC and I never found a 6" version. My other 45 ACP is a 4" Model 28-2 I reworked to handle the 45 ACP and I like it for a variety of reasons.

Both have shot well with the 454424 and the 454190. I am also fond of the 454423 for when I want a lighter boolit. I have not tried any of the 200 grain boolits but am sure they would do fine. Post some photos! Soon you will be selling the other models and acquiring more 45 ACp revolvers.

[Michael J. Spangler]

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll105/MJSpangler/498a9083.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll105/MJSpangler/a4843593.jpg

dirty!

[Dale53]

My 625's are shot so often that they seem to stay dirty! I was out with mine again yesterday. I let a friend shoot mine and he is now contemplating... I know, I know, it's a dirty trick to play on a friend, but-t-t, I shouldn't be the only one to have this much fun!!:mrgreen:

Dale53

[Catshooter]

Very nice pics!


Cat

[Michael J. Spangler]

thanks guys

its definitely different that shooting my 1911. i'll have to get used to it. i really don't think thats going to be hard considering how much fun i've had with it. i'll be spending some good one on one time with this gun thats for sure.

i need to order a whole bunch of moon clips now.

[StrawHat]

thanks guys ... i need to order a whole bunch of moon clips now.

Dale53 is an advocate of the RIMZ clips. I have not tried them but do like the metal clips from Ranch Products.

http://www.ranchproducts.com/index-2.html

I use a demooning tool I built from 1/2" thinwall tubing to remove the empties from the clip. It works well and was cheap. Getting them into the clip was never a problem.

[Dale53]

I have used most of the tools available for mooning and re-mooning when using full moon steel clips. The Brownell's nut driver style tool (I suspect quite similar to the home built tool StrawHat uses) is by far the best I have used for de-mooning. Further, the Deluxe Moonclip tool works VERY well when re-mooning. I have settled on them for my use with steel clips. The Deluxe tool can also be used for demooning but I MUCH prefer the Brownell's tool for that.

However, there is a rather new tool that is intriguing for steel moon clips but I haven't used one. Since I now prefer the new Model 25 Rimz clips I won't be buying any more tools for steel clips.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=6727/Product/MOON-CLIP-STRIPPER

http://www.mooncliptool.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eou7TQp7yrY

http://www.ezmoonclip.com/

Dale53

[Michael J. Spangler]

Wow that new tool looks awesome!
I made a demooner from some copper pipe Saturday. I don't mind clipping the rounds in by hand for now. I'll buy a ton of clips and worry about the tool later. I think I'll be buying that $80 one for sure

[StrawHat]

My simple tool.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc194/StrawHat/Moonclipunloader001.jpg

I built it after hearing someone describe it at a match. Just a piece of thinwall pipe big enough to slip over the case and long enough to hold six rounds. Slip it over the case, twist and go to the next one.

[Michael J. Spangler]

looks just like the one i made! works like a charm too.

i can't wait to shoot this gun again!