making a 625 jm a 45 acp/ 45 colt convertible...

[makicjf]

I was wondering if this would be possible and plausible. With moon clips the shoulder within the cylinder does not provide headspacing; is there a reason the cylinder could not be reamed to move the shoulder forward to facilitate 45 colt as well as moon clipped 45 acp?
Second question/option: If I were to acquire a 625 cylinder chambered or reamed to fit 45 colt, could the cylinder be shaved to allow moonclipped 45 colt loads? If this is the case, would that cylinder accept 45 acp moonies and 45 colt, or would the lenght shaved to accomodate the moon clip for 45 colt shorten the cylinder to much to use 45 acp moonies? I think it would but am not certain. A 625 convertible with 45 colt moon clips would be the ultimate "combat" revolver in my mind. Plus a great pairing with a 45 colt lever truck gun.
Lots of questions: anybody have any thoughts?
Thanks!
Jason

[lathesmith]

The main problem with chambering a 45ACP cylinder for 45 Colt is that the 45ACP cylinder is shorter than the 45 Colt cylinder used in the 25-5. I don't think there would be enough length to chamber factory 45 Colt loads in such a setup. You can roll your own and get around this limitation, of course, but the shorter length would kinda defeat the original purpose, I would think.

Mixing moon clips with 45 Colt brass is something I have no experience with.

Good luck,
Chris

[makicjf]

Thanks for the reply! After posing the question I did some "googling" and discovered the consensus is exactly what you stated. I love all of my convertible blackhawks , and thought this might work. I don't think its worth the effort.
Thanks again,
Jason

The main problem with chambering a 45ACP cylinder for 45 Colt is that the 45ACP cylinder is shorter than the 45 Colt cylinder used in the 25-5. I don't think there would be enough length to chamber factory 45 Colt loads in such a setup. You can roll your own and get around this limitation, of course, but the shorter length would kinda defeat the original purpose, I would think.

Mixing moon clips with 45 Colt brass is something I have no experience with.

Good luck,
Chris

[Grapeshot]

I was wondering if this would be possible and plausible. With moon clips the shoulder within the cylinder does not provide headspacing; is there a reason the cylinder could not be reamed to move the shoulder forward to facilitate 45 colt as well as moon clipped 45 acp?
Second question/option: If I were to acquire a 625 cylinder chambered or reamed to fit 45 colt, could the cylinder be shaved to allow moonclipped 45 colt loads? If this is the case, would that cylinder accept 45 acp moonies and 45 colt, or would the lenght shaved to accomodate the moon clip for 45 colt shorten the cylinder to much to use 45 acp moonies? I think it would but am not certain. A 625 convertible with 45 colt moon clips would be the ultimate "combat" revolver in my mind. Plus a great pairing with a 45 colt lever truck gun.
Lots of questions: anybody have any thoughts?
Thanks!
Jason

You can re-chamber the cylinder for .45 Win Mag and hand load the .45 WM to .45 Colt specs. Just do not try shooting a factory loaded .45 Min Mag in your revolver.

[makicjf]

I realized something the other day: I can easily load a 255 rnfp to colt factory ballistics in either a 45 acp or 45 ar case. I get the thump of a heavy flat nosed boolit, the rapid extraction and reload of moon clips ( some seem to hate them... I love them) all without juggling cylinders or being fancy. A 255 rnfp at 825-850 will not stress the revolver in the least and will hit plenty hard. If the pachmayar decelorator ever arrives the gun should be far more comfortable to shoot, too. I sanded on the JM handle until it quit biting, but it is still not comfortable. The 625 in 45 acp can do anything a standard 45 colt can do. If I want more, thats what the rugers are for...
( did you hear my hand slapping my forehead! I felt it)

[Gibbs44]

Should you ever come across one of the .45 colt Mountain guns, you could probably send it off to a good smith like Bowen. He could probably modify the cylinder to accept the .45 ACP on moonclips like the S&W Governor does. I'm sure it'd be expensive. I kind of like the idea of moon clips too. I've thought about an something like a 686 with the same modification to accept 9mm for when you could find the stuff.

[The Kid]

I have cut dozens of revolvers for moon clips, mostly Ruger SRH 454s but a bunch of S&Ws as well. It isn't a difficult or expensive operation, I think we charge around 150$ to cut one. That fee includes one moonclip for each rim type, a 454 for example would come with a clip for Starline 454, Winchester 454, and one for the rimless cartridges 45 GAP, ACP, super, winmag, 460 Rowland etc.
I have a 3" S&W model 65 that I cut for moonclips, handy way to tote 6 extra 357s without loosing them.

[DougGuy]

If you are using moon clips, you could use the .45 Colt load data and .45 Win Mag brass and use moon clips am I correct?

Edit: ^^^ What Grapeshot said... doh I skipped his post.. My bad..

[Matthew 25]

Sounds like you got it figured out...but Wilson will re chamber the 625 to fit Rowlands also.

............sorry not Wilson but Clark Custom guns...$100.

[Artful]

There is a way to do what you want - at least on the S&W's in 45 ACP.
Ed Harris had an article in 1981 Guns Digest that gives all the details.
He used the 1917/1937 S&W's that were imported for reasonable price.
For me the most reasonable cost was Ruger's Blackhawk Convertable.