What To Feed A 625-6?

[Gray Fox]

Before I pose my question, I will acknowledge that I am a fortunate guy. I have two S&W 625-6s in .45 a.c.p., one a mountain gun and the other in the full lug Classic configuration. I've been working out of town and away from my loading room for over a year during which time I bought the revolvers. Now I'm home and I want to try to assemble loads for the pair with as little hassle as possible so I'm asking for the benefit of your experience. So, what size should I size the boolits to, and how hard or soft should they be. My usual alloy is CO wheels weights with 2% tin and either air cooled or water dropped. Since these are revolvers I'm considering three boolits; the Lee 230 grn TC with one lube groove, the Lee 255 RNFP, and the RCBS 270-SAA (if the chamber throats will accept the wide front bearing band). What are your suggestions? GF

[rintinglen]

The only boolit of those three with which I have any experience is the 230 grn TC. I had a 1955 that liked that boolit very much over 5.2 grains of WW 231. In my case, I was fortunate in that my Mold dropped large, which worked better in my gun with its large .454 throats. All reports say that S&W has reduced the throat diameters, so I'm betting that that Lee boolit, sized .452 over 5.0--5.3 grains of WW 231 will do right by you.

[Scharfschuetze]

I have three 1917s (2 S&W and one Colt) in 45 ACP and they shoot anything that shoots well in my 1911s. My favorite load for them is the RCBS 200 grain SWC over Bulleseye, but and brand will probably do. Any of the fast pistol powders up to Unique works well too. At one time I tried a 255 grain SWC 45 Colt bullet sized to .454" in mine, but I didn't see any advantage or increased accuracy with it.

As Rintinglen notes, I also recall some talk about the early 625s having .454 throats in the charge holes, but I have no experience with those.

If your new 625 S&Ws shoot like my 100 year old war horses do, they are an easy and agreeable handgun to load for and you should find success quickly. I was just shooting one of my S&W 1917s on a recent road trip to Wyoming with the 200 grain SWC and was outshooting all the semi-auto armed shooters with it on cans between 25 and 40 yards. What a hoot.

[GooseGestapo]

I get amazing accuracy with the Lee 200gr SWC ((H&G #68 style). Sized .452" Lee tumble lubed, sized and lubed again. I use 3.6gr of Bullseye in my 1911 .45acp, and 5.0 in my 625 MG in .45 Colt.
I also use it sized to .450 in a .50/.45 sabot over 80gr Pyrodex RS in my inline-muzzle loader. I've killed several deer with it. Gets 2.5" groups at 75yds.

I also have the Lee 255gr RFN as well as the 270gr RCBS. They work well, especially the 270gr over warm loads of LongShot. But for plinking and target work the 200 swc is the choice.
It cuts as clean a hole through deer as it does paper, too.

[waco]

What size are the throats?

[Dale53]

I have two 625's. One is a Model of 1989 625-6 with 5" barrel. The other is a 625-8 JM Special with 4" barrel. They are two of the most satisfying revolvers I have owned and that's sayin' a BUNCH.

Send me your email address by Private Message and I'll send you an article on loading I wrote for "The Fouling Shot".

Dale53

[Dale53]

Gray Fox;
Check your Private Messages...

Dale53

[HATCH]

I just load std 230 lrn for both my 5 inch and my lew Horton 3 inch 625.
I don't like having weapon specific rounds. I own too many guns and don't want to make a mistake.

[BLTsandwedge]

My target go-to is the 200g #452630 sized to .454, BhN around 12, over 4.2g Clays. In the 5" classic I get an average 806fps with a s/d of 14. Superb accuracy. I've also had considerable luck with the old #452389 button-nose, but moulds may be a bit scarce. The throats in my 625 are about .4525 with .452 grooves. As always, slug, slug and slug......