S & w 625

[Shooter6br]

I plan to buy a S & W 625 4in. Comparing prices i find the Performance Center Model $80 more the regular mod. For the $80 you get a better trigger special hammer and cylinders chamfered. Also racey red white and blue laminated grips (LOL). i want to go with the Performance shop version .Am i right?

[Shooter6br]

Pic of both models

[Dale53]

I have both a 625-6 (5") and a 4" 625-8 Jerry Miculek Special. I like and use them both a LOT. They either will shoot inside the "X" ring at fifty yards (if you do your part:mrgreen:).

The 625-6 is the Model of 1989 (which is to say, a standard model). The JM Special has some extra features. It has an interchangeable front sight, grooved trigger and trigger and hammer are flash chromed. It also came with JM monogrammed wood grips. The "standard" has an MIM trigger and hammer, the front sight is pinned, and is has a wide smooth trigger.

Of all of the models of 625 out there, my choice is and would be the JM Special. For my use, I prefer the balance (a bit barrel heavy) of the full underlugged barrel. It is comfortable to shoot with heavy for the caliber 250 gr Keith SWC at 900 fps and it also works well for precision work. I like the interchangeable front sight even tho' I use a Simmons Red Dot on both of my 625's.

I also put Jerry Miculek's spring set (main spring and rebound slide spring) in both of mine and set the trigger pull to 9.0 lbs dbl action and 3.0 single action (my preference).

I prefer Pachmayr Decelerators for grips so changed both of mine. Here is my JM Special:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/SW625-8JMSpecial-3351.jpg

To answer the OP's question, you will not go wrong with whichever 625 you pick. These, at their worst, are premium designs in my view.

FWIW
Dale53

[HeavyMetal]

Think I'd spend the $80.00!

Trigger work and parts are worth that much, heck just in time saved not waiting for a gunsmith to get around to it.

The grips are do able and, if not comfortable, can be swapped for what ever you want.

[dubber123]

If the new Performance Center guns have the same "special trigger" the few I have handled, I would save the extra cash. My Performance center M17 has one of the worst actions on a S&W I have ever seen. I would choose the model with the sights you like, followed by grips, and then decide. I passed on the JM model, (mostly because of the extra graphics), but also as I preferred the plain front sight of the regular production 625. They are a nice gun, and I am sure you will like whatever version you choose.

[S.R.Custom]

I dunno, S6Br. They both seem butt-ugly to me.

Personally, If I were looking to drop a wad on a moonclip gun, I'd hunt up one of these. I've had PC guns before, and in comparison, the old stuff is vastly superior in every way...

http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/174897000/174897815/pix633773968.jpg

[excess650]

I dunno, S6Br. They both seem butt-ugly to me.

Personally, If I were looking to drop a wad on a moonclip gun, I'd hunt up one of these. I've had PC guns before, and in comparison, the old stuff is vastly superior in every way...

http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/174897000/174897815/pix633773968.jpg

I had a Model 25-? prior to my 625-3. The cylinder throats are smaller and more uniform in the 625 than they were in the Model 25s. My 625 has the round butt grip frame which feels better in my hand, and I don't have small hands. As much as I like blued steel and walnut(Goncalo Alves in S&W's case), I found my 625 a much better revolver.

[Dale53]

excess650;
I admit to being a performance first, last, and always kind of guy (I am NOT referencing the Performance Center, here). My 625's are far and away better performing revolvers than my early Model of 1955 target revolver. It was issued with a 6½" barrel and NEVER shot anywhere near as well as BOTH of my 625's. Just flat out NO comparison. Some were issued with throats as large as .458" and regular .45 bullets did not work well at all. I was much younger and had much less experience at the time so all I knew was that it wouldn't shoot up to standard. It went bye-bye many years ago.

The concept was great with heavy barrel, great action, excellent sights, and great finish and looks, but it just wouldn't shoot.

So, you and I are certainly in agreement.

Dale53

[Piedmont]

I have one of those shoddy 25-2s as pictured in S.R.Customs post. It has huge cylinder throats in the .453"+ range and is one of the few revolvers I own that will shoot sub 2" TEN SHOT 25yd. groups from my paws off a bench, not a ransom rest.

It also happens to be pretty, but to each his own. My intitial reaction to that first picture of Shooter6br's was yuck.

A 625 with tighter cylinder throats might be best for store-boughten bullets measuring .451, but we are a bullet casting board so it isn't a big deal to just match the cylinder throats like we do with all our other revolvers. Still having said that, I wouldn't mind owning a prelock 625, but I would have to hunt up some stag or nice wood grips for it.

[S.R.Custom]

...I admit to being a performance first, last, and always kind of guy (I am NOT referencing the Performance Center, here). My 625's are far and away better performing revolvers than my early Model of 1955 target revolver. It was issued with a 6½" barrel and NEVER shot anywhere near as well as BOTH of my 625's. Just flat out NO comparison...

Different experiences, I guess...

As a pin shooter back in the day, the biggest factor in good scores --for me, anyway-- was the smoothness of the action. A largish thoat didn't matter nearly as much as being able to stay on target throughout the trigger pull. (I don't know that my throats were problematic in that respect; at that point in time I was using commercial cast bullets, and that gun shot as good as any I owned.)

The action of my 625 model of 1988 wasn't as sweet as the old 25, and I never could get the hitch out of the actions of my PC 44s. Haven't been inclined to toss money at a PC gun since, although to be honest, that probably has more to do with the fact that these days I do all my own action work.

[AzShooter]

Apex Tactical can do an action job on the 625 that you just won't believe. Mine came home with a 4.5 lb double action pull and 100 % reliable with Federal Primers. You need to tighten the mainspring about a turn if using Winchester primers.

Dry fire it a couple of thousand times and the trigger pull will smooth out a lot.

[excess650]

I shot PPC back in the mid 80s-1990 or so, and had considerable experience with shooting DA. My 625-3 took only minor tuning so as to be pretty slick, and certainly on par with my earlier M25 and M29. I know that somewhere in that time period S&W used large locking bolts on the N frames, but don't recall if they went to the newer style hand or not. Changing that part in a K frame made a huge difference.

I had a 25-7 in 45 Colt (matte blued, unfluted, Hogue monogrip, laser etched) 60-? 3" full lug, adjustable sights, and several other odd S&Ws of the 90s time frame, and all seemed pretty good. The most accurate revolver that I've ever shot is a 5" M610 (10mm) and its of that time period as well.

I traded into a Colt Python "factory tuned" with a really slick DA for a Colt, but it didn't shoot as accurately at 50 yards as my M14 S&W, so the Colt found a new home. As much as I like the older, V spring action Colts, I was not in love with the Python.

[Lloyd Smale]

I agree one of mine is a perfomance center gun and its action wasnt as good as my old pinned gun and needed work to be usuable in DA anyway. I guess its a matter of taste but i dont care for those grips either. Me id buy the standard one and take the extra money and have a good gunsmith slick it up.
If the new Performance Center guns have the same "special trigger" the few I have handled, I would save the extra cash. My Performance center M17 has one of the worst actions on a S&W I have ever seen. I would choose the model with the sights you like, followed by grips, and then decide. I passed on the JM model, (mostly because of the extra graphics), but also as I preferred the plain front sight of the regular production 625. They are a nice gun, and I am sure you will like whatever version you choose.

[JSH]

I agree with Llyod. Save the $ and put it towards some work.
I have a 625-8 JM. Don't get me wrong here I like the gun. However it sure is not what I expected. FYI bought this NIB, unfired.
Action was a turd, still a work in progress. Internals had metal shavings in it, thus the initial gritty trigger.
Cylinder, SW cut this one for a rimmed case. 3-5 moon clips and extraction was hard as was loading. Got that fixed with the proper reamer by the local SW wizard.
Last but not least thing. Lead ring in what i thought was the forcing cone. It needs to go back to my SW friend. he is pretty sure that it was from tightening to much and putting a "ring" of sorts in the forcing cone.
I told him I was having leading issues. He then told me to tell him no more, then he described to me EXACTLY what it was doing.
He told me as advised above, should have spent the initial $$$ on an older one, then do what need to be done to make me happy. Which he said was more than likley a lot less than what I have done to this one.

Yes I have been tiffed at this gun in prior post. BUT, it has been a learning experiance. I doubt i will ever buy another NIB gun with out laying my hands on it first.
jeff

[Calamity Jake]

MY avatar is a 625-3 Round Butt from the late 80's



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With self made scope mount and grips of king wood, has a 3.5 to 4lb DA pull and about 1lb SA.