Shoot me a pm with your email and I can send you the handloader articled
Shoot me a pm with your email and I can send you the handloader articled
I have been a fan of the .45 ACP/.45 Auto Rim revolver for my entire adult life. I recently gifted my youngest son my 625-6 Model of 1989 with 5" barrel. It is a dandy and he shoots it quite well. I shoot my 625-8 JM Special quite often and rather well for a "Certified Old Fart". It is one of my all time favorite revolvers.
I would like to caution owners of the early 1917 revolvers to not load them heavy. Skeeter Skelton or a friend split a cylinder on a 1917 with heavy bullets. On the older revolvers made before 1950 or so, I would limit the max loads in those older revolvers to no more that a cast 230 gr bullet ahead of 5.0 grs of Bullseye. That is a full load and in cast bullets will often get a good bit more velocity than factory hardball.
My favorite load is a #68 H&G (200 gr. cast SWC) ahead of 4.0 grs. of Bullseye or equivalent. This load shoots well under an inch at 25 yards off a rest, is quite pleasant to shoot and works extremely well on small game as well as at the range. You can safely shoot this bullet to near 1000 fps with out straining the older guns if necessary for self defense.
These old guns deserve to be used with descretion but I, too, would shoot them regularly, if I still owned one. My 625-8 gets a regular workout, that's for sure.
FWIW
Dale53
Yes, this is timely....
Have had several 25/625s over the years..25-2, 625-7 PC, 1917, Brazilian and several 625 Mountain Guns... At this point I have a very clean 1917, a 652-7 PC and a Taurus Tracker 4" stainless.
Had a lot of good loads in the past mainly for "J" bullets...the 200 grain "Flying Ashtray" would run 1170 fps and the 225 JHP 1130 fps...that with the now discontinued SR-4756 powder...a shame we lost that one.
Just recently finished a project developing loads for some 1911s in .45 Super. According to one of the techs at Buffalo Bore they have a lot of customers who shoot .45 Super from modern S&W revolvers. He sated he has a 625 that he also shoots them in...
As I have lots of AR brass not sure if I am going to crank up the power as much as I used to. Have one of the wonderful Lyman/Keith 245 grain molds that I am looking forward to using in the AR brass....
Bob
There were two contracts between the Brazilian Navy and Smith and Wesson. The first was in 1937, but it was 1939 before the pistols were delivered. This contract was for 25,000 pistols and they were numbered at the factory on the backstrap. There handguns were made of all new parts and the barrels bore later pts. markings.
The second contract was shortly after WWII and also was for 25,000 handguns. These were not numbered on the backstrap and made from left over 1917 parts and some new parts. I have one of these 2nd. contract handguns and the frame and barrel are 1917 left overs and the others parts are newer. They cylinder and crane appear to be the same as the 1st. contract.
Here is a pic of my 2nd contract pistol. I conned S&W into doing a factory reblue about 20 years ago.
Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.
I love my Brazilian. I stick with the standard 230 gr RN over 5.0 gr of Bullseye.
That old gun is super accurate.
I just have to remember to screw the ejector rod back in occasionally. Since it was built before S&W used left handed threads the rod backs out and has locked the cylinder once or twice.
I have never gotten around to Locktiting it though I should. It has some end shake and needs shimming anyways.
Steve in N CA
I love this thread , Char-Gar and Dale , I wish I could meet you in person and do a little shooting together and have long gun conversations over coffee. I have learned a lot from your post here at( cast boolits) I have 3 .45 auto rim revolvers all S&W`s the oldest one is from the early 80`s its a 1955 -2 the other two are 625`s a 4inch and a 5inch I have been shooting 255gr swc with 6 gr of Unique . do you think I should back down the load a bit? I have not chronograph the load yet . so don`t know the speed they shoot well . I just wanted your thoughts on this. Best regards Frank
Fivegunner;
Thanks for the kind words. Birds of a feather, I suspect .
I have used 7.0 grs. Of Unique behind a NOE clone of the Lyman 454424, so your load of 6.0 grs. Of Unique behind the Lee bullet should be safe. It sounds like it is shooting well for you, too.
These days you will find me at the range with my favorite range load of 4.0 grs. Of Bullseye or Titegroup behind the Mihec clone of the H&G #68 (200 gr. SWC). That load has also done excellent work for me on small game.
FWIW,
Dale53
As FYI in my M1917 and shaved Webley I have wonderful results with Accurate 45-240H1 with 3.5 grains of Bullseye, 600 fps. I use the same bullet and load in the .455
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
Zombie thread for the pandemic.
Last edited by ddixie884; 07-14-2021 at 01:13 AM. Reason: failure to make myself understood
There has been group buys in the past.
I would be up for a group buy if someone got one running. My buddy just got and old Ohaus 270 and it’s a beautiful bullet.
Looks like Miha offers one from time to time.
Maybe we need to do a group buy.
I would be down with a really big penta pin and a massive hollow point to facilitate opening at the AR speeds.
https://www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-45-270-ohaus-hp/
I'm not looking for a mold as I think I have two. I am not set up to cast at the moment and I'd like to buy a couple of hundred bullets...........
Happened to be shooting my two, a 1917 and a 657-7 PC, a few weeks ago.
Loads for the 1917 were some 225 grain LRN but don't remember the charge right off...
The PC gun got some 240 Keith bullets and you knew when the round went off...
Bob
Happened to be shooting my two, a 1917 and a 657-7 PC, a few weeks ago.
Loads for the 1917 were some 225 grain LRN but don't remember the charge right off...
The PC gun got some 240 Keith bullets and you knew when the round went off...
Bob
Cool write up on a S&W 625 w/45ar brass.
https://singleactions.proboards.com/...on-45-auto-rim
Mike
Last edited by nockhunter; 04-08-2022 at 08:43 PM.
No reason not to bring this one back to the top.
My latest ACP revolver,
It started as a butchered Model 25-2 with a 3.5” barrel. It came with the 4.25” barrel you see in the image. I had Andy Horvath spin out the short barrel and install the longer one. He did a few other things. It shoots well with my SAECO 453 boolit and the 453423 boolit, both over hard ball doses of powder.
Kevin
Knowledge I take to my grave is wasted.
I prefer to use cartridges born before I was.
Success doesn't make me happy, being happy is what allows me to be successful.
Thank you.
The current barrel is a standard Model 1955 barrel cut to 4 1/4”. The ramp was removed from the cut off and returned to the shortened barrel. When I got it, there was a Patridge sight in place. I added the McGivern gold bead to aid visibility. The rounded grip frame is also helpful.
I just went to add a link to the thread on this revolver and realized I never did one on this forum! My apologies.
It uses the same two loads all my other A P revolvers use, 5 grains of Bullseye under the SAECO 453 or the Lyman 452423. Both hit to point of aim and that SAECO full wadcutter hits like a freight train!
Kevin
Knowledge I take to my grave is wasted.
I prefer to use cartridges born before I was.
Success doesn't make me happy, being happy is what allows me to be successful.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |