I have recently gone over to a revolver in shooting IPSC and am using a 625. I was just using up the ammo I had already loaded an am now going to start reloading for the revolver. Should I be using the regular crimp as for the auto or switch to a rolled crimp ass in other revolver rounds . I do use moonclips in the 625.
Any advice is welcomed.

TCF

The reason for using a tapered crimp for .45 ACP loads for auto pistols is that an excessively roll crimped cartridge will set too deep in the chamber, giving excessive headspace, and possibly ignition and accuracy issues. A similar situation exists when using the same ammunition in a revolver without moon clips.

However, since you are using moonclips, it becomes a moot point whether you use tapered or light roll crimps on your ammunition. I favor taper crimps because of less bullet deformation, and greater accuracy potential. The heavier roll crimps are used with heavier bullets such as are commonly loaded in .45 Auto Rim (240, 250, 260 grains).

As long as bullets are properly secured against recoil movement, taper crimps are fine. For the light target grade loads that you use in PPC, I would stay with taper crimps.

I taper crimp all my 45acp loads but I don't load heavy bullets or max loads.

I taper crimp everything, including heavy loaded 270 gr in ACP/AR for my 625.

I use a roll crimp for 250/255's in AR because, well, it looks better. Taper crimp everything else.

All of my 45 ACP goes into revolvers. Recently, I've reduced crimp to a bare minimum taper. Just enough to take out any flare. I did it so I could reduce my powder load a hair and seat the bullet a bit deeper. I think it reduces distortion of the really soft plated SWC's I use, maintaining diameter. Accuracy is excellent. They load well in a 625-3 with chamfered chambers, but hang up a bit in a stock 625-6 mountain gun. Maybe time to chamfer the mountain gun.
Works for me, YMMV.

I want to ask you a question back, I know, I hate that too!

Did you have any trouble with reloads or accuracy or .... yada, yada, yada?

Why change then?

That being said I do like pinky's thinking, rounds that go into a wheelgun ought to look like wheelgun bullets and you need no other reason than that!

I do use a heavier crimp on my revolver rounds because they don't headspace on the mouth. The bullets I use are much more "revolverish" though. They have crimp grooves in them like Elmer Keith designed and are in the 240+gr range and moving out at 800fps or so, some much faster. I don't get setback nor pull from these loads either.
FWIW

Hey Smith crazy ,

To this point I have had no trouble with either accueacy or reloads .However I have been shooting a 1911 Auto and now I'm moving to a S&W 625 and wanted some input on using the same rounds in a wheelgun instead of a SEMI?

TCF

TCF,
I thought you were already shooting it! What I was saying if there weren't any problems when you did shoot the M625 with "auto" type loads that there was no reason to change, that's all.

The only reason I do is like I said before, I want my roundy roundy bullets to look like they belong there!

Ascetics, simply ascetics.

If you have a progressive press that would be another reason not to change your setup, they work fine as is to just keep making them like you have!

Sgt Preston here. I also taper crimp everything & then just tight enough to keep the bullets from moving. If the bullets slide readily into the cylinder from your moon clips, and are accurate "enough", why change your set up. I'm somewhat lazy & like simplification such as having 1 bullet fit 2 guns. Sgt Preston USMC LLA

A little experimentation wouldn't hurt. Both crimp types will work, but your gun may have preferences. Same with light vs heavy. I use a very heavy crimp on my 45acp/AR because two of my 45's are scandium, and bullet pulling is a concern. I'm too lazy to separate ammo for the steel vs aluminum guns, so all the cartridges get the same treatment.

Devil's advocate:

If the good Lord wanted a feller' to taper crimp rounds...He would have had it invented first!

I roll crimp all my ammunition, and a use a heavy one at that. Even the rounds that get used (seldom) in a 1911- and have never had any ill effects or misfires. Of course, most of it is done on cast or swagged lead bullets, with the occasional jacketed one.

I do obtain much less velocity deviation on roll crimped cartridges, and therefore, better groups.

The one other plus to roll crimped cartridges- especially if you chambers aren't chamfered- is that moonclips full of ammunition will more readily fall into the cylinder without any "jiggle." Fast is what you want, correct?

You should load for the revolver the exact same rounds that you load for your auto. That is what it was designed for and that is the beauty of the revolver chambered for the 45 auto cartridge. The rounds headspace on the case mouth regardless of whether they are fired in an auto or a revolver. The moon clip is nothing more than a fast, convenient way to load and unload the revolver. The revolver will shoot the loads just fine without moon clips, but you will need fingernails to remove the cases. You should not roll crimp 45 auto cases.

If you are loading revolver bullets in your .45 ACP cases for your 625 that will not be shot in a semi auto I'd roll crimp the case into the crimp groove provided. If you are not getting any bullet pull from recoil usning a taper crimp with your loads then its OK to leave things well enough alone and use the taper crimp on these bullets too, but it may require some testing that you probably don't want to try in a match.

For bullets designed for semi auto that have no crimp groove or cannelur then use a taper crimp.

Finding it hard to locate .45 auto cannelured bullets I purchased a Corbin cannelure machine and now use it to produce my own jacketed crimp groove/cannelure for my revolver.