Good Evening- I want to load up some light target loads to break-in, my soon to be delivered S&W JM625. I load .45 acp for a 1911 wadgun (bullseye competition), but this will be my first centerfire revolver. I'm using up some old bullets that I've had laying around, consequently it won't the load I settle on using. Here is the load: 200 gr. Speer swaged SWC, 4.0 gr. Bullseye, W-W primer, OAL 1.253, taper crimp measurement at the case mouth is .467. Are the OAL and measurement at the case mouth acceptable? If possible, please include your favorite .45 acp revolver loads. Thanks, Dr.J

I shoot 230 gr round nose lead in my 45 acp wheel guns ( 625's, 1917's, 25's) and my 1911's, drive them with 4.5 of bullseye.....I prefer the RN bullet for speed loading the revolvers with full moon clips....I have shot thousands of these loads during the past 30 years and they have worked well for me in IPSC, pin shoots, etc. I have several 625's ....they are great guns...enjoy yours.

I just use my 1911 loads for my 625. I use 230 grn LRN instead of 200 so I don't really have a load for that bullet. The beauty of the 625 is it's not nearly as picky about bullets or lighter loads. You will like your 625 I'll guarantee it.

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That's just somebody talkin.

I use 4.6gr with 200gr cast SWC for my light load. The OAL isn't critical in a revolver so whatever works for you. The .467" taper crimp dia. seems a little tight with your swaged bullets. All you need to do is remove any case flare/bell-mouth which should be around .470", next time. Happy shooting with your new gun!

My all round 45 ACP load is 5.5 of WW231 with a 200 LRNFP. I Had about 600 of Bear Creek, Moly coated lead I loaded with 5.0 WW 231, I've found the 5.5 a little better in my 625 and 1917. Ivan

As others have said, I have been using the same load as in my 1911s... 4.0gr Bullseye with 200gr LSWC and 4.8gr Bullseye with 230gr FMJ RN. Next reloading session I want to up both of these loads a bit and see how they shoot in the 625.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I wanted to make sure the load was safe to use, rather than find out the hard way. Thanks again and have a great day.
Dr.J

My 625s both use a 200 LSWC over 3.8 grains of bullseye for their light target load.
This chronographs at 719 FPS from a 4" barrel.
Depending on the match rules, I will use either ACP or AR cases.
Always competitive with this load and win my share of matches.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Whoever mentioned your crimp might be tight and the OAL not critical for a revolver provided good advice. Experiment with both. Try seating bullets to a longer-than-recommended OAL and with less crimp, just enough to hold the bullet in place under recoil. Taper vs. roll crimp is also worth doing as another fine-tune measure.

If you taper crimp, go LIGHT on the crimps. The purpose of a taper crimp is really to remove the belling and improve feeding, not to retain the bullet. That is solely accomplished by neck tension which is from sizing. Every process following sizing can reduce neck tension.


Roll crimps are an entirely whole other story, they are a "mechanical" lock when it comes to bullet retention.

don't have a 625, but this should be applicable. try various oal. it makes a difference in my 25-2 guns. i have had good luck with federal primers in my 45acp guns too.

I have a 5" 625-2 Model of 1988.

Like others have already posted, I use the same hand load for this revolver that I use for my Springfield 'Loaded' 1911:

Precision Delta 230 grain FMJ round nose over 5.5 grains of Winchester 231 or HP38.

I always wondered what the hype over the .45 ACP 625 was all about. The fact is the revolver is so darn good that it easily tears 2" holes out of the center of the target at 25 yards with these nothing special handloads. You are going to love yours!!

My JM625 , my 625-4, my 22-4 and my model 25 all performed very well with the 200gr speer swaged or a 200gr cast SWC over 3.9 grains of Hodgdon Clays. Very good accuracy (the JM and 25 will go sub 2" at 25 yards) AND will even function most 1911s as an added benefit.
Chip King

My experience in taper crimping for the 625 has been slightly different from those already posting. My standard crimp for the 200 grain cast bullets I use was .470. I had some problems with getting the moon clipped loads to drop into the cylinder consistently. About one out of three would not drop all the way in. At the range one day I took the time to find which cartridge was hanging up and individually rotate it while still in the cylinder. I was then able to get them all to chamber. On the next batch I loaded I increased the amount of crimp so that I was crimping to .468. No more problems. If your gun likes .470 stay with it but don't be afraid to listen to the gun and give it the crimp it tells you it wants.