I got bit by steel plate match bug, was looking for a companion for my 1911 and picked a 625JM. Can't wait to shoot it, well Maryland sucks! Have to wait 7 days for hand guns, here it is at the LGS waiting....

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Life is good!

Congratulations - you will love it! Now you need to spend more money... and get some moonclips. The few included with your 625JM will need some siblings. They were made by 'Ranch Products'. Google them and give them a call - they were $35/100 delivered. Brownell's sells a nutdriver styled demooner that is simple and effective at ~$16-$18. They also sell the HiViz fiber optic front sight replacement - get the 'Classic/DX' style .250" tall. You can swap it in seconds without tools. Try that JM grip for a while - it really grows on you. It's a fast non-fidgety grab.The HKS #25 (NOT 25-5!) speedloader will fit the .45 Auto Rims, if you find some (Georgia Arms loads them.). The main thing - enjoy it! Here is my 625JM a few days old in 2/05:



Here it is a few years later - within a sea of moonclipped ammo - sporting the orange fo HiViz front sight. With moonclips, you can have a lot of ammo ready to go - Zombie protection!



If the grooved ridges on the trigger bother you, they can be eased in place with some careful use of fine emery cloth strips, as I did with mine. Keeper!

Not all .45 ACP cases fit easily - Starline brass and Remington brass load by hand - some others are not so much fun. Try rotating the cartridge as you push it into the slot. The WallyWorld 250 packs of UMC ball ammo in brass works great - and, even if you reload, it is frugal enough to gain more brass.

Stainz

I purchased one a couple of weeks ago and love it. Thats a bummer about the wait. Lucky here in VA., a quick state police check and paperwork and you're out the door ready to shoot. The last 3 trips to the range and the 1911's have stayed in the bag. I love this weapon. A little suggestion about moonclips. Go to Ez Moon Clips and buy some of the polymer ones. No hassle at all. No special tools, techniques and no sore fingers. They load and unload as easy as you can imagine. No more steel clips for me. Check them out and I bet you will be satisfied. They even have a video that shows the difference between loading and unloading steel vs. polymer. It is actually as easy as it looks. Enjoy your JM. 45!

Another suggestion. Try that gold bead sight before swapping it out. This is my first weapon with a gold bead and for target shooting I think its great. I wouldn't think of changing it out, but then you may think differently. Good luck!

The original RIMZ clips were polymer and were not as secure as one would have wished. However, they worked beautifully for general range use.

The new RIMZ HydroCarbon/Polymer clips are MUCH more secure and work for any reasonable purpose you can imagine and can still be loaded and unloaded by hand. The model number of the new clip is #25.

They are my new "standard" for my 625's.

Dale53

Thanks for adding the model number. I forgot to do that. On their website I didn't see anything listed except hydrocarbon/polymer but I suppose there may still be some out there maybe on another site.

I'll second that advice, IMO you just cannot beat that gold bead front sight for shooting at an indoor range.

I will also advise you that the serrated trigger on the 625JM WILL DRAW BLOOD. I would suggest that you have your gunshop pull the trigger and use a Dremel to soften those serrations because factory fresh those serrations are like a bundle of razor blades.

You might also want to look into having the cylinder chamfered at the same time. The JM model comes with a chamfered extractor because that part is shared with the PC model of the 625. However the cylinder itself is NOT chamfered and having the cylinder chamfered will speed up reloads by a lot.

Time involved to do both operations on your 625 shouldn't run more than 30-45 minutes so I'd expect this bit of work to cost between 50 and 100 dollars.

I would like to thank everyone for the advice and links.

Thanks!

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Since you want to shoot SPC, which generally is held outdoors, I thought you'd appreciate the fast target acquisition that the HiViz fo front sight affords. Even in dull overcast skies condition, it lights up like a searchlight. Bullseye shooting, where speed is not the ultimate goal, is better with the gold beaded Patridge that comes with the 625JM. As to plastic vs steel clips - that is a personal decision. I tried early plastic clips - and went back to steel. As to easing the charge holes - if you feed it 230gr FMJ, ie, a rounded nose clad bullet, the eased ejector rod is all you need - loaded moonclip reloads will go in like they are on a tractor beam. As to the as-delivered trigger return spring - learn to accommodate it - it resets the trigger faster than a softer spring will. As for the hammer spring - the stock unit will easily pop most primers - leave it - check the strain screw for tightness regularly (It should be tight!) - and will loosen with use. If you are going to plink for fun - and reload - use Federal primers and a lower effort spring in both positions. It really is a fun shooter.

Stainz