625 and hotter loads

[Snowwolfe]

These question concerns a newly built 625 PC revolver. And please dont lecture me on if I want more power to use a 45 Colt, 44 mag, etc. I am interested in knowing what a new 625PC can handle.

How warm can you load the 45 ACP and use in this revolver?
How about using the 45 Super?

[OKFC05]

Any SAAMI +P .45 ACP load is safe to use in your gun and will not void the warranty.


They will shoot loose if you insist on shooting proof loads regularly.

[wolverine]

Originally Posted by Snowwolfe

These question concerns a newly built 625 PC revolver. And please dont lecture me on if I want more power to use a 45 Colt, 44 mag, etc. I am interested in knowing what a new 625PC can handle.

How warm can you load the 45 ACP and use in this revolver?
How about using the 45 Super?

Afternoon Snowwolfe

The 625 is a fairly well built gun so can handle decent pressures.

I have a 625 PC .45 gun and the limitation I have found is the PC 625 has a shorter cylinder so there isn't a lot of room in the case for slower burning powder needed to get top speed with longer bullets.

If the OAL isn't kept short with heavy bullets they stick out of the front of the cylinder & prevent cylinder rotation.

[S&WIowegan]

I have a 625-3 with a 5" barrel. I had it rechambered to 460 Rowland and also Magna-Ported. The 460 is usually loaded hotter than 45 ACP and I have seen no ill-effects from using 460 ammo.

[BLUEDOT37]

This has been brought up many times, usually not without controversy.

The gun's designed for +P loads (23K PSI).

It's cylinder stop notch depth (the weak link in most cylinders) is the same as the other new 325/625's (~.030").

However, the cylinder stop notches on the 625PC are the same size (width) as pre-endurance models (.245") while the other (new) 325/625's are the same width as endurance models (.365"). Probably not an issue, but noteworthy.

As wolverine noted, the PC's cylinder is shorter (at 1.425") than the JM's/325/625 cylinder (at 1.540"). With a long nose 250gr SWC this may be a problem. The heaviest I load in mine, in 45AR cases, is Sierra's 240JHP & they're no problem.

I shoot 45 Super power handloads in all mine, 325NG, 325TR & 625PC, ~26K PSI loads, in either S-L 45 Super cases or S-L 45 Auto Rims cases. I try to limit mine to 27K PSI max. These loads have ample power.

Clark Customs used to advertise doing a mod to 460 Roland for the 625s but it's no longer listed there. (PS: It shows there now, $100.)

The more you use max. loads, in any gun, the quicker it'll loosen up, of course.

.

[colt_saa]

Originally Posted by Snowwolfe

These question concerns a newly built 625 PC revolver. And please dont lecture me on if I want more power to use a 45 Colt, 44 mag, etc. I am interested in knowing what a new 625PC can handle.

How warm can you load the 45 ACP and use in this revolver?
How about using the 45 Super?

A model 625 in good working condition will shoot 45 SUPER.

I have been shooting 45 Super in my 4" V-comp for about 15 years now. The Winchester 230JHPs were great for pin shooting in the old days

Easily it has seen in excess if 5,000 rounds of 230 grain JHP and FMJs being pushed past 1,100 FPS with a stiff load of Power Pistol during that time. Not to mention all the 45ACP and 45ACP +P that have been through it

[Bastogne71]

Snowwolfe,

The Sierra reloading manual 5th edition has a section for 45 Auto revolver that gives load data for the S&W model 625, Taurus model 455, and Freedom Arms model 83. They have loads listed that yield 1,100 FS with their 230 grain bullet in the 7 1/2" barreled model 83.

Quote: "All loads listed are safe for all the revolvers listed but ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE SEMI AUTOS"

I don't load mine to the maximum loads because the recoil takes it out of the fun to shoot range for me.

[cowboy4evr]

Accurate Powder Co. lists 45acp+P load data , up to about 23kpsi . I would consider that as max , even in the 625 revolver . I don't believe that Smiths are " weak sister " guns . I just believe in respecting them for what they were designed to shoot . But--- to each his own .