Hello all, I plan on getting involved shooting IDPA this spring. I recently purchased a S&W 25-12 Heritage Edition that I'm having the S&W Custom shop put a 4" barrel on. (The same barrel as the Thunder Ranch Model 22.)

I looked at the IDPA SSR & ESR rules and I'm wondering if I can use this revolver in SSR by using 45 Auto Rim ammo and a HKS speedloader and then use it in ESR with the moon clips and 45 ACP?

Is that kosher?

Thanks for the advice.

Z

Hello all, I plan on getting involved shooting IDPA this spring. I recently purchased a S&W 25-12 Heritage Edition that I'm having the S&W Custom shop put a 4" barrel on. (The same barrel as the Thunder Ranch Model 22.)

I looked at the IDPA SSR & ESR rules and I'm wondering if I can use this revolver in SSR by using 45 Auto Rim ammo and a HKS speedloader and then use it in ESR with the moon clips and 45 ACP?

Is that kosher?

Thanks for the advice.

Z

Yes, quite kosher. The 45 autorim can be legally loaded to a lower power factor than the moonclipped version. Easier on your hands and easier on your gun.

Let me know if you need speed loaders and speed loader holders. I have 8 HK speed loaders like new and a double and a single speed loader holders from Blade-tech. [email protected]

__________________
May God Bless The USA

The only thing you need to watch using an N frame is that the finished unloaded gun (including grips) must weigh no more than 42 oz, or you will be thrown into ESR by weight alone. ESR allows up to 50 oz, which lets in the 610.
While club matches seldom weigh, sanctioned matches do.

http://www.idpa.com/Documents/IDPARuleBook2005.pdf

__________________
Science plus Art

Since you can only shoot one class at a match (although some allow a re shoot) you might consider using two guns. The .45, even with light loads may be somewhat slower between shots and there are no Comp 3s for auto rim. So you will lose lime shot to shot and reloading. Getting decent loads at anywhere near 125 power factor may be difficult. .38s are cheap to load, a good 19 or 66 is a joy to shoot and not very expensive. You will be able to use the Comp 3s and almost everyone who is anyone in SSR uses the K frame.
Of course you already have a .45 and the holster, speed loader holders, so you would save some money at least initially.

Hey, thanks for all the great advice. I didn't even think about weight, I'm betting that the 25-12 even with the shorter barrel will be more than 42oz.

Getting another revolver is an attractive option!

rundownfld: what do you mean by "Comp 3s" ??

I'm sorry, but I'm not up to speed on the lingo of competitive shooting :-)

Safariland competition III speedloaders; the in thing to use (OK, so I use them too)
http://www.holsters.com/competition/...ries/index.asp

__________________
Science plus Art

You need to be careful that you don't change the barrel contour when you swap barrels. If it ends up being different than what was offered by the factory for the original 4" models (different underlug configuration, for example) then you will have trouble, especially if you start winning. Many IDPA shooters obsess over rules like this. Sometimes even cutting a long barrel down to 4" is not good enough either. Years ago I caught some grief for using a 4" Redhawk back when Ruger did not offer a Redhawk with a 4" barrel.

The rules in IDPA are getting very convoluted and I now shoot USPSA instead. Your Model 25 with the long barrel would be ideal for USPSA as there are no barrel restrictions. USPSA is much more challenging too.

Dave Sinko

IDPA rules must really be getting nitpicking. Back 10-15 years ago people were quitting USPSA and going to IDPA because of "Rules".

__________________
H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

The IDPA rules have not changed since 2005.
http://www.idpa.com/Documents/IDPARuleBook2005.pdf

Some of the IDPA equipment rules are picky, but the reason they are there is STOCK means STOCK. In USPSA, if you have any revolver other than a modified .45 ACP (usually a 625) you aren't competitive. IDPA was also getting into equipment races.

With the split of IDPA revolver into STOCK and ENHANCED in 2005, I again have a division for speedloaders and a Model 66. I think it's a good thing. IDPA still is the place to start for anyone that wants to shoot their carry gun, or something similar.

I'm an IDPA match director, and locally I've noticed people bashing IDPA who I've never seen at a match in the last 10 years. By the way, I'm also a USPSA CRO.

__________________
Science plus Art

If you have a mountain style gun in 45 acp and want to use 45 auto rim with speed loaders it falls under the weight limit. Been there done that.

__________________
May God Bless The USA

Ya I am getting started in this and ICORE looks like less rules. I want to shoot a 6 and half inch model 29 but have to use the 4 inch in IDPA but not ICORE, I guess I will shoot both, IDPA is closer but oh well the more 29's I attain the better, I always say!!!!!!!

A couple of guys locally have shot their 29s in the past few months. They work fine with the lightest loads that are accurate. Not as fast as a K or L frame shooting 38s, but they win on cool factor just showing up!!

Hi.... I've been trying to sort all this out. But I'm just gonna ask ya what you think I should shoot in with my 4" 686?

ICORE? IDPA? ~ Any suggestions?

You can shoot it in either or both. I can tell you the 686 is probably the most used IDPA SSR gun.

It is specifically allowed to saw off a revolver barrel to make the 4.2" IDPA maximum. I don't know if Robert Ray would consider replacing the barrel to be the equivalent. You could ask.

I don't think the MD will know the difference.