THUNDER RANCH 325 .45 revolver

[TOMC]

I read a while back about some people having problems with their TR 325...barrels coming loose and not-so-great customer service from S&W.
How about an update from those of you who have had problems. How's it running now? Was it fixed to your satisfaction? I really like the concept of a light .45 revo, but not if it has design flaws.
Thanks
TomC

 

[NVBob]

Seems like not a lot of 325 TR owners out there. I've had mine for about a year now and have no trouble. I go back and forth between that and the 625 JM as my favorite revolver.

 

[roundgunner]

I don't know about the 325 but if you want a small light 45acp the 625-10 is both. I like the one I have.

I have put a few hundred rounds of full power 230 gr thru it. No problems.

 

[stevejeff]

I'm happy with mine. Barrel is still tight. No problems yet. About 1000 rounds thru it.

 

[extremist]

You can search for my previous comments, but barrel came loose after first 12 rounds. Sent back to S&W and the fixed it, got it back yesterday after about 3 weeks (Holidays and such).

Works fine now

James

 

[TOMC]

TR45

Thanks for the feedback.
Now the search begins.....

TomC

 

[NE450No2]

I have shot a few hundred rounds through my 325 NG with no problems.

It hits to the sights with 230gr factory ammo.

I like it. I keep it near me every night. Which is a testiment to how I feel about this "little" 45 ACP Revolver...

It has made a few road trips as well.

 

[Robert Finegan]

NO problems at all. Compete often in IDPA with mine....
My brother has one too and no problems with his either.

-Robert

 

[Kanewpadle]

I had an M&P R8 which is almost indentical. Nice gun. Very accurate though I was unimpressed with the trigger. You would figure on a PC gun that cost that much, at least it would have a great trigger. And sometimes I would get light primer strikes when not using moon clips. Which is sometimes common with either of those two guns.

IMHO, depending on your needs there may be better choices other than that gun.

 

[rz625-8]

roundgunner,are they[S&W] still making that small .45 acp still???? I might have to get me one. how does it shoot,recoil,how much does it weigh,and is it a scanduim frame????? rz625-8

 

[44 special Dave]

RZ,
I have a 625-10 2" 45acp. It's a great "little" gun. Published weight is 24oz unloaded. Mine weighs 21.75 oz with the wooden boot grips. It came from the PC with 2 sets of grips. The larger rubber grips probably put the weight at 24oz. It has a 2.1 in barrel

I have fired primarily 200 gr swc 45 auto rim (PMC) through it and it's a dream. I can black-out the black of a target at 10 yards. Credit goes to the gun not me. Recoil is stout with the boot grips, hardly noticeable with the rubber grips. Probably like +P in a j frame 38.

No longer made. I've heard different production numbers quoted. From a low of 300 to a high of 865. I tend to believe the higher total. They did make a black framed version that was probably 200-300 produced.

The rare bird is the 45 colt version....103 made, period.(1.88 in barrel)

I've only fired some 230 grainers in it, but again with rubber grips, no problem. Stout but very manageable.

Only problem with some of these was a cracked frame due to over tourquing of the barrel into the frame by the factory. Some folks said it was 230 grain loads that did this. But I think the conventional wisdom was that shooting it "brought out" the crack that was already in the metal from the factory. Oh it is a scandium frame, stainless cylinder.

Dave

 

[Brian41]

I've had the 325PD version a few years with no problems but not sure how it varies from the TR version. I've not shot mine a whole lot as other guns seem to get in the way but enough that I recently bought the 357PD as well.
The triggers aren't what my older N frames are but where else can you find a 25 oz big bore either?

 

[roundgunner]

roundgunner,are they[S&W] still making that small .45 acp still???? I might have to get me one. how does it shoot,recoil,how much does it weigh,and is it a scanduim frame????? rz625-8

Dave gave the details and I agree.
I like mine and it will shoot very nice groups. I shoot mine with 230 gr bullets. The normal practice load is 4.5 of Titegroup. I carry it with 230 Speer gold dot short barrel now but it used to be hydra shock.

Rubber grips is the only way to go if you're going to put a box of ammo thru one. It will bruise the bottom of your thumb with wood grips. I'm afraid with wood grips you could develop a pretty good flinch.

P.S. The finish is coming off on this one.

 

[NE450No2]

I have fired a few hundred rounds through my 325 Night Guard,

I do not find the recoil BAD. I have wood grips on mine.

I do find the recoil of the 329 with full power 44 Mag ammo, BAD...

And I used a Model 29 as a work gun for several years, with full power ammo with no problems...

 

[extremist]

325 Thunder Ranch for IDPA ESR?

NO problems at all. Compete often in IDPA with mine....
My brother has one too and no problems with his either.

-Robert

I have shot mine very little since I got it back repaired from S&W (see above). I first tried my standard IDPA CDP 230gr load in it to see if it made PF. Nope, not fast enough. So I shot some CCI Blazer Brass through it, yep it made PF. BUT MAN, is it hard on the hand. Not fun to shoot that much. Ceases to be fun after 15-20 rounds.

I'm going to have to re-think shooting ESR in IPDA with the 325 Thunder Ranch. I'm going to have to borrow my buddies 625 to see how the recoil compares.

I'm no wimp, but with full power 165 PF loads, the 325 is a handful.

Regards,
James