Any favorite loads for 625?

[Rawhyde]

I got a new 625PC (625-8) in .45 ACP last week and I've shot about 60 rounds of factory ammo through it. About half of them were Remington 230g RN jacketed and about half were Winchester white box. The first cylinder full went into a group about like a business card with one flyer about 2" away. After that, the groups opened up to about 4" at 25 yards.

I took it home and gave it a good cleaning, and loaded up about a hundred Missouri Bullet Company 200g SWC bullets over 4.0 g Bullseye and CCI primers. Mostly, these would make a 4-6" group at 25 yards, but sometimes there'd be 4 holes grouped tight with two more about 3" away but close together. My buddy shot about the same as me with these loads. When we thought we were flinching or pulling the shots, we'd put down the 625 and grab a K-38 or Model 41 and blow the center out of the target.

I have the gun all cleaned up and ready for another session. This time, I'm trying the 200g LSWC from Mo Bullet Co over 5.0g HP-38. I might be able to get in some shooting before the weekend. I'm anxious to get this gun grouping well and sighted in.

I'm looking for a light target load for this gun, and hoping for it to group like a K-38. Do any of you have any load suggestions?

Rawhyde

 

[Paul5388]

I normally use 5.0 gr of Bullseye with a 200 gr LSWC. Sometimes light target loads don't obturate the bullet properly and thus don't shoot well.

 

[series guy]

loads for the 625

I have a 625 Model of 1988 that has won our club pin shoot for the last 2 years. If you measure the cylinder throats I would bet that they are oversize. I think mine are .453 or .454. Either way it won't shoot .451 lead worth a damn. Rainiers on the other hand shoot a one hole group at 30 yards. I was going to sell the gun but bit the bullet and bought 6k Rainiers on sale so I'm good for a few years. Bet you find the same holds true for your gun. BTW I'm loading 6.2 grains of Tightgroup with the 200gr. Rainiers.

 

[roundgunner]

I get good results with 230 CF Cast over 4.5 Titegroup.

The Titegroup haters will tell you that you will burn in you know where if you use it, but many of us use it and are still here. ;-)

If I want power I use 5.0 gr with the same bullet.

 

[Paul5388]

It seems like I remember both the early 625s and the M25s having the oversize throat problem. Cylindersmith.com Hand reamed cylinder throats can fix some of the throat problems, but I don't know about those that have larger throats than the bore.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

5.5gr W231 under any 230gr bullet. In a 1911 I shoot only 230gr bullets but in the M625 I do like a 200gr LSWC. With a 200gr SWC my charge of W231 is the same 5.5gr.

 

[Skip Sackett]

I am going to assume as the others have that this M625 is a 45ACP and not a 45 Colt, although, you don't tell us what it is.

So, for the 45ACP, my standard loads for plinking in my M625JM are these:
200gr LSWC H&G #68, 4.0gr to 5.0gr Bullseye
230gr LRN Saeco mould, 4.5gr to 5.0gr Bullseye
230gr Plated RN (Berry's or Ranier's) 4.7gr Bullseye

These will shoot into 1 1/2" @ 25 yards if I do my part from support.

I also have some 240gr LSWC loads that go about 1100fps from that 4" tube, and they are every bit as accurate, but that is another story altogether!

Again, it may be a good thing to clarify what caliber you are asking about.

 

[tbury]

My 625-8 5" does well with 5 gr of Titegroup behind 200gr LSWC. All my buddies that shoot this gun love the accuracy.

 

[Rawhyde]

Again, it may be a good thing to clarify what caliber you are asking about.

You're right...I must have had a senior moment.

The gun is a 625-8 in .45 ACP. I will edit the original post too.

Thanks for the help. It sounds like my loads were a little too light to get the results I'm looking for.

Rawhyde

 

[Paul5388]

My M625-6 has tight throats and I would expect yours to be the same way. An easy check is to drop a jacketed bullet of known size into the chambers and see if it will drop through on its own. A little bit of pressure from a pencil and etc. will indicate that is the proper size. Cast bullets can/should be .001"-.002" larger. If it doesn't shoot good with .002" oversize cast, the bore is probably oversize (hard to measure the bore with 5 grooves), you may need to have the chambers reamed.

 

[MrPhil]

Mine is a 625-3, Model of 1989, 5 inch. My load is is 3.5 grains of Clays pushing an Xtreme (old West Coast) 200 grain plated SWC. This has been a real winner for me. I've put 25,000 of these through my gun. Everything through one hole when I'm paying attention.

 

[fredj338]

Check your cyl throats. If you are getting flyers, a good chance one or more is smaller for the lead bullets you are shooting. Then ideally, slug the bbl, match the cyl throats to groove dia & then use a bullet size that matches that. I shoot the same loads in my M625 that I do in my 1911; 200grLTC o/ 4.9gr of WST. It makes about 850fps, meets IDPA 165PF & will easily do 2" @ 25yds. For a 230grRNL, drop to 4.3gr, runs just under 800fps. No SWC for me, they just don't load as quickly as LTC or LRN. I shoot mine mostly in IDPA though, reload time matters there.

 

[nutsforsmiths]

I have a 625-8PC in 45ACP and it does really well with 4.5gr of Titegroup with a 230 gr FMJ. I shoot mostly at indoor ranges, hence the FMJ. It is really accurate with this load. I reload for 45 Auto Rim.

Also, mine does not have oversized throats. I can shoot 45ACP without moonclips and it ejects them just fine.

 

[venax]

255gn Keith SWC w/ 6.0 to 6.5gn Unique.

The bullet has a crimp groove but I taper crimp only.

This would make it 625 only load since it wont feed into autos.

 

[ChuckS1]

I'm looking for a light target load for this gun, and hoping for it to group like a K-38. Do any of you have any load suggestions?

Rawhyde

Try 3.6-4.0 grains of Bullseye with that 200 grain SWC. This is what I use for bullseye competition in my M1911A1 wadguns. In my pre-25, the 3.6 grain Bullseye load will group into one inch at 25 yards off a rest.

 

[Rawhyde]

I just measured my chambers. All six of them measured .4525" Does this give anyone any insight or can anyone suggest a bullet size based on this measurement?

 

[Norsky]

I experienced similar using 4.0 gr. Bullseye in a 4 inch 625. Try using 4.2 and 4.4 gr. Bullseye.

 

[series guy]

A .453 lead bullet would work best. Try Bob at Penn Bullet. Not everybody cansize them to .453. I think Remington has a .454 cowboy bullet that may work well for you. Then there's always Rainiers.

 

[shil]

I think Mt.Baldy Bullets lists .453's.

 

[m657]

I like .452 cast RN 230s in my 626-8 acp over 5.2-5.3 g HP38/W231.

I also like the loads above with Titegroup and even Clays.

Strangely enough even using 230 FMJ RN the same loads give me "minute of close enough" to the lead that I don't change the recipe much.

Ran into a horrid leading problem a few yars back; seemed to be a box of cast RN than were too soft.

There is a wonder hex-nosed cast 200 gr round some fellow forum member shared a while back that does wonderfully accurate in the revolver....but it has some kind of alox coating that the bottom stuffers just don't like.

TC FMJ seems to work about as well as RN FMJ for similar loads, although I've stuck with just similar recipes and at bench rest & hand held to about 40 yards, mostly.

Seems like I get best accuracy results in the 850-1050fps range regardless of powder.