625 for sure, now what caliber?

[LostintheOzone]

I just sold my 45 ACP auto. I like the round but really didn't care for the pistol. I've decided to buy a 625 because I like to shoot revolvers a lot more than autos. I might add that I also reload and I might want to do some IPSC shooting down the road.

The decision now at hand is caliber. I'm totally unfamilar with the 45 Colt caliber and the cost of reloading it. It seems that all of the componets are more expensive. I see people selling 45 ACP fired brass for 5 cents everywhere. 45 Colt fired brass seems non-existant. Also there seems to be many used 45 ACP guns out there and very few 45 Colts.

Is there any advantage to reduced recoil from a 625 and 45 Colt?

Are there any advantages to the 45 Colt caliber? Seems to me it's a resurrected caliber for Cowboy shooters and not much else.

I'm leaning toward 45 ACP unless someone can change my mind. Moon clips and all.

Thanks

Jim

 

[ChattCat]

The long Colt is a fine cartridge and has proven itself over the years. In my youger years thats all I shot, but since you are set up for the ACP I would suggest staying with that fine cartridge which is also a proven round. It is more readily avaliable and alot less expensive. I currentlly own a 625-2,3inch and would not part with this one ever. I'd lean more to the ACP unless you want to experiance a part of history. Once had a Uberti Sheriffs model 3 inch barrel could hit a 8 inch dia. plate a 100 yards easily with it and that was a long colt. Could hear it wang the plate clearly every time. Hope this helps up to you both are good choices.

 

[ikor]

I was out this morning shooting both my M25-5 in .45 Colt and my 625-3 in .45acp. Both shoot very well, and lucky for me the 25-5 loves jacketed bullets even though it has oversized throats. Nostalgia-wise, I would keep the .45 Colt gun if I could have only one, but from a practical shooting standpoint the ACP rules the roost...luckily I don't have to choose.

 

[alde]

You could squeeze a bit more out of a 45 LC with heavier bullets if you wanted to use it for hunting but there is not much a 625 in 45 ACP won't take care of. If I could only keep one of my revolvers it would be my 45 ACP 625.

 

[Avery11]

I hate it when people give vague answers but for this one I am going to be a bit hazy in my reply.

I have 7 revolvers in 45 Colt but only one is a Smith and its a keeper - the 3" 625-7. There are only 149 others out there. They probably live at Allen Frame's house.

I have a 625-3 4" in ACP and just ran into another really cool 45 ACP revo that I will reveal here if I can work the deal.

For versatility, I like the Long Colt Ctg. For UNIversatility, I favor the ACP.

It seems to me that the Smiths in 45 Colt are more collectable because there are fewer and the guys who like them will happily open their wallet.

If I were you, I would look for an ACP but if the Colt came around first, I would buy it and keep looking.

You will enjoy them both and kick yourself for letting either pass you bye. Get pre locks and you will open yourself to a broader market should you choose to sell them but I'm sure you know that.

After owning a couple, any decent Smith in either chambering for $700 or less has no chance of escape if I come across it. Those priced higher but still within the realm of sanity better hide too if I'm in that "Who gives a spit?" mood.

They are THAT great. You're about to make yourself very happy.

 

[MikeChandler]

I see people selling 45 ACP fired brass for 5 cents everywhere. 45 Colt fired brass seems non-existant.

Just a side note - you mention people selling 45 acp brass on the cheap. Don't do it. If you don't know the full history on the brass, don't load it. Buy new brass, or use brass from newly manufactured factory ammo.

 

[Smee78]

I created the best of both worlds, I picked up a 625 45LC and had the cylinder mach for moon clips. Now I can shoot both and love it, Its is my never sell gun.

 

[JCS&W]

I will not try and talk you into the .45LC. Go with the .45acp.

 

[Shooter6br]

45 ACP for me."Best revolver cartridge "

 

[scooter123]

Another vote for the 625 in 45 ACP. With moon clips being relatively cheap to purchase in bulk I consider that feature a huge PLUS. Hitting the range with 2 or 3 boxes of ammo clipped up means that you can spend most of your time working on your shooting skills instead of reloading. Another plus is that you can take the empty hulls home still in the clips which means lost casings won't happen unless you forget them. Final plus is that 45 ACP ammunition is easy to find almost anywhere.

Can't say that about the 45LC, in my area there is only one range I know of that carries this ammunition in stock and it's not cheap. Another concern with the 45LC is that some makers, such as Buffalo Bore, are hot rodding the 45LC to Magnum pressure levels. I am not at all confidant that the cylinder on the 625 can withstand Magnum pressures in a casing the diameter of the 45LC. IMO if you want to play with the 45LC it makes more sense to go with the 460 Magnum so you can shoot all "flavors" of this particular cartridge.

 

[OK Hog Shooter]

I hate it when people give vague answers but for this one I am going to be a bit hazy in my reply.

I have 7 revolvers in 45 Colt but only one is a Smith and its a keeper - the 3" 625-7. There are only 149 others out there. They probably live at Allen Frame's house.

I have a 625-3 4" in ACP and just ran into another really cool 45 ACP revo that I will reveal here if I can work the deal.

For versatility, I like the Long Colt Ctg. For UNIversatility, I favor the ACP.

It seems to me that the Smiths in 45 Colt are more collectable because there are fewer and the guys who like them will happily open their wallet.

If I were you, I would look for an ACP but if the Colt came around first, I would buy it and keep looking.

You will enjoy them both and kick yourself for letting either pass you bye. Get pre locks and you will open yourself to a broader market should you choose to sell them but I'm sure you know that.

After owning a couple, any decent Smith in either chambering for $700 or less has no chance of escape if I come across it. Those priced higher but still within the realm of sanity better hide too if I'm in that "Who gives a spit?" mood.

They are THAT great. You're about to make yourself very happy.

Avery11 pretty much hit the nail on the head. I've got 625s in both .45 ACP AND .45 Colt ctg... waiting to pick up a Model of 1917 from my FFL and and have a Uberti Remington reproduction in Long Colt... you really need a revolver in both cartridges... you know... just in case!

Blessings in your decision making process... IMHO you can't make a bad decision other than NOT getting one or the other.

Hog

 

[TANKER]

I second the 45 Colt machined for full moon clips. The best of both worlds.

 

[BoDog]

You sure know how to open a can of worms,ACP brass is more common and cheaper, but the LC can be loaded hotter in modern guns (I color code my hot loads to keep them out of older guns). I would tend to go with ACP and full moon clips.
That said if I already had an ACP revolver and someone offered me a LC
, do you want to see the fastest wallet in the west?
I understand your frustration with the 1911, If it weren't for an old range master who told me he had to teach me how to shoot that thing or he would spend the rest of his life building target frames. He and Clint Smith(Thunder Ranch) convinced me the 1911s are superb SD weapons.You might reconsider them at a later date.

 

[LostintheOzone]

You sure know how to open a can of worms,ACP brass is more common and cheaper, but the LC can be loaded hotter in modern guns (I color code my hot loads to keep them out of older guns). I would tend to go with ACP and full moon clips.
That said if I already had an ACP revolver and someone offered me a LC
, do you want to see the fastest wallet in the west?
I understand your frustration with the 1911, If it weren't for an old range master who told me he had to teach me how to shoot that thing or he would spend the rest of his life building target frames. He and Clint Smith(Thunder Ranch) convinced me the 1911s are superb SD weapons.You might reconsider them at a later date.

I have a Colt S80 Gov't. Purchased for the nostalga factor. Nice to look at but never really warmed up to it. I seriously doubt that I will ever be able to shoot it. The gun I sold was Sig and I couldn't shoot it either. Just call me auto challenged.

After reading the replys I'm going with the ACP.

Thanks.

 

[one eye joe]

Avery11 pretty much hit the nail on the head. I've got 625s in both .45 ACP AND .45 Colt ctg... waiting to pick up a Model of 1917 from my FFL and and have a Uberti Remington reproduction in Long Colt... you really need a revolver in both cartridges... you know... just in case!

Blessings in your decision making process... IMHO you can't make a bad decision other than NOT getting one or the other.
Hog

I gotta roll with the Hog Shooter on this. The ONLY mistake you can make is to buy NEITHER. You really should own BOTH , as the Hog Shooter and I do. IMHO, .45ACP ammo is cheaper to shoot and more easily found on store shelves than .45 Colt. The .45 Colt is more versatile, with range of factory ammo available from heavy hunting loads to mild cowboy loads......

 

[NE450No2]

I have been using the S&W Mod 25-2 in 45 ACP since the early 1970's.

I carried one for a Duty gun for several years.

I would much prefer it to a S&W in 45 Colt.
Besides the ease of using moon clips, there are many more different kinds of loads for the 45 ACP and you can find ammo for it most anywhere.

If you need more powerful loads for the field you can eother buy some of the Buffalo Bore rounds or load them yourself.

Since I still have 1911's I always loaded the mower field loads in Auto Rim cases, or used a bullet that would make sure I did not soot them in a 1911, like a SWC.

 

[BoDog]

I have a Colt S80 Gov't. Purchased for the nostalga factor. Nice to look at but never really warmed up to it. I seriously doubt that I will ever be able to shoot it. The gun I sold was Sig and I couldn't shoot it either. Just call me auto challenged.

After reading the replys I'm going with the ACP.

Thanks.

All is forgiven someday the 1911 will be a good friend to have around. In the meantime you can get your thrills from some fine revolvers.

 

[MTKTM]

The 45 Colt is a fine cartridge, easy to handload and, as others have pointed out, capable of a little more oomph out of a S&W 25/625 type of revolver. Handloading it is not any more expensive generally speaking than the ACP round, once brass is acquired. The brass is more expensive, but a couple hundred rounds of Starline or some other good new brass ought to last you a good long time.

All of that said, I prefer the ACP revolver. Moon clips.....I imagine speed loaders can be had for the 45 Colt, but I'm not sure I've ever seen them. Loaded ammo is quite a bit cheaper, as is brass, and the power level is not too much less. As someone else said, unless you plan to hunt larger critters with it, I'd tilt in favor of the auto round.

 

[Nanook 450]

I'd forget them both and go with a 44mag/44 special, preferably a 4 inch Model 29-2 or 29-3.

 

[TexasArmed]

I just sold my 45 ACP auto. I like the round but really didn't care for the pistol. I've decided to buy a 625 because I like to shoot revolvers a lot more than autos. I might add that I also reload and I might want to do some IPSC shooting down the road.

The decision now at hand is caliber. I'm totally unfamilar with the 45 Colt caliber and the cost of reloading it. It seems that all of the componets are more expensive. I see people selling 45 ACP fired brass for 5 cents everywhere. 45 Colt fired brass seems non-existant. Also there seems to be many used 45 ACP guns out there and very few 45 Colts.

Is there any advantage to reduced recoil from a 625 and 45 Colt?
Jim

I am wondering about this too. Awhile back I bought a S&W 625-5 Long Colt 45 made in the early 80's I think. It is in great condition and I am going to shoot it this month at a range.
Since I shoot one handed with my revolvers, I am wondering if I better start off two handed and wondering about the recoil. I won't be shooting it much and I only shoot factory rounds. Mine is 4" barrel. I consider it too big for my concealed carry
but it is great for home defense, or even vehicle defense, but so big I would have to carry in a fanny pack the way I dress.