Need some advice on reloading for S&W 45 ACP Revolver.

I have shot and reloaded for 45 ACP semi-autos, but never shot nor reloaded for the 45 ACP revolver.

Are there anything special that needs to be done for the revolver as compared to the semi-auto? Meaning different type of crimp etc.

Also any suggestions on moon clips - meaning half moon compared to full moon, type of materials they are made of that are better than others, brands that are better etc?

Very newbie to 45 ACP revolver (I shoot other revolvers but not with clips)

Thank you
RG45

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Choose but choose wisely

I load exactly the same for my 625 as I do for my 1911. Well, almost (always that exception).

I've found that federal brass is too thick to drop freely into the cylinder when loaded in full moon clips. Winchester and RP work fine.

I've also found that RP brass is so thin that it has insufficient neck tension to prevent bullet setback when loaded in my 1911.

So I use Federal brass in my 1911, RP brass in my 625 (where there is no bullet setback issues), and winchester works in both.

I have one set of dies that I use for both, so I use the same bullets, powder, primers, seating depth, and crimp for both.

I've used S&W and Wilson moon clips, both work fine. You will need a remooner/demooner tool to load/unload them.

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Common sense isn't so common.

Try the TK Custom moon clips. Excellent quality. They also.mske a great little moon clips loader.

This thread is 13 years old.

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That's just somebody talkin.

It’s a Jurassic Zombie thread, but TK Custom does make nice moon clips.

For the S&W 625 I also like Speed Beez moon clips.

Either way, I’ve bent one and they are in the sweet spot for ease of loading and security.

You don’t need a loader or unloader with either of those brands, but they are nice to have.

I bought a TK Customs loader for my 9mm moon clips but turned a mandrel for .45 ACP on my lathe. Quicker and cheaper and the ability to whip up things like that are why I own a lathe.

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And in case the OP hasn’t figure it out yet - like maybe he has been in a coma for the last 9 years - I don’t do anything different with my .45 ACP revolver loads.

I do however prioritize differently when choosing what to shoot in a given situation. Semi wad cutters cut nice large, sharp, holes and provided they feed well in a 1911, there is no downside.

However, a moon clip full of nose bullets flies right into the cylinder, while a moon clip with semi wad cutters sometimes needs just a little jiggling (although the old school fairly long skinny semi wad cutters do pretty well).

Basically nothing different in terms of reloading if the revolver is in factory stock condition. If the DA trigger pull has been lightened appreciably you may need Federal primers to insure reliable ignition. I use the Ranch products steel moonclips and they work well with my mixed brass reloads. A round nose bullet will facilitate faster reloads in the revolver while SWC's might have a tendency to hang up on the chambers edge.

OK, I have a M625JM that I shoot all types of loads through it too!

This is one of the most fun firearms to shoot and handload for that I have ever shot. From "smokin' hot" to just making it out of the barrel. Versatile, very versitile!

Here are some pictures:


The one in the middle is my favorite load to shoot in this firearm. It is an H&G #502 SWC over a healthy dose of SR4756 for about 1100fps out of the 4" tube. The one on the right is a 270gr SWC that I got from a fellow forum member Paul5388. (Great guy by the way!)The ones on the right are loaded in 45AR cases so they won't get used in any of my automatics!
From 200gr LSWC to 270gr you can have a great time with this shooting platform.

Here are some other bullets that I have fooled around with in this firearm:
(click on video to watch)


These were taken out of some Thompson Center Sabots. They weighed right @ 250gr. They chambered easily and were exceptionally accurate. Mild recoil too.





I've loaded some 160gr LRNFP bullets with 3.5gr of Bullseye and they literally went "POP" instead of "BANG". Actually they went "POP" then "SMACK" at 20 yards!

I have only used steel full moon clips but have heard that the "Rimz" brand of plastic ones work well too. No experience there.

As for a tool. Get yourself a piece of 3/8" CPVC pipe and put a flat on one end. Look at the tool that Midway (Brownells?)sells and make your own. You will have about $0.10 in it.

Hope this helps!

I load the same way for the revolver as for the 1911, I want the ammo to run in any of my guns.
I use Federal brass most of the time and haven't had any problems except the occasional case that cracks from old age/over use.
I don't remember the brand of full moon clips I use, they're steel and came about a hundred to an order.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

I use any kind of 45ACP Brass and 45AutoRim in my cut for American ammo Webley-Green revolver. Good crimp with both varieties of brass, use lead 200 grain round-nose flat point lead bullets. The powder is Unique, six grains and the plates will drop. I prefer the older style half moon clips. Seems more appropriate for a revolver made in World War One.

Same here. Any bullet with a shoulder will hang up dangling from a moon clip if you are trying to reload in a hurry. Save SWC's for plinking.

I now use the 200 grain poly-coated RNFP's for all my .45 ACP loads. This allows me to use the same bullet in both my semi and revo loads, simplifying inventory.

If you're using cast bullets, try and match your bullet diameter to your revolver's cylinder throat diameters. Regardless of hardness, undersize bullets will produce leading.

I became tired of loading, unloading moon clips. I just drop the cartridges in the cylinder. Any problems encountered unloading are solved by poking with a pencil.

I do the same thing with my 25-2. I shoot for fun, not speed. If I wanted to have fast reloads available to me, I'd use my 1911. Or you can buy AR brass, which I will be doing shortly for use with loads that aren't appropriate for a 1911. I use a lot of +P loads in my 25-2, since it seems to shoot best with them, and I have never had any trouble removing empties from the chambers using only my fingertips.

BTW, 25-2's were made with proper chamber specs, and cases will reliably headspace on their mouth in the chamber, without any of the problems that some of the more recent Smith's have had with that issue since Smith decided against chambering them properly. I guess they figured everyone would want to use clips of some sort. This issue has been written about by JD Jones, and Brain Pearce of Handloader among others. Pearce even describes a bit of an argument he had with someone at Smith over the issue. Handloader #254 August-September issue in an article on loading for the .45AR, page 69, in sidebar article at top of page.

I like knowing that no matter what the reason, if you are ever caught without clips (again, I don't use them), your gun will reliably fire each and every round in the cylinder.

My old 1917 S&W is the only 45ACP revolver I own and it is amazingly accurate with Penn 200gr swc and 4.5 Gr of bullseye. These bullets measure about half a thou over 452 and they just slip thru the cylinder throats. Since Penn bullets is history the remainder of these bullets only go in this old gun.