S&W 625-8 (Non JM) Still manufactured?

Looking for S&W 625-8 ACP (nonJM) 4"bbl. Is it still manufactured? Buds Guns still carries the model number 160935 in its data base, but it's out of stock. Comments.

I am just a bit curious. I have a couple of 625's and one is a 625-8 JM Special. It's my most shot revolver and I have NOTHING but respect for that model. I admit that the grips don't work for me (Pachmayrs for me by strong preference). Other than that, there is nothing negative about the gun as far as I am concerned.

Just askin'...

Dale53

Try 170161, mine was test fired 09May12. Grips look hideous but a set of Ahrends fixes that.
e.

170161 id the Performance Center version, about 100 dollars higher than the 625 JM and it's packaged with the ugliest grips to ever be mounted on a handgun.

IMO you should just get the 625 JM, it is actually a pretty well balanced package.

However, I found the JM grip to be too small for me and didn't provide the traction of rubber so mine is equipped with the 500 Magnum monogrip. Fact is that I like the 500 Magnum grip so well that one is mounted on every revolver I own with a round butt grip frame.

Pluses for the JM. A huge plus is the barrel features the quick change sight base, so if you want to swap in a fibre optic front sight it's a 30 second swap. Another big plus is that gold bead Patridge sight it's shipped with, it's a sight that IMO works well in a much wider range of lighting than any other type of sight. A minor plus if you are into it is that it features a Forged Trigger, something that I personally don't care a bit about.

Minuses. That Forged trigger is serrated and those serrations are sharp enough to draw blood from the most caloused finger. You will absolutely have to remove the trigger and stone those serrations down before shooting it or wear gloves. Since I find the MIM components to be just fine I installed a 0.400 wide smooth target MIM trigger in my 625 JM. The finish. That bead blasted finish has proven to be rather delicate and it will readily show rub marks. Once mine starts to look a bit like a beater I'll just wet sand the gun and then give it a full polish. I'll probably lose the laser etched JM on the sideplate but I just don't care, I bought it to be a shooter and it's a lot easier to touch up a full polish than a bead blasted finish. Final minus is the rear sight, for me it's totally invisible at the one local range that allows me to shoot rapid fire drills. It's made me a better point shooter but I wish someone would make a gold or chrome bead rear sight blade.

Cost. One tip is that if you are shopping locally to find a shop that will give you a discount for paying cash. Smaller retailiers end up paying big fees on every credit card transaction so many times paying cash can save you real money. Downside of this is that you'll probably have to order it in, so no looking in advance of the purchase. As a result if you get a canted barrel it's either a trip back to S&W or having a local gunsmith correct the cant on your dime. I ordered up my 625 JM through Sports South and it arrived in less than a week and by paying cash my cost before taxes was 800.00, with Michigan getting it's 6% it was 848.00 out the door.

BTW, mine had a rather badly canted barrel and I used that as an excuse to purchase a frame wrench. Then I took the 625 into the machine shop at word, removed the barrel to apply a precision crown and lap the forcing cone. After that was done I then re-installed the barrel on the frame while paying careful attention to getting the alignment dead perfect. Now I have to drift the rear sight about 0.025 right of center to zero it so it's apparent a slight bit of cant in the over tight direction is needed to perfectly center the rear sight. However I'm not going to bother doing that, when you start getting that barrel into perfect alignment it takes a LOT of effort to move it. Sometimes close just has to be good enough.

I don't believe the -8 that is not a JM is still being made. When I was looking for a 625 a couple of years ago I found a non-JM for sale here and bought it. They appear on Gunbroker from time to time but from what I have seen, the sellers often charge a premium for an "out of production" model.

Hey, thanks for that detailed reply, you are very familiar with the pluses and minues of the JM. I'm just looking for the standard 625-8, but I'm confused because Budsguns says they are expecting from whereI don't know.

Another member suggest that I get the JM.

Regards.

I think you're right regarding the "standard" being discontinued. The JM seems "gussied" up to me, but I may have to go that way to get what.

Thanks for taking time to read and reply.

The standard 625 would meet my needs, the JM (stocks, trigger and sight) are more that I want, but if the standard is no longer in production I guess I'll find a used one or go with a JM.

Thanks for the reply.

When I saw the 625JM on S&W's website in early Feb 2005, I went down to my local pusher and ordered it. I bought it the day it arrived - 2/11/05 - for $10 less than his 4" & 5" 625-8's 'in the case' - a bargain ($579). Toss the grips if you don't like them and grip it like you want. That easily replaced front sight is a great attribute; the grooved trigger, aka 'DNA sampler', not so much. You can ease it's sharp edges with some fine emery cloth.

Don't try the 625JM with those grips... you might like them in use, even if they aren't a visual delight. They grew on me - I had to get some for my 4" 627 Pro! Both my 4" 627 Pro and 625JM sport the .250" tall Classic/DX style orange HiViz sights.

Stainz

Stainz does have a point, the JM grip isn't very interesting visually but it is comfortable to shoot with, for a wood grip.

The problem for me is that it slides around in the hand. I believe that is an intended feature of this grip because somewhere on Youtube there is a video where Jerry Miculek explains that he likes a grip that he can "slide" in his hand.

Different strokes for different folks, I prefer a grip that glues the gun in my hand. That is why every single one of my revolvers wears either a Pachmayr Gripper Pro (sq. Butt frame) or the 500 Magnum monogrip (rd. Butt frames).

IMO the biggest problem with the 625 JM is that serrated trigger. I just don't understand how Jerry can shoot with that trigger. He either used a belt sander on his finger for many years to grow a calous thick enough or he's ground the serrations down on his shooting guns. Because as made by the factory those serrations are sharp enough to leave most fingers dripping blood in just 50 rounds of double action shooting. The good news is that if you know how to do it removeing the trigger and grinding those serrations down with a Dremel is dead simple. Bad news is that if you don't how to work on S&W revolver you'll either have to learn or pay a gunsmith to reshape the trigger for you. Because IMO the 625 JM is unuseable for more than 15 or 20 rounds of double action shooting with that trigger in factory condition. Yeah, it really is that bad.

Hey, just an update. My new S&W 625JM should be delivered within the next two days. I got for the same or less price of several standard model with the lock. I hope the quality is better than good; but I'll be dilligent and check it out closely. I'm not as familiar with revolvers as you but I'll check the following:
- lock-up
- sight aliment
- dings & scratches
- grip fit
- barrel cant
- forcing cone aliment & spacing

Thank you for sharing your experience with the JM. It sounds from you and the others on the thread that it will be a good decision.

Regards,

Mike