Question About PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 625

How is the Performance Center Model 625 about handling .45 ACP +P defense loads? Now, I know even the best firearm will be battered by a steady diet of such loads but does anyone have any first hand experience of using such loads in the firearm for occasional defensive carry and practice? Thanks.

The 625 is built on the N frame which is also chambered for the .44 magnum and the 10mm, which both average around 35,000 psi.

By comparison, the .45 ACP +p is around 23,000 psi.

The cylinder wall is a bit thinner on the 625 but I don't believe that would be much of an issue.

I'd imagine that a 625 would be able to handle plenty of .45 acp +p without any appreciable wear.

I have looked at owning a moon clip S&W for over 40 years and I am finally thinking of pulling the trigger so to speak after looking at a Performance Center. I have a .45 ACP auto so it would fit right in. I would make it my around the the house gun since I would not have to worry about rotating magazines and all the rest.

For defensive purposes, the standard pressure Federal 230gr HST and Winchester Ranger T-Series are both very good options.

If you plan on doing any hunting with it, Buffalo Bore makes a few excellent loads.

Although the 625 doesn’t share the same heat treatment the 629 does, it will surely hold up to a steady diet of 45acp+P, which is still relatively anemic.

YkcorCal said:

How is the Performance Center Model 625 about handling .45 ACP +P defense loads? Now, I know even the best firearm will be battered by a steady diet of such loads but does anyone have any first hand experience of using such loads in the firearm for occasional defensive carry and practice? Thanks.

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I think battering is a bad word, it pulls up images of things that shouldn't be done.

It makes no difference what the mechanical device is the harder you use it the faster parts wear.

A 44 Magnum that is only shot with 44 Specials will wear slower than if shot with 44 Magnum.

These firearms are tools, the 625s are very strong guns.

45ACP+P is no trouble whatsoever in any amount that you please.

My 625 V-comp went thru many thousands (perhaps 10s of thousands) of rounds of 45 SUPER back when I was shooting pins, I do not count rounds but it was lots of ammo over those years and it is still going strong

Other folks put the even higher pressure 460 Roland through their 625s

I agree, if you want one get it & shoot what you like in it.

I shoot only (+P) & 45 Super in mine (mostly in S-L 45AR brass) & I don't have any concerns with that or see any problems from it.

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Thanks everyone for all the great information!

CH4 said:

Although the 625 doesn’t share the same heat treatment the 629 does, it will surely hold up to a steady diet of 45acp+P, which is still relatively anemic.

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Really, I assumed that all frames went through the same heat treatment and they just pulled them to make the various models?

Any recommendations as to which are the best moon clips to use?

While I am talking to such experienced shooters here. I have been carrying and shooting semi-auto .45ACPs for most of my 70 years and am just starting to look to going back to a .45ACP revolver. While I have been shooting my S&W 617-4 .22LR revolver it is not like shooting a big bore revolver.

While I have been drooling over a Performance Center 625 I read about the S&W Performance Model 325 Thunder Ranch. Since I am not going to be shooting in any completions at my age and rather plan to use it as a house/carry gun if I ever am so lucky as to move out of California. Would the Performance Model 325 Thunder Ranch be a viable option for me?

Groo here
I have a 625 and a 325 TR......
If you will carry or use as home defence I would pick the 325 TR
as you have a rail and can put a light/ laser on and is lighter...
If you want to shoot a bunch , the 625 will be easer as it is 3/4 lb heaver.
Both can take up to 45 Super and 45AR.[;ook at AR hard!!!}

Groo01 said:

Groo here
I have a 625 and a 325 TR......
If you will carry or use as home defence I would pick the 325 TR
as you have a rail and can put a light/ laser on and is lighter...
If you want to shoot a bunch , the 625 will be easer as it is 3/4 lb heaver.
Both can take up to 45 Super and 45AR.[;ook at AR hard!!!}

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What moon clips do you find work best?

Have you stuck with the stock grips or use an after market grip? Your information will save me tons of time shopping around.

YkcorCal said:

Any recommendations as to which are the best moon clips to use?

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I like the Wilson combat moonclips for the 45's. I'm sure someone will mention those plastic clips! (Yuck! )
You will need a demooner too.

YkcorCal said:

What moon clips do you find work best?

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I have never used anything but the Ranch Products clips in the last 20+ years

That is for the 25/625s, 310/610s, 27/327/627s, and 940s

Moon clips for cartridges that were intended for auto loaders are far less critical than moon clips for cartridges that were meant for revolvers

With US manufactured ammunition SAAMI provides specifications for the extractor groove on auto loader brass. So the groove in all manufacturers brass is very similar to each other, not counting any difference between SAAMI and CIP. So if you shoot lots of cheap surplus or Foreign manufactured ammunition you never know

SAAMI does not have a specification for the groove on revolver cartridges.
So the groove in all manufacturers brass is whatever they feel like, even if they feel like no groove.

As to the plastic moon clips, they barely hold the ammunition in. When dropped the cartridges go everywhere. Terrible for pocket, purse or even range bags. Not to mention they are much more expensive

When I intend to shoot a moon clip enabled revolver, I will turn on the TV and load 20, 30 or more moon clips the night before shooting all while sitting in my comfy chair.

This is how my range bag pocket looks tonight. I just went into the other room to snap the picture. I am planning on shooting my 3" 625 on Thursday night

A day or so after shooting, I normally sit back down in the same chair and de- moon those clips while dropping the brass into the correct bucket for tumbling

All very easy

I use Revolver Supply brand moon clips in my 625 . Never had a problem.

YkcorCal said:

While I am talking to such experienced shooters here. I have been carrying and shooting semi-auto .45ACPs for most of my 70 years and am just starting to look to going back to a .45ACP revolver. While I have been shooting my S&W 617-4 .22LR revolver it is not like shooting a big bore revolver.

While I have been drooling over a Performance Center 625 I read about the S&W Performance Model 325 Thunder Ranch. Since I am not going to be shooting in any completions at my age and rather plan to use it as a house/carry gun if I ever am so lucky as to move out of California. Would the Performance Model 325 Thunder Ranch be a viable option for me?

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I had a 325 Night Guard, and I hated it. It was absolutely brutal to shoot. I handloaded my own anemic 45 ACP rounds and still hated it. I then got a 625 PC, which I never warmed up to. The trigger was great and it shot well, but the look just turned me off. I now have a 3" M1917, and it's a keeper. The thing to remember is standard pressure 45 ACP is still a powerful round. We forget that because a 1911's weight and design eats up much of the recoil. But shoot 45 ACP from a revolver and you realize it's a handful.

IMO, a 325 is unpleasant enough to shoot that follow-up shots may be a problem. And I regularly carry a Kimber K6S snubbie stoked with 125gr Rem UMC 357s. It's not fun to shoot, but I find it more controllable than the 325.

I know there are a lot of folks who disagree with me. People feel recoil differently. I shoot light 44 magnums all day long from my 3" and 4" guns, and I'll shoot a box of full power 240gr magnums from my 6" M629 without an issue, but 45 ACP from the 325 was not fun.

I have to find a place to shoot it when I get it I can afford now that I'm in northern LA county rather than where I was out by 29 Palms where there is such a great shooting range us poor people could afford.

dr. mordo said:

I had a 325 Night Guard, and I hated it. It was absolutely brutal to shoot. I handloaded my own anemic 45 ACP rounds and still hated it. I then got a 625 PC, which I never warmed up to. The trigger was great and it shot well, but the look just turned me off. I now have a 3" M1917, and it's a keeper. The thing to remember is standard pressure 45 ACP is still a powerful round. We forget that because a 1911's weight and design eats up much of the recoil. But shoot 45 ACP from a revolver and you realize it's a handful.

IMO, a 325 is unpleasant enough to shoot that follow-up shots may be a problem. And I regularly carry a Kimber K6S snubbie stoked with 125gr Rem UMC 357s. It's not fun to shoot, but I find it more controllable than the 325.

I know there are a lot of folks who disagree with me. People feel recoil differently. I shoot light 44 magnums all day long from my 3" and 4" guns, and I'll shoot a box of full power 240gr magnums from my 6" M629 without an issue, but 45 ACP from the 325 was not fun.

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Thanks for your input. Yes, we all shoot and feel recoil from different guns differently. I have shot .44 magnum loads from a Ruger Redhawk and a Ruger Super Redhawk. The first .240 gr. full house magnum loads I ever shot was from my Ruger Redhawk 5.5". I admit I was not sure what to expect having read all the hype about the .44 magnum. After the first shot I sort of stood there and thought what is all the big whoop as it did not recoil all that much to me at least. Now, I was only firing standard 240 grain HPs magnum loads and not some 330 to 340 gr hardcast solids at 1300 to 1400 fps loads but I found the standard .44 magnum loads not uncomfortable to shoot.

I have been thinking of carrying a "shorter" barreled .44 Mag or even a.454 Casull double action for "Social Work" and loading them with +P .44 Special and +P Colt ammo respectively. However it is really hard to find good +P Colt loads and while it is much easier to find good "social ammo" in .44 Special and several great carry size S&W Performance Center guns. None can match the fast reload-ability of the Performance Center 625 in .45 ACP with full moon clips and there is a much greater choice of "social occasion" ammo in .45 ACP since it is used by so many in Law Enforcement. As we know "wolves" travel in packs more so today than ever before. And while both my ex-wife and my present wife were both in law enforcement; age and illness has rendered my wife now incapable of being any assistance if the occasion arose outside calling 911.

So while I love shooting big boomers I realize my limitations and that I am not getting any younger. I know how to tailor my loads and my guns to my abilities and since I already have and shoot a .45ACP auto; a .45 ACP revolver would give me no need to buy any other caliber ammo now that my wife and I are down to living on Social Security. Getting old and going broke sucks but then it beats the alternative!