As stated in other posts, I have been a 1911 kinda guy. I love the .45ACP round. I did some work for a like new 1981 model 36. I now regret trading a like NIB 586 6" barrel for a Firestar M45. I only had $200. in the Smith as the guy needed money for the tool man, but now the dealer won't let me have it back for less than $525. I am seriously considering switching to wheelguns, and wonder what would be a great competition gun for bowling pin shoots as well as IDPA ISPCA comps? Are the .45 ACP revolvers accurate, or am I better off with a .357? I love my new-to-me model 36 as it is accurate and so easily concealed, I cannot do that with any worth while caliber semi-auto, but anything over 10 yards or so is difficult to hit at point of aim. Don't take offense, but I would love a Colt Python, but it is about twice as much as I can spend.

As stated in other posts, I have been a 1911 kinda guy. I love the .45ACP round. I did some work for a like new 1981 model 36. I now regret trading a like NIB 586 6" barrel for a Firestar M45. I only had $200. in the Smith as the guy needed money for the tool man, but now the dealer won't let me have it back for less than $525. I am seriously considering switching to wheelguns, and wonder what would be a great competition gun for bowling pin shoots as well as IDPA ISPCA comps? Are the .45 ACP revolvers accurate, or am I better off with a .357? I love my new-to-me model 36 as it is accurate and so easily concealed, I cannot do that with any worth while caliber semi-auto, but anything over 10 yards or so is difficult to hit at point of aim. Don't take offense, but I would love a Colt Python, but it is about twice as much as I can spend.

The 625 and the 627 are both great competition guns. Both are very accurate. You won't go wrong with either one.

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May God Bless The USA

Nothing loads faster than 45acp in moon clips.

Accurate? You judge:



This is five shots standing at 25 yards with my 625-6 (5" barrel). My four inch 625-8 JM Special will do at least as well.

I have never owned a more accurate, more satisfying revolver than my two 625's. My Model 24 and 624's .44 Specials will do as well but NOT better. The .45 ACP is very easy to reload for and accurate loads are a dime a dozen. It is a perfect target load (whether loading for major caliber OR target loads - or as Taffin calls them, pleasure loads).

I have a passel of Smith's, like them all but the 625's are indeed SPECIAL.

Dale53

Dale, nice group but it looks like you have 1 flyer quite a bit off to the left of the main hole!! LOL

Bobthewelder, I'll second the 625. If I had to have only 1 gun it would be a 4" 625. It will work well for ALL shooting games. IDPA limits revo barrel length to 4" max.

festus1;
Yep, I am somewhat less than perfect (that's what all of my old girl friends said, anyway - both of them). AND they are not in the middle of the ten ring.

One day several of us at the range were discussing the ins and outs of shooting. I mentioned that some days my revolver was shooting just a bit right. Some days it was shooting just a bit left (or down or up). One of the other shooters looked at me dead pan, and said, "That's why the sights are adjustable". He was right, of course. It's just a fact that some days we see things a bit differently.

At any rate, my worst day with the 625's is only wonderful .

One other thing, I LOVE those big, nearly ½" holes in the paper. When a group is building, the large hole seems to just "suck" the following bullets into the hole (until I screw it up).

Dale53

This is true.

To expand on this a bit, USPSA (IPSC) is a run and gun game, so it is as much a reloading contest as a shooting contest. Plus, you really need to shoot major power. So the 5" 625 in .45 ACP dominates revoler in USPSA.

However, IDPA only allows 4" barrels in revolvers. There is another IDPA revolver division, SSR, that is minor power and uses speedloaders only; but you are dead meat in USPSA shooting a 686. IDPA only allows 6 shots, so the hi-cap pin revolvers are no help.

ICORE does not require major power, but if you reload, it is easy to make minor power .45.

So the 4" 625 is ideal for IDPA ESR, and plenty good for the others.

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