45ACP OAL.....Revolver vs. 1911

[Cobbler]

Hey Guys, I just picked up a new M625 PC and was wondering about the OAL for the revolver vs. 1911 OAL. I load for the 1911 already and some say just shoot your 1911 loads in the 625 and you'll be fine. I would like to know from you experienced re-loaders if the OAL make a difference in the revolver. Can a longer OAL relieve some pressure but still be accurate? Do the new 625's like being run fast? I'm not looking for load data, just OAL differences and jacketed,plated or lead. BTW- I'm shooting this revolver in steel challenge type plate competition, local level. Thanks

 

[growr]

use the same ammo in all of my 1911's and my 25-2...see no reason to have different for each...

Randy

 

[fredj338]

I don't load special ammo for my 625. I shoot Idpa, so use the same 45 major loads or 1911 or rev. You can load the 625 longer of course, no mag to deal with, but all you are doing us reducing pressures & vel. Accuracy will come with proper bullet fit, not oal.

 

[Cobbler]

You can load the 625 longer of course, no mag to deal with, but all you are doing us reducing pressures & vel. Accuracy will come with proper bullet fit, not oal.[/QUOTE]

When you say proper bullet fit, could elaborate on that please. Is that bullet fit to the case, the chamber or the barrel.....or all of the above? I'm fairly new to revolver reloading, on the competitive side. Thanks

 

[gm272gs]

It depends on what you want to use. Cast lead bullets are often slightly larger in diameter (.452") as opposed to FMJ bullets (.451"), so flaring the case mouth to accept the correct size and then taper-crimping to lock it all in there, is important.

Of course, you can find plated bullets in .452" diameter, as well.

 

[Cobbler]

It depends on what you want to use. Cast lead bullets are often slightly larger in diameter (.452") as opposed to FMJ bullets (.451"), so flaring the case mouth to accept the correct size and then taper-crimping to lock it all in there, is important.

Of course, you can find plated bullets in .452" diameter, as well.

At present I use plated @ .452" and use a Lyman M-Expander die. My 1911 rounds are tapered to .468". I slugged the bore and get .4535", which seems big to me but S&W Performance Center says the barrel is "Deep Cut Broached Rifling". Do you know if that means the rifling is taller to make up the large bore diameter?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

You are over thinking this... Have you shot your revolver yet? If not how do you know there is a problem to deal with? Your 1911 load may shoot very well in your revolver and you are worrying for nothing.

A good 45 Auto load is a good 45 Auto load and although we all know guns are different many times a good load will shoot well across more than one handgun. Shoot you gun and enjoy... If it doesn't shoot well then we can work on the load.

Ummmm, no pictures???

 

[racknrider]

I shoot the same load in my 625 as my 1911s. No sense in complicating things. You could be really sad one day if you show up to a match with ammo for your "other gun".

 

[Cobbler]

Yes I have shot the gun and it does shoot well with the 1911 loads but, I'm always looking to expand my knowledge in reloading and never satisfied, just like a re-loader I guess.....Lol!

 

[Cobbler]

I shoot the same load in my 625 as my 1911s. No sense in complicating things. You could be really sad one day if you show up to a match with ammo for your "other gun".

True but, thinking ahead I just bought Starline Nickel brass just for the 625 ONLY..... not like I or anyone could ever make that mistake you see......

 

[gm272gs]

At present I use plated @ .452" and use a Lyman M-Expander die. My 1911 rounds are tapered to .468". I slugged the bore and get .4535", which seems big to me but S&W Performance Center says the barrel is "Deep Cut Broached Rifling". Do you know if that means the rifling is taller to make up the large bore diameter?

.452" bullet in a .468" case? How do you taper crimp a cartridge case to a diameter larger than the bullet, and the bullet stays put?

As for the rifling, Jerry Miculek was partly responsible for that, because he likes 200gr. cast lead semi wadcutters. Most autos don't have very deep grooves, because they are designed primarily for round-nose full metal jacket "hardball". Since lead tends to "melt" a little more in the hot plasma of your average pistol shot, the grooves are deeper (and the bullet is slightly larger) to make shooting lead more accurate. That is not to say that your revolver won't be accurate with hardball, just that it is designed (which may be debatable in itself) for lead SWCs.

 

[Bearbait in NM]

I too recently purchased a 625pc, and have found mine to be stunningly accurate, especially with swc shape/designed bullets. I run my 1911 loads through mine, but have also 'discovered' an interesting thing. When running my heavy loads designed and crimped for my 1911 (5") gun, I lose about 75 fps in velocity when shooting in my 625 (4" barrel). I picked up a Redding PC crimp die which puts something like a combination roll and taper crimp, and when applied, I gain the full 75 fps back in the 4" revolver.

You are obviously not chasing velocity like I am, but gaining back my velocity certainly indicates that the bullet is indeed being held tighter, pressures are probably a little higher, and possibly my powder ignition may be a little more uniform. When testing a boatload of different bullets and pressure levels, my extreme spreads have all been in the low 20's or lower. I would go out on a limb and state that this crimping is more likely to lead to better accuracy.

These roll crimps rounds obviously cannot be fired correctly in a 1911 unless you have a situation where the extractor will hold them, but if you want to chase accuracy in your revolver, might be worth consideration. I have fired standard SWC design, rnfp, lbt design and Keith style, and the swc or Keith seem to always prevail for accuracy. And I have tested .451 and .452, and the shape of the bullet seems to matter more than the 0.001 in diameter.

Craig