625-8 JM range results

[butaking]

Shot out to all the 625 shooters out there. So I picked up my new S&W 625-8 JM
Day 1:
Inspected the gun for imperfections, rough machining and found none. Trigger puller was above a guesstimate 11 lbs. Forcing cone look good and B/C was within .003 with a feeler gauge.Took the wood grips off to check the internals. Retain screw was turn all the way in. removed the firing pin and measured it at .495. Replace the wood grips with hogues and a HiViz fiber optic front sight.
Day 2:
At the range I loaded 5 full moon clips with reloaded winchester primers and got three light primers strikes (LPS). Tried the same with federal primers, and all went bang. Trigger pull was manageable, but still heavy. Loading and unloading the clips was amazingly effortless. The sights did not need to be adjusted for now.
Day 3:
I turn out the retain screw about 2-1/2 turns to see how far I can relieve the mainspring to lessen the trigger pull without getting LPS on the federal primers.I took another guesstimate at around 7-1/2 to 8 lbs as a result and all went bang. Gave the winchesters another try and got LPS.
Preliminary Conclusion:
I will be loading just federal primers. Ensure that they are completely seated. Will be trying the pachmayr decelerator grips and throw more rounds down range before I decide to do a trigger and action job. This pistol is so much fun, the 1911 will be safed for a while.
Thanks for all the contributions of advice and info. It will get me on the right track!!
johnny

 

[scooter123]

I would suggest that you reconsider the Pachmayr Decelrators. I had them on my 610-3 and felt they were too soft and interfered with recoil management. When I picked up my 625 JM I ordered two of the 500 Magnum monogrips from the S&W web store and mounted the extra grip on the 610. Didn't improve my accuracy by a lot but it did tighen up my groups by about 25%. IMO for a round butt grip frame you won't find a better rubber grip than the 500 Monogrip, it has a Coke Bottle profile and the composition is noticeably firmer than the Decelerator.

 

[Macinaw]

Sounds like you had a great time at the range!

I used my 625 JM for Steel Challenge with my Wild Bunch reloads with Winchester primers and have not had any FTF problems.

I have not adjusted anything to the gun. It seems to work OK with the Winchester primers. I guess I just was lucky! Mac

 

[Dale53]

I would suggest that you reconsider the Pachmayr Decelrators. I had them on my 610-3 and felt they were too soft and interfered with recoil management. When I picked up my 625 JM I ordered two of the 500 Magnum monogrips from the S&W web store and mounted the extra grip on the 610. Didn't improve my accuracy by a lot but it did tighen up my groups by about 25%. IMO for a round butt grip frame you won't find a better rubber grip than the 500 Monogrip, it has a Coke Bottle profile and the composition is noticeably firmer than the Decelerator.

Different strokes for different folks.

I LOVE my Decelerators on both of my 625's.

FWIW
Dale53

 

[butaking]

thanks guys. I can't wait till Friday when I retest the grips and primers after adjustment on the retain screw. Actually, I only went a full turn and a quarter. What I did notice is that when I tried to laser sight the new front sight, I noticed that I had to crank the rear sight all the way to the left. I looks like the barrel was over rotated. I think that I read a post on that being an issue. Please chime in.
johnny

 

[scooter123]

Shoot it carefully from a bench rest before you make any conclusions about an over rotated barrel. Out of the box mine was over rotated by a full 3 degrees, which did require running the rear sight full left. After removing the barrel and crowning it I re-mounted it in perfect alignment with the frame. As a result I now have to run the rear sight nearly full right. Based on my 625 I've concluded that the barrels on the 625 need to be over rotated by 1.5 degrees in order to shoot true with the rear sight centered in it's range. BTW, ammo used for all sighting tests was American Eagle 230 gn. FMJ.