625 and a 45 Auto Rim Question

[Milton]

I have seen many posts concerning troubles with 625's while shooting 45 acp with moon clips.You that have experience in this area ,is the 45 AR less prone to these troubles?I am aware of the use of Federal primers for decreasing ignition problems with the 45 ACP but I would like to know the answer to the above question assuming all you had was primers that were known to give ignition problems with moon clips and 45 acp.

 

[growr]

I shoot my 625 in USPSA/IDPA matches a lot and have NO PROBLEMS with ignition with ANY manufacturers primers and I use moon clips exclusively. I have over 100 moon clips and they are all still running just fine. The only bent ones were from fellow competitors stepping on them....
How is this happening? I left it STOCK....no action work, no changing of springs, etc. I refuse to have any of my firearms be primer specific!

As to the use of Auto Rim brass....I have some and it just sits and collects dust. There is NO advantage to me for what "I" do with MY 625...others may have a different view. 6 in and 6 out with moon clips is the very fastest way for ME...

Randy

 

[Redford]

I've never had any problems with mine ether and I use cci primers

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[Wee Hooker]

I have had three 625's of various vintages and still keep a 625pc. All of them ran 100% with any ( wolf, cci, win, fed...) primer in either 45acp in clips or with 45AR. I think growr hit the nail on the head. If you keep the action stock (OK, at least the main spring) I'd be very surprised if you have issues with a stock gun. If for some reason you did, S&W will take care of it for you.

 

[Pizza Bob]

The primer specificity is generally due to someone lightening the trigger pull and has nothing to do with the use of moon clips. I too use my 625-8PC for IDPA and have thousands of trouble free rounds down range using Ranch Products moon clips. My gun has been "worked" so I do use Federal primers exclusively. Moon clips are the greatest thing since sliced bread and that is doubly so with the .45 ACP round.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[colt_saa]

I also have multiple 25/625 revolvers that have been used with moon clips exclusively for almost 4 decades now.

I used to hand load with CCI primers, these days I am using the Winchesters. I never have ignition problems.

While I do own 500 or 1000 pieces of 45AR brass, only a few have ever been loaded as I saw no advantage to using 45AR over 45ACP. In fact I felt that losing the moon clips was a disadvantage to loading in 45AR cases and that is why they sit on my shelf.

I agree with the others that looking at the action is the place to start if you are having problems.

Was your 625 purchased NEW or Used?

Has someone altered the trigger pull on your 625?

Is the strain screw tight?

Has the strain screw been shortened?

 

[S&W Fan]

I have a -3, no issues with either ACP and moon clips or Auto Rim ammo. This is with factory ammo from various companies.

 

[Milton]

My revolver was bought used some 12 years ago and it does fine with Federal primers but stumbles with others.I do not know if the mainspring has been changed but the strain screw is stock and I keep it tight.
I do like the full moon clips but I think I will give the 45 AR a try.I am well past competition age and just enjoy getting the revolver out occasionally.I do have a lot of 45 AR brass from some 30 years ago and may just give it a try and see if I see a difference at all.
Thanks for all the help and information!!

 

[H Richard]

I have a Mod 25-2 and a Brazilian, and use both with moon clips, and the only trouble I ever had was trying to use a SWC bullet, it just doesn't slip in as well as a RN or a TC which cause no problems.

 

[kaaskop49]

I find it helps to have a specific loading tool for moon clips. The original half-moon clips which design originally dates to WW I could, and often did bend under repeated usage. This caused some shooters to look upon ACP revolvers skeptically. The moon clips will not bend under normal use and a loading tool is welcome.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[daddio202]

I have the exact reverse problem with my 325pd. All auto cartridges in moon clips fire fine. Not a single ignition problem with any brand or any brand priners. Puechased some starline 45 autorimmed brass and must use federal primers otherwise face a 50% ignition rate. Very strange indeed but if I want to shoot without interruption I use moon clips. If I am fooling around and have plenty of time I will shoot with the autorimmed and sometimes will even get light primer strikes on the federal primers too.

 

[growr]

I like to use what I already have for most everything in life...same for loading my moonclips...I went very hi tech and used a pair of pliers to snap the rounds into the moonclips.

To unload them I use the California Competition Works Demooner tool because it came with the gun when I bought it. Works extremely well and is very fast. Dillon Precision sells them in their Blue Press catalog for $16.95 I bought an extra one for those "just in case" moments.

Randy

 

[deanodog]

I have used two 625-8 PCs and both of them had the strain screw out back enough to cause light strikes. I tightened the strain screws and never had another failure to fire with moon clips or auto rim. I prefer the auto rim brass myself and reload both types.

 

[bigggbbruce]

As others are saying..

In my 625 I only use moon clips and don't use a specific primer.

Never a problem.

The problem with 45 AR is I'd then have to keep separate from my 45 ACP brass. I like to shoot my 45 autos a bunch as well.

 

[Redford]

I have the exact reverse problem with my 325pd. All auto cartridges in moon clips fire fine. Not a single ignition problem with any brand or any brand priners. Puechased some starline 45 autorimmed brass and must use federal primers otherwise face a 50% ignition rate. Very strange indeed but if I want to shoot without interruption I use moon clips. If I am fooling around and have plenty of time I will shoot with the autorimmed and sometimes will even get light primer strikes on the federal primers too.

I had the same problem with starline brass on my 357 and 44 till I realized it tacks a little more to seat the primers all the way in starline brass, don't know why.

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[df06]

I use 45 auto rim exclusively in my 625. Never have tried moon clips. I am doing informal target shooting and plinking. I have used only Fed primers cause I have a large stock of them. Have had zero problems with the gun or primers.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

2 25-2 revolvers, a 22-4 and a 325PD. Ranch Products. Long experience. Mostly factory. Haven't had my first FTF yet. Also shot some Auto-Rim, and a lot of .45ACP cartridges with no moon clips. Also a few half-moon clips, and some 1/3-moon clips. NO FTF.

I guess I haven't been reading enough. Didn't know there was supposed to be a problem.

 

[kaaskop49]

2 25-2 revolvers, a 22-4 and a 325PD. Ranch Products. Long experience. Mostly factory. Haven't had my first FTF yet. Also shot some Auto-Rim, and a lot of .45ACP cartridges with no moon clips. Also a few half-moon clips, and some 1/3-moon clips. NO FTF.

I guess I haven't been reading enough. Didn't know there was supposed to be a problem.

Great post! Someone really knows ACP revolvers! My Model 22 of 1917 has one chamber bored a smidge more deeply than the others. An ACP round without a clip will not fire in this chamber. Not a biggie to me, as I always use clips with ACP ammo for headspacing and extraction. This would NEVER happen on the earlier 25-2 revolvers that you have, and that I remember.

Gotta love these guns: they shoot the least expensive factory big bore ammo and it's readily available.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[BLUEDOT37]

...troubles with 625's while shooting 45 acp with moon clips
...is the 45 AR less prone to these troubles?
...assuming all you had was primers that were known to give ignition problems with moon clips and 45 acp.
...it does fine with Federal primers but stumbles with others.

You didn't say what (dash) model you have but, assuming you have one with a frame mounted firing pin, I'd suggest that firing pin length may be marginal.

It shouldn't matter whether you're using 45ACP w/moonclips or 45ARs, or any reputable primer.

Factory firing pins .485' -.487" long have been problematic. Might be worth checking the length of yours.

Try one of the longer aftermarket firing pins, .500" or greater. C&S's is .510" long & resolved light strikes & intermittent failure to fires in my 625PC, as well as in other revolvers.

.

 

[runehans]

So, it's just not me... Just bought a second hand 625 JM. Clips or no clips doesn't matter.