625JM - use without moonclips & vs 627

[Stainz]

No - no I say! .45 ACPs have been launched from S&W revolvers since 1917! It's natural... and Ranch Products, makers of the moonclips included with your 625, did sell them direct for $35/100 delivered. 105 'clips, separated by hardboard, loads in five layers of 21 in a metal 5.56mm ammo can - Zombie-ready!

I bought a 4" 625-8 9/02 - before I reloaded. It's ammo costs were always similar to .38 - .357M then. Today - a trip to WallyWorld can land you 250 packs of UMC 230gr ball ammo - in brass - for $86-$90. That's $18/50 at most - for a clean shooting 'big bore'. Get a Brownell's nutdriver style de-mooner - all you need - and will hold the six stripped empties while you find a ziploc bag for them (Save your brass!). Order a Classic-DX style spring held, ie, not pinned, front HiViz sight - .250" in height - you'll love it. If not, 30 seconds later - you are back to the gold beaded Patridge sight. Save the HiViz - it'll fit the 627 Pro, too!

I added the 627 Pro 5/08 - keeper! It got it's own HiViz - and some nice Ahrends Retro Targets:

Moonclips are great - if you reload, get Starline brass - it loads easily by hand in R.P. 'clips. Remingtons aren't too bad, either. You can get a x8 speedloader from 5 Star Firearms - great product - as are their loading plates - all machined Al - and they'll load any .38/.357M case, too. Here my 627 Pro is as it is equipped today:

Yeah, the 625JM was contageous... my 627 Pro got it's own HiViz and a JM grip, too - really a faster grab. It had a sibling it insisted on my giving a home to - evil - a 2 5/8" PC627 UDR. Be prepared. You really cannot go wrong on your first choice... just leave room in the safe... there will be more...

Stainz

PS I needed more room - I bought a 'Governor' last June - just to shoot up my 'clipped .45 ACPs!

 

[dentkimterry]

I just bought a non JM 625. It is a great weapon but after killing my fingers trying to load the moonclips I got the mooncliptool.com. What a great device. I now love moon clips! I got the necessary dies to reload and I'm ready to go. The first ammo I bought was Indepenence brand 45acp. The local MC Sports has it for $20 a box. I noticed it uses small primers. I found the this ammo isn't crimped very tight because after shooting three rounds the unfired bullets in the cylinder were coming out of the brass! I now run this ammo through the crimper before I shoot it. It did shoot well but doesn't have as much punch as the Remington I also shot. Can't wait to reload the brass.

 

[NE450No2]

I would say, if you do not want to use moon clips then buy a 44 Mag.

One of the advantages of moon clips is how fast they reload.

However, another advantage of the moon clips is HOW FAST AND EASY YOU CAN PICK UP YOUR FIRED BRASS.

I never see this mentioned.

It is fairly cheap, and easy to have @600 to 1200 rounds already loaded in full moon clips before you get to the range.

Do a bunch of shooting, your fired brass is very easy to pick up, and then you can de moon, reload the brass and re moon, before your next range session.

Even IF, the only shooting you do is at the range, a 45 ACP revolver with full moon clips, is if not the best choice, it is one of the best choices.

OK I know I have said this before, but IF you do not need the "thump" of FULL power 44 Mag loads, then a S&W in 45 ACP is the Best full sized revolver a person can have.... IMHO of course.

 

[Dogmann]

Is there any S&W revolver that shoots 45acp without moon clips?

 

[shell627]

I will give another vote for rimz clips.I have been using 45acp revolvers for 25 yrs.And the rimz clips have been the best thing since sliced bread for range work.But if you want A 45acp revolver you don't need moon clips for try a ruger new model vaquero.I have one with 3 3/4 in barrel with birdshead grip that is a lot of fun at the range.

 

[amazingflapjack]

I think some shooters don't care for moon clips because they haven't had the cylinder bores chamfered, or they haven't purchased a mooncliptool.

 

[brucev]

I've been looking at buying an N-frame...haven't owned one in nearly 30 years, since I sold a Model 28. Most of my shooting is done plinking in the desert, & I don't want to carry a bunch of moon clips.

How awkward is a 625 for use without moon clips? I know it CAN be done, but it it a pain in the rear?

Also - any thoughts on how it compares with the 627 Pro? I admit the use of 45 acp seems like a better round than the 357 for use against 2-legged types, but the 357 is no slouch (I've got a Model 60LS & 686+) and I could carry the same ammo while practicing that I use in them.

Any comments would be appreciated - I'll probably decide within the next couple of days...

I have a nice 625-2 that I have routinely used with common 230 gr. .45 ACP ammunition. I have been very pleased with how it has performed. Results in firing, etc. have been uniformly excellent, even when using the steel cased Tula ammunition. Many times the empties will fall out when the muzzle is elevated and the ejector rod is given a tap. The empty cases that do not fall out are easily removed with a flick of a fingernail.

Accuracy with this revolver has been excellent in every respect. Out of the box my 625 shot better than most any standard 1911 pistol I've handled. With appropriate loads it shoots equal to the few well prepared 1911's I have owned/used. The last time I took this revolver out I shot it at 40 yds. using a old steel plate off the top of a railroad tie. I hit the plate 48 out of 50 shots firing off-hand. This was firing SA which is what I prefer to do when shooting at extended ranges. Sincerely. brucev.

 

[Bearbait in NM]

Is there any S&W revolver that shoots 45acp without moon clips?

Dog, per all I have gathered and read, with any of the S&W 45 acp's, it's a **** shoot. I can with my newer 625 PC, but I can find you a metric ton of posts about folks who cannot. In my Aug. 2008 Handloader magazine on the 45AR, Brian Pearce, the author, noted conversations with S&W where the company made the decision to move away from this ability, by design.

If you can inspect a potential purchase, you could check the headspace between the back of a moon clipped reload and individual chambers with loose ammo/cases to perhaps make an educated guess. Then there is the issue of the oal of the brass. If it were me, I would bring a clip of sized cases, a handful of sized unclipped cases, a few auto rim cases and your feeler guages. I would think any LGS would allow this, as this would not be ammo.

Craig

 

[Dale53]

I have been running 5000-7500 rounds through my two 625's (a 5" 625-6 Model of 1989 and a 4" 625-8 JM Special) per year for the past several years. I cast my own bullets and reload. I mostly use Starline .45 Auto Rim but also shoot hundreds of .45 ACP with the new RIMZ clips (the Polymer/Carbon fiber type are much more secure that the original all Polymer type.

I suggest calling and have your model number on hand - different .45 ACP Smiths take different moonclips and it can get a bit confusing:

Ez Moon Clips

The Rimz (Ez Moonclips) require NO tools and work perfectly. I also have steel full moon clips and TOOLS but much prefer the Rimz clips.

The late model 25's and 625's are some of the finest Smith revolvers, EVER! My normal range load is the H&G#68 200 gr SWC (Mihec correct copy) ahead of 4.0 grs of Bullseye or equivalent and my heavy load for field use is a 250 gr Keith (NOE correct version of the Lyman 454424) ahead of 7.0 grs of Unique for a chronographed velocity of 900+ fps. That is a dandy field load (equals the original black powder .45 Colt with a MUCH better shaped bullet for considerably better terminal effect).

This is a very versatile combination (as I've stated on this forum MANY times).

FWIW
Dale53

 

[Coastie762]

Looking at the OPs requirements, I believe that if you want an N-Frame, you may be better suited with a Model 627. No moon clips are needed and you can shoot both .357s and .38 Specials as you prefer.

As noted above, current 625 cylinder charge holes are cut deeper than on the original Model 25s and their predecessors. Due to this fact a modern 625 may or may not reliably ignite .45 ACP rounds without the support of a moon clip.

If you did reload, then the .45 AR round as others have suggested would be a viable option. Otherwise, if you are set on the 625/.45 ACP your best option is to use the RIMZ moon clips. As it sounds like you are packing into the desert to shoot, the unloaded clips don't take up much room and can be easily loaded/unloaded without tools.

If you intend to carry the revolver, the steel clips take rough handling better. A couple of loaded steel clips in a pocket or belt pouch as reloads and you are good to go!

FYI, I have two 625-8s, a JM and a PC. I reload and as such shoot both .45 ACP and .45 ARs through them. I purchased a moon clip tool from mooncliptool.com that makes loading and unloading the steel clips a breeze. When shooting in the winter, having a box full of loaded clips makes my range visits that much more pleasant. Also as much as I love my 1911s, those moon clips mean I don't have to dig through the snow banks to find my spent brass...