Please School Me On .45ACP Revolvers

[Vartarg]

I own 3 1911's, a Glock 30, a Sig P220 and a S&W 4586....so I'm obviously a .45 believer. Along with the autos I've got a 642, an M19 and an M66 for wheelguns.

I reload for rifles and my revolvers on a single stage press, but am using a Hornady LNL progressive for loading the .45.

I'm curious about the "why" of the interest in the .45ACP round in a revolver? I'd be very interested in hearing some of the pros and cons of the "auto" revolver loading. Many thanks. George

 

[Andy Taylor]

Well the cartridge just plain works, as you already know. In a DA revolver you open up a wider array of bullets and loadings to use wih this cartridge that just would not function in a semi-auto. With moonclips (it used to be the only cartridge to use them) it is faster to reload than using a speedloader in a revolver. If you reload you don't have to chase your .45 ACP brass. It is also the least expensive Big Bore revolver to feed. .44 Mag/Spl, .41 Mag, .45 Colt are all much more pricey ammo than .45ACP.
And on top of all of this, they are just cool.

 

[georgiajay]

I'll give you my three reasons for interest in a 45 ACP revolver.

1) I love revolvers. For some unexplainable reason I prefer revolvers over Autos and just enjoy firing them more. They may seem old school, but they are practical and lots of fun.

2) The .45 ACP is a great all around round at a reasonable cost. I think the 230 gr, jacketed loads are great bullets. A big chunk of metal with the power to do what is required with good accuracy and not too much kick (they are certainly not as punishing as .357 or .44 mags and a heck of a lot cheaper). I don't load ammo so cost is a big issue for me. I can find .45 Auto reloads for as low as .32 cents a round (including shipping). It's the cheapest ammo I can find next to .38+P's which I usually shoot and which run me about .24 to .26 cents a round delivered (I buy them by the 1,000).

3) Moon Clips! Reloading is lightening fast with moon clips and chamfered chambers. It's a blast to fling the clips from about 2 inches away and watch them fall into the cylinders and then slam it shut and start firing again.

I do IDPA in the SSR division with a Ruger GP100 using 38+P. But, I use my .45's for home safety with 230 gr jacketed hollow points. I love finishing up a day at the range by running a box of .45's through my Model 25-2 or my Model 22. Right now I'm looking for a Model 625 and thinking about moving to the ESR division for IDPA.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Just buy a 625 and you will know. I bought one just because I love the N frame. Oops. Now I love it.

625-3

Rimz Clips rule!!!!!!

 

[scooter123]

One warning, if you expect to be able to walk into your local gunshop and pick up a 625, think again. S&W runs models like the 625 in batches and this creates a "feast or famine" situation on the retail market. They'll be out of stock for months to a full year and then all of the sudden they'll show up in the shops and get snapped up in a couple of weeks. Quite simply, if you see a new 625 for sale, you don't think about it, or ask if you should buy it, you buy the gun on the spot. If you then find it's not your cup of tea, just wait a few weeks until the famine hits and offer it for sale, you'll get an immediate flood of responses if you asking price is anywhere close to what you paid.

BTW, I learned this lesson when I purchased my 610-3. In hindsight I should have purchase 4 610 revolvers, one in the 6 1/2 inch barrel that I now have and 3 in the 4 inch barrel. Had I done that I could have sold 2 of the 4 inch version and had a 4 inch 610 for myself at zero cost out of my pocket. In just one year I've seen the asking price for the 610 go from about 800 retail in a shop to over 1200 on Gunbroker.

As for why, MOON CLIPS. I currently have 70 moon clips for my 610, which means that should I wish to I can load up 420 rounds of ammo for the range. Then I could blast through 420 rounds in less time than any semi shooter I've ever met. Reloads happen as quickly as swapping a magazine but they are cheap enough that you can have a lot of ammo preloaded and never have to stop to reload a magazine. Finally, when you take all those shot up clips home with the casings still in them that means that you'll never lose a single casing.

 

[Nanook 450]

Had a 325 pd for quite awhile . . . traded for a Springfield EMP 9mm as I was concerned about the velocity of a 45 acp out of a 2-1/2 inch barrel. The ballistics for a 44 special are similar, and I'd rather be able to shoot a couple of rounds in the field, then top off my revolver, which you cannot do with moon clips. Plus, I carry hot specials or mild magnums in a 329pd and its all I need for protection. If you get a 325 or 625, I'd recommend the four inch barrel - if you are going to just target practice, then topping off the cylinder would be a non issue.

 

[cjwils]

There is also a historical interest regarding both the Colt and S&W model 1917. I won't go into the details, you can look that up online.

By the way, if you get a 45 ACP revolver with moon clips, be sure to also get a moon clip tool, which helps a get deal in getting empties out of the clip.

 

[M1Lover]

At handgun matches you can shoot revolver stage or stand around while everybody else has all the fun. Plus, as others have stated, no brutal report and recoil of the Magnums. Get a 625 and become a believer! H.

 

[xopher88x]

Here are my reasons which not far off from what's already been stated...

1. It makes a great big hole and doesn't want to rip my hand off at the wrist like some other revolver cartridges that start with 4.

2. Never a failure to feed, extract, eject, etc...

3. MOON CLIPS!!! Makes for quick reloads and extraordinarily reliable extraction.

4. Much, much less expensive to shoot than the other revolver cartridges that start with 4. (No, I don't reload yet so yes, money is an issue.)

And then there are several other reasons that just I cannot put into words, call them "intangibles" for lack of a better term. Just try it, you'll see.

 

[haggis]

The biggest advantage of moon clips is not reloading speed - with practice you can get just as fast with Safariland speedloaders. What it improves is reloading reliability. I have had several experiences in competition getting a .38 Special case caught under the extractor during a reload. That won't happen with a moon clip - everything comes out together and the cases can't get caught.

Buck

 

[Dennis The B]

I own three...

...S&W's in .45ACP - Model 25-2, a Model 21-4, Model 625JM, and Model 325NG.

These revolvers are accurate, and a ball to shoot. I can use standard factory .45ACP loads, and I also load 'em up myself. My 325NG is a daily carry gun, and it's stoked with a Colt .45 load (250gr SWC) in the .45ACP case (plenty of room for powder without compression).

The N frame is big enough to make the recoil very mild. The .45ACP load has 100 years of load development.

What more could a guy ask?

 

[cal50]

My 625 is my favorite S&W revolver. I still find its accuracy amazing with the long jump the bullet makes from cylinder to barrel.

Reasons to LOVE it:
Big bore .45
No loosing brass at the range or in the field.
Mild recoil and controllable.
Enjoyable to fire ALL day.
You can fire hot or PP loads or mix & match.
Fast loading / unload
Its a S&W

Magnums are great but having a non-magnum big bore pistol is a nice addition to your firearms collection. Excellent for a carry gun if called upon. I think of all my hand guns the 625 would be the last to leave.

 

[Mack]

School is in session, the S&W .45 ACP revolvers are near optimal fighting/combat revolvers. The mixture of large caliber, low pressure, clipped cartridges combine to produce the ultimate combat revolver IMO. Are there better fighting handguns? Maybe, a good auto loader has a lot of advantages. But if the time comes when you need to recover your brass for reloading a 1917/25/625 has a lot of advantages.

 

[m4bgringo]

I "stole" my 625, 5" barrel, with a price tag of $550 which included 50 moon clips and about 150 rounds of ammo.

He "got" me back by showing me the 610 he had for sale. I paid $900 for that one which included about 30 moon clips and only 100 rounds of ammo.

I do like the 625, but my favorite, as of now, is the 686 with a 6" barrel and .38 Special Wad Cutters. I can shoot those things all day long. My wife goes through 100 rounds at a time, she gets tired of the weight of the gun after an hour of shooting. I LOVE running .357 Magnums through that gun!

So, as said above, if you find a 625 for sale BUY IT! I bought mine simply because I have a 1911 and found someone selling 1300 rounds of .45 ACP for less than .30 a pop and wanted something else to use that round in.

Moonclips are the bomb!

 

[Vartarg]

Thanks for the feedback....more help needed!

OK, guys.....I bit the bullet and bought a Miculek 625!

Now, who makes the best moon clips? And where's the best place to buy them?

I've looked at Midway, and they have several major brands, but would appreciate more input.

Many thanks,

George

 

[flyfishdave]

Just got a 625 PC myself. For moon clips, try:

Ranch Products - picked up a 100 clips for something like $30-$35 shipped. They have them in carbon steel or stainless (costs more). Also have them available slotted.

Hearthco - costs a little more but if his clips and your brass fits well, loading the cylinder is scary fast. He may have them in different thicknesses to match your brass. I have his clips for a .38/.357 627 and they are amazing.

 

[5906fan]

+P ammo .45acp

all the above attributes plus - since the Colt pattern has the case unsupported partly at the head and 'hot' loads are not wise to use, in a revolver (my '88 625) hot loaded jhp 185 gr are handled with ease due to fully supported case head. there's some serious 'whack' there now - think combat.
and low pressure 'plinking' loads are handled with aplomb also.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Mine are fun with 250 grain cast swc in auto rim brass. For kicks and giggles add a 625-6 mtn gun or mdl 22 to the pile for addtional fun.

 

[Sc0]

Much easier to pick up the brass when all six shells are in a moonclip!

 

[mike365]

Maxbob54 stated the case for the N fram 25 or 625. They are a blast to handle and shoot I have several.
Nobody mentioned the 45RIM brass that you can buy and load as 45ACP however this cancels the need for moon clips. Easy to load, easy to reload etc etc. 45RIM brass such as that which is sold by Starline.
Thanks, Mike

 

[mkflyfisherman]

It's Simple........

........They're FUN

 

[mag318]

Since I bought my new Governor I find that I shoot more 45 acp in it than anything else. I like the option of shooting 45 Colt and 410 thru it, but with the magnitude of different 45 acp loads available it's a no brainer. I predict that this is going to be one of S&Ws best sellers.

 

[Mack]

Since I bought my new Governor I find that I shoot more 45 acp in it than anything else. I like the option of shooting 45 Colt and 410 thru it, but with the magnitude of different 45 acp loads available it's a no brainer. I predict that this is going to be one of S&Ws best sellers.

If I were a sporting man I might try and talk you into a small wager on that last comment. ;-).

 

[DCWilson]

Moon clip advice

Didn't see this mentioned, but I may have read the preceding posts too fast: for metal moonclips, you should get (or make, if you have some plumbing supplies around) a moonclip tool. But the nylon RIMZ clips are easy to load and unload with your fingers. Some people don't like them, but I do. The downside is that they are kind of expensive, so if you're the type of guy who wants 100 moonclips loaded to go at any moment, they may not be the best solution.

On .45 ACP in a revolver in general -- I love the concept. I have two S&W 1917s (one a postwar Brazilian) and two Colt 1917s that are some of my favorite revolvers for all the reasons stated above. No modern 25 or 625 models yet, but someday...

 

[BobR1]

What do I like about a 625? Whats not to love?

Big Bore
Plenty of Power that will not ring your ears when shot without ear plugs, in an emergency. (NOTE: I am not saying not to wear hearing protection when shooting one, just that it is not nearly as loud as a Magnum)
With Moon Clips you do not loose your brass. Us reloaders hate to lose brass.
Shooting matches where you cannot pick up your brass. You can when using moon clips. Just pick up your clips and empties at the same time.
Good selection of carry ammo for a 45 acp.
Want more power? You can shoot 45 Supers with no modifications to the gun. Cut the chambers a little deeper and it will shoot 460 Rollands. (Brass available from Starline, uses 45acp dies) This will bring the Horepower right on up.
Did I mention Speer Shot Shells for snakes?
It does a great job shooting Steel in our Club Matches.
Did I mention I just like revolvers, and 1911 Colts? Must be an Old Guy Thing.

Maximumbob54
You might want to check out Lobo Gun Leather. That 3" would carry really nicely in a Model 1 Pancake with an Optional Hammer Shield and Boning. A nice set of smooth wood combat grips that slide over your shirt would not hurt either. I CC mine quite a bit.
He will make one for a 4" also.

Moon Clips
I have Ranch Products, and a couple other brands of black steel ones. I also have some SS ones probably from Wilson Combat. All work fine.
I also have some Rimz moon clips. They work fine for the range. They reload easily by hand with no tools required.
I would never carry them for CC, as they do not hold the rounds securely enough to suit me for that application. By all means buy some Rimz clips you will love them for plinking, and range shooting. You will also want steel clips.

Bob

 

[LOBO]

The best thing about .45 acp revolvers.....



.....is .45 auto rim!

 

[Loco Weed]

I've got a model 22, a model 25, a 325NG (highly accurate), a 625 and a 625PC. Now looking for a nice M1917. I just love the .45acp in revolvers -- my favorites. Very versatile.

 

[Cheyenne WYO]

Had a 325 pd for quite awhile . . . traded for a Springfield EMP 9mm as I was concerned about the velocity of a 45 acp out of a 2-1/2 inch barrel. The ballistics for a 44 special are similar, and I'd rather be able to shoot a couple of rounds in the field, then top off my revolver, which you cannot do with moon clips. Plus, I carry hot specials or mild magnums in a 329pd and its all I need for protection. If you get a 325 or 625, I'd recommend the four inch barrel - if you are going to just target practice, then topping off the cylinder would be a non issue.

I recently chronographed two loads with my 325 Night Guard. With a 2.75 inch revolver barrel, I was expecting poorer results than with a standard semi-auto. I fired 6 rounds of .45 ACP Speer 230 grain Gold Dot hollow points and got an average of 836 fps approximately 15 feet from the muzzle, with an ES of 26 and an SD of 8. By comparison, my notes reflect that I got a 5 round average of 841 fps, an ES of 38 and SD of 16 when the same load was fired out of a 5" Para LDA. Needless to say, I was impressed with the results using the Night Guard.

I also shot some Buffalo Bore standard velocity .45 Auto Rim with the 255 hard cast bullet. This load is advertised by Buffalo Bore at 869 fps out of a 4" Mountain Gun and 795 fps out of a Smith 325. I got a 6 round average of 862 fps from my Night Guard, an ES of 16 and an SD of 5. Recoil was not as bad as I expected with the factory-style grip that I relieved slightly in some areas.

When I posted this information on another forum, I was advised by one poster that this is the result of the efficiency of the cartridge with fast burning powders.

I bought a bunch of 1/3 moon clips to deal with the top off problem. I also have Auto Rims in Quick Strips, which also works.