S&W Model 625

[deepocean]

I would like to learn more about the different models of 625 pistols. At what point in the model progression did the internal lock and MIM parts occur? What is your favorite model and barrel length? Do you recommend the round or square butt?

What is the very latest model designation for the 625 (ie: 625-X)?

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[bamabiker]

Maybe a few answers, the SCSW says the MIM parts started in the M625-6 in 1997 along with the frame mounted firing pin. The last one listed in the SCSW is the M625-11 which is a 45 Colt Scandium gun from the Performance Center but the catalog is a few years old so I don't know if there is a newer version. A look at S&Ws website might tell you.
I have a 3" and a 5" M625 and really like them both. Both of them are round butt.
Do you have one or are you looking to get one?

 

[deepocean]

Do you have one or are you looking to get one?

Looking for one, and trying to learn a bit about the differences to find the right one. Some people seem to like the 625-2. How is the 625-6 different from the other models?

 

[Mack]

I am begining to believe we need a sub forum for 625's. Just learned thet the 625-6 Mountain Gun in .45 ACP has the MIM internals, this same model in .45 Colt has no MIM except maybe the cylinder thumb piece, no lock and a hammer mounted firing pin. The whole ACP/Colt thing really confuses the issue, kinda wish they had gone with a different model number for the Long Colt. I also though all the 625's were round butt but I may be wrong on that. IMO in ACP the -3 and -4 are the most desirable but later models are still good guns, I just hate the lawyer hole.

 

[deepocean]

How does the 625-6 compare with the current 625-JM? There doesn't seem to be a lot of information on the JM model other than JM had input on it.

 

[pinkymingeo]

The primary difference is that the -6 is prelock. The JM has the IL, and some signature grips.

 

[k22fan]

The primary difference is that the -6 is prelock. The JM has the IL, and some signature grips.

The JM usually also had a brass disc on a patridge front sight, the old 0.265" wide seratted trigger, a crome plated hammer & trigger and if I recall correctly interchangeable "Classic" style front sight attachament.

In my experience, all variations of 625s group very well. I've never seen one with a square butt.

I agree that it is time for a 625 sub-forum.

Best Regards,
Gil

 

[stevieboy]

The 625JM has a flash chromed trigger and hammer, "JM" wooden grips (actually, by Hogue), and an interchangeable spring loaded front sight. I have one and it's a fine shooter. For me, the nicest feature is the interchangeable sight. I swapped the brass bead Patridge front sight for a fiber optic sight. Changing sights was very easy, takes about one minute to do.

I'm not a fan of the JM grips. I replaced mine with a standard set of Hogue N-frame round butt rubber combat grips, which is exactly what the "regular" 625 comes equipped with.

 

[deepocean]

625 Interchangeable front sights

Other than the current JM, do any previous models of the 625 come with an interchangeable front sight? More to the point, did any pre-lock model with a 5" barrel come with an interchangeable front sight?

 

[gunztraydeer]

625s

I once bought a 625 JM in .45 ACP. I kept it all week. I thought I would really like the grips, I hated them. After messing around with the full moon clips, loading and unloading them, I came up with a brilliant idea. Get rid of this gun before I fire it and I can sell it as unfired !!

That was a couple of years ago. I now own a 625-9 "Mountain Gun" in 45 Colt and I'm as pleased as I can get. I stumbled onto the "Mountain Gun" new in box at a gun shop with a price less than $600. I think it may have been sitting in a distributors warehouse forgotten for a while and when it was found, was sold to the dealer. Bought it in '09 and haven't seen one before or since. Jeff Quinn of Gunblast did an article in '08 saying that they were scarce. Anyone know any more about where it might have come from?

 

[scott625b]

Are you looking for the "Quick-Change" front sight such as those made by SDM, or an "interchangeable" front sight that is typically on the stainless models of the 625.

 

[Dale53]

I have a 625-6 Model of 1989 with 5" barrel. It has no lock but has MIM hammer and trigger, shoots EXTREMELY well and is a FINE revolver in every way. I mostly shoot target loads with #68 200 gr SWC from a MiHec mould ahead of 4.0 grs of Bullseye or equivalent. However, I also have loaded the Lyman 454424 clone from an NOE mould (250 gr Keith) ahead of enough Unique to give me 900+fps.

My 625-8 is a Jerry Miculek Special (it has a flash chromed hammer and trigger, a lock, and an interchangeable front sight (comes with a flat gold bead on the face of a Patridge sight). It also is a FINE revolver and is EXTREMELY accurate.

I shoot my two 625's about 5000 rounds per year. I have a safe full of handguns and these are among a small number that ranks on TOP!

Dale53

 

[deepocean]

Are you looking for the "Quick-Change" front sight such as those made by SDM, or an "interchangeable" front sight that is typically on the stainless models of the 625.

I would like the ability to put a fiber optic sight on the front, if I chose to in the future, without any gunsmithing. Something that screws on and off. I'm new to this, but I understand the 625 comes in a lot of varieties, so I'm trying to get one that will work well for me.

I want a good shooter that will be one of my favorite pistols to take to the range. If I enjoy it like that, it will more naturally lend itself to being a good home defense gun.

 

[k22fan]

... What is your favorite model and barrel length?

My favorite model for a belt gun is the 625-4 .45acp with its tapered 4" barrel, forged hammer & trigger and although I''ll probably never mount optics on mine it has the newer rear sight that is drilled & tapped underneath. My favorite range 625 is a 5" full lug. I like dash 4's best but compared to eariler dashes, the only difference dash 4's have that matters is the newer rear sight & tapped holes under it. The only way you can go wrong with any 625 is picking a barrel that is the wrong weight for your use or too long to be allowed in to a match you want to attend. IDPA has a 4" barrel limit. Actually I think most peoples' favorite 625s are the ones they already own.

I'm not a fan of the JM grips. I replaced mine with a standard set of Hogue N-frame round butt rubber combat grips, which is exactly what the "regular" 625 comes equipped with.

That's the best thing to do with a pair of JM grips, unless it's camera time. Since the JM grips are a big part of the price increase for JM 625's this does bring the wisdom of buying a JM into question.

Other than the current JM, do any previous models of the 625 come with an interchangeable front sight? More to the point, did any pre-lock model with a 5" barrel come with an interchangeable front sight?

The JM is the only 625 variation that has been sold with the easy to change front sight except possibably Peformance Center JMs, and excepting PC JMs, all JMs have 4" barrels. Fiber Optic front sights are readily available in both pinned and the easy change "Classic" type used on common JMs. Performance Center 625 .45 Colt Light and Heavy Hunters and possibably PC JMs have dovetail mounted sights that may be hard to find fiber optic blades for. Now I supose that since I typed this as fact someone is going to post about one that I've never heard of. That's good and I'd enjoy seeing a picture.

... 625 JM ... After messing around with the full moon clips, loading and unloading them, I came up with a brilliant idea. Get rid of this gun ... !!

... I now own a 625-9 "Mountain Gun" in 45 Colt and I'm as pleased as I can get. ... I think it may have been sitting in a distributors warehouse forgotten for a while ... Bought it in '09 and haven't seen one before or since. Jeff Quinn of Gunblast did an article in '08 saying that they were scarce. Anyone know any more about where it might have come from?

gunztradeer,

Didn't your mama ever teach you about .45 Auto Rim brass? You might have loved that JM if you'd tried Auto Rim brass. Its capacity is more compatable with smokeless powders and the strength of 625 cylinders than .45 Colt.
It took a while for the latest production run of .45 Colt Mountain Guns, the dash 9s, to sell. For about a year ending approximately a month ago there were usually a half dozen of them on Gunbroker everytime I looked at 625s. The Gunblast article probably was about the 1st production run of .45 Colt Mountain Guns, the 625-6s, which probably were hard to find by 2008. The 625-6 .45 Colts were pre-MIM and pre-lock which I like, but really doesn't matter much.

Best Regards,
Gil

 

[gunztraydeer]

625-9

Gil

Yea, guess I could have geared up and shot the .45 auto rim, but in all honesty, I just didn't like the gun. Besides, I reload for enough calibers now and the AR never peaked my interest. I ended up trading the JM for a S&W 29 "Bounty Hunter," a 3" bbl and black finish. I actually liked it and enjoyed shooting it, but as my forum name implies, I'm a trader so it went off for something else that I don't remember.

The 625-9 however, has earned a permanent spot in my gun safe along with a set of Patrick Grashorn's Elk Antler grips and a Bowen custom Rough Country rear sight. It is super accurate and a joy to shoot. It came with a good smooth trigger and I added a Wolff rebound spring and reduced power mainspring. It gave me the best trigger I've ever found on a revolver. It is a keeper.

 

[452x6]

RE: 625 versions

625 engineering change numbers have always been kinda crazy. Apparently there never was a 625-1 for example.

As far as the 625-6, I have a 625-6 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt and it has the MIM cylinder release but forged hammer/trigger (firing pin on hammer). I bought this new in 1996. This must have been right around the time S&W was transitioning to the frame mounted firing pin but for some reason they did not increment the engineering (dash) number when they did the change.

I also have a 625-5 aka the 625 Classic .45 Colt which was a limited run 5" full lug barrel for S&W stocking dealers in the early 90's. It has the dovetail interchangable front sight base like the Classic DX. Mine currently wears a patridge with gold bead. You can probably search for 625-5 to see pics but I can post some if needed.

 

[k22fan]

I also have a 625-5 aka the 625 Classic .45 Colt ... It has the dovetail interchangable front sight base like the Classic DX. ... You can probably search for 625-5 to see pics but I can post some if needed.

If my little pea brain memory worked better I'd have remembered looking at pics of a 626-5 like yours in the last week and many times over the years. I'd like to have one. I should just not try to list every variation of anything S&W and as others have posted, write something like I don't remember seeing a ________, not that they didn't make one.

Incidently, If your 625-5 needs a loving home ....

Gil

 

[452x6]

Incidently, If your 625-5 needs a loving home ....

Gil

All my 625's currently have a loving home... They're all planned and wanted revolvers. Hope you find one though as it is a really great gun.

I'll try to post a pic for you later.

 

[deepocean]

How difficult is it to change a barrel on a 625?

I noticed 5" barrels are available, is it worth the trouble to have a gunsmith change a barrel from 4" to 5"? With the right vise and other tools, it is possible to change it out without scratching anything, or do they normally get damaged when you change them?

Does anything else have to be fitted on a pre-lock gun other than screwing out the barrel?

 

[Gunplay]

625 Stirrup

For aboujt the last 40 years I have considered myself a reaonablly good S & W revolver mechanic (not gunsmith, mechanic.) Then I made the mistake of taking the side plate off a 625. When and why did they switch from a perfectly good hammer design and go to the mickey-mouse seperate stirrup? Can't get the darn thing to stay in place long enough to assemble the gun. If anyone has a photo of the 625 with the side plate off and the main spring still in place I would be grateful for a copy. I cannot find a schematic that is large enough to read anywhere on the web. Know of a link?

Thanks.