Should 625 shoot .45 Colt?

[gr7070]

Can new 625s stamped with .45 ACP appropriately shoot .45 Colt? According to the manual they can only shoot .45 ACP and .45 Auto Rim.

I have a friend looking for a .45 Colt gun, and I was originally thinking the 625 would be a great option, but after checking the revolver manual found it isn't even an option.

However, I have seen a few posts on here that might suggest they also shoot .45 Colt. Am I incorrectly mistaking those posts? Do people shoot .45 Colt in them even though they're not rated to do so?

I'm not not looking to do anything remotely inappropriate, but am curious if .45 Colt is perfectly reasonable, just for some reason S&W doesn't designate them as such.

So what's the proper answer?

 

[OKFC05]

No.

 

[murphydog]

The model 25 was chambered for both, but they are not interchangeable in the same cylinder, and I don't think the 625 ever came regularly in .45 Colt. The ACP cylinder is far too short for the Colt to fit.

 

[Stainz]

The most common .45 Colt chambered S&W over the last some years is the 625 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt. My first-ever S&W was my then new 625-7 MG ('01 vintage) in .45 Colt 9/02. Super fun - I added a 625-8 in .45 ACP by month's end. Later, I added another 625MG in .45 Colt - a 625-6 ('96 vintage), to keep from wearing out my first S&W. I liked .45 Colts so much, I started reloading 11/02 just so I could afford to shoot more. Top, below, ismy original while the lower one is the newer to me, but older model:

If you want a current S&W already capable of shooting moonclipped .45 ACPs and .45 Colts - consider the relatively new 'Governor':

Yeah, it also chambers .45 Schoffield - and 2.5" .410 shells. The S&W/Hogue .500 Magnum grips fit perfectly and help the <30 oz revolver with it's recoil.

Stainz

PS Later model 625MG's were made - with the IL - as was at least one run of the blued 25MG. The 625MG in .45 ACP is far more rare, as it hasn't been made in some time while .45 Colt production was substantial.

 

[Hoosier45]

No that would be a bad thing to do. First, the 45 colt should not fit in the cylinder. The 625 is normally a 45 acp revolver. However, as you have read, there are certain series of the 625 that Smith produced limited numbers of 625's chambered to 45colt, such as the 625-7. If the barrel says 45cal, it should be 45acp. ONLY shoot 45colt if the barrel says 45 Colt CTG.

 

[Allen-frame]

LK Here for some answers to your questions.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...oral-essay-please-add-your-pics-info-too.html

The short answer to your question is ; if the barrel address reads 45 Colt ctg. it will shoot 45 Colt.
If chambered for 45 A.C.P. it will not.

Good luck
Allen

 

[gr7070]

This is why I read the manual. ;-)

Figured I'd ask anyway, just in case.

Thanks all!

 

[moxie]

Just for fun I checked. A .45 Colt round will only chamber about half way into a 625 chambered for .45ACP.

 

[MajorD]

the chamber is cut for 45 acp which means a 45 colt round as mentioned above will not go all the way in. FWIW my 45 acp (thunder ranch 22-4) will shoot acp fine even without the moon clips,and a vigorous shake of the cylinder will drop the brass out since there is no rim or clip for the xtractor to catch. I understand not all the acp guns will do this