What are you shooting in your 625?

[pdcrig]

So I just picked up a pretty good 625-4 and it's my second foray into the .45ACP revolver world. The first revolver didn't stay in my safe for long but this one is a keeper I think (specially with new Ahrend's Retro Targets). That said, what loads do you find your particular 625 shoots well? Do they prefer roll crimp or taper crimp loads? I've tried it with some 200gr Rainier SWCs over Herco and it does not like them at all. My 1911 loves this load. It shot factory UMC 230gr ball and JHPs a little better. Everything shot low. The rear sight is stiff and I still haven't got it adjusted. I'll try again later.
I'd like a balance of power and accuracy. It would be nice for the same load to be good in the 1911 and the 625. I'm looking at the Sierra 240gr JHP and the Speer 260gr JHP. Any experience with those? Thanks guys. And girls if there are any out there.

 

[Ignatz]

Unfortunately, changing the front sight height is how you get the groups centered where you want.
What kind of groups are you getting at 25 yards with that UMC 230gr ball?
That should be a good round for 25 yard accuracy.

 

[pittpa]

My 625-8 likes whatever my 1911 likes. and my 1911 likes Zero 185 jhp and 170g Magnus bullets.


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[oldgranddad]

625-4

I'm shooting 200 gr SWC over 6.5gr Win AutoComp or 5.2 gr HP-38 or 3.6 gr Clays. All do well from 10 yds to 25 yds. Since they must also work in my 1911, I use a taper crimp. At those ranges, I haven't found that brass or primer mfgr makes a difference.
Hope you find something that works well for you. I love shooting my 625.

 

[oldgranddad]

Photo

BTW, I'd sure like to see a photo of your 625 with the retro target grips.

 

[oldgranddad]

Unfortunately, changing the front sight height is how you get the groups centered where you want.
What kind of groups are you getting at 25 yards with that UMC 230gr ball?
That should be a good round for 25 yard accuracy.

Ignatz, why is that? I can adjust my rear sight up or down, left or right.
Thanks

 

[Andy Lowry]

I load the same for 1911s and revolvers-- coated 230 gn ball with 4.7 Titegroup, taper crimp. Sometimes I run plated, but the 625 likes lead better. The 325 is the same with either plated or coated. I've read that the extra depth on the rifling on a 625 is designed for lead, but I don't know if that's a fact or a rumor. (And maybe it's only the PC model that's that way, which mine is, so I don't have anything to compare it to.)

 

[BoCash]

Running 4.5 gr Titegroup and 200 cast SWC here in a 625-2.

Recently got away from annoying moon clips and began using .45 Auto Rim shells.

Nice, sweet load that is accurate and won't wreck your gun or hand.

 

[S&W Fan]

I had a 625-3 4", swapped out the front ramp sight for a SDM gold dot. Just shot mostly Winchester or Federal 230gr fmj. They both were spot on out to 20 yards. As long as I did my part they did theirs. I probably should've started using lighter loads as for me the gun was becoming less pleasant to shoot. In 1911s no prob, however in round guns I just didn't enjoy it.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Cast 255 gr SWC's and cast 230 TC's all pushed by Unique....Some not all in auto rim cases.

 

[Macinaw]

Photo : Just for the heck of it.

I am a Cowboy Action shooter. I use the same bullet for Wild Bunch shooting competition. 230gn Magma Eng. mold with 4.5 grains of Trail Boss. .White Label lube (BAC) Has worked well for 12 years.

 

[Ignatz]

Ignatz, why is that? I can adjust my rear sight up or down, left or right.
Thanks

I had to change my front sight to a higher front sight because with 230 gr bullets at 730fps, it shot high. A faster, lighter bullet would shoot more dead on. Once I changed the front sight, the rear sight was more in the middle of its range.

 

[Arm]

Well, I'm Loading a 185 Nosler Match grade using Vit N310 @ 5.0 gr very accurate for my 625-8 your results may vary.

 

[pdcrig]

UMC group size at 25 paces was about 4-5". The reloads were easily twice that. I wasn't trying really hard but I was trying better than that. The reloads will lay them into one big ragged hole with the 1911. And I shoot my 629 MG very well with some of my .44 reloads. I'm guessing I'll just have to start shopping around for a bullet it likes. Maybe a .452 diameter lead pill will do the trick. I'd like to stay with a heavier bullet but I guess I'll go with what works.
Stay tuned.....

Pics for those who asked. That demooning tool was $10 on Amazon and works great.

 

[mike campbell]

A 200 gr plated bullet (Berry, Rainier or my favorite Xtreme) over 5 grains of WST will hold 1.5" for 5 shots @ 50 feet from any of my 1911's as well as the 625. A bullseye-shootin buddy of mine uses some other 200gr bullet but swears by the 5 gr of WST...and he tests with a Ransom rest at 50 yds. I bet that load would satisfy most people for casual target shooting.

For competition I tailor the load to the gun, so the 1911 gets 6.5 grains of WAC and the 625 loves 5 grains of Bullseye, both under a 185 JHP.

I suppose I could shoot my 625 without moon clips, or drive my '68 Firebird 400 with 87 octane ... but I don't.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

...what loads do you find your particular 625 shoots well?
Do they prefer roll crimp or taper crimp loads?
It would be nice for the same load to be good in the 1911 and the 625.
I'm looking at the Sierra 240gr JHP...

As a rule of thumb, loads that group well in my 3rd Gen 45 autos group well in my 325/625s.

I favor .452" diameter bullets for the revolvers due to their throat sizing but .451" do well too.

I mainly use 45 Auto Rims in my revolvers as I'm not big on moonclips in them. Taper crimp for bullets without cannelures.

I load Sierra's 240gr JHCs in my (+P) & 45 Super loads in the revolvers, mainly because it has a cannelure & I can give them a good roll crimp.

.

625-8 PC 4" bbl

(-008c)

.

325TR

(-09c)

.

 

[Hasbeen1945]

I'm shooting the Missouri coated RNFP 200 grainers I'm using 5.4 grains of HP 38. My pistol is a 625-4. This load also shoots real well in my Baer 1911.

 

[g8rb8]

A 200 gr plated bullet (Berry, Rainier or my favorite Xtreme) over 5 grains of WST ......

I've had similar performance from a similar load:
Xtreme .45 acp (.451" diameter) 200 gr copper plated SWC with W-231 4.6 gr.

I'd like to try Missouri Bullet Company Hi-Tek coated .45 acp "button" (.452 diameter) 185 grain SWC. If anyone reading this has tried this, or a similar, Missouri Bullet Company coated .45 acp bullet please weigh in.

 

[Pizza Bob]

For my 625-8 PC I use 3.8 grs of Clays behind an Ibejiheads 230 gr coated RN. I use this for IDPA and have thousands of rounds through this gun.

Clays is pretty versatile - I use it for .38 Spl (also for IDPA) and .38 Super (for USPSA).

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[CH4]

Pics for those who asked.

I shoot whatever I am shooting through my 1911s.

For those interested in a 625 with Ahrends grips, here're a couple more flavors.

Does anyone make factory 45AR ammo or is it strictly a reloading proposition?

 

[Fostereast]

200 Gn SWC

I'm finishing up several boxes of MB's coated .45 ACP 200 GN SWC. They make a very nice, large, clean hole in cardboard I'm not sure about the accuracy in the 625 because I'm still getting used to it and have only shot it a few times. I'm using 5.3 Grains W231 right now.

NOTE: This round fired nicely through a Remington R1 1911 once I tinkered with the OAL and determined what it liked best, and stored the magazines for several weeks with 5-6 bullets loaded in them to work the springs.

I think very highly of MB in all aspects of dealing with them so far. I've placed 4-5 orders over the past 18 months and they are very responsive when a question comes up.

I'm moving to a 230 Grain round nose or ball nose with a taper crimp. I've thought (too much) about trying a 250 gn RNFP that can be roll crimped, but am going to try the 230 ball taper crimp for a while first.

I've had similar performance from a similar load:
Xtreme .45 acp (.451" diameter) 200 gr copper plated SWC with W-231 4.6 gr.

I'd like to try Missouri Bullet Company Hi-Tek coated .45 acp "button" (.452 diameter) 185 grain SWC. If anyone reading this has tried this, or a similar, Missouri Bullet Company coated .45 acp bullet please weigh in.

 

[TAROMAN]

Pretty much settled on the Bayou coated 200 grain SWC over 4.2 grains of VV-N310.
Have won a lot of matches with that combination.

Two hand standing at 25 yards with this load:

 

[Dale53]

I have two 625's. One is a 625-6 Model of 1989 with 5" barrel and the other is a 625-8 JM Special with a 4" barrel. They are a couple of my favorite revolvers of all time.

It is VERY important to size the bullets to the cylinder throat size. On both of my revolvers, the throats are .452". I shoot NOTHING but cast bullets in my revolvers. I shoot a lot (my 625's have MANY thousands of rounds through them) and either of them will shoot under 1" at 25 yards off a rest - on demand. Jacketed bullets wear barrels prematurely for a serious loss of accuracy. The AMU replaces their 1911 barrels every 5000 rounds (that would be two barrels a year for me - for each revolver<(). I have well over 100,000 rounds through my 1911 and it still shoots under an inch at 25 yards.

I cast my own bullets but there are a number of good commercial sources of good cast bullets.

My standard target load for both the 1911's and my 625's is an H&G #68 (cast from a Mihec multi-cavity mold), sized at .452". The powder charge is 4.0 grs of Bullseye or equivalent and taper crimped to a mouth diameter of .470". The overall length is governed by my 1911 (the bullets are seated so that my rounds base are even with the barrel hood when using the "plunk test". This works fine in my revolvers, so I run the same load for all of the guns.





Dale53

 

[rockquarry]

My 625s shoot best with cast loads that also do well in 1911s: either an H&G #68 or the SAECO copy (#69), wheelweight alloy sized at .452" and 5 grs. Bullseye powder. This loads works well in either ACP or Auto Rim brass. Use just enough taper crimp to keep bullets from moving under recoil. A roll crimp of the same degree will also work in either, though I prefer the taper crimp.

I don't remember whether or not I've fired commercial 230 gr. ball ammo in my revolvers, but I've found such ammo is not particularly accurate in a 1911.

 

[m657]

auto rims: I loaded enough of them to learn I preferred dealing with the moon clips after all;

boolit: I shoot my 625-8 best at the range, with 200 or 230 RN cast lead; best accuracy 720-800 fps regardless of a small group of favored powders;

 

[johngalt]

When I still lived in Cincinnati, I used to get flat based 185 gr LSWC from a local caster, + 3.9 gr Bullseye. Since I've moved, I've started loading Hornady swaged 200 gr LSWC. Those are very accurate. I've also loaded Hornady 230 gr FMJ + 5.0 gr Bullseye, but the swaged bullets are more accurate. Hornady 230 gr HAP were also more accurate than the FMJ.

I personally despise plated bullets, they have never worked for me.

 

[rockquarry]

I realize many don't cast bullets and have no interest in doing so, but a properly fitted cast bullet is generally more accurate than a jacketed or plated bullet.

Casting is a lot of work and the experimentation required to find the best loads takes much time. That's certainly a valid argument against the process, but for handgun cartridges, I've never seen an instance where a jacketed or plated bullet would have an advantage over the right cast bullet.

 

[Wee Hooker]

I rarely load specifically for the 625 as my "go to" loads in 45 ACP run in anything I own ( i.e. 1911's, M&Ps, 625s.....
FWIW my favorite "do all" recipe is 4.0 gr of Clays under a lightly crimped 200 gr LSWC (or LRNFP) . Good accuracy, light smoke, low recoil.

 

[SLT223]

Xtreme 185-230 over any fast powder will do well. I will second the vote for Clays in post #28. Congrats on the 625-4 MG by the way. Those aren't easy to find. Seems S&W's product methodology is to produce the best guns in very limited numbers...

 

[zeke]

Coated 200 lrnfp over 5.8 grains hp-38 in auto rim cases. Coated bullets add about .001 to the dia, which help fit the bullet to cylinder mouth.