Reloading for 45 Auto Rim in S&W 1917
- Thread starter Elric
- Start date
I agree with Charles about the Wonda-Sight. I'm ambivalent, bought it 25+yrs ago when the Brazilians come in and I got one cheap. Had an ancient pair of real stags on it until some "one" busted them. Now it wears some Plain redwood Magna style and a Tyler Grip. Much better without lanyard ring too. But I think I will hafta put the Wonda-Sight back on. Old eyes.
And that #452423, with 4.2grs of Bullseye is a great load. My brass is all Remington. With two boxes of ancient (but not ballonhead) REM-UMC. Stuff just lasts forever.
Regarding .45 cowboy special brass, as Col. Jeff Cooper said of Double Action Auto-Loaders; " An ingenious solution to a none existent problem ".
I shot .45Colt with a 230gr TC bullet over 5.5grs of Clays since Clays came out. Switched to .45S&W with 230gr TC with 4.9grs of Clays when that brass became available. Could never understand why folks had to load down to a 165gr bullet over a smidge of powder just so they could say " i shoot a .45Colt". Gamers
And I once worked for a Company that fired It's Middle Mgmt when they fixed the Problems created by upper Mgmt.
Just my two cents.
And that #452423, with 4.2grs of Bullseye is a great load. My brass is all Remington. With two boxes of ancient (but not ballonhead) REM-UMC. Stuff just lasts forever.
Regarding .45 cowboy special brass, as Col. Jeff Cooper said of Double Action Auto-Loaders; " An ingenious solution to a none existent problem ".
I shot .45Colt with a 230gr TC bullet over 5.5grs of Clays since Clays came out. Switched to .45S&W with 230gr TC with 4.9grs of Clays when that brass became available. Could never understand why folks had to load down to a 165gr bullet over a smidge of powder just so they could say " i shoot a .45Colt". Gamers
And I once worked for a Company that fired It's Middle Mgmt when they fixed the Problems created by upper Mgmt.
Just my two cents.
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
This Lyman aughta be a dandy for the 45AR!
Ill try some next time I load for it.
Ill try some next time I load for it.
L Ross
Well-Known Member
Weighs like 238 grains. I shot some in a FA Model 97 ahead of 20.0 grains of 4227 in the .45 Colt cylinder, and it duplicated the factory target at 25 yards from a sand bag on a picnic table. I was impressed!
Charles Graff
Moderator Emeritus
What ever the price, some day you will look back and it will have been a good buy.
CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
That miscreant Buckshot ALWAYS causes me trouble and costs me money. He leads me astray constantly. (There IS a point to this diatribe, bear with me a bit).
A few hours ago I was trying to unbuckle the tail light bezels from my F-250 to R&R the #3157 bulbs that work as combo brake/turn signal and running light sources. I stopped about halfway through this mission for lunch--my priorities are in good order. Finishing up with tortilla chips and good salsa, my cell phone rings and Marie snags it. "It's Rick, honey", and she hands me the phone. Uh oh.
He begins with a cruel taunt--"You need to answer your phone more often. I just bought a S&W Highway Patrolman. You might have beaten me to it if you weren't such a hermit." Drat him. "Shawn found you that Model 625 you have been stalling about since the Obama years, maybe you should just buy it and quit messing around."
I have made mention of this "45 ACP revolver" quest a lot on here. Pillar to post, for about 3 years. I needed other stuff from the shop anyway, so I told Rick to wait a bit while I threw the truck back together and drove to 3 miles to meet him.
His new-to-him Model 28 x 6" is absolutely "Like New". As if it left Massachusetts 2 weeks ago. OEM, right to the bone. It may have been fired, but not very much--if at all. NICE.
I bought a new LED flashlight to replace my ancient MagChargers that date from the early 1980s. They both have been re-conditioned several times (the factory is 20 miles west of me), and one of them melted the cable on the charging cradle a couple months back. Neither is functional. I might try another rebuild, dunno. The Sure Fire light I bought is brighter than the old units......and Marie INSTANTLY wanted one of her own as soon as she saw mine. Marie assists Rick with draining my assets in this manner with some frequency. I did manage to get 2# of Lil Gun and 1# of H-110 for the 22 Hornet/Barnes Copper Condor Cuddler Project spoken of in another thread earlier.
And--last but not least--I ordered and paid for the S&W Model 625 x 4". After MUCH deliberation, this is what I really wanted, in my heart of hearts. You only live once (AFAIK), and there is still room in the safe for a handgun--rifles and shotguns gotta sleep in shifts, so that bit is over for a while.
I am hoping that I am not the only loon-unit that acquired a mould 2 years+ prior to getting the revolver to fire its castings with (Lyman #452423). (See? I got this back on topic without much build-up or balderdash). I still have the RCBS #8 shell holder from back in the 80s when I reloaded those over-priced Rem 45 AR factory loads' empties. So, some Starline brass and some moon clips for the WWB 45 ACP 230 grain JHPs. Oh, yes--it will get carried. We shall see what kind of QC the example has when it lands on Friday. If it is anything like that seen on the Model 642-1 I bought last month, I will be a happy camper.
ETA--Marie issued only one proviso when I left for the shop--YOU AND RICK STAY OUT OF THE FORD DEALERSHIP. She and Donna obviously stay in touch.
A few hours ago I was trying to unbuckle the tail light bezels from my F-250 to R&R the #3157 bulbs that work as combo brake/turn signal and running light sources. I stopped about halfway through this mission for lunch--my priorities are in good order. Finishing up with tortilla chips and good salsa, my cell phone rings and Marie snags it. "It's Rick, honey", and she hands me the phone. Uh oh.
He begins with a cruel taunt--"You need to answer your phone more often. I just bought a S&W Highway Patrolman. You might have beaten me to it if you weren't such a hermit." Drat him. "Shawn found you that Model 625 you have been stalling about since the Obama years, maybe you should just buy it and quit messing around."
I have made mention of this "45 ACP revolver" quest a lot on here. Pillar to post, for about 3 years. I needed other stuff from the shop anyway, so I told Rick to wait a bit while I threw the truck back together and drove to 3 miles to meet him.
His new-to-him Model 28 x 6" is absolutely "Like New". As if it left Massachusetts 2 weeks ago. OEM, right to the bone. It may have been fired, but not very much--if at all. NICE.
I bought a new LED flashlight to replace my ancient MagChargers that date from the early 1980s. They both have been re-conditioned several times (the factory is 20 miles west of me), and one of them melted the cable on the charging cradle a couple months back. Neither is functional. I might try another rebuild, dunno. The Sure Fire light I bought is brighter than the old units......and Marie INSTANTLY wanted one of her own as soon as she saw mine. Marie assists Rick with draining my assets in this manner with some frequency. I did manage to get 2# of Lil Gun and 1# of H-110 for the 22 Hornet/Barnes Copper Condor Cuddler Project spoken of in another thread earlier.
And--last but not least--I ordered and paid for the S&W Model 625 x 4". After MUCH deliberation, this is what I really wanted, in my heart of hearts. You only live once (AFAIK), and there is still room in the safe for a handgun--rifles and shotguns gotta sleep in shifts, so that bit is over for a while.
I am hoping that I am not the only loon-unit that acquired a mould 2 years+ prior to getting the revolver to fire its castings with (Lyman #452423). (See? I got this back on topic without much build-up or balderdash). I still have the RCBS #8 shell holder from back in the 80s when I reloaded those over-priced Rem 45 AR factory loads' empties. So, some Starline brass and some moon clips for the WWB 45 ACP 230 grain JHPs. Oh, yes--it will get carried. We shall see what kind of QC the example has when it lands on Friday. If it is anything like that seen on the Model 642-1 I bought last month, I will be a happy camper.
ETA--Marie issued only one proviso when I left for the shop--YOU AND RICK STAY OUT OF THE FORD DEALERSHIP. She and Donna obviously stay in touch.
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CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
I ordered the accessories I will need right at first--10 full moons, 2 HKS loaders for the 45 AR loads, 200 pieces of Starline brass.....and Hogue Monogrip. I cannot abide those red/white/blue grips that are OEM on this variant. Yeah, they are USA colors--but they are also Russia's colors, and they look like they belong in the Castro District in SFO. They might be more off-putting than the green glow-worm front sight on my SP-101. That takes some doing.
Try to find yourself a "moon tool remover".
They make commercial versions. But the one I use is a six inch piece of aluminum tubing. Just big enough to drop a .45ACP case through. You cut off most (2/3) of one end, about 3/16" - 1/4". Slide it up over the empty case and holding against the moon clip, just twist the tubing and it will pull the case out of the clip without bending or damaging the clip.
They make commercial versions. But the one I use is a six inch piece of aluminum tubing. Just big enough to drop a .45ACP case through. You cut off most (2/3) of one end, about 3/16" - 1/4". Slide it up over the empty case and holding against the moon clip, just twist the tubing and it will pull the case out of the clip without bending or damaging the clip.
Ian
Notorious member
I have purchased moulds of great reputation and rare opportunity without having an immediate use for them on several occasions, so I suppose the "loon-unit" moniker has applied to me as well. Very interested in your experience of the 625 when it is released from probation.
All this talk about .45 ACP revolvers has my gears grinding again. You see, my FIL's estate gifted me by default an unsellable 625 that needs a LOT of work and until recently my interest has been nil due to a) I'm not a big fan of DA Smiths, b) I didn't have a lathe or any machinist skills, and c) I don't do much revolver shooting at home due to trying to be polite to the ever-more-crowding population of neighbors. This poor revolver must have been salvaged from the bilge of an antique boat at some point and then ground and buffed horribly to get most of the rust pits off before being re-blued and fitted with a Mack axle silhouette barrel and full top rail sight. The gunsmithing was poor too, I might add, for the added cylinder detent doesn't work correctly and the barrel has an awful bulge just forward of the frame. Oh, and the barrel is loose even with the top rail, probably has wallowed screw holes in the top strap. To add insult to injury, the trigger was narrowed and polished smooth and feels like a knife blade. It would still make a decent "beater" field revolver if the trigger and barrel were replaced, but I have no idea where to find a barrel with the proper profile and underlug for the cylinder base pin. Anyone have any suggestions?
All this talk about .45 ACP revolvers has my gears grinding again. You see, my FIL's estate gifted me by default an unsellable 625 that needs a LOT of work and until recently my interest has been nil due to a) I'm not a big fan of DA Smiths, b) I didn't have a lathe or any machinist skills, and c) I don't do much revolver shooting at home due to trying to be polite to the ever-more-crowding population of neighbors. This poor revolver must have been salvaged from the bilge of an antique boat at some point and then ground and buffed horribly to get most of the rust pits off before being re-blued and fitted with a Mack axle silhouette barrel and full top rail sight. The gunsmithing was poor too, I might add, for the added cylinder detent doesn't work correctly and the barrel has an awful bulge just forward of the frame. Oh, and the barrel is loose even with the top rail, probably has wallowed screw holes in the top strap. To add insult to injury, the trigger was narrowed and polished smooth and feels like a knife blade. It would still make a decent "beater" field revolver if the trigger and barrel were replaced, but I have no idea where to find a barrel with the proper profile and underlug for the cylinder base pin. Anyone have any suggestions?
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
The factory or Brownell's for a 625 barrel? Since they are still making them, they should be very reasonable.
Charles Graff
Moderator Emeritus
Lots of us, have bought lots of stuff, in anticpation of a new gun down the road somewhere. My shop has lots and lots of such stuff and some of it actually gets used by and by.
CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
Well, it's good to know that other folks do the same silly things that I am known to engage in.
I looked at that Revolver Supply site mentioned by RBHarter. Those clipping/de-clipping tools are interesting innovations. Given my past history with the old 25-2, moon clips will get very limited usage--only where factory ammo is being carried/used. Otherwise, the revolver will run on Auto Rim fodder. As such, the clips will be pre-loaded at home and (God willing) NEVER be discharged until it is time to empty out the service ammo after its one year Term Of Service is up, and cycle the brass into the reloading inventory.
I know that the 5.11 fanbois and the Mall Ninja Cadre are deeply enamored of clip-fed wheelguns. I feel differently--clipped wheelgun ammo is and was a wartime expediency brought about due to the fuzzy kum-bah-yah thinking of the Wilson Administration--that the newly-approved 1911-series autoloaders were not a priority for the using services. It is a functional and ingenious concept, I'll grant that--but as a primary system I far prefer rimmed cartridges for "Hand Ejector"/swing-out-cylinder systems.
I looked at that Revolver Supply site mentioned by RBHarter. Those clipping/de-clipping tools are interesting innovations. Given my past history with the old 25-2, moon clips will get very limited usage--only where factory ammo is being carried/used. Otherwise, the revolver will run on Auto Rim fodder. As such, the clips will be pre-loaded at home and (God willing) NEVER be discharged until it is time to empty out the service ammo after its one year Term Of Service is up, and cycle the brass into the reloading inventory.
I know that the 5.11 fanbois and the Mall Ninja Cadre are deeply enamored of clip-fed wheelguns. I feel differently--clipped wheelgun ammo is and was a wartime expediency brought about due to the fuzzy kum-bah-yah thinking of the Wilson Administration--that the newly-approved 1911-series autoloaders were not a priority for the using services. It is a functional and ingenious concept, I'll grant that--but as a primary system I far prefer rimmed cartridges for "Hand Ejector"/swing-out-cylinder systems.
Ian
Notorious member
My weapons of warfare are my brain, my pen, my voice, and if that fails the 1911 and 12-gauge come out. A revolver is a field arm or range toy for me, which is why I prefer my SAA convertibles if .45 ACP is the flavor if the range day. I have been known to use a handy cedar stick or my fingernail for ejection in lieu of putting wear and tear on clips.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
We hashed a lot of the revolter vs bottom feeder issue out years back on The Site Which Shall Not Be Named. I stand at the same point I was all those years ago- I feel fine with either. I don't consider a DA wheelgun, preferably a Smith of at least 357 cal, a detriment, nor do I consider a 1911, Hi Power clone or Glock a particular advantage. Statistics tell me most social issues are decided in 2 or 3 shots. I can still roll a can across the ground from the hip with my Model 19. Never even came close to that with my Glocks. Just sayin'..........
ETA- I've tried moon clips in my '17 Smiff. Maybe if I had frozen fingers and was being gassed by the Huns I could see the draw. As it is I have a couple hunnert Starline 45AR cases. Why bother with clips?
ETA- I've tried moon clips in my '17 Smiff. Maybe if I had frozen fingers and was being gassed by the Huns I could see the draw. As it is I have a couple hunnert Starline 45AR cases. Why bother with clips?
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Ian
Notorious member
I feel pretty good even with a Model 10 or an LCR. If push came to shove an 1860 Army model Colt's would still get it done, I dropped a deer at 27 yards with a .445 round ball once so I have no doubt sbiut it. I just happen to have a life-long affection for the .45 ACP and pretty much any arm that will chamber it.
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
This is an interesting discussion. Been shooting '17's since the 1950's and always just looked at 1/2 moon clips like speed loaders. I'm still using some 1/2 moon clips from 20 round ammo packs that were dated 1918. My "bug out" gun bag has 10 full moon clips of NM ball and a side pocket with 12 rounds of AR with a hot load of 2400 under 452423's. The 625 has been the most dependable gun I have owned since I bought it 1989.
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RBHarter
West Central AR
Try to find yourself a "moon tool remover".
They make commercial versions. But the one I use is a six inch piece of aluminum tubing. Just big enough to drop a .45ACP case through. You cut off most (2/3) of one end, about 3/16" - 1/4". Slide it up over the empty case and holding against the moon clip, just twist the tubing and it will pull the case out of the clip without bending or damaging the clip.
[/QUOTE/]
Handy little gadget . Made from a steel shanked golf club . It holds 12 empties .
