S&W 625 45acp load recommendations

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Well, I ordered some of the RIMZ full-moon clips to try out. Making haste slowly.

ETA--After a couple bouts with the Dillon Precision website, I cold-called their sales line and got great help from "Ron". I ordered that CCW remover/installer goodie, and it should be enroute shortly.
 
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JonB

Halcyon member
I use the inexpensive Ranch Products blued steel moon clips for my 625JM.
With the mooner and demooner tools I have (California Competition Works), I still FIGHT with certain brands of brass, Mil Surp is worst!
But, R+P brass work great and go on the moon easy and come off the moon easy.
That's my 2¢

 

Dale53

Active Member
Al;
It appears you are well on the way to truly enjoying your 625. Having a good tool (or tools) for the steel full moon clips takes the "hurt" out of the problem and also eliminates bent steel clips which renders them near useless. Further, you will LOVE the RIMZ clips for casual use on the range (and in the field).

Keep us up dated!;)
Dale53
 

Walks

Well-Known Member
I'm interested in hearing about how the Rimz clips work out.
Don't need any, but am interested in how new things work out.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
#metoo :)

The RIMZ critters have warnings to NOT USE FOR SERIOUS APPLICATIONS. That's what all of the gun-gamers seem to agree on, anyway. Must be a reason--let's test the %$^# out of them and see what bubbles up. This is difficult to understand--a bent steel moonclip will flat-out HALT a wheelgun's functioning. The over/under on steel vs. whatever RIMZ uses to make their clips seems about even to me, but I'm on the outside/looking in as far as this matter goes. WE. SHALL. SEE.

The truly amazing thing in all this......that a wartime expediency from 103 years ago remains in production and has great popularity. The 45 ACP is TRULY a great cartridge. It can be superbly accurate in good platforms, is VERY lead-friendly, and is probably the best-balanced felon-repellent handgun caliber ever birthed. John Browning's brilliance never fails to astound me.
 
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Dale53

Active Member
The RIMZ clips do not retain the cases as well as the steel full moon clips. If you drop a loaded clip, the steel clips will retain the cartridges. The RIMZ clips, not so much. However, the RIMZ clips work beautifully without tools for general use. There is a place for each.

FWIW,
Dale53
 

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
I have and have had quite a number of Smith and Wesson DA revolvers in 45 ACP. They have not proven to be finicky. I prefer the 230-245 grain SWC bullets, but that is just a personal preference. I also use Bullseye powder, but again that is just a personal preference.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Awright--the golf club demooner--the CCW moonclip cartridge installer--and the RIMZ polycarbonate moonclips all finally gathered together. The Rimz clips are an easy joy to load by hand, the golf club shaft demooner works quite well, and that CCW unit is a very well-made and high-quality product. I'm set.
 

Dale53

Active Member
Al;
You are now "in business"! Welcome to the joy of the .45 ACP/.45 Auto Rim. I am sure you will find, as I have, that this is a MOST USEFUL combination!

I certainly am more than fond of mine!

FWIW
Dale53
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
The trigger on my example is EXQUISITE. That attribute has already endeared me to this revolver.

On Tuesdays I have "brunch" with 2-5 of my old partners from work. I large subject of discussion yesterday was the approval by Kalifornistan of the Colt D/A revolvers, especially the new-series Python. 2 of them were all in a lather to get one ordered, and when the matter got hashed out--these two guys have never previously owned a full-sized/field-grade wheelgun. J-frames? Sure--as back-up/off-duty arms. But these two joined the shop after bottom-feeders were already A Fact Of Life, and relics like me from Revolver Only Times were like museum docents. OK, Grasshoppers--class has started.

We started the Gunshop Crawl at my house, and I got out a comparative pair of full-size wheelguns for them to fondle--686 x 4" and 586 x 6". Both have better-than-average triggers, and the two guys liked the actions. "A lot different than my Model 60." Yessir.

"That $1700 you'll lay out for that Python would just about buy you both of those S&Ws in most shops. Now--try THIS trigger." I handed them the PC 625. Both guys got HUGE smiles. "Yeah, that one was about $1100 all-in. I would keep that impression in mind once those Pythons get out among customers. Just sayin'."

The gunshop crawl went poorly, the local shop was closed for the SHOT Show. Oh well. Both men are smart, capable cops that were a privilege to share a career field with. But field/uniform revolvers were Terra Incognita to these guys, who were 8-10 years younger than me. In itself, the realization that guys this age were now also retirees made me feel like Methuselah.
 
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Dale53

Active Member
I think it prudent to mention one thing about the modern S&W .45 ACP revolvers. S&W changed the specs for the cylinders. Now, it is NOT a good idea to try to shoot .45 ACP cartridges without the clips. They do not headspace properly on the case mouth like the older revolvers did. Many have complained about that.

In my own case, I just simply do not try to use .45 ACP cartridges without the clips. I use either Ranch Products steel full moon clips (which require tools), the RIMZ Clips, or .45 Auto Rim cartridges.

My 625’s shoot so well with the new cylinder throat specs that I have no complaints.
The Handloader Magazine has covered this “problem” in some detail.

FWIW,
Dale53
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Good info, Dale. I hasn't occurred to me to try rimless 45 ACP in any revolver other than a Ruger BH, owing to the extraction question. Experiments like that are in line with shooting gas check castings minus GCs--not a thing I would try.
 

StrawHat

Well-Known Member
I think it prudent to mention one thing about the modern S&W .45 ACP revolvers. S&W changed the specs for the cylinders. Now, it is NOT a good idea to try to shoot .45 ACP cartridges without the clips. They do not headspace properly on the case mouth like the older revolvers did. Many have complained about that.

In my own case, I just simply do not try to use .45 ACP cartridges without the clips. I use either Ranch Products steel full moon clips (which require tools), the RIMZ Clips, or .45 Auto Rim cartridges.

My 625’s shoot so well with the new cylinder throat specs that I have no complaints.
The Handloader Magazine has covered this “problem” in some detail.

FWIW,
Dale53

Not to be argumentative, but I believe this is a problem only in certain models. For example, the ACP around headspaces fine in both of my 22-4 revolvers. Not sure about the Mountain Gun.

That said, I prefer and use moon clips for 90% of my shooting. The other 10% is AR rounds.

Kevin
 

Walks

Well-Known Member
I've a shot lot of .45ACP cases without clips in the past in My 625M of 1989. Never had a problem, just poke'm out with a dowel.
But Remington did a run of Auto Rim ammo/cases shortly after this Revolver was built. Bought plenty of both, so I shoot AR cases almost exclusively these days.
Just easier, only change in loading is a different shell/plate is needed.

I use the clips just for fun. The 1/3 moon clips fit into an ammo box, the 1/2 moon are history itself. And the full moon are speedy fun.
I use each about one range trip a year. Just for fun.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
I don't know . At 14 clips per layer and 4 layers in a 30 cal can they seem pretty handy to me .

IMG_20200211_092101299~2.jpg
Just funning a little . I don't think I can get 6+ boxes in boxes in a can unless it's the old GI no tray packs . Loose or GI boxed I think closer to 10 boxes ....... Reflection for a moment I probably can but it takes 2 mtm 100 count boxes first . 336 rounds when full , if I had half moons I could probably get 9 per layer in so another 108 or so . Alas no halves . I probably have enough clips for nearly 2 cans but I have to save out a bunch of loose to load 945 mags with and a can of AR loose too .