My New Toy!!! S&W 625 JM

[Bully 749]

Found this sitting all lonely like in a case at Davis in Sloatsburg.  Apparently she had been there for a bit.  I don't know if folks missed it or it's just not all that popular up that way, but once I saw her she didn't stay lonely for long. 

 

This is my 45th birthday present... to me.  The b-day isn't until December but with the state of things it's better to buy early and when they happen to be around.  I can't wait to turn 50 now as I already have that gun in mind, but I digress.

 

Fit and finish are as nice as I would expect coming from Smith and Wesson.  Trigger has just a bit of creep and a touch of grittiness but I'll fire it a bunch and then look into getting that super smooth.  Front sight will be upgraded to a F.O. but again, I'm gonna go and shoot it before I replace anything.  First true order of business will be getting the cylinders reamed and chamfered for faster reloads.  Probably look into that when I recover from the sting of buying it. 

 

This is going to be a game gun for me.  I plan on shooting my guns more and buying less of them.  I'm really looking forward to the change, actually.  They are fun to "collect" but I'm finding that I like shooting them a bunch as well. 

 

Thanks for taking a look.  Let me know what you think.

 

Christopher 

 

[Blacksmythe 71]

Very pretty! Happy birthday!

[gunguy1960 2]

Very nice! Is that a factory finish? It has a satin look to it, had you been looking for a jm version of 625 as opposed to the p.c. version? I am doing the research and trying to find opinions on each.

[Bully 749]

Thanks guys!

 

I wasn't looking for anything specific.  I was looking for a .45 that caught my eye.  Nothing more than that.  If the PC gun had been in the shop, that's probably what would have followed me home.  However, I'm happy with what I've got. 

 

C

[Lalo 13]

She's a beaut! Let us know how she runs!

[rszmit 2]

Very nice when are we taking her to the range?

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Chris:

 

Happiness is a warm 625 - of any stripe. Enjoy it.

 

The ammo in the picture - I assume they are your reloads and it appears that you are using Hornady swaged lead. Keep the velocities low as these are pure lead and very soft and will lead the barrel.

 

So when can we expect you at an IDPA / USPSA / action or static steel match?

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[alec.mc 180]

Yep, bob is right - with (cheaper ) lead bullets you are bound to get some leading here and there.

 

pick up a box of chore boy 100% copper scrubbers in your super martket , They are good for scrubbing lead off and wont damage the steel on your revo.

 

also, invest in a lewis lead remover kit.

 

http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleaning-chemicals/patches-mops/lead-remover/lewis-lead-remover-prod21587.aspx

 

 

I shoot Bayou Bullets out of all my revolvers, they are lead - but they are great quality, the brinell rating is just right and the coating they have on it prevents leading and smoke. 

[Bully 749]

You guys ever heard of "any port in a storm?"  Sheesh!!

 

 

C

[tony357 386]

Nice.. 

[bry@n 195]

Congrats on the JM.

[BlueLineFish 615]

Congrats. I hope to acquire one soon as well

[Bully 749]

Congrats. I hope to acquire one soon as well

 

Thanks again for all the kind words. 

 

BLF, you have my number.  Anytime, no worries. 

 

C

[Frank Rizzo 59]

Damn that thing is sweet!

[NJdiverTony 27]

Beautiful revolver! The 625 is on my short list of revolvers I'd like to own and probably will be getting one in the next few months.

[Bully 749]

Got the "JM" out to the range tonight.  

 

In short I really like the gun.  Stoopid accurate with the right loads.  Lots of ommph.  .45acp is a truly fun round to shoot although it's a completely different experience in a revolver.  I felt every bit of extra powder in the rounds from one loading to the next.  Kinda amazing. 

 

Did I mention it's stoopid accurate? 

 

First order of business is to change the grips.  The stock ones are cool looking and very comfortable in the store but on the range, for me, not so much.  Not sure if I'm going to go with Pachmayr or something else.  I have a pair on my 686+ and like them.  Most likely I'll go with rubber although wood does catch my fancy.  However this isn't a show piece, I plan on shooting it a bunch.

 

Next step will be changing the front sight.  The gold dot is nice, but F.O. is just so much faster and easier for me.  I think Hi-Viz will be the one to get the nod as, again, it's what I have on my 686. 

 

Eventually I'll get the cylinder chamfered/reamed, but that can wait a tiny bit. 

 

I put 215(don't ask) rounds thru the gun tonight.  All reloads.  Ran without a hitch.  I had 150 rounds already loaded in moon clips and I must say, shooting alone, with the clips already loaded, one goes thru ammo FAST.  Really fast. 

 

So far the gun likes 230gn LRN over Titegroup with a LPP.  She likes it a bunch better than Unique.  I have some 231 that I am gonna give a try next.  But with the Titegroup it was on point at 7.5 yards. 

 

Thanks for reading.  I'll keep the reports coming if you like. 

 

C

[alec.mc 180]

Loads must of been smokey with titegroup!

 

Check out Clays powder ( not clays universal... just " CLAYS " ) it's the go to powder for most 45 revo shooters.

 

If you plan on putting in a spring kit, it'll have a wider arch then the factory. And some grips with retaining screws that go through the middle of the grips side to side with interfere with the grip, I know my pachymars wouldn't work with aftermarket springs. 

[YellowMinion 0]

Beautiful revolver

[Bully 749]

Hey Alec.

 

Got any other suggestions on grips?  I haven't ordered anything yet, still trying to figure out exactly what I'm looking for. I do know the Pachmayr's work well for me base on my 686. 

 

C

[alec.mc 180]

Hey Alec.

 

Got any other suggestions on grips?  I haven't ordered anything yet, still trying to figure out exactly what I'm looking for. I do know the Pachmayr's work well for me base on my 686. 

 

C

 

If you like the pachs , by all means give them a try - I had an older set of pachmayrs and they wouldnt work on my 625-2 with the aftermarket springs, maybe the new ones are different.

 

Personally, I like wood grips, specifically the Houge big butt grips, they are most comfertable to me - A ton of guys use them in competition, and that should speak alot for them.

 

I do not like anything that covers the back strap, I feel they get too bulky and bring my trigger finger away from where it needs to be to pull properly.

 

VZ GRIPS, just came out with a set of grips for S&W revolvers, they look pretty cool. Pizza Bob has a set, but I dont know how many miles he has on them, maybe he'll chime in.

[Bully 749]

Gotcha.  Thanks.

 

I would love to hear from Bob on the grips. I did notice the VZ's on his one gun and I find them interesting. As to the "Big Butt's" although I am very sure they work well it's not something that I would ever carry (as if) so it's not something that I would want to use on my gun. Although this is to be a game gun, I still like to keep it in the realm of what I would use if ever it came to that.

 

I'm also interested in the Hogue round to square grips with the top finger groove. That's my only gripe with the "Pach's" is the finger grooves. I know they make the Presentation grips but I don't like how they feel(static in store).

 

C

[Bully 749]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...  That's better.

 

A light load of Win 231 under a 200gn bullet.  MUCH more comfortable!!!  Seemed pretty accurate as well.  I liked it.  The grips still need changed, but I can take it until the new ones arrive. Pachy's should be here in the next day or so.

 

C

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Here's a review of the VZ grips that I wrote for another forum...

 

When IDPA prohibited Hogue Big Butt grips, I decided to try the VZ's. I really like the grippiness of G-10 in general and VZ's 1911 grips in particular. The N-frame RB grips are small, but seem to fill my average size hands adequately. I opted for the checkered grips and it is very aggressive, compared to checkering in wood. Even smooth G-10 has a "grippy" feel and it is multiplied 10 fold with the checkering.

The finger grooves are positioned nicely - but that is coming from someone who likes Hogue's finger groove placement also. I use the finger grooves to pull the gun up into the web of my hand for the highest possible grip.

Like the other VZ grips I've experienced, workmanship and fit are top notch.

I really like the VZ grips, but not on my competition gun. They are somewhat punishing, and I am not talking about the checkering - that's fine. It must be the size and hardness of the grip. There is less surface area (due to size) to help distribute recoil. Please note this may not be your experience, I seem to have grown somewhat averse to recoil as I've gotten older. 25 years ago I thought nothing of shooting heavy recoiling handguns (Handgun Metallic Silhouette), but not so much anymore.

I intend to move them to a general purpose gun that doesn't see as much action as my 625PC. So the search for the perfect replacement grip continues.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

[Bully 749]

Thanks for the write up, Bob.  Much appreciated.  

 

C