[ejfalvo]

:) I just purchased a SW625 (45ACP) , 3 inch, with 10 full rings and an item called the"demooner", no jokes here). Gun is in fantastic condition, looks like its never been fired - original wood grips with medallions and a new set of Pachy grips, original box. Barrel and box (with manuals and warrenty card)says 1989, so I'll assume thats when it was manufactured.

Any history on this model would be appreciated. And can it be fired (safely) without the moon clips.

[Revolver Ocelot]

625 is a fantastic .45acp revolver, unfortunatley I do not have any additional info but I'm sure someone wil chime in shortly

[rcmodel]

NO, maybe not.

Used to be perfectly fine on the 1917, 1950, 25, and 625's, but the more recent S&W's are chambered too deeply to get reliable ignition with the new-fangled frame-mounted firing pins now used.

If your gun has a hammer-mounted firing pin, it should work just fine.

The De-Mooner is used to get fired cases out of the Moon-Clips without you bleeding to death from sliced fingers.

Need more info on your gun to give you any history of it.

It has a Dash-number (like 625-2)inside the crane cut of the frame.

Yours is probably a 625-2, Model of 1989 on the barrel, but I'm just guessing.

Post that and a partial serial number or a picture and someone can help you.

rc

[crebralfix]

It may or may not work without moonclips (that is, you may get light primer strikes). I'd get on the S&W Forum and dig around.

DO NOT DRY FIRE the gun without a Snap-Cap if it has the internal firing pin (not on the hammer). I've shattered two so far.

[BlindJustice]

The 625 in Stainless Steel followed the
MOdel 25 1955 Target which for the most part
had/has a 6 1/2" Bbl. Jim Cirrilo modified .45 ACP S&W
revolvers back in the early 80s with 3" Bbl. and a
crane mounted detent ball.

S&W has built .Large / N-frame revolvers since the
US Army M1917 which was used by the dough boys in WWI.
Mr. SMith at S&W invented the Half-moon clip to enable
the extractor star to extract the rimless .45 ACP cases. The
cartridge head spaces on the mouth of the cas NOT via the
Half-moon ( 3 rds in a half moon clip ). Full moon clips that
hold 6 rounds were invented some time in the late 70s.

FYI - the S&W revolvers chambered for .45 ACP can also fire
the .45 Auto Rim cartridge. THe .45 AR was created by the
Remington-Peters company in 1920 .45 AR duplicates the .45
ACP case, except it has a thicker ( approx. 0.0910") rim than
the usual thickness of a standard rimmed cartridge like a .45 Colt
( approx. 0.0615" ) This thicker rim positions the rear of the
case and thus the primer in the same position as the .45 ACP case
In a side view of the S&W .45 ACP chambered revolvers you'll notice
there's a larger gap than on the other N-frame revolvers chambered
for .45 COlt, .44 Mag. .357 Mag. etc.

I have a 625-8 with a 5" Bbl. with Hogue Rosewood checkered
grips. It's a great gun at the range - not so tiring as a Magnum due
to the lesser recoil of the relatively low pressure .45 ACP/AR cartridge(s).

Randall

[BlindJustice]

Forgot to mention, there are some S&W N-frames in .45 ACP
the model 25 Carbon Steel High polish blued models out that
were a "Distributor run" for Lew Horton - some are Nickel plated
with unique serial number prefix and range - these also have the
3" Bbl.

Many owners of .45 ACP chambered revos say that they fire the
weapons without the full moon or Half moon clips, however, you will
probably need to poke them out using a dowell or pencil because the
extractor won't be of any use w/'o the moon clips.

Randall

[rcmodel]

Again, the newer ones with frame mounted firing pins are chambered way too deep to headspace on the case mouth, and will cause miss-fires without clips.

My 625-6 will not work without clips, and my buddies 625JM will not either.

All of the older guns with hammer mounted firing pins were chambered properly to work without clips.

rc

[ejfalvo]

The revolver was made in 1989 and does have the firing pin on the hammer - so i assume i can go without moon clips (I also heard I can fire 45GAP (if I can find it). The finish is not brite stainless like my Model 60, more of a brushed nickel finish.

Range trip tomorrow, I'll provide details on accuracy vs my XD-45 and Lightweight Operator.

Thank you to all who have provided info.

[Oro]

Any history on this model would be appreciated.

I believe the most relevant and immediate history on this gun is the development line that proceeded it. In the very late '70s, a very cool gun shop in downtown NYC, John Jovino & Sons, started bobbing N frame smiths down to 2.5" and a k-frame sized grip (roughly, the knuckle angle on the N prevents a true "K" conversion). These were known as the Jovino "Effector" guns. Based on this success, in 1985, a New England distributor, Lew Horton, talked S&W into making some "factory customs" for them to sell to their dealers - a 29, 629, and 657. These sold well from '85 to '88. I used to live a few blocks from the Jovino store and it was quite a cool, old-school gun shop.

After that, S&W started making many other guns on the 3" and new round-butt N frame model. The 625 was one of these, as well as many iterations of the early "factory customs."

So that was pretty much the history of what led to the 3" 625 - success with the Jovino Effectors and the first "Lew Horton" customs. Here's a 1st generation (1985) 629 3" that helped start the trend.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd275/kamerer/S-W/629-1/IMGP2534-1.jpg