S&W Performance Center 325 45acp

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kidneyboy

kidneyboy

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After all the hemming and hawing and shopping I finally decided on the 325 and picked it up today. First impression of it is good. The trigger is typical performance center, smooth and a lawyer light DA and a light crisp SA. Finish is good. It's tight. The scandium frame has a different feel to it than stainless, no surprise there. Brass bead front sight that I already like. The deciding factor for me is the weight, about 30oz. I'm a reloader so it shouldn't be a problem working up a cartridge that suits me and the gun.
It comes with 5 moon clips. This will be my first experience using them and I already like them. I loaded one up with dummy rounds and can just about throw them in the cylinder.
Tomorrow it's off to the range with it.
IMG_3667.jpg
It's smaller than I expected. That's good.
 
Wonder if 45 super is good to go in this? Would be a dandy woods bumming gun. Not that a standard 45 isn't good enough.

Nice gun :)
 
If you feel you need for more moonclips (more is always better) check out Ranch Products. They are excellent 325/625 moonclips and if you go direct to Ranch Products' website they are also one of the most affordable moonclips for the 325.

My 625 is probably the most fun revolver I owns, no doubt the 325 will be similar for you.
 
" Wonder if 45 super is good to go in this?

I generally don't shoot heavier loads but will look into whether the gun itself can handle it.

mcb, I'll be ordering moonclips from somewhere this week. I usually go to revolversupply for stuff but will check Ranch Products out.
 
kidneyboy said:
" Wonder if 45 super is good to go in this?

I generally don't shoot heavier loads but will look into whether the gun itself can handle it.

mcb, I'll be ordering moonclips from somewhere this week. I usually go to revolversupply for stuff but will check Ranch Products out.
Click to expand...

Revolver Supply is another excellent source. I use there moonclips in my 627. But for my 625 and 610 I found Ranch a better value. Either source is going to be good to go in my experience.
 
You should like that one. I have a 625 I shoot and it's lots of fum.

Just make sure you crimp those loads firmly or they will cause some problems in a revolver if the bullet moves migrates out of the case.
 
I have the 625 PC also and I have fired about 2000 rounds through it in the last year it seems to shoot everything I have reloaded for it well.
2 Best loads: 200 LSWC with 4.0 grains bullseye. 185 gr Nosler Match HP with 5.5 grains N320.

index.php
 
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I have the PD version of that, with a Hi-Viz front sight and a ported barrel. Mine's only 24 ounces; I wonder why yours is heavier. It's a lot of fun to shoot and makes a great trail gun due to the weight.

Congratulations to you! That's a fine piece of machinery.

Edit to add: Oh, I see why yours is heavier-- the Thunder Ranch one doesn't have a titanium cylinder, and mine does. I'm surprised that adds up to a 6.7oz difference.
 
AZAndy said:
I have the PD version of that, with a Hi-Viz front sight and a ported barrel. Mine's only 24 ounces; I wonder why yours is heavier. It's a lot of fun to shoot and makes a great trail gun due to the weight.

Congratulations to you! That's a fine piece of machinery.

Edit to add: Oh, I see why yours is heavier-- the Thunder Ranch one doesn't have a titanium cylinder, and mine does. I'm surprised that adds up to a 6.7oz difference.
Click to expand...

AZAndy -- I don't know about your particular model, but the S&W think tank goes nuts with their "PD" line, finding ways to shave off every fraction of an ounce they can, here and there.

On my 337PD .38 Special, they used a clamshell rubber grip so the slabs wouldn't need even one screw. They also shaved a shallow groove out of the outside of the trigger guard to remove extraneous metal... Anything to save weight. o_O They got that .38 down to 10.5 ounces unloaded...

.
 
JFrame said:
AZAndy -- I don't know about your particular model, but the S&W think tank goes nuts with their "PD" line, finding ways to shave off every fraction of an ounce they can, here and there.

On my 337PD .38 Special, they used a clamshell rubber grip so the slabs wouldn't need even one screw. They also shaved a shallow groove out of the outside of the trigger guard to remove extraneous metal... Anything to save weight. o_O They got that .38 down to 10.5 ounces unloaded...

.
Click to expand...
That's crazy light, she must buck!
 
Master Blaster said:
I have the 625 PC also and I have fired about 2000 rounds through it in the last year it seems to shoot everything I have reloaded for it well.
2 Best loads: 200 LSWC with 4.0 grains bullseye. 185 gr Nosler Match HP with 5.5 grains N320.

index.php
Click to expand...
Yesterday I ran some 200gr LSWC's through it with 4.2gr of WST with excellent results. Will have to try the Bullseye load too.
 
.455_Hunter said:
Sometimes, unless you want to manage cartridges individually without dealing with partially consumed moon clips.
Click to expand...
The "moonclips rule" is somewhat in jest and somewhat not. If someone likes 45 AR then it really is none of my business beyond my own opinion and we all know what that is worth.

But I do love moonclip fed revolvers and I have never found a use for 45 AR especially in light of the huge plethora of range pickup 45 ACP I have. I deal with partial moonclip issue with volume of both ammo and clips. I will show up to a match, practice, or range session with way more loaded moonclips than I am likely to need in the session. Shoot as needed/desired and then when I get home I can deal with the spent and partially spent moonclips at my leisure.

This also facilitates a proper inspection before use. All my moonclips are loaded at home and go through a proper inspection to insure that when I get ready to do battle with the hordes of cardboard silhouettes and pepper poppers, climb into the deer-stand or head for the corner store for more sweet-tea I know that a lot of things can go wrong but my moonclip will not be among them.
 
AZAndy said:
Whoo lawdy, I couldn't shoot that! You're an inspiration.
Click to expand...

AZAndy -- the .357 version (the 360PD) weighs 11.3 ounces, according to my postal scale.

I fired one cylinder-full of fairly hot .357 ammo through it (PMC, if I recall). The sensation was beyond "exhilarating." I thought a portal had opened up in the time/space continuum and I'd been blasted into the 48th dimension, or something. :confused:

After that, .38 Special felt like .22 CB Shorts, relatively speaking... :D

.
 
mcb said:
The "moonclips rule" is somewhat in jest and somewhat not. If someone likes 45 AR then it really is none of my business beyond my own opinion and we all know what that is worth.

But I do love moonclip fed revolvers and I have never found a use for 45 AR especially in light of the huge plethora of range pickup 45 ACP I have. I deal with partial moonclip issue with volume of both ammo and clips. I will show up to a match, practice, or range session with way more loaded moonclips than I am likely to need in the session. Shoot as needed/desired and then when I get home I can deal with the spent and partially spent moonclips at my leisure.

This also facilitates a proper inspection before use. All my moonclips are loaded at home and go through a proper inspection to insure that when I get ready to do battle with the hordes of cardboard silhouettes and pepper poppers, climb into the deer-stand or head for the corner store for more sweet-tea I know that a lot of things can go wrong but my moonclip will not be among them.
Click to expand...
Just my curiosity but do you carry a moon clip fed revolver for EDC? If so how do you carry moonclips for extra reloads?
 
The Evangelist Cowboy said:
Just my curiosity but do you carry a moon clip fed revolver for EDC? If so how do you carry moonclips for extra reloads?
Click to expand...

If I am carrying a revolve for CCW its my 442 Moonclip in a pocket (usually vest pocket) along with one spare moonclip in a pocket protector.

hYayPs1l.jpg

The moonclip protector was bought several years ago from TK Custom, and TK is still selling them. That said I believe TK Custom is reselling them from here: http://www.delfatti.com/ The design appears to have changed slightly by making the center post longer but its basically the same as mine.
 
After casually searching for something like 2 years I finally found a 4" 325 PD. As already stated it came with a Titanium cylinder. I have had a couple unpleasant experiences with S&W revolvers wearing Ti cylinders, most notably a Mountian Lite 44 Special. For those reasons I immediately switched the Ti cylinder for a 625 stainless cylinder. Yes, it weighs a little more, and shoots a little better, and cleans much, much easier.

To go with it I bought a couple N-frame (45 ACP) moonclip protectors from Del Fatti Leather. I also have a bunch of "Shoot the Moon" belt clips. I have two Kydex belt holsters for 4" N-frames and the 325 PD fits in both of them.

It's a light weight version of the 45 ACP Mountain Gun I had built from a 25-2 and a cut down Pre-25 tapered barrel. Yea, I like 45 ACP revolvers. I'd buy a quality 5-shot, moon clip adaptable carry gun if it ever gets built.

Dave
 
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