Talk me into a S&W 625JM.

[ddj8052]

I have been bitten by the "I need a new revolver" bug. The 625JM is calling my name in the worst way. The problem is I don't "need" it. I love the way it looks and feels in the hands. The grips are fantastic. I am just having trouble justifying it. It shoots the .45 acp which is not good for hunting, my 686 fills the outdoor role much better than the 625jm. I would rather use a 1911 for social work if I am using the .45acp. It is not and Ideal range gun as it requires Moon clips to hold the ammo. So what does it do that my 686 wouldn't? Does it matter? So what does the 625 excel at? So for those lucky enough to own one what do you think of them?

Also, can you shoot them with out the moon clips? My understanding is you can, but it is difficult to extract the spent casing's. is it just a matter of pushing them out with a dowell or something? Thanks for any opinios and thoughts. Thanks Juan.

 

[bofe954]

I think the main use is competition. The JM really only differs by front sight and grip from any other 625. If you prefer the wood grip and sight it is a good deal, as it should only cost a few bucks more than a regular 625, unless the gunshop is gouging.

There is also a crazy PC JM revo, 8 shot 357. scandium and Ti and I am sure big bucks. I thought there was a PC JM that was a 625 too, but it must not be a current model.

You can buy cheap plastic moon clips for range work and I've always thought it would be convenient to have a .45 revo for a 1911 shooter. It's easy to save the brass and you could fire off loads which you made to long or to weak.

 

[Navy joe]

I liked mine so much I bought a 325 too, my first two revos. The 6 wears the ahrends grips that came on the 3 and the 3 wears square butt J-frame grips to be more concealable. With the 625 I put in a light mainspring, a little lighter return spring(not much), polished everything that needed it, dryfired it a million times with JB paste in the action, chamfered and polished the charge holes, and then lubed it up. Otherwise stock, but now the DA pull is a hair under seven lbs and the SA is to the point where i won't cock it unless I am dead on target. Oh, I forgot, both guns got locks removed because I can and extended firing pins installed. On the 325 I was getting light strikes on some hard primers with the gun in stock condition. I think the firing pin extension is a must have mod. Still, a DA pull that light is a Federal primers only proposition for 100% reliability. The 325 has a Wolff mainspring of full power. Coupled with the long firing pin I don't think I'll ever see a misfire, it about drives the primers through the flash hole.

As to your questions, the 625 is a perfect range gun. The brass is all right there in the moon clip, it's the good life for a brass rat. No expensive speed loaders, I have 60 some clips and buying more for peanuts. I unload a clip in a few seconds using a homemade tool. Yes you can fire without the clips, I can pick the cases out with my thumbnail. Or, go extremely retro and get .45 auto rim. As far as hunting, I want to look into doing a little .460 rowland or .45 super work with it, I figure it will be just spiffy for deer. I would probably hunt deer with a good defense load in ACP, shots around my parts are close in. You know, if you hit a deer in th hoof with a .45 ACP it will flip over backwards three times and be dead right there every time...

The 625 is not an ideal carry gun due to it's size vs. capacity, but I find the 325 to be quite ideal. Especially the reloads, moons ruin you for liking speedloaders.

 

[SnWnMe]

The JM also comes with the charge holes already chamfered to make it even easier to drop those rounds right in. I don't care for the grips but the bead front sight and charge hole treatment is probably worth the upcharge from a regular 625.

 

[Stainz]

I picked my 625JM up in early February - what a deal! My dealer ordered mine for $10 over his in-stock 625-8 4" price. His next one - destined for the shelf - was ~$30 over my price. The catalog shows <$30 MSRP difference.

I shot mine again yesterday... 120 .45 ACP's and 50 .45 AR's - thus far, everything it has digested has been homebrew - with Fed primers. I did have one ACP need a second try, but this could be the poor quality range sweepings I used for brass. It really deserves some new brass. My first 625-8 4", sold last year, was 100% with it's Fed primed ACP's - in new revolver-only brass, which I stupidly gave away when I sold it. Oddly, I got nearly $50 more than I paid, inc S/T, for the new 625JM. Yeah, the JM is a bargain.

The .45 ACP/AR rounds are milder than some .45 Colt loads - but, they are still a 'big bore'. GA Arms loads some nice 200gr JHP's that may be fine for some thin-skinned hunting. The stable 43 oz launch platform, with it's smooth action, will make for an excellent follow-up shooter, too. Hunting, as I do, the wooley-mammoth steel plate, or the mean paper targets, it is a real winner. Check the handloads.com site for more suggestions re the ACP/AR loads.

They come with the spring-loaded front sight - easily changed from the gold bead supplied. Also, they have the $70 Miculek-style stocks - they are a bargain just because of them. Of course, the grooved trigger is desireable to some. The hard-chromed trigger and hammer look nice, too. And, thank you, SWM, you made me get out the magnifier, the ejector star is slightly chamfered, unlike my other N-frames. This may explain why the moonclipped ball ammo literally jumps from my hand and into place. BTW, don't expect much from the HKS #25 Speedloaders and .45 AR's... the rounds are so short that the minor interference of the HKS's axle with the springloaded end of the ejector star makes fast & sure use problematic... more like 'Bombs away!'.

I ordered the 5-packs of steel clips, the HKS 25's, and the nutdriver-style demooner from Brownell's, too... just like when I bought my first 625 (Never sell - or give away - such goodies!). It is my ugliest revolver (I really don't like satin SS or full lugs... my only 686 is the 5" half lug!), especially now since my .454 SRH is gone. It is a blast to shoot, however. And, if I run out (No way!), Wally World, et al, have 50rd boxes of ball ammo in brass for $10... not much more than .38 Special lead. It's 'Boom!' is neater than the 'KK...rack!' of a .357M, too. Did I mention it is a big bore??

Stainz

 

[JoeHatley]

It is not and Ideal range gun as it requires Moon clips to hold the ammo.

I've got one of the original Performance Center "Jerry Miculek" 625s, and I've always considered it the perfect range gun, exactly because it uses moon clips.



The latest production version looks like a dandy. I don't think you'd be disapointed.

Joe