Tips for .45 ACP in a revolver?

[daved20319]

Just won my first Gun Broker auction, will have a S&W 625 in hand some day :rolleyes:. One of the big reasons I chose this over another revolver cartridge is that I already reload for .45 ACP, and I just happen to really like the cartridge. So I saw in a post farther down the page that some folks have an issue with bullets pulling out under recoil, and it looks like the solution is either a different bullet, or a tighter crimp. Any other reloading tips for using a semi-auto round in a revolver? I already know about .45 AR brass, will try out the moon clips when the pistol arrives, if they prove as obnoxious as I've always thought they'd be, I'll go that route. But if not, I can buy a tool and a bunch of moon clips for what a batch of .45 AR brass would cost, thus eliminating just one more item to keep track of and on hand.

Also curious about just how strong the action is on these guns. Not that I'm looking to do a bunch of +P type loads, but if I did want to load something hotter than normal, am I asking for trouble? What about heavier than typical bullets? Again, not planning on actually doing anything with the info, but just want to know for my own edification ;).

I know, no pictures, it didn't happen. They'll just have to wait until I actually have the revolver in hand :D. Later.

Dave

[Lost River]

The Lee Roll Crimp die is your friend.

[paul105]

These work great for range use - easy on easy off with light finger pressure -- there is a right/wrong side so pay attention to the directions.

https://www.ezmoonclip.com/RIMZ%20625%2045%20acp.htm

For steel moon clips -- the BMT Mooner (45-6 I think) - this is expensive but it really saves time and frustration.

http://www.bmtequipped.com/purchase.html

Also, lee makes an undersize sizer die -- increased neck tension helps prevent bullet movement

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012827841?pid=572212

Paul

[Lester Polfus]

When I looked into this, I ascertained that the 625 revolvers were considered good to go for .45 Super level loads, but I can't remember the exact source.

[Pistol Pete 10]

I've been shooting the 625 for several years. I shoot 200 gr Cast RN bullets because they have less recoil than 230 gr bullets, RN so they speed load better(Shot IDPA for several years). I have had no trouble with recoil pulling the bullets, it's a pretty heavy gun, it hasn't been a problem. Make sure the bullets fit tight in the case and use a taper crimp. i shoot the same loads in my 1911 guns. I will note that I have a Lee die that doesn't size the case down enough to hold the bullets tightly. RCBS and Dillon work fine.

[okie john]

Nice score on one of the all-time classic revolvers.

Here’s my wisdom on them, in no particular order:

Starline makes the best 45 AR brass.
Find a way to roll crimp, such as the Lee dies that Lost River recommended.
The reloads your auto favors may not be the reloads that your revolver favors.
Heavier bullets are fine but you’ll run out of powder room past about 265 grains.
The 625 will take 45 Super loads. Get a 44 Magnum if you need to go beyond that.
Moon clips can be easier than you think. You can make a de-mooning tool from a piece of pipe.
A 625 is considerably lighter than a Model 29 with the same barrel length, so recoil gets brisk a bit more quickly.

There are many threads on 45 ACP revolvers here. A search will find them for you. If that fails, try the S&W forum. They have a cult of 45 ACP revolver shooters.


Okie John

[mtnbkr]

Nice score on one of the all-time classic revolvers.

Here’s my wisdom on them, in no particular order:

Starline makes the best 45 AR brass.
Find a way to roll crimp, such as the Lee dies that Lost River recommended.
The reloads your auto favors may not be the reloads that your revolver favors.
Heavier bullets are fine but you’ll run out of powder room past about 265 grains.
The 625 will take 45 Super loads. Get a 44 Magnum if you need to go beyond that.
Moon clips can be easier than you think. You can make a de-mooning tool from a piece of pipe.
A 625 is considerably lighter than a Model 29 with the same barrel length, so recoil gets brisk a bit more quickly.

There are many threads on 45 ACP revolvers here. A search will find them for you. If that fails, try the S&W forum. They have a cult of 45 ACP revolver shooters.

Okie John
I thought you were wrong about the weights, so I weighed my 4" 629 and 4" 625jm. The latter has a full underlug, but is still 2oz lighter.

It's probably due to the shorter cylinder length, larger charge holes, and larger bore.

Chris

[okie john]

I thought you were wrong about the weights, so I weighed my 4" 629 and 4" 625jm. The latter has a full underlug, but is still 2oz lighter.

It's probably due to the shorter cylinder length, larger charge holes, and larger bore.

Yep. Surprised me the first time I saw it, too. Smith is seriously fucking up by not offering a 4” Model 29/629 variants with full-lug barrels.


Okie John

[Wayne Dobbs]

Just won my first Gun Broker auction, will have a S&W 625 in hand some day :rolleyes:. One of the big reasons I chose this over another revolver cartridge is that I already reload for .45 ACP, and I just happen to really like the cartridge. So I saw in a post farther down the page that some folks have an issue with bullets pulling out under recoil, and it looks like the solution is either a different bullet, or a tighter crimp. Any other reloading tips for using a semi-auto round in a revolver? I already know about .45 AR brass, will try out the moon clips when the pistol arrives, if they prove as obnoxious as I've always thought they'd be, I'll go that route. But if not, I can buy a tool and a bunch of moon clips for what a batch of .45 AR brass would cost, thus eliminating just one more item to keep track of and on hand.

Also curious about just how strong the action is on these guns. Not that I'm looking to do a bunch of +P type loads, but if I did want to load something hotter than normal, am I asking for trouble? What about heavier than typical bullets? Again, not planning on actually doing anything with the info, but just want to know for my own edification ;).

I know, no pictures, it didn't happen. They'll just have to wait until I actually have the revolver in hand :D. Later.

Dave

Dave,

Great revolver to have and shoot! I have one of the pre-lock Mountain Guns in .45 ACP and it has become a real favorite. I've killed many Texas whitetails (couple of dozen) with it with shots inside 30 yards from bow blinds and all were one and done kills, with about 2/3s dying on the spot. None have gone more than 25 yards from getting the bad news. I've used three loads: Winchester 230 Ranger-T standard pressure, Federal 230 HST +P and a couple of different 250 Keith SWCs over 6.5 Unique in Starline .45 Auto Rim brass. Can't tell a lot of difference over the long haul, but that Keith bullet could've killed two or three deer if I could've lined them up. The Federal load is getting the most use lately. It is accurate and opens up to diameters I still can't believe. Go over to the Cast Boolit forum for a bunch of guys using .45 ACP revolvers. Dale53 is the most prolific poster on the topic there. Have fun with that great revolver!

[Dov]

Just won my first Gun Broker auction, will have a S&W 625 in hand some day :rolleyes:. One of the big reasons I chose this over another revolver cartridge is that I already reload for .45 ACP, and I just happen to really like the cartridge. So I saw in a post farther down the page that some folks have an issue with bullets pulling out under recoil, and it looks like the solution is either a different bullet, or a tighter crimp. Any other reloading tips for using a semi-auto round in a revolver? I already know about .45 AR brass, will try out the moon clips when the pistol arrives, if they prove as obnoxious as I've always thought they'd be, I'll go that route. But if not, I can buy a tool and a bunch of moon clips for what a batch of .45 AR brass would cost, thus eliminating just one more item to keep track of and on hand.

Also curious about just how strong the action is on these guns. Not that I'm looking to do a bunch of +P type loads, but if I did want to load something hotter than normal, am I asking for trouble? What about heavier than typical bullets? Again, not planning on actually doing anything with the info, but just want to know for my own edification ;).

I know, no pictures, it didn't happen. They'll just have to wait until I actually have the revolver in hand :D. Later.

Dave

Bullet pull with handloads or factory ammo?

Federal 230 HST standard or +P good to go?

I've been looking real hard at a 625 to mostly replace my 629 because age & etc making magnums painful to shoot and lot better factory ammo options available in 45 ACP than in 44 Special.

[fatdog]

Don't use any of the CCI .45ACP shot shells in 625. They will back out worse than anything I have ever seen and lock it up (worse than an N frame .22 Hornet). I had to take mine apart to clear things after one shot, but that copperhead was deader than dirt.

[okie john]

Bullet pull with handloads or factory ammo?

Taper-crimped factory ammo is GTG in a revolver. If you add speed or bullet weight beyond +P levels, then you need a roll crimp. Most 45 ACP taper crimp dies will create a roll crimp is you screw them down far enough, but that puts a huge taper crimp on the case and bullet first, which can degrade accuracy. The goal is to get the roll crimp without the taper crimp. Back in the day I used a 45 Colt die with the bottom 1/3 cut off; now I'd use a Lee Factory Crimp Die.


Federal 230 HST standard or +P good to go?

The 625 is OK for 45 Super (28k psi) so it's OK for +P (23k psi).


I've been looking real hard at a 625 to mostly replace my 629 because age & etc making magnums painful to shoot and lot better factory ammo options available in 45 ACP than in 44 Special.

Thank you. This is the exact rationalization that I needed to add a 625 to the stable.


Okie John

[Baldanders]

Don't use any of the CCI .45ACP shot shells in 625. They will back out worse than anything I have ever seen and lock it up (worse than an N frame .22 Hornet). I had to take mine apart to clear things after one shot, but that copperhead was deader than dirt.

Good to know!

I got some useful info from the hive here : https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?40553-RFI-45-Auto-Rim-quot-Tier-II-quot-Loads

[Dov]

Thank you. This is the exact rationalization that I needed to add a 625 to the stable.


Okie John

Glad to enable...er assist you :D

I don't think many here will say a modern 44 Special hollowpoint is a bad choice, but I feel like modern 45 ACP HP's have certainly benefited from more R&D for LE or Self Defense purposes than any 44 Special.

I also worry about adequate 44 special defensive factory ammo going out of production.

Back before I got my 44 I wanted to get a Colt Anaconda in 45 LC moonclipped for 45 ACP. That was back around 2000, a buddy had a 44 magnum Anaconda which I really liked, even back then I figured 45 LC handload or boutique ammo would be fine for my hunting & woods walking chores. While having very good 45 ACP factory ammo for defense.

Called Colt and talked to them about it and they said they wouldn't/couldn't do moonclip conversion on 45 LC.

Either TK wasn't yet doing that conversion or I wasn't aware of them doing so back then so I ended up with the 629 which I don't regret, its my favorite firearm I just regret not being able to shoot magnum anymore in it without days of pain.

I do think Ruger is missing a bet by not offering the 454 Alaskan (snubby SRH) & Ruger Super Redhawks with 45 ACP moonclip as option, even if only via custom shop or limited distributor.

The Alaskan especially would have lot more utility IMHO with 45 ACP moonclip option, in the field could have small game loads like full wadcutters in moonclips so they wouldn't be mistaken for Bear loads in 45LC or 454.

Plus 2 moonclips will stack in single HKS speedloader pouch.

[okie john]

I don't think many here will say a modern 44 Special hollowpoint is a bad choice, but I feel like modern 45 ACP HP's have certainly benefited from more R&D for LE or Self Defense purposes than any 44 Special.

I also worry about adequate 44 special defensive factory ammo going out of production.

Definitely more R&D invested in the 45, plus good 45 carry loads are as common as good 30-06 deer loads. Even if viable 44 Special loads remain in production, they may not be in stock when we need them.

Unscheduled enabling has occurred.


Okie John

[willie]

Don't use any of the CCI .45ACP shot shells in 625. They will back out worse than anything I have ever seen and lock it up (worse than an N frame .22 Hornet). I had to take mine apart to clear things after one shot, but that copperhead was deader than dirt.

Shooting a primed case(no powder or projectile)will result in primer being pushed back against firewall. This happens anyway but standard loads have enough pressure to push case back against firewall. Primer then is forced into original position. Early machine gun development produced some models relying on primer setback to work the action. From memory I recall that the extra thickness from moon clips and the thick Auto Rim case rim results in a wider space between primer and firewall--than would be found in a .45 Colt revolver. This extra distance contributed to the setback tying up your revolver. Using a spark plug feeler gauge is one way to manipulate case to allow opening cylinder.

[fatdog]

a wider space between primer and firewall--than would be found in a .45 Colt revolver. This extra distance contributed to the setback tying up your revolver.

yes the extra space is certainly a contributor, also a culprit on these particular shells in this or any 45 ACP revolver is the bottleneck cartridge design of their 45 ACP shotshells....not the plastic shot caps like the normal revolver shotshells

51634

Just like the .22 Hornets in those short lived N frames, a bottleneck cartridge in a revolver gets pushed back and expands so violently against the firewall that the thing is deformed and the bottleneck expands partially into the cut part of the chamber and partially into the freebore part of the chamber and reforms itself to that new nearly immovable shape...it was a PIA

[JTMcC]

yes the extra space is certainly a contributor, also a culprit on these particular shells in this or any 45 ACP revolver is the bottleneck cartridge design of their 45 ACP shotshells....not the plastic shot caps like the normal revolver shotshells

51634

Just like the .22 Hornets in those short lived N frames, a bottleneck cartridge in a revolver gets pushed back and expands so violently against the firewall that the thing is deformed and the bottleneck expands partially into the cut part of the chamber and partially into the freebore part of the chamber and reforms itself to that new nearly immovable shape...it was a PIA


That's an interesting "event" you had, and makes a good arguement for trying out ANY new ammo huh?
Remington made, for a while, brass case shot loads, the brass was crimped over the shot charge. I've still got several around.