S&W JM625

[NETim]

I've always had a hankering for a .45 ACP revo. I picked up a like new JM625 at the last funshow.

Now, I'm busy "de-Miculeking" it.

The factory stocks and I just don't get along. Hogue non-FG rubber stocks installed.

The factory Miculek spec grooved trigger has (had) 10 TPI hack saw blades forged into the edges of the face of the trigger. The trigger has faced the wrath of emery cloth for its transgressions.

But I do like the quick change front sight blade. An SDM green FO has replaced the factory gold (brass?) bead. I thinkI like that better.

A Bowen Rough Country rear sight (target blade) may be installed at a future date, if I really get serious about shooting gun games with it.

The charge holes are not chamfered on this model, like the PC 625. However, 230 lead RN bullets in a moonclip just drop right on in at fast for me speeds. Not sure if chamfering is necessary using those slugs.

The trigger has slicked up considerably since I got it. (About 300 rounds downrange with a fair amount of dryfire in between.) The DA pull is still heavy but I am leery about lightening it up much as I prefer reliable, non-finicky guns. I'll strip it down and look for any real problem areas in a few hundred more rounds. I can already see quite a rub mark on the frame side of the hammer. I have some Power Custom shims on hand to hopefully mitigate that issue.

[Alpha Sierra]

Tim once winter really sets in, tear it down and polish the crap out of everything in there and maybe drop a reduced power rebound slide spring. Should get you a much more manageable trigger without compromising ignition

[Dagga Boy]

I do not like light rebound springs. I want the trigger pushing back hard on a revolver after the hammer falls. It's all a bit of a compromise, but this is why I like the TLG set up on my LEM Guns as I like a harder reset push for shooting multiple rounds. I would also venture the 625 is like my 686 SSR and full of MIM stuff. I find just dry practice a lot makes for a great trigger without doing a lot of internal work. I also only trust my revolver work to professionals after having spent a bunch of money on several guns that were beautiful, but home gunsmithed and were a mess inside and required a lot of parts replacement.

[okie john]

Watch that front sight on your re-holster. If you catch it just right on the lip of the holster, you can push it out of place, knock the front sight free of the gun, and lose it in the field.

Don't ask how I know that.


Okie John

[Drang]

The factory stocks and I just don't get along.

This. You'd Jerry would exert some sort of control and make sure the blasted things aren't finished so there's a bit more wood than frame, resulting in the strangest blood blister I've ever seen...

[Alpha Sierra]

I do not like light rebound springs. I want the trigger pushing back hard on a revolver after the hammer falls. It's all a bit of a compromise

It's indeed a compromise which is why when i do this I buy a bunch of springs and experiment with cutting a varying number of coils until I get it like I want it.

I also only trust my revolver work to professionals after having spent a bunch of money on several guns that were beautiful, but home gunsmithed and were a mess inside and required a lot of parts replacement.

I agree that MIM, due to its better surface roughness compared to mass produced machined parts, wears in faster with use. However, when I mess with a S&W I do so very carefully and after thoroughly reviewing what I'm going to do (including all cautions) in Kuhnhausen's manual. It's not as much of a "black art" as some make it out to be particularly if one is mechanically apt. I limit what I do to polishing bearing surfaces where parts rub or pivot against one another making sure I don't undersize pivots or oversize holes. I leave sear surfaces to the real pros.

[Jeep]

It's indeed a compromise which is why when i do this I buy a bunch of springs and experiment with cutting a varying number of coils until I get it like I want it.

Agreed. One issue is the great variation among supposedly identical new-from-the-factory revolvers. Some, in my opinion, need to be lightened, some are fine, a few come too light and need a stronger rebound slide spring. The same can be true for mainsprings--particularly on J frames. Dry firing can smooth them up and lighten the triggers some, but there are some that simply need a lighter rebound slide and/or hammer spring and will fire reliably with the lighter spring.

[Pistol Pete 10]

I've had my 625JM for about 6 or 7 years. Installed lighter springs, long firing pin( it will shoot Fed. Primers), broke the edges on the chambers, put on Hogue grips. Shot it for a while, put the JM grips back on it and now I really like them. I like the brass bead front sight, I wish all my IDPA guns had the bead. I like the grooved trigger better than the smooth one on my 586. I'm probably used to the std. trigger, been using them for years and years. If you shoot double action and lighten the rebound spring too much you'll short shuck it at least once in a while, at least I do. The gun will smooth up with regular use, mine was pretty smooth when brand new.