.45 ACP Revolver?

[insin]

I have seen a few revolvers in .45ACP caliber. These seem to be few and far between, but there are the S&W325PD and S&W625. I like the idea of having as few calibers of bullets as possible as to keep my outragiously expensive gun collection under control.

However, I wanted to get some feedback on the performance of the .45ACP from a wheelgun. .38 and .357 seem to reign supreme, but is it for good reason? Can the .45 ACP preform adequately in the revolver platform?

Thanks for the feedback.

[TonyM]

Every so often Bill mentions his and makes me get an itch to buy one.

You just made me get that itch.. thx.

[rorschach]

I used a 625 in IDPA for a while, never any problems other than keeping a few half moon or full moon clips handy.

If you want a really nice .45ACP revolver, you might consider a M1917 revolver. They were made by both S&W and Colt during WWI, and some nice examples could still be had for a reasonable price. I'm pretty sure these are C&R now, so they are exempt from the safe handgun roster.

[bwiese]

I *love* my 4" 625. (Late "-8" version, got it last summer at Reed's sale).

Get a LOT of full moon clips. (Not fond of the half moon clips myself.)

Absolute tackdriver. Mine really likes MagTech 230gr ball, I can write my name with it at the indoor range.

[jaymz]

Taurus makes a few .45 acp revolvers, and I'm pretty sure that most of themcome with compensated barrels out of the box. Haven't shot one, but I'd also like to hear some feedback from those who have.

[bwiese]

Taurus makes a few .45 acp revolvers, and I'm pretty sure that most of themcome with compensated barrels out of the box. Haven't shot one, but I'd also like to hear some feedback from those who have.

The Taurus Tracker 45 wheelguns, IIRC, are 5 shots, not 6.

I'd stay away from comp'd unless you really really really need it. Lotsa flash & sparks & gas, and 45 recoil in an N-framed wheelgun is mild (to me).

In fact, recoil using std 230gr FMH (or 180gr TMJ) rounds is, to me, not that noticeable since it's not a 'sharp' impulse. In fact, it seems almost like a pop gun to me it's so controllable, and much less noticeable than on a 1911!

If you buy a Smith 625, you'll never have to buy another one Triggers are GREAT.

[chiefcrash]

don't forget Colt M1917s...

[sargenv]

I can say that the 625 is *THE* main competition wheel gun in IPSC/USPSA Revolver division. I had to be weird/different since I choose to shoot a 610 (10 mm gun, 40 S&W in moons work just as good). All of the big guys (Jerry Miculek included) shoot a 625 in IPSC competition. However when they shoot the international revolver championships, the gun of choice there is the 627 in various iterations (usually 38 spl's in 357 magnum but I've seen 38 short colts used in a 357 and there is the odd 38 super chambered 627) due to the fact that there is no restrictions for 6 (Ruger, Smith, Colt, etc), 7(686+), or 8 shot (627) revolvers. I've seen 625's (and the older model 25's) in 4", 5" and 6.5" versions for the various sports (IDPA, ICORE, IPSC). They shoot great and are quite accurate. You do need to use moon clips, but for the 625, they are quite cheap.

Vince

[igsr96]

Jerry Miculek video

[chiefcrash]

keep in mind, if you have a .45 ACP revolver, you can either:

use .45acp ammo with moon clips OR

use .45 Auto-Rim

[hdcd]

keep in mind, if you have a .45 ACP revolver, you can either:

use .45acp ammo with moon clips OR

use .45 Auto-Rim

What is the advantage to using the auto-rim? I've heard people discuss it but don't understand why you would choose it over .45acp with moon clips..

[bu-bye]

What is the advantage to using the auto-rim? I've heard people discuss it but don't understand why you would choose it over .45acp with moon clips..

Because you don't need moon clips. With 45ACP you must use moon clips to keep the rounds from moving forward.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

With 45ACP you must use moon clips to keep the rounds from moving forward.

Not true; the 625 will function and fire just fine without moon clips; they won't move forward in the cylinder as they head-space on the case rim. The moon clip is there only to facilitate extraction. No moon clip and the extractor star has nothing to push against. To extract the empty cases without a moon clip you just need a pencil or something to poke the case out from the front of the cylinder.

I love mine; it's a marked "MODEL OF 1988"; had the front sight replaced with a Partridge/brass bead combo and Millet rear target adjustable. Stupid smooth dbl.action and scary light single action trigger job by Davis in Sacramento about 1990 or so. It's my "go to" gun for bullseye competition.

[bu-bye]

Not true; the 625 will function and fire just fine without moon clips; they won't move forward in the cylinder as they head-space on the case rim.

Hmmm, I thought that using the head spacing was not reliable esp on crimped/rolled rounds

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I thought that using the head spacing was not reliable esp on crimped/rolled rounds

That might make sense, but I've never heard of a .45 ACP round that was rolled crimped; every one I've ever come across is taper crimped and all the reloading dies for the .45 ACP are the same way.

Think about it like this; disassemble your favorite .45 semi-automatic, grab ahold of the barrel and drop a live round into the chamber. See? It headspaces on the case mouth ( I said case rim in my earlier post, oops!). Same thing for the 625.
But yeah if you reloaded your .45 rounds and used a roll crimp you'd definitely have a problem, but you'd have the same problem in any .45 semi-auto as well.

Actually, probably less a problem in a semi-auto as I've seen guns that were tight enough that the round headspaced on the extractor - I had a SW 1006 10mm that I could shoot .40 through that did that. If you just dropped the round in, it would seat way deep in the chamber and fail to fire; but if you loaded the round via the magazine, it would be grabbed by the extractor and held against the breech face tight enough to allow the gun to fire.
Of course there was a HUGE amount of freebore for the bullet to jump before it hit the chamber throat, but it did work after a fashion.