.45 Crimps: Auto Vs. Revo

[Chills1994]

Hi again everyone,

Just thinking ahead to the day that I can buy a S & W 625 in .45 ACP and shoot moon clips in IDPA's ESR.

I'm currently using a Lee Factory Crimp Die as the last station in my 550 to feed a 1911.

Do I need a different style of crimp to keep a 625 going?

Maybe it won't matter because they'll be headspacing off the moon clips?

Thanks,

Brad

[Gun Geek]

Hi again everyone,

Just thinking ahead to the day that I can buy a S & W 625 in .45 ACP and shoot moon clips in IDPA's ESR.

I'm currently using a Lee Factory Crimp Die as the last station in my 550 to feed a 1911.

Do I need a different style of crimp to keep a 625 going?

Maybe it won't matter because they'll be headspacing off the moon clips?

Thanks,

Brad

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Headspace won't be an issue.

Possible issue is that recoil can cause the bullets to move out. In the extreme, the bullet lodges in the gap between the front of the cylinder and the frame, jamming the whole mess. I know this can happen with 44mags (don't ask), but my guess would be that with a 45ACP, especially at the not-so-hot 165000pf, it wouldn't be a problem.

[Intel6]

I have been shoting 45 AR/ACP revolvers ever since I got one of the "made in 1989" 5" guns back in 1989. I have acquired a few more since then and shoot them frequently. I have discovered a few things about loading for and shooting these revolvers.

The first is that using a common batch of brass to load ammo for your autos and revolver can cause problems. The auto chews up the brass a bit butting extractor and ejection dings on the cases. after a while you will start having problems with the revolver loads because of this. The brass shot in the revolver doesn't get all chewed up. I started loading a seperate batch of the same headstamp brass just for my revolver. I had a decent amount of WW brass so that became my revolver only brass. When I throw all my dirty brass into the cleaner I know which ones get collected to be loaded again for the revolver.

Now, on to the crimping. Since I was loading a seperate loading just for revolvers I started looking at crimp. When I loaded bullets that had no crimp grove I used a regular ACP taper crimp and then the Lee FCD. That was great for those bullets but I was also loading bullets that had crimping grooves. I had been using the Redding Profile Crimp for my other revolver rounds (.32 Mag, 38/357, 41 Mag, 44 Spl/Mag, 45 LC) Colt) and had found through my own testing (chrono and Ransom Rest) that that crimp lowered my SD's on the chrono and improved my groups. Since they made a PC for the .45 AR I decided to give it a try. I used it with bullets that had crimp grooves and found the same results as I did with the regualr rimmed revolver rounds. The Redding PC die is not only a roll crimp but it also gives a bit of taper crimp also which helps give a uniform bullet pull which helps with consistency.

I now shoot alot of the 200 gr. RNFP cowboy bullets which have a crimp groove and use the PC die all the time.

So, if you are going to use 230 FMJ's use the taper crimp and the Lee FCD but if you are thinking about bullets with a crimp groove check out the PC. Whatever you do, I reccomend getting a seperate batch of brass for the revo.

Neal in AZ

[Chills1994]

Thanks for all of the input.

I didn't think that an auto would do that much damage to brass.

The S&W rep was at the local gunshop and I got to talk to him, pick his brain a little bit.

Besides the grips do you know what the difference is between a regular 625 and the Jerry Miculek version?

And Intel, did you keep the original 5" barrel on your guns? I'd suppose I'd have to get a 4" for IDPA.

[AzShooter]

[besides the grips do you know what the difference is between a regular 625 and the Jerry Miculek version?

One difference is that on the Miculek 625 the cylindar has been shortened and the barrel moved back so that their is less jump of the bullet to the forcing cone.

[Intel6]

Thanks for all of the input.

I didn't think that an auto would do that much damage to brass.

And Intel, did you keep the original 5" barrel on your guns?  I'd suppose I'd have to get a 4" for IDPA.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You don't realize the brass is nicked up until the cases drag on the recoil shield because there is a burr on a case.

I left the 5" on but also got one with a 3" barrel

Neal in AZ

[Chills1994]

(in an Oriental accent)

From this grasshopper, I say one thousand thank you's to all of you.