EMTCurly

I've been out of shooting USPSA and IDPA or almost 2 years (wow)...the last few months before my self imposed furlough was with a Smith JM 625 (which I have since sold, and am now deeply regretting). I am wanting to return to competition shooting and definitively want to go back to using a revolver, although now I am not sure what caliber to begin with again. Of course the 2 logical choices are .38/.357 and .45acp. What I'm NOT sure of are the specific advantages and disadvantages of each caliber. Any advice on what I should put under each heading for a pro and con? Gregg

Today I saw Remington primers for sale at Outdoor World (Bass Pro Shop) for 34 bucks a thousand. Since I didn't think it was all that bad a price (esp. for such a large chain store!), it got me thinking. How does Remington rank when compared to Winchester, CCI and Federal? Gregg

The reason I'm asking is because I'm getting to the end of my supply of both Titegroup and Unique and am debating whether to buy more of the same (or just one) or try something different. Powder will be used in both my 625 and my Glock 19.

I'm really not too concerned with how "dirty" a powder is. And "smoky"? Most of my shooting is outdoors so that's not an issue either. I guess what I'm curious about is how "hot" Bullseye is. I know its a fast powder, faster than Titegroup I believe, but does it burn hot enough to melt lube, melt a soft lead bullet or melt the moly coating on bullets? I would think that if Bullseye has been used for as long as it has been it can't be TOO bad, but one still has to ask.

I just thought I'd throw this into the mix. Granted I'm still a newer reloader compared to many of you, so I don't have the experience you've gained by experimenting with different powders and load recipes, but I have a thought. Right now I'm using Titegoup, and yes on occasion I've noticed some smoke when using lead bullets (all I use), and while I don't find anything about this powder too offensive, I'm always on the lookout for "the best" or at least "the better". Titegroup is touted as burning HOT (maybe too hot?); some say Clays you have to load to the max to make major; etc, etc, etc.... What about some old school classic .45 powders? Where do they fit in with todays shooters and is anyone still using them? I guess the main one I'm thinking about is Bullseye. How hot is it compared to Titegroup? And how easy is it to make major with? I'm guess I'm just exploring my options on powder given what's available in my area. Let's have fun debating THIS chapter!

Hmm, now I'm thinking.....with a velocity of 720fps, should I be using a softer lead bullet, like the Missouri Cowboy bullet with a Brinnell of 12 as opposed to a harder bullet? Which one will keep the leading to a minimum at that lower velocity?

I am using the RNFP bullet from Missouri. It's listed on their website as the "PinBusters!" bullet, which they list has a Brinnell hardness of 18 as compared to the Cowboy #1 bullet which they list has a Brinell of 12. As for the Florida IDPA match, I entered as ESR....got 1st place in ESR Marksman! (of course I was the only one who entered at that level, but who cares?) And much thanks goes to you Duane, as I read and re read your Blue Press article. I'm surprised as well that I got a velocity deviation in the single digits! I'm still a new reloader (bout a year or so) and am using a Lee single stage press with a Lee Auto Disk powder measure. Nothing fancy but I guess it works!

Just wanted to share my recipe and results. I recently participated in the Florida IDPA match this past weekend and I used a loading that I'd read about on both this website as well as in the Dillon "Blue Press". Since I don't have a chronograph (yet) I wanted to use something that I thought might make major without me worrying about NOT making major. My gun is a Smith & Wesson 625 "JM". I used a Missouri Bullet Co. 250 grain .45 bullet backed by 3.8 grains of Titegroup. OAL was 1.200 with Winchester primers. Range results were pretty good, with a 25 yard group from a rest measuring approx. 3 inches. Yeah I know, that's not fantastic, (I shoot better than that and I KNOW the gun is capable of better) but at least it easily fit inside the center "-0". Recoil was a nice mild push which I thought came back on target pretty easily. Well the proof is in the pudding as they say, so at the chronograph stage the 2 rounds fired produced 720 fps and 726 fps respectively for 180pf. I may try 3.6 Titegroup and see how that shoots...

I loaded up some 250 gr. LFN bullets from Missouri Bullet Co. for my S&W 625. Powder used was Titegroup with Winchester primers. I loaded up 25 rounds each of 3.4 grains, 3.6 grains and 3.8 grains of TG. The 3.4 grain load was a joy to shoot! That must be what a "poweder puff" load must feel like. Almost no recoil to speak of. All loads were accurate; as long as I did my part, I got several one hole 3 shot groups at 15 yards. My question is this....Overall length for all rounds was 1.222-1.226. Although the groove with the lube was not exposed, there was still a small portion of the top bullet groove exposed outside of the case; enough was exposed to where my fingernail could catch it. Should the bullet be seated to where all the grooves are inside the case? I mean the 250 gr. bullet is a BIG (read long) bullet and I don't know if the rounds can be too short when used in a revolver, given the jump it has to make from the cylinder to the barrel. Thoughts? Opinions?

I was laying in bed last night, thinking bout different loads to try for my S&W 625 when it came to me....Black Powder? Nah! Hmmmm. Maybe? I believe it was Mike Venturino in a recent issue of American Handgunner tried it with so so results. Of course he used it in a 1911. AND Of course I can't find the issue where the article appeared. I have some .44 caliber Pyrodex pellets, but since they fit perfectly into a .45acp case, there's no room for a bullet. BUT...has anyone ever tried it? Or thought of it?

As I'm still new the world of the revolver in IDPA & USPSA, when I dry fire practice, I'm still trying out both styles of the reload to see which one I prefer. It seems that so far, when I keep my 625 in my strong hand and use my weak to reload, I use a Pachmayer Gripper, as it keeps my hand secure on the grip with minimal movement. And when I use the Miculek style strong hand reload by moving my revolver to the weak hand to hold, the Miculek style grips seem to let the gun move around easier. So, do you use 1 style of grip no matter how you reload? Or does your preferred method of reloading steer you towards a specific grip? So far I feel more comfortable keeping my revolver in my strong and using the weak hand to reload. I have another question also....how many prefer a Pachmayer or a Hogue rubber grip?

I work as a Paramedic with my shifts being 24 on/ 48 off and have to gone to many matches right after getting off shift. Most times I have had less than 6 hours sleep, with many times having had only 2-4 hours sleep in between running 911 calls, and I don't always get those 3-4 hours consecutively! Have I been tired at the match? Heck yeah! Have I ever been so tired that I felt unsafe handling a firearm? No. There have been many matches I have planned on attending after getting off of work and have been so tired I just went home instead. I think you would feel crappier having taken a shot of cold medicine (NyQuil) the night before a match.

I will be shooting my new 625 at the Orlando IDPA match this Sunday...wish me luck!

sorry guys i should have been more specific...it did come with 3 moonclips, but i'm damn sure not gonna try to load those clips by hand. not fun! so until i can get a "mooner", just wanted to make sure I can still shoot it without ammo being loaded onto clips. of course the manual says NOT to do that, same as it says NOT to use reloads (yes, dear!)........

Just brought my new 625 home to meet the rest of the family. So far my Glock 19 and the Smith are getting along....but I predict the Glock will probably begin to get a little jealous once I start spending time getting acquainted with the Smith. Now comes the fun part....Accessorizing! Just one question though, and yes I know its a FNG question....I CAN shoot it WITHOUT moonclips, correct?