doc38

I have reloaded since I was 14 years old ( 31 years ago) . Never had issues like this before. As near as I can tell, I will be fine if I just pay more attention to primer seating. GO figure, I got by with poor pistol priming all these years. As far as reaming cylinders goes I am not against it, I just don't think it is necessary in my case. CHAMFERING, on the other hand...I may well just look into the whole thing for that alone. I will say this, the surface finish inside the cylinders, throats and the forcing cone isn't what I am used to seeing in Smith and Wesson products in the past. I only shoot lead bullets so I need as smooth an internal finish as possible. I have hand lapped barrels on Smith revolvers ( and others) and found them tight just past the forcing cone. They should get smaller closer to the muzzle if they change dimensions at all. Lapping them "straight" or a few ten thousandths bigger right ( choke boring) past the forcing cone usually stops chronic leading. If I could get the chambers reamed round and polished slick, throats polished, and the forcing cone cut to the longer angle and cleaned up and polished, all for about $20 or so..... I guess I will be doing some work on the darn thing myself. To tell the truth, tinkering on the revolvers is about as much fun as shooting them.

I am having cylinder binding issues on my new 625 JM. I have narrowed it down to moonclips, case dimensions. Everything else is right. What kind of brass and clips do you fellow use? What dimensions is standard for moonclips? what happens is very similar to a high primer, but it usually involves the case head. Some primer pockets aren't deep enough and I just trash them. THe case heads that bind do it asymmetrically, I.E. not all the way around. It looks like a high spot on the case head. I am using the same range pick ups I use for my 1911. If I buy 500 rounds of new brass, what brand do most folks use? By the way, NO issues with new factory ammo. Also, zero issues with for sure once fired, small primer pocket brass.

I bought a 625. I should put in a disclaimer, I am not super competitive. I shoot what I carry daily and that has always been an N frame Smith or a 1911, also a Smith & Wesson. TO be dead honest I think the 627 covers the most bases. It can be used to hunt, it makes a fantastic self defense choice, and 38/.357 is a lot easier to reload for in a revolver. I bought a 625 because I cast bullets and a 45 acp is a little easier to make good cast bullets for. I can also use it for IDPA as it has a 4" barrel. With that said, I am going to be saving my lunch money, literally, for a 627 this year. My personal opinion is that a 627, 5" barrel and some good, hot 357 magnum factory loads would have to be just about the ultimate carry gun. My 625 JM with good factory loads is no slouch for hunting or self defense, either. Most of my kills on game have been with cast hollow points loafing along at 1000-1100 fps in a 44 magnum anyway. 45 acp will do this just fine with a 180-200 grain cast hollow point or with a speer gold dot factory load. Bear in mind I weigh 20 stone and work on the farm. An N frame probably Wouldn't work as a carry gun for a "professional" who works in an office. It just doesn't make sense to me to have a bunch of different guns for sport, hunting, and EDC. If I could shoot USPSA major with the .357, if I could shoot IDPA with the 5" barrel.....627, no questions asked. For now it makes sense to have both, and I got the 625 first because it was available, and it works out better with the local club. When I get the 627, I may sell the 625 ( NOT!).

Really strange. I have been a little busy teaching, but I got some of the loads that didn't want to chamber well in the 625 and took them apart. Overall length was good, case length was good, and I touched the case head with a file, not removing any material, but just to clean up "dings" from the ejector. Turns out the crimp was fine for the 1911, but the cases weren't dropping all the way into the 625 chamber with the very little crimp I use for the 1911. GO figure... I crimped the darn bullets about another 2-3 thousandths and no more problems. I till can't figure it out, the case length was 10-12 thousandths short of max length, and like I say, the 1911 like them really well. I think my 625 must have tight chambers and the 1911 loose chamber. Anyhow, mystery solved, and the 625 shoots like a house afire. With my luck the 1911 accuracy will go to pot with the tighter crimp. Haven't tried it yet.

That is a good idea, alternating. Also, I am having headspace trouble. Seems to be a few high primers. I may have to trim my brass. First time for that in a 45acp. Hard to believe the revolver is fussier than the 1911.

I just got my 625 JM today! Pretty excited. I have a good load worked u for my 1911, but it sucks in the revolver. #68 h&g. Accurate and clean but it will not chamber smoothly in the revolver. The bullet shoots well, but speedy reloads are out.

I am new to this game also. Is there a reason Not to use a smith model 14 for minor revolver? I know the N frame will be more durable, but using 38 special I can't see a problem. I have good "shooter"; it probably doesn't have much collector value. I wouldn't cry if I had it cut for moon clips. Using Safari Land Comp IIIs for now. I have nice 1911 but I figure I need all the dry fire I can get, and being as how you are going to shoot DA exclusively I get the same feel as actually firing. Also, I am an old, fat slow guy. The "kids " are too hard for me to keep up with. None of them shoot revolvers....

I am in the same place, Bart. I shoot well but I am slow. Most of my practice now is about economy of motion, bumble free reloads, and getting "set" on the next target as quickly as possible.

I am new to the game also. I timed myself on draw and fire two rounds from the holster on a 21' target. pretty good times, if I do say so myself. My match times are pretty terrible. No problems getting all "A"s. The problem is my times are as much as twice what the good shooters get on some of the longest stages. It really is an athletic/ economy of motion/ head game. And my times seem to never be quite what I get at home, either. I think the mirror/ video idea is something I am going to incorporate as well as never doing any practice static. I am going to practice reloads etc. moving from now on.