festus1

1. I have the weigand front base on several revos and am very happy with it. 2. The S&W DX type front blades work well w/ the weigand base but the SDM blades need to be fitted some.

Gmancdp - gald to see the 9mm Baer getting some good use!! I tell ya, it is more money to begin with, but it is as close to perfection as I have come accross. It was truly an 'occasion' when there was a malfunction. It did have a 1.5" test target too. But not at 25 yds. At 50!! It's only shortfall (for me) was that it lacked a cylinder.

Here is what the Nill boot grips look like. I like them because they are thicker and make .357's feel like .38 PPC rounds. Well, maybe not quite but they seem to help some with recoil for me.

For my 2 cents weigh in, I like the moonclipped 7 shot L frame 3" with a Ti cyl. It weighs the same (32.1 ozs) as the 66 three inch that I used to have and has 1 more shot. It is much more comfortable in an inside the waistband holster than an N frame. The L frame moons are easier to carry than N size too. I carry 2 in a cell phone case on the belt.

It does shoot quite well. On shorter range steel courses my 4" 625 is faster, but on stages with farther targets the 8" is great. There are trade offs for both. Major loads in the 8 inch feel quite soft and almost pleasant compared to the 4". I looked for just a barrel for a long time and finally ended up just going with an 8" 25-5 in 45 Colt that Randy then converted to ACP.

Well, actually it started out as a 25-5 in .45 Colt. Randy set the barrel back and made it a .45 ACP. I don't know if an 8 3/8" 25 was ever made in ACP?

Randy Lee put the Ti cylinders in my guns so I'm not sure what was done to fit them, but they were chamfered quite a lot. I had the cylinders coated with Birdsong's black T coating and that totally cured the cases from sticking. On the 25-5 I sent the whole cyl assembly and the yoke for coating. I haven't had a problem with cases sticking since. The turn around time was less than a month and the cost less than $30 for the whole assembly incl shipping back. The 8" model 25 weighs 44.8 ozs with the Ti cyl. Here is a picture.

I don't see any downside to a 7 shot moonclipped L frame. I have 3 of them and have loaded several thousand rounds thru moon clips and have only lost 2 or 3 to bending. Only Remington and Federal brass work well that I have tried. Starline might work - I have not tried it. I use needle nose plyers to load the clips (a leatherman) and a screwdriver type unloader. You do need to use plyers or some tool to load the clips - if not then they will bend very easily and be very very hard on your fingers. Only use a screwdriver type tool to unload the clips. For a carry gun I think it is tops. For CCW I carry one moonclip and one HKS speedloader on top of each other in a cell phone case . That way I have the option of spare rounds from the HKS for the backup J frame if needed. As others have said it does not work well for any game. +1 for Mark Hartshorne at Pinnacle High Performance - he does the work quickly and very well. Also +1 for Hearthco clips.

rjkelso, I have a 686 six inch barrel that i'd sell for $80 shipped if you decide to go that route. I don't know how that could work though in an N frame.

I'd go with some Hearthco moon clips from moonclips.com. Probably something one would not do for themselves if they are not competition gung ho, but once you try them you won't want to go back. Or as revchuck said an Allison Speed Brush.

On this 8" mod 25 Randy added an LPA. It turns out that on it a .250 front works - but barely. The rear is all the way down and it is just right. A load change and a .300 would probably be in order.

+1 on what Dave says. I just sold a 6 1/2" 627 to a friend because I've grown to like the 625 better. I have a 4" and a 25 8 3/8". If I had to pick just one keeper of all, it would be the 4" 625. Edited to add pic of 627 - not too many of those around.

Well, if I ever get out of Michigan to shoot the IRC, I'll use this that I just got back from Randy Lee. I have to sand off some wood behind the trigger guard and do some experimenting with bullets, but so far it likes Berry's plated 230's pretty well. After shooting a 625 4 inch for a long time this is like a rifle. Or at least a carbine. The action is just about equal to my 625. http://[/img]

I just received some AR brass and the AR shell plate for the press. There has always been this temptation to get another K frame for SSR class because not many people shoot ESR here. But then I remember how fast and fun steel shooting is with the 4" 625 and 125 PF loads. I am going to give it a try with the HKS loaders and then I'll report back. Wonder how hard it would be to make some N frame jet loaders??

I have Ti cylinders in my 625, 25-5, and L comp. I had the 625 cyl coated with the Birdsong finish. Took care of all sticking problems and is a breeze to clean - just an oily patch and then a dry one. I really like it. I have to send the others off to get coated this winter. Cost was under $20. I just looked at speedshooters and saw the 6 shot L frame cyl. - didn't know there was such a thing. I wonder what model smith the 6 shot 686 cyl is for/from?? Or if some other company makes it?

I have L frame 7 shot guns that use standard moon clips from moonclips.com. Only Remington or Federal brass will work. Starline should work also but I have not tried it. I have to use needle nose pliers to load them and a screwdriver handle type demooner to unload them. I have no experience with the 6 shot L frame moons. After several thousand rounds I have only lost 2 of the 10 moon clips I started with to bending.

I have three 7 shot L frames all cut for moon clips. (The L-comp came that way.) I have been shooting them w/ moons for six years now. Two are 3 inchers and the 386 is 2 1/2" so I haven't shot them in competition. I went to an LFI two day course that was over 1200 rounds and got along fine loading moons for the whole thing. The only thing is Remington brass is the only thing I have found that works well, and I use needle nose plyers for each round. Not as fast as a 625 to reload, but for me faster than speed loaders. I have carried 2 moons in a leather cell phone case on my belt for at least the last 3 years most days and I have not bent a clip yet (knock on wood). A friend I shoot with uses a 6 inch 686+ with moons for steel and pins and gets along quite well. That is just my 2 cents worth to balance out the conversation. On a philosophical note, it would be interesting to shoot a match (icore or steel) with an L frame with speed loaders and then again with moon clips. I think for most folks (me anyway) there would not be too much difference. Except for the neat bag of brass after shooting with moon clips. Chris

I sent my Ti cyl to Birdsong and had it coated with their black T finish. Now cleaning amounts to wiping the outside with an oily rag and running an oily patch thru the charge holes. That is it. The cost was less than $20 incl. return shipping and it was done in 2 weeks. Small parts have a pretty quick turn around compared to a whole gun. I am planning to shoot the IDPA match this Sat at Linden if you want to take a look at my gun. Chris

Why did you put a stainless steel cylinder in it? Was the recoil to much with the Ti cylinder. I would think you would want it as light as possible for carry. Thanks for the info, that is what I waslooking for. Tom I bought the 640 J frame cyl so that I could use the gun while I sent off the Ti cyl to get cut for moon clips (which I haven't gotten around to doing yet). The steel cyl only adds about 2 ozs of weight vs. the Ti cyl but it is easier to clean. The main reason I chose a 357 version of the J frame is that you don't have to worry about ammo selection and for me it will use what my primary L frame carry gun uses so speed strips w/ 357's will feed either gun. Here are the numbers when I tested some 38 +P UMC, 38+P Speer, 357 short barrel Speer, and Federal 357 personal defense low recoil 130 gr ammo in my magnaported 340 and non ported 3" 66. I shot 5 rounds of each in both guns. UMC 38+P 125 gr. 340 = low: 818 high: 837 ave: 825 66 = low: 857 high: 928 ave: 898 Speer 38+P 135 gr Gold Dot 340 = low: 840 high: 859 ave: 851 66 = low: 915 high: 956 ave: 939 Speer 357 short barrel 135 gr. Gold Dot 340 = low: 867 high: 944 ave: 909 66 = low: 972 high: 1044 ave: 1028 Federal Prem. 357 Personal Defense Low Recoil 130 gr. Hydra Shock 340 = low: 1067 high: 1178 ave: 1109 66 = low: 1268 high: 1332 ave: 1294

Ihave had a 340 since it came out. I'd recomend the enclosed hammer 340 because there is no worry about snagging and I can't imagine a situation where you'd want to use it single action. I have had the action smoothed up by a local smith and it is not too bad. I have several Randy Lee guns and if you had him do your 340 I'm sure it would be even better. I have shot 2 inch groups at 12 yds with it (that was a slow fire string for sure though!). Federal 357 Personal Defense 130 grain hydra-shock ammo goes just under 1200 fps over the chrono even after having the barrel magnaported. The box lists the ammo at 1300 fps. The recoil is not pleasant, but if you grit your teeth and go it is not too bad for 10 rounds or so. With light 38's it is not bad too bad to practice with . I had the lock removed and the hole plugged so no worries of unintended locking. The front sight is from Trijicon and I put a stainless cyl in it. Now you can buy it that way with a stainless cyl and tritium front as the "M&P" model. The magnaporting does help a good bit and as far as flame, it is not much more than is there with the stock barrel. I have shot it at night and with a good flashlight seeing after a shot is fine. Without a good light though it is like a camera flash in a dark room. It is very easy to tote around - no excuses for not having a gun. http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f220/Fes...nt=IMG_2239.jpg

Taxlawman, I took LFI II with Massad Ayoob. Shotgun shooting under stress is part of the class so I took my faithfull 870 hunting gun that I've put a lots of rounds thru over many many years. A lot of others had tactical pumps. The person who did not short stroke like most of the rest of us when going under the timer was the lady with an M1 20 guage. A semi auto. I'd shot that 870 a lot but never for time (stress). Now I use an M2 semi auto for everything and have not had a failure to fire or jam yet. I like the analogy between a glock and a pump glock.

David, if you do buy that gun, then take a look at the "Wondersight - a long range micrometer revolver sight". Here is the link: http://www.peak.org/~wapiti/fdlsight/sightwork3.htm That looks like it might work on the new S&W 21 and 22 also. Chris

The 625 is a great gun to start with. Either the 4 or 5 inch. If you are interested in shooting IDPA matches the maximum barrel length allowed is 4 inches. If not, then I'd recomend the 5 inch with the longer sight radius. About the only things you might want to do to a new gun is get the action smoothed up some and have the charge holes chamfered.

Backup?? I think I'd make it the primary!! Very cool. You'll like the extra sight radius.

+1 for Randy's good work. I have several revos has has worked on incl. a 625 and 627 both at @ 4+lbs and they run great. I got to shoot on the same squad as Jerry M over the weekend and that was very cool. I thought for sure I'd win what with Randy's action work and all, but I didn't. I was 43% of Jerry in the USPSA match and 51% in the IPSC match. It was very helpful to see "how it is done" first hand though.