FlyinBrian Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I am totally inexperienced in competitive pistol shooting and I just finally went down to my club at the local range and signed up for the "action pistol" orientation class. While talking to one of the guys there, I asked about shooting a revolver and he mentioned that not many guys shoot revolvers there. I am wondering if that is a good choice for me as a beginner or would I be better off shooting semi-auto like everyone else? The reason I ask is that I have owned a S&W 25-2 that I truly enjoy shooting and I shoot it well. I also like loading 45ACP and my new Dillon press is pumping them out very nicely Since I am not an experienced competitive shooter, I do not have any skills in regard to fast reloading. I imagine this is something I can work on learning. I do have around 6 speed clips that I got from the LGS, I think they are Wilson Combat brand? I just ordered the tool to load them as they are very stiff to get the rounds in. Up until this point I have just been shooting the 45ACP in this pistol without moonclips and just pulling the cases out with my fingernail, I imagine that is not the best procedure for a match Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOF Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 First, get more moon clips. Reloading them at a match is a PITA, and takes away from your time helping paste, and looking over the stages. Check with an experienced shooter and find a safe and legal holster, then enough moon clip belt carriers to handle 6 (USPSA/ICORE) or 3 for IDPA. A moon clip checker is also nice. After that, go shoot, have fun, and you'll learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyinBrian Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 First, get more moon clips. Reloading them at a match is a PITA, and takes away from your time helping paste, and looking over the stages. Check with an experienced shooter and find a safe and legal holster, then enough moon clip belt carriers to handle 6 (USPSA/ICORE) or 3 for IDPA. A moon clip checker is also nice. After that, go shoot, have fun, and you'll learn. I've seen plastic clips and metal clips; are the plastic ones any good? What is a moon clip checker? Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gp100man Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 By all means, shoot the 25. If nothing else, you will get lots of admiration from your fellow shooters. A moon clip checker is nice, but you can do without it. I don't use one. I do gauge check all of my rounds, and then check them again by dropping the moon clip before I pack them up for a match. I didn't care for the plastic moon clips. I kept having rounds fall out. I like to drop, toss my loads in and the plastic ones did not hold them in place. Ranch sells steel ones pretty inexpensively, and I have used them. Tom at TKcustoms makes the best, tightest moon clips out there. That helps with the reloads. Ready Tactical makes really good Kydex holsters. You can use them in IDPA or USPSA. If you want a faster holster that you can use only in USPSA or ICORE, then get a Ghost or Double Alpha type. North Mountain sells the best (IMO) moon clip holders. Some you can't use in IDPA, others you use in both. I have the one that holds 8 moon clips and it is slick. Check their website 4wheelguns.com I hope to see you out there one day. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No.343 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 A moon clip checker is a cylinder with holes the same dimensions as your revolver's cylinder. You clip your ammo into the clip, drop them into the moonclip checker and verify that your moonclip is not bent. This is important if you don't hane enough clips to clip all your ammo prior to the match. If you buy the Ranch Products clips (like I did) you can clip your ammo before the match and check it using your actual cylinder. Having your ammo clipped before the match does add to the enjoyment of the match. Best of luck to you. See you on the range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester121 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Brian, welcome to the forum. I'm a new USPSA shooter as well, and because I'm a bit odd, I've focused on revolvers as well. There's a dearth of them in this area, I'm almost always the only person in my division but it's a great conversation starter and everyone knows me as the wheelgun guy now. I started with a Ruger GP100 running 38 special and speedloaders, and while it's fun (any time shooting guns is fun) it's really about as far as you can get from ideal. I listened to the guys on this forum and bought a used/tuned 625, moon clip related gear, and starting loading .45 ACP, and have been having the time of my life all summer (even shot the Indiana and Wisconsin Sectionals, just to get more experience under my belt). I think your 25-2 would be great and you should go for it. With some practice at home you can get really slick reloads, and that's way more impressive than shoving a grip-shaped magazine in the bottom of a grip-shaped hole in the grip of a slide gun once every 8-30 shots. As a side note, I think starting with revolver I'm getting a head start on stage breakdowns and planning; I noticed last week shooting production it seemed easy to pick my reload points and identify "weaknesses" where I could exploit the stage layout to engage targets at a better time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopalong Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Don't let the guys at the gun club talk you out of shooting your 25-2. It is a classic and deffinately has the cool factor !!!! One stop shopping @ North Mountain (4wheelguns.com) for moonclips and moonclip holders. Now on shooting the 25-2............ Have fun with uour Dirty Harry gun (Same gun different caliber) I have 2 of them and have won USPSA area matches and ICORE regional matches with them. Fun guns to shoot!!!! Hopalong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 I shoot a 25-2 quite a bit on steel and really like it better than my 625.... Go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) Run what you have and have safe fun. Get more moonclips, a good holster, and a goid moonclip holder ( I suggest North Mountain brand). The revolver in my icon is what I use, which is a Ruger Alaskan shooting. 45 Colt. It is not the "optimum" revolver to use, but I really enjoy using it in uspsa and idpa. Edited September 11, 2012 by Blueridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Z Sr Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Welcome to revo world, you will have a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Here's what you need to make your 25-2 competitive with any revo out there: competition action job chamber mouth chamfer narrow/smoothed trigger face 100-pack of Ranch Products moonclips (~$35) The next step might be upgraded sights, although there is nothing wrong with the factory set-up if you like black-on-black. Grips and cylinder release are matters of personal preference. You will probably find that jacketed bullets shoot better in your gun than cast lead. Nothing goes in faster than jacketed ball anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyinBrian Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 Here's what you need to make your 25-2 competitive with any revo out there: competition action job chamber mouth chamfer narrow/smoothed trigger face 100-pack of Ranch Products moonclips (~$35) The next step might be upgraded sights, although there is nothing wrong with the factory set-up if you like black-on-black. Grips and cylinder release are matters of personal preference. You will probably find that jacketed bullets shoot better in your gun than cast lead. Nothing goes in faster than jacketed ball anyway. Thanks for all of the replies, I truly appreciate it!! Mike, if I make the above modifications to a 25-2 that is in absolutely flawless condition, will I be hurting the value of the pistol? I've only had it 9 months and it was like brand new in a presentation box. Should I be looking for a "shooter grade" 25-2 instead? One of the forum members here already offered me some very nice moonclip holders, so those are on the way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latech15 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 I don't think that any of those items would detract from the value, especially I you sell it here once you are done with it. Did you buy the gun as an investment or to shoot? The main thing that will detract from the value is to shoot it many thousands of rounds. Unfortunately, tI get good with it, that is exactly what you will need to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyinBrian Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 I don't think that any of those items would detract from the value, especially I you sell it here once you are done with it. Did you buy the gun as an investment or to shoot? The main thing that will detract from the value is to shoot it many thousands of rounds. Unfortunately, tI get good with it, that is exactly what you will need to do. I definitely bought it to shoot, since I have shot it and it was unfired when I bought it I live in the PRK where it is difficult to find these older revolvers due to the roster, so they command a premium. I got lucky to find this one in such good shape and the shop didn't even know what it was... they had it tagged as a C&R since it said "Model of 1955" on the side and they were convinced it was a 45 Colt, so I put it on layaway and then hammered them down even further when I showed them a 45 Colt dummy round would not chamber in it. After looking through the suggestions again, I am thinking the changes are not that drastic... I guess the trigger smoothing is the only one I am hesitating on. I am going to contact the smith that Mike suggested and see how long it will take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon11 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 If you are worried at all about keeping it in nice condition for collecting or possibly reselling then don't shoot it. If you plan on shooting it at IPSC it will develop definite wear and tear. So, if you make the decision to shoot it alot, make the modifications Carmoney said to, and enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I am totally inexperienced in competitive pistol shooting and I just finally went down to my club at the local range and signed up for the "action pistol" orientation class. While talking to one of the guys there, I asked about shooting a revolver and he mentioned that not many guys shoot revolvers there. I am wondering if that is a good choice for me as a beginner or would I be better off shooting semi-auto like everyone else? The reason I ask is that I have owned a S&W 25-2 that I truly enjoy shooting and I shoot it well. I also like loading 45ACP and my new Dillon press is pumping them out very nicely Since I am not an experienced competitive shooter, I do not have any skills in regard to fast reloading. I imagine this is something I can work on learning. I do have around 6 speed clips that I got from the LGS, I think they are Wilson Combat brand? I just ordered the tool to load them as they are very stiff to get the rounds in. Up until this point I have just been shooting the 45ACP in this pistol without moonclips and just pulling the cases out with my fingernail, I imagine that is not the best procedure for a match Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!! Since you already have the S&W 25-2 and shoot it well there is no reason to change. Shoot it and acquire some proficiency before trying to optimize all the variables. I use Ranch Products moonclips in 45ACP, 40 S&W, 38 Super nad 38/357. Great products at a very reasonable price. The Ranch Products moonclips are easkilly oaded manually but rwequire some assistance to remove spent cases - see the Dillon catalog, or www.tkcustom.com or www.moonclips.com for further information on tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJones1911 Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 You can get a lot of great revolver products at the Revolver Supply Company and 4WheelGuns. Both have a good selection and great customer service. Revolver Supply Company sponsors a lot of steel shooting sports in the East. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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