Getting Into Revolvers with JM 625 5inch

[deerassassin22]

I'm looking at starting to shoot revolver in USPSA with a JM 625 4 or 5inch. Anything I need to take into consideration when looking at one? Best places for moonclips and such BASICALLY give me the rundown for what I'm going to need please folks.

[almostold]

Good to have you coming over to the wheelie side! 4wheelguns is a forum vendor - pretty much everything you'll need.

Sorry didn't read that you needed a gun also, so: everything that latech15 said!

(I also bought a 5" on GunBroker, use a speed-e-rack - though north mountain works very well too - and a racemaster)

The BMT Equipped, Inc mooner is a great investment.

Edited March 18, 2013 by almostold

[latech15]

The JM model is only the 4". If you ever want to shoot IDPA go with the 4". If Uspsa only, go with the 5". You are going to have to hunt for either one but a little harder for the 5". The 1988 and 1989 models are built with the hammer mounted firing pin and no MIM parts. They are the most desirable in my opinion.

Gunbroker is where I found mine. The cheaper moon lips from dillon are all you need with the 45. The holes are so big and those 230gr bullets just fall in there. I would say that TK's moonclips are the best out there, but the difference is negligible with 45.

A speed-e-rack and a racemaster with the revo insert will get you in the game.

[BlueOvalBandit]

The JM model is only the 4". If you ever want to shoot IDPA go with the 4". If Uspsa only, go with the 5". You are going to have to hunt for either one but a little harder for the 5". The 1988 and 1989 models are built with the hammer mounted firing pin and no MIM parts. They are the most desirable in my opinion.

They did make a 5" JM PC gun, and I wouldn't consider hammer mounter firing pin guns the most desirable, for collectors who are purists yes, gamers not so much.

Call ranch products up for moonclips and order 100. It costs around $35-40 last I remember. Holsters and clip holders will all be personal preference.

[pskys2]

For USPSA go with a 5", no need to pay a premium for the JM or PC versions. More of what you can find though. Hearthco makes the best Moon Clips, but for a 45 Ranch or Wilson are the way to go and much cheaper.

Clip Carriers are Speed E Rack from the Ayssens, the magnetized version and the North Mountain Carriers.

Holsters? CR Speed is ok, the Double Alpha looks good, If you use a Blade Tech some cut the forward portion down about half way to help clear the barrel quicker.

I had a M29 cut for Moon Clips and it works well, but RN bullets are limited and the Moon Clips for anything but .45 get expensive. Some have even used .40 S&W's.

[deerassassin22]

Good point with the IDPA part always good to have dual purpose. I found one at my local gun shot for 950 Out The Door. But I have to trade my Springfield EMP to get it and they were only going to give me 500bucks So I told them to pound sand. Also how many rounds do ya'll carry? I see most are 5 or 7 Moon Clips do you add more?

[pskys2]

If you go with a 4" get one with the full underlug, adds weight out front. Personally I don't think the difference in 4 or 5 inch helps or hurts for what we do.

North Mountain makes a 4 post 8 clip or a 5 post 10 clip, the Speed E Rack type hold 7 with a spare from the pocket would give you 8. Figure 8 gives you 48 rounds, or say a worst case course would have you shoot 32 rounds in 4 rounds per position, and it would still have you covered.

[latech15]

The benefit isn't all about the hammer mounted firing pin, it is about all of the internal parts not being made via MIM. I have an 89' model 625 and a newer 627. The 625's hammer fall is solid. The 627 "tings" when the hammer falls. You can tell the part quality by the different sounds it makes.

Do you know of any reasons why hammer mounted firing pins would be a detractor? There are less moving parts and one less spring to worry about.

[alecmc]

You'll also need to learn some bottom feeder jokes.

[Matt Griffin]

The benefit isn't all about the hammer mounted firing pin, it is about all of the internal parts not being made via MIM. I have an 89' model 625 and a newer 627. The 625's hammer fall is solid. The 627 "tings" when the hammer falls. You can tell the part quality by the different sounds it makes.

Do you know of any reasons why hammer mounted firing pins would be a detractor? There are less moving parts and one less spring to worry about.

They're more difficult to cut down for trigger work. If you're leaving the hammer alone, I don't see any drawback, and as mentioned I find the hammerfall a bit more solid on mine as well.

[latech15]

I had Carmoney do the work in my 627 and he "carmonized" the hammer. Clark's did the work on the 625 and it has a lighter trigger pull than the 627 and it still has the full hammer. I like the looks of the chopped down hammer, but it the trigger pull is where I want it with the hammer in tact, why chop it. I like having the ability to pull the hammer a little and spin the cylinder prior to reholstering. I can do that with the 627 but I have to pull the trigger a little. I'd rather not have to do that.

[wheelie]

Some of this will be redundant.

I like the magnetic type rack. I made mine to hold five clips, others prefer seven. Buy clips directly from ranch products, they're about $35/100.

Barrel length matters unless its for rules of your chosen game - otherwise its personal preference. I have a holster from talon tactical, the R4 and think its pretty much perfect, its IDPA legal and of course OK for other games. Super duper space gun looking cut-away holsters are not necessary, you only draw once in these games, so conventional holsters are fine IMO. A stable holster for a consistent draw is very important, exact style is not so much.

If you can't do gun work yourself, find a good revolver gunsmith. You'll probably want to bevel the chamber edges, do an action job, might look at checking the dimensions of the chambers and throats on the more recent guns.

Have fun.

[practical_man]

I'm looking at starting to shoot revolver in USPSA with a JM 625 4 or 5inch. Anything I need to take into consideration when looking at one? Best places for moonclips and such BASICALLY give me the rundown for what I'm going to need please folks.

I have one of those California competition works mooner tools I will give you to get started. I might have some blade tech moon clip holders too. All I ask is that when you upgrade (and you will) just pass them on to someone who will use them to get started. Email me if you need them.

I like the Ranch Products moon clips. Inexpnsive and they work well enough. You won't have a heart attack when someone steps on one.

My 625 is a 5 inch with ToolGuys fiber optic sights. ThEy are simply perfect in my view. Best money you can spend on a revo after a good action job. PM him on this site

Chamfering the charge holes in cylinder is a useful idea.

I like the bobbed hamme because it allows lighter double action pull.

I like forged hammer and trigger but haven't noticed a bit of difference in performance between forged and mim parts in my guns. But I don't shoot 10s of thousands of rounds per year either.

Edited March 20, 2013 by practical_man