Looking into picking up a revo...what to look for?

[ropsitos]

I've found myself interested in picking up a revo and I'm trying to decide on what will be best. This will be a competetion only gun, for non-offical uspsa style multigun matches. No one shoots revo at the matches I shoot, but I'm just there for fun anyway.

I really want a 625 but I'm having a little trouble digesting the price of a new one, and for a used one, determining what i'm actually looking at. Case in point, a used 625 showed up at the gun shop, in 5", which I understand is not as common, but desirable for the extra sit radius. Stickered at $850 on consignment...I've no idea about what I need to check out to see what shape it's in or what I need to look at to determine the vintage (dash number?). Also is the 5" bbl length that much of an advantage over a 4" to make it something to search for or jump on one when I see it? Is a new one from the PC worth the $$ over a used one?

I've also been eyeing up the ruger gp100. A friend has a 5-6" that I liked shooting (with 38s) though I've not shot it competetion style with reloading, only standing in SA, but it felt good. I'm not sure if I would just run speed loaders or eventually get it cut for moons. I know I like the idea of moon clips much better.

I'm open to other options beyond the 625 or gp100.

I don't currently own anything else in a 38 or 45, though I reload 38s for my MIL for her 442.

Thanks for your thoughts

Bob

[Grim]

I like and shoot the GP100 so that is my choice.

I've read that the 625 5 inch has been discontinued from S&Ws product line. I believe that it is also not allowed in USPSA, definitely not in IDPA.

[Trebor Snave]

5" is most definitely allowed in USPSA. If you want one, get it. There are threads about what to look for in a used gun, a little searching will help you there.

As to whether a 4" or 5" will be better, I don't think you will go wrong with either length. Personally, I shoot a well-used 625-3 5" that was well-used before I got it.

Good luck whichever way you go.

[Butterpuc]

I recently sold my 625 PC 4" model. There wasn't much difference in price between the 625JM and 625PC, but I do not believe the PC is worth the extra money. The cylinders were "chamfered", but not very aggresively, so I had a gunsmith really chamfer them.... Then the trigger action was "tuned", not really, had a gunsmith tune it and set the overtravel stop, which was horribly set by the PC team. I wasn't pleased with the job PC did on mine. I sold my 625 for more than what you have listed above. Btw, I sold it not because I didn't like it, I sold it to fund another project.

look for chamfered cylinders, overtravel stop, adujstable sights, make sure the ejector rod is not bent, look to see if the cover plate shows signs of loose fit (it may have been incorrectly removed or replaced during action/tuning work).

[pbosik]

You mention for 3 gun matches, the 625 for 3 gun will not work as well as say a 686, my reasoning is it is 2 on paper and move on. With the 625, it will have more felt recoil as you will prob be at or near major power factor, as with the 686 will be running at closer to minor. So easier to shoot and scoot, imho.

[pskys2]

Extra pricing on the PC or JM models really isn't justified. Unless you're a serious competitor the difference in a 4" to 5" isn't much. I took a 4" M29 and had it cut for moon clips and loved it. It's about $80 to have them cut. The clips are just way cheaper for the .45 though.

When you swing open the cylinder, look inside at the frame there, that's where the -# should be i.e. 625-5 or 627-8.

Look down the barrel for any obvious bulges, make sure you hear a slight click when cycling DA before the hammer falls. That click is the bolt popping up into the cylinder notch locking the cylinder in place. Once the hammer falls the cylinder should stay locked, you won't be able to rotate the cylinder cw. There will be play, but the timing is off if you can rotate the cylinder cw back to the previous chamber.

$850 seems a bit high even for a 5" though.

Edited August 18, 2013 by pskys2

[practical_man]

I recently pix $700 for a 5" 625 in good shape wih the usual mods done. They are out there for less if you look around. Don't get in a hurry.

I agree with the comments on the PC guns. None I have seen justified the additional cost. They are no better than standard production, except the cosmetic differences.

My new favorite is a 627. Still trying to find the perfect moon clips for Starline. Eventually I just bite the bullet and be Hearthco. There doesn't seem to be a better mousetrap. I have he Ranch products clips for 38 and they are quite loose. The Ranch clips for 45 work fine.

[ropsitos]

Thanks for the replies. While I would love to pick something up sooner rather than later my wallet disagrees, so not having to jump on that 5" works out better.

Phil, that's an interesting point about the 38, I didn't realize that it's generally a minor PF round. I guess shooting it from my MIL's 442 set my mind that it was stout. I guess gun size makes a big difference.

My understanding is that the 38 is a harder reload than the 45's?

Also I think I just realized that with moons you have to show up with the moons all assembled and have enough for a full day's course of fire. It doesn't sound like an operation (de-moon/re-moon) that you'd want to do between stages? If I take 200 rds to a match, that's 33-35 moonclips, and at 40/5 hearthco's that $280. The Ranch versions look much less expensive...40 moons for $30.

I suppose with a speed loader that's completely acceptable procedure? Assuming 30 rounds per stage, I'd need 5 speedloaders with a 6 shooter, so around $85-90 for comp3's. For a 627, are 5 star firearms the only premium 8 shot speedloaders? Still ~$200 for 8 and all made from Al is not a bad price.

Sounds like I have some base decisions to make before I go gun hunting.

thanks

Bob

[Wilson]

I agree about the PC versions. Not worth the extra $$ to me either. They look good,though.

Prices are regional. You can't touch a 625 for under $800.00 around here. California's are probably the highest.

There's an excellent tutorial on how to buy a used S&W revolver on the Smith Wesson Forum. It's worth a look.

If you decide you don't like it,there's a ready market for it.

[pskys2]

Look on line, gun broker, etc... I picked up a new 627 5", yea it's a PC but there's not much choice but I lucked out as this one was a really good one, got it for under MSRP. I also have a PC625 and it's taken considerable work.

.38 Short Colts are what most use in a moon clipped 627 and they aren't any more trouble than 45's to load. Maybe even easier and I'm having real good luck with accuracy.

The 38 spec/357 mag cases are too long for good speed work with a moon clip, but absolutely necessary with speed loaders. Making Major PF with any 38 is harder on the hands than a 45 though.

Moon Clips, Dave Hearth (Hearthco) or TK Custom (Competition .025 versions) are a must. You can get them from directly from Dave, but the TK's are polished at the start and stamped with info, kind of a nice touch. The Revolver Supply Premiums are $3 each and quite a bit flimsier but they will work with RP 38/357 brass quite well, they are a bit looser but ok for Starline. My concern with them is they will be bent much easier than TK/HearthCo's. I bent a couple of HearthCo's and was able to straighten them with Needle Nose Pliers easily. Must remember not to force the loading of Moon Clips!

It's wise to show up to a match with enough moon clips to shoot the Match 2x's, removes the concern of "Did that get stepped on?"

[cyberiad]

You definitely do not want to worry about having to load moonclips during a match. For a 625 Ranch moonclips should be fine.

[PatJones]

Loading moon clips at a match isn't any worse than stuffing magazines. You just need the proper tools to do it. You will want extra moons in case one gets bent.

The moon clips for a 625 are about 50 cents each, vs $4-$5 each for the .38's.

[pskys2]

Loading moon clips at a match isn't any worse than stuffing magazines. You just need the proper tools to do it. You will want extra moons in case one gets bent.

The moon clips for a 625 are about 50 cents each, vs $4-$5 each for the .38's.

The problem is knowing if one is bent. I have a Moon Clip Checker, but you better not try putting any in the cylinder and spin checking at the match. I do that at home for all of that go to the match with me. And loading Hearthco's aren't as easy as even a 21 round STI.

[Butterpuc]

I always kept approximately double the ammo loaded into moon clips for major matches. round count expected ~250, I would have ~500 in moon clips already loaded. If you are going to shoot a moon clipped revolver, having ~100 moon clips on hand isn't unusual... it's still cheaper than having 5-10 magazines on hand. Plus, during a competition, all you have to do is go to your range bag, grab 2-3 pre-loaded moon clips and put them on your belt... done! no reloading magazines, no wearing out your fingers during a competiton.

After I finished reloading 45acp, I would right away load all my empty moon clips. If I had a major match coming up, I would put every "loaded" moon clip into my 625 and make sure it didn't cause any binding.

FYI, I would through away ~5 moon clips per month. They get stepped on during the competitions... You may have bent one loadin/unloading it... you do need a stock of moon clips... they are cheap

[pskys2]

Let's see 60 HearthCO, 10 TK, 10 Revo Supply Premiums = $385 and 640 rounds loaded.

150 Wilson Moon Clips = $160 and 900 rounds loaded.

8 STI Mags w/Dawson Base Pads & Xtra Cap Spring/Followers = $800 and 138 rounds loaded.

20 Shooting Star SS Mags = $520 and 160 rounds loaded.

The cost doesn't look so bad for the Revo's that way.

Since 2006, when I started using a 625, I've had maybe 10 moon clips get bent. Before that I had some 50 TK Moon Clips for my M29 and had 1 bent (and they are thin). In the same time frame I've had 4 SS Mags go bad and 1 for the STI. So usage isn't all that different either.

Another benefit of the Revo, more time to stand around and BS and/or work!

Edited August 21, 2013 by pskys2

[scottyinAZ]

And we get all our brass back!!!!

[Butterpuc]

Don't know about everyone else, but I had the best luck with Starline brass.

[latech15]

I have a 5" 625 that has had the full action job done at clarks and a SDM front sight. I have 50 or so ranch moon clips for it. It isn't for sale, but I f I were to sell it as is, I would start at $1,100-1,200. If I saw a clean 5" gun at a gun shop for $800, I would probably buy is on principal alone. I paid $700 for mine 3-4 years ago from one of the auction sites. I haven't seen one at that price since then.