625 Trigger

[jimstc]

What is a realistic double action trigger pull weight for a 625 ? How low can you go?

Thanks,

Jim

[Carmoney]

Assuming the 625 is in decent spec, not too loosey-goosey in terms of timing, end-shake, etc., and assuming further than you're using good revolver ammo (Fed. primers, properly-seated), I think the practical limit will be somewhere around 5.5 to 6 pounds. But every gun is a little different, and you'll have to experiment until you find the lowest pull weight that still gives 100% reliability (if that is your goal).

There are ways of taking the DA down further, but they involve more drastic modification to the hammer, etc. I haven't tried it, but I've heard (and I believe) that Vic P.'s 627 action (done by Randy Lee) is around 3.5 pounds. I do think that the 627's method of headspacing is more reliable than the 625's, and I also believe that small pistol primers are easier to fully seat, at least in my machine, so some of that ultra-ultra-light stuff may not apply quite as well to the 625 platform.

Those are my thoughts.

Mike

[jimstc]

Mike,

Thanks for the reply. That helps.

The gun currently is at 8.5 lbs. It is a Performance Center model with a fair amount of additional custom work by a local smith. I recently bought it to shoot ICORE and IPSC. I have only shot 1911/2011 guns to this point so I am a revolver newbie trying to learn along the way.

I do load my own ammo and do use Federal primers. I was going to start my load development with Starline brass, Montana Gold 230gr CMJ and Titegroup. Your thoughts on this will be appreciated. I was advised yesterday that I relly don't need to push that heavy of a bullet particularly for ICORE.

Thanks,

Jim

[DougCarden]

Jim,

I would try some Berry's 185HBRN(hollow base round nose) They have the profile of the 230RN that we love to reload with, but it is a 185gr bullet. They are one of the most accurate plated bullets I have used, due to the hollow bullet base flaring out to seal the barrel and engaging the rifleing well. I would also try with VV310, CLAYS, or WST and your federal primers.

Once you find your load, go out and start screwing out your mainspring screw until the gun wont run. Then go back in by half turns. Once it starts running 100% turn it a 1/4. Then screw all the way back in and Remember how many turns back to get it where you want it. Write it down! Then take the screw out, degrease the screw and hole, then use blue loctite, and reapply the screw to the right tension. Let the loctite cure. Then measure your trigger pull, and that will be as light as your individual trigger in that gun can go with that load. It aint rocket science....

FWIW Carmoney knows his crap, I learned what I know about REVO's from him........

Regards,

DougC

[Carmoney]

Jim, I think your component choices are just fine for shooting IPSC, where you have to hit the 165 power factor. I've been shooting 230-gr. jacketed stuff myself, but I'm switching to 230-gr. RNL bullets due to the pretty significant cost savings. 625s tend to shoot cast lead bullets very well (that was often not the case with its predecessor, the blued 25-2). I think I'll go with Clays powder, but not sure.

I will be shooting my first ICORE match in May out in Colorado, and I'll be shooting my 627 8-shot with factory American Eagle 158-gr. RNL I bought in bulk from ammoman.com. I think if I were going to be shooting a 625 in ICORE with the much lower 120 power factor, I would make up a separate nice soft load using the same 230-gr. bullets at about 130 p.f. (maybe using Titegroup or even Bullseye). The advantage would be you might not have to mess with the sights as much when you switch back and forth between loads. The disadvantage may be (not sure on this) more pronounced bullet drop on the 50-yard shots you sometimes see on ICORE (???) Just guessing on that.

Good luck--welcome to Revo!!

Mike

[Carmoney]

DougC, you didn't learn to leave your strain screws loose and trust blue loctite from me--who the hell have you been hanging around with over the last 10 years while I took my sabbatical?!?!?

Seriously, Jim, a lot of guys do what Doug describes and it works fine as long as the loctite fully cures, and as long as the mainspring doesn't start to knuckle with the strain screw halfway out. Personally, I bend the mainspring to the desired tension and then torque the strain screw all the way down as hard as I can. However, I live in the country and can test-fire the gun out the backdoor as I'm working on getting the correct bend in the spring--not everybody has that luxury. When I need to take the gun apart later on, I don't have to fuss around counting screw turns and worrying about loctite and all that jazz.

I will also tell you this--most of the revo shooters with way-light actions have the occasional click during a match. Some of them just accept that as a price to be paid for the nice light action. Personally, I think you're better off with a gun at 8.5 pounds that you know for sure will go bang every time. Also, be sure to carefully check your match ammo--I run my finger over every single primer on my loaded ammo to make sure they're all flush--if I feel any sticking up a little, those rounds go in the junk ammo bin for use in a 1911.

Mike

[revchuck]

I run my finger over every single primer on my loaded ammo to make sure they're all flush--if I feel any sticking up a little, those rounds go in the junk ammo bin for use in a 1911.

And to think that the conventional wisdom is that one uses a .45 ACP revolver to get rid of the stuff that won't feed in a 1911...

[Stang68]

You can get the 625 trigger pull below 5 lbs. and reliable with good reloading practices, Federal primers fully seated. All you need to do is give Randy Lee a call at Apex Tactical, www.apextactical.com , and let him know you want your 625 to have the level 4 trigger job then send it in with some of your ammo for him to test it with.

You will not be disappointed with his trigger job.

-Eric

[jimstc]

Thanks for all the replies. I had my first structured practice with the 625 yesterday.

The trigger was fine at 8.5 lbs but I still may take Erics's advice regarding Apex. I want to run some more rounds through the gun before I make that decision.

I had a nice load yesterday that shot soft and accurately. I used some Star 230gr that I had (still waiting for the MT Gold to be delivered) and 4.3 gr of Titegroup.

I didn't bother to chrono the load since I only had a few hundred of the Stars left, but I think I am close on the light load.

[hopalong]

JIMSTC,

Carmoney is leading you down the right trail.....

I shot my 610 for 2 years off and on in IDPA at 8 pounds shooting winchester small pistol primers and had 99+% shots go off when they were supposed to.

My 625 is running at 5 3/4 pounds after 1 click at the Florida Open cost me an extra reload and 3-5 extra seconds (was at 5 1/4)

The lighter weight trigger just helps on the hard shots that require a bit more concentration and sight picture.

When shooting close targets fast I can run .18-.20 splits between shots with 12 pound trigger just as my 5+ the biggest thing is time between targets as most can not control the gun going that fast (second shot is usually not where it needs to be)

Shoot the gun like it is until you decide you are ready to take the next step....

then work on reloads until they are consistant (did you notice I did not say fast?)

Once you have your reloads down and can control the gun like you want with the 8 pound trigger and you want to spend the time and money go ahead and send it to Randy Lee he will fix you right up.

Then you will be ready for the next step..... Kicking all the Auto shooter A$$

Good Luck, Enjoy your Revolver I do mine.

Hopalong

[Carlos]

We dropped a Wolff spring set ( RP mainspring & the lightest hammer rebound spring in the kit) into a friend's 625 last week w/ dramatic results. Best part? it was $17. Even with the screw all the way in, the trigger was phenominal; my scale stops at about 5 so we did not measure but I assure you, the trigger is excellent. Will be ordering one for my gun. As for other tricks, Rudy mentioned polishing the rebound spring tunnel; I might give that a try as well. C.

[dajarrel]

jimstc,

You can't go wrong listening to these guys. The only thing I might add is, make sure all the parts are slick inside. If your trigger pull is smooth, you can have a heavier trigger pull and not really notice it that much.

FWIW

dj

[hopalong]

Dennis,

Good to see you in Florida..... How did you do ???? When are you going to put that silly autoloader away ?????

Carlos,

I did the same to mine before I bought a kit from Vic Pickett, after smoothing the rebound slide, and its contact area on the frame (smoother stroke for sure) with the screw all the way in my 610 sat on exactly 8 pounds but as DaJarrell said it was SMOOTH which is more important than light !!!!!

Hopalong

[dajarrel]

Sam,

My goals are always not to DQ and not to be dead a$$ last. Both of them were accomplished. However, I was WAY down in the finishing list. But it was a beautiful weekend in Sunny Florida.

Another thing on the revolver pull. Once I found where my gun was reliable with the strain screw backed out, I measured how much I had it backed out and filed that much off of the end of the screw. That way, even though I still use loctite, I can bottom the shoulder of the screw like it is supposed to be.

HOWEVER, before I started filing on the strain screw, I ordered a brand new one to have on hand,

just in case.

dj

[Boo Davis]

A 5 pound trigger pull on the 625 is fairly easily obtainable.

[Carmoney]

Boo, will you share your secrets with us?

Mike

[bountyhunter]

Boo, will you share your secrets with us?

Mike

I'm not BOO, but I ran my 686 at about 5# for a long time when I was shooting reload ammo with soft primers.

One thing to realize is the mainspring and the rebound spring have to be matched for minimum pull weight. The RB spring has to return the trigger against the mainspring force, so a lighter main allows a lighter RB and still get good trigger return.

I used the Wolff RP mainspring and also backed out the strain screw as required for my ammo (do apply loctite to the screw). Then, I would cut down the rebound spring until I got the trigger return feel I am used to. Understand, if you have to crank up the mainspring to shoot stiffer primers, you may need a stronger RB spring.

Inside the SW is a lot of places tht have to be polished to get the light and smooth pull. The most critical is the two flat sides of the rebound slide that run on the frame... and the frame faces they rub against. I spent a lot of time truing and polishing those. The slide can be oil sanded against 600# paper to get smooth (round the sharp edges too). The frame is harder. After the slide is done, I apply some rubbing compound to the frame and rub th slide as it will be in action. That will shine up the frame high spots.

There are other points polished in a basic action job, but smoothing the RB slide and faces (and applying a good grease) will give you about 90% of the total improvement. I am told the Mikulek video does a good job of describing the proper action job.

[Boo Davis]

Mike,

Bountyhunter said it well. I'm sorry I didn't mean to say that it was so easy, just do able.

Your long lost friend,

Boo