6.5" 625 Enhanced Revolver

[Randy Lee]

Patrick,

I will make sure that the charge hole chamfers are as large as Smith will let me get away with. Maybe not like 1911 throat job big, but big enough so you can throw the moonclip in with confidence.

Will you be at the Steel Challenge? I'll be bringing sample guns with the Ti cylinders.

[Randy Lee]

Hello all,

I just finished modifyng the Ti cylinder chamfer profile. The Ti cylinder is melanite finished so it is TOUGH. As Patrick aluded, it is no fun trying to cut this stuff...

Smith should be able to incorporate the chamfer profile with little difficulty. As sent, the cylinder did have a reasonable chamfer job already. The new profile still leaves enough support for the moonclip but is big enough to enhance even my sloppy reloading style.

[lefty45]

I like the Idea of a custom competition revolver but I would be just as excited to have a replacement titainum cylinder for my 625. As of today I am on my third cylinder in a year. I do dry fire appx 200 times a month and shoot appx 5-6 k a year. My problems stem from the stop notch far shoulder being rolled/peened as to cause "roll by". Anybody have any tricks so maybe I won't need #4 in the near future.

[Randy Lee]

I like the Idea of a custom competition revolver but I would be just as excited to have a replacement titainum cylinder for my 625. As of today I am on my third cylinder in a year. I do dry fire appx 200 times a month and shoot  appx 5-6 k a year. My problems stem from the stop notch far shoulder being rolled/peened as to cause "roll by". Anybody have any tricks so maybe I won't need #4 in the near future.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow,

Three cylinders? Has any trigger work been done to the gun? Trigger, hand or cylinder stop/spring been replaced at any time?

[lefty45]

Yes , to all. the gun was back to Smith over the winter. they replaced the cylinder and the stop and spring I'm not sure about the hand but would assume they did. After the reoccurance of the problem I took the gun to my smith. Other than the cylinder peening he couldn't diagnosis any other problem. With advice from other forum members I replaced the stop spring with little improvement. In despiratrion, I stoned the groves and squared the notch as much as possible with temporary improvement. I purchased a new cylinder and installed it for a match today-- the gun ran flawlessly.

[Randy Lee]

Have your smith check a couple of things:

Cylinder yoke alignment and for possible elongation of the cylinder bolt hole in the frame. Both of these can cause the cylinder damage resulting in roll by.

The cylinder stop should also be timed to press against the cylinder earlier than the halfway point between stop slots on a fast DA revolver.

If the trigger was replaced with an older forged version, it may be holding the cylinder stop in it's unlock position too long.

These are some things to look at.

Randy

[Randy Lee]

My hat is off to the guys at the Performance Center.

They are extremely limited in what they can release from the factory because of today's legal environment. As it stands, the current crane lock force will need to stay(they also have a minimum force standard on the cylinder lock up).

I designed the new cylinder chamfer with the liability issue in the back of my mind. Hopefully, it will get the approval of the powers that be. It does not compromise the structural integrity of either the extractor star or the cylinder.

This is without a doubt a learning experience for me (in a good way).

[lcambre]

Sign me up for one too. I only have 3 .45 ACP 625s so far.

Louis

[TMC]

Not going to happen Louis, Dan shot me down on this. I don't think this will be on the California list.

I have been shopping used 625's for a possible conversion it Randy will have extra parts for us Californians.

[lcambre]

Todd, have you seen all the variations they are putting on already? One of them they put on the list last year they made so few of, I had trouble finding one. Sounds to me like Dan is just BSing.

Louis

[Randy Lee]

HI Guys,

Believe it or not, this project gun is intended for the CA. drop test. There are more Performance Center guns sold west of the Rockies than anywhere else.

I bet the CA DOJ didn't figure on that being the case.

[TMC]

Great! I'm in again.

Hey Dan, stop being such a pesimist!

[D.carden]

Ok ok...

I'm in ........

[michaels]

Ok ok...

I'm in ........    

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK then, can I have one too?

michaels

[Attila]

I am in the market for a good USPSA revolver so I am interested in this. Is there any guess on how long the development process takes on something like this until it is released?

[Randy Lee]

At the moment, we're looking at barrel options and configurations.

Not sure how fast the process will go but 6 mos. to a year is not outside the realm of possibility.

[JohnRodriguez]

I'm in for one also, maybe 2 or 3.

The trick to this new 625, would be to keep them out of the collectors hands. When I purchased my 627 38 super, 3 years age. A guy purchased 3 of them at the same time as me tru my dealer and that I know of, has never fired any of them. I tried to purchase one of them from him a couple of months ago, but he doesn't want to get ride any of them because he thinks they will be priceless in the furture.

Maybe S&W could require that you have a valid USPSA# or ICORE# to purchase one of the guns, you purchase it tru them directly and they ship it to your dealer for the paper work. This would at least give the real shooters a change to get one of these guns, and S&W could look at it as giving the revolver shooters a sort of sponsorship.

[hopalong]

Sounds good John,

But those guys wouldn't mind dropping 35 bucks for a USPSA membership to get their hands on a limited run of semi custom S&W s

Hopalong

[Randy Lee]

I'm hoping that these guns will sell on their own merits.

My guess is that they will sell more than 500 units worldwide. Let's face it, we revolver shooters in IPSC are a minority. We are an even smaller percentage of

Smith's product consumer base. I feel fortunate that they are even listening to me.

The collectors will be part of those who buy the new 625. From the distributor's standpoint and Smith's - the more sales possibilities, the better. As Middleman pointed out, this is a numbers game. There is some risk for the distributor who has to commit to 500 units. Is there a market? What if they don't sell?. It is a lot of money to put down for an inventory which might not move.

But in my heart, I know they will sell. If Smith is really open to my suggestions, we will see a product which is more durable, more accurate and better handling than any double action revolver made today.

I doubt that my name will be associated with the new gun- and that's okay. As long as the gun gets made and it gets the thumbs up from you guys(and gals) I'm happy. It would be cool to see several of them at the Nationals next year.

That would be cool indeed.

[Patrick Sweeney]

Get them to call it the "World Shoot" model or "IPSC World Shoot" model. Get it in the hands of the four of us (whoever they might be) going in 2008. Then trumpet that crushing of the rest of the treams using the new W-S model.

Yes, we may be a small segment, but making people want to be like a small segment is what marketing is all about.

[Randy Lee]

I hope that Smith will provide four of these for the WSXV revolver team members. Since USPSA seems resistant to sponsoring an official team, perhaps seeing a major sponsor taking up the cause will at least make them think about it.

Of course in my world, pigs fly!

[hopalong]

Smith, I hope will recognize that their product is "THE" gun to have in USPSA/IPSC

I have been doing the Revo thing 2 years now, going around several states and have yet to see anything but a S&W at a match.

I have seen other brands in IDPA, but not USPSA/IPSC.

If they would/could see that and put some pressure on USPSA HQ maybe the Revolver team (if there is one) could get some help like the others did.

Seems like there was an OPEN, STANDARD, PRODUCTION, JR. OPEN, and Lady team....Why could there not be 1 more?(4 more team members)

I'm like Carmoney, if there was a ligitamate way to form a team, using results from Nationals espescially, that would get more participation at Nationals, and if it was not so hard to get slots for Nationals.(Note: There is a set way to form teams, it is spelled out.... but was not used for this last World shoot)

I have proposed to my Area director Charles Bond that the winner of the Points series, overall and class winners get a slot to Nationals guaranteed.

He is going to suggest it at their next meeting, please get a hold of your Area director and do the same.

That will do 2 things(maybe) get more interest in the points series and get more slots available to the Divisions before the first come first served.

IF we don't do it, nobody will.....the majority of shooters don't mind us crazy wheelgunners.....but there are some who do not want us around.

Talk to your Area Directors !!!

Hopalong

[Attila]

Smith, I hope will recognize that their product is "THE" gun to have in USPSA/IPSC

I have been doing the Revo thing 2 years now, going around several states and have yet to see anything but a S&W at a match.

I have seen other brands in IDPA, but not USPSA/IPSC.

If they would/could see that and put some pressure on USPSA HQ maybe the Revolver team (if there is one) could get some help like the others did....Hopalong

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course if they realise that they have a TOTAL monopaly on the revolver market regarding USPSA, they may not see it as a wise investment. As you said, people are only using THEIR product. You advertise when there is competition that may take away some of your market share.

I think the best thing that could happen if some other big company would come out with a revolver that would be competitive for USPSA shooters. Then shooters could reap the benefits of the competition between the companies. Since there are no flying pigs and Hell still doesnt have a hockey team(New Jersey dont count), it will never happen.

[Patrick Sweeney]

Be careful asking the USPSA to select a team. By the method laid down a few years ago to "form a team for WSXIV" none of those who went would have been on the team. Not even Jerry. Do you really want that?

S&W may be the only game in town, but smart marketers realize that you only stay the only game in town by offering stuff so good no one else would be crazy enough to take you on.

[6shot]

i'd get one, for starters.