revolver ?'s

[mattman23]

I bought a 617 and added the hiviz to match my 625.Im shooting 250-500 rds a week through the 617.I discovered that a lighter grip strong hand and a heavier grip with my support hand has improved my shooting alot.Jerry or team PROARMS has nothing to worry about for a long time .Thanks alot for all the help,I listened to the revolver roundtable and tale of 2 gunsmiths twice this week.Take care,Matt

[MasAyoob]

Whatever works, bro.

For me personally, and for most of my students, the most effective grasp is maximum grip strength with firing hand. This prevents the other three fingers from sympathetically tightening and "milking" the gun off target when the trigger rapidly applies a double action pull much greater than the weight of the revolver. (Max grips strength applied with the support hand helps, too!)

But it's about what works best for the individual shooter, not the other guy giving the advice.

Best of luck, bro,

Mas

[mattman23]

Well I added S&W x frame grips.I can now have a firm grip with my firing hand and not have it fall out of my hand(carpal tunnal problems).Its a larger grip but cushions and put my finger in the perfect spot.I also said enough waiting around and shot a classifier today.Shots were low but ok,reloads were pretty terrible.Going to chamfer the cylinder for sure.Its great to finally see a break through.Thanks again,Matt 

[S391]

I've had an itch for a 625 for the better part of the year..... I think it may be time to make the switch and have some fun during our "indoor" season.

[Steve]

I generally shoot IDPA with my 3" 625.  I use Pachmayr Gripper grips on mine.  One nice thing about revolvers is that you have a lot of grip options.  I definitely recommend chamfering the chambers.  And don't forget to test your loaded moon clips before a match.  Any slight bend/ammo issue (as can occur with reloads, especially) can cause the cylinder to bind.  Find out before the buzzer!  625s RULE!!!

Steve

[mattman23]

I was also told to put a little more crimp on the reloads to aid as well.

[Chris]

625s do not rule. Ruger GP-100 SSR rules. I also have to note that since I use roundnose or pointed bullets for competition in revolvers I have never seen the need to chamfer the charge holes, nor have I done it. I honestly think (against popular opinion) that with that type of bullet chamfering the cylinder is a waste of money. A smooth taper crimp crimp on the rounds? HELL Yes!!! Mattman.... I don't know what bullet you're using, but my experience with 625s is that they do not like lead... a jacketed FMJRN would be the best bet. You need it to get to 720 fps from a 4-inch barreled revolver to make the 165 PF (745-750 fps is a safe bet to account for temperature and chrono variations). Glad you're seeing progress... reloading speed will come with repetition/practice. Keep us posted, and don't hesitate to ask any questions you have.
Chris Christian

[mattman23]

Right now im using winchester white box.Ill be reloading this winter.Ive got both,lead and jacketed 230.I had planned to run the lead in the 625 and the jacketed in my 1911.I focused this past year on 1911,and i hope to focus on the 625 this idpa season.So ill definitly picking your brains!Im getting ready to take a few classes with matt griffon(local guy nipping at Jerrys heals)as well.Thanks for all the help, Matt

[Chris]

Matt,
Get a sturdy bench rest and test your 230 grain lead reloads against the WW White Box (acceptably accurate, but not great, in my experience), and your jacketed loads. If the lead shoots groups under about 3.5 inches, it will work well for IDPA. My experience with S&W revolvers made since 2005 (maybe a decade earlier, I don't know) is that they don't shoot lead well. They may have changed their rifling, or whatever.... but this applies to current 686 and 625 guns. I've scored a lot of targets as a IDPA SO and have seen a fair amount of bullet tumbling ( and saw it from my 686... which is why I now shoot a Ruger...their rifling likes lead). The reason I am fixed on the lead bullet issue is that they are cheaper than jacketed... and over time you will save enough money on bullet costs to buy a new gun, or two.
Just a thought.
Chris Christian

[Steve]

625s do not rule. Ruger GP-100 SSR rules.

           

Anyone who thinks THAT would also live isolated in some enchanted forest, have a computer whose speed is determined by how fast his hamster runs in its little wheel, thinks of the beer cooler as the health food aisle and uses Hoppe's #9 for aroma therapy.  Either that, or he is the best SSR shooter in North Florida.  Or both.   

Matt:  Listen to what your Uncle Chris is telling you...except for the part about chamfering the cylinder on your 625.  It does really help when reloading with the moon clips.  This is something that GOF does not have to worry about with his GP-100 and his pointy-headed wuss loads.  He has plenty of time to reload while he is waiting for his last six rounds to reach their targets.

Steve     

[Chris]

Steve,
What's wrong with the enchanted forest? It's quiet, and I have a 75 yard range just out my back door. And, a six pack and a Slim Jim is a fine 7 course meal (and according to some, a very healthy one). You are right, however, I do need to speed up the hamster. That little bas**rd is slacking off. I think he's finally got his union card.
Uncle Chris

[Chris]

Steve,
BTW... Hoppe's #9 is a great aftershave and general body lotion. Excuse me now, I have to hit the Health Food isle. I feel a potassium low coming on.
Uncle Chris (Aka GOF)

[Steve]

Hey Unka Chris, I'm just glad you come out to play once in a while!   

Steve

[Chris]

Steve,
I gave the hamster a double kick in the ass. He now understands his job requirements. Maybe this POS computer will actually work properly for a few days.
Uncle GOF

[blazindave]

You guys are killing me!

-- and the fun level of this forum has just gone WAAY UP! 

Chris and Steve have forgotten more about that --- Shoot 6, then disassemble it to reload it --- gun than most of us will ever actually know.

Their advice is well heeded.

So, I am going to not chamfer and then chamfer.

Because to do otherwise would be (uncivilized?).  No, impossible!

Plus, I've got blistex!

    

[Kevin]

Dave,
I recommend that you chamfer first, and then not chamfer, instead of the other way around. It will make your revolver much faster than if you not chamfer and then chamfer... I know this to be true, 'cause I read it in a Mas Ayoob article called "The Truth About Not Chamfer/ Chamfer And Why It's Slower..."
Model 66's RULE!
-Kevin

My apologies to His Most Excellent Greatness for using his name in a gag... it just gave the joke a little more "Zing". Sorry...

[John Strayer]

Hey guys, sorry to be so late jumping into the fray here. I can only get onto the forum early saturday morning before the boss gets to work.
Here goes

Matt,
Chamfer the charge holes, it REALLY does help! If possible get an action job done, I have two 625's that I use for IDPA competition both have been tuned by
Scott Mulkerin in Medina, Ohio the name of his shop is SDM Fabricating  http://www.sdmfabricating.com/  . Scott does excellent work. One nice thing about shooting revolvers is that you do not have to change your carry gun to the match gun when you get to the range, even with action work the trigger is still plenty heavy enough for
self defence/concealed carry. Another suggestion is to have it converted to DAO. Once you master the DA pull it will easier to shoot the gun DA than SA YMMV.
The DA conversion is part of Scott's IDPA package.
TK Custom has the moon clip carriers that work very well and you do not have to add anything to them, they also have a demooning tool that is quick and easy. Do not get the demooner that looks like a pair of pliers. The one that works is just a short piece of pipe with a handle on one end, demoon 6 and pour them into your bag, can or what ever you are keeping the spent brass in. The moon checker is available there also, it allows to check each loaded moon bwithout having to drop them into the cylinder. This is very handy for match shooting.

 http://www.moonclips.com/cart/shopdisplaycategories.asp?id=25&cat=Smith+%26+Wesson 

The fiber optic front sight is a strong suggestion.

John

[John Strayer]

Matt

The damn computer quit letting me type before I was thru.
Owning two 625's and trying a lot of different loads bypass the lead loads they will NOT shoot from a 625. Neither of mine will and I have two friends who just purchased new 625JM's and they will not shoot lead bullets either. With lead bullets it is hard to hit the broad side of a barn from the inside, you will get patterns not groups. Run jacketed bullets thru the same guns and they become 1.5 to 2.5 inch groups at 25 yards.
On grips, I use to use the Hogue with finger groves after watching Jerry Miculek's video and listening to his explanation on the smooth wood grips I switched. Those grips definatley have a learning curve but the advantages for me were worth it.

GOF-Steve

You are both WRONG!!!  3in Model 66's RULE!!!
Unka GOF get a gear drive for the hamster wheel, same amount of work for twice the CPUs. Encahnted forest my A**, more like a troll in the woods.
The 75 yard range is the target he has posted at the entrance to the drive, intruders and salesmen beware. According to Col Cooper and Mas beer is a food group.

OPPS gota go, boss just showed up.

John

[Chris]

JB & Steve
You'll be pleased to know that I doubled my computer speed today, while adding a back up. Drove all the long way way into town from my troll home in the woods, stopped by "Hamsters R Us" and added a second hamster to my high-tech race way system. They (the folks at Hamsters R Us) assured me that this one was bred from racing stock and could go the distance. It looked like it had longer legs... and it's not a union member... so maybe it'll work out. I'll keep ya posted.
BTW... 3" 66 doesn't RULE. Ruger GP-100 SSR.... Rules big time!
Unka Chris

[mattman23]

John I added the hiviz as soon as I shot it.The gold bead didnt work for my eyes too well in bright sunlight.I love the jm grips,but with my hand problems after 2 moon clips my hand is numb.Almost to the point of dropping it.Maybe after the fix my hands Ill try them again.Ive got all the gear,just not the skills yet.Im apprenticing under a Smith smith now,so i can clean up the pull and bob the hammer.I plan to chamfer the cylinder but keep that between me and you .I hope to shoot Indiana State this year,so hopefully a goal will keep me progressing.Thanks guys,   Matt