S&W 625JM (-8) review

[alfsauve]

Absolutely beautiful revolver. Not sure if I would want to use it for competition. Too pretty to get dirty!  Hope you get it fixed the way you want it.

Shoot, it had 175 rounds through it within an hour of the transfer.   It'll get another 100 rounds this week.  The reason for using it in competition is the barrel length can't exceed 4.5" for SSR in IDPA.

I got took.  I failed to read the details and it never occurred to me this would be an issue.  But the 625JM signature does NOT come with beveled chambers.  The model up, the 625PC (Performance Center) does however.   I assumed (silly me) that since JM is the fastest revolver reloader in the world...ever, that his signature model would have had beveled chambers.   I do realize his guns are highly modified from stock configurations, but you'd think at least this feature would have been included.

All's not lost, I've been practicing with dummy rounds and with a little technique I can get those rounds to drop in pretty fast.   Not as fast as with my plain, 30 year old 625-2.

Also it appears that chamfering isn't very expensive and I may send this back to Smith to have them do the work.   Somewhere around $50 from what I'm told.   I  could by the tool myself from Brownell's for $101, but nah, not on a NIB gun.   I'll let a pro do this.

BUT, I still think the extractor fit is crappy.   None of my other Smith's have such ill fitting extractors.   Then again, once the chambers are chamfered the extractor will fit perfectly, so that's a savings in the modification.

[ellis4538]

Alf, if you listen to him he will tell you that his revos are not modified!  I will say that the number of rounds he puts downrange and the number of times he dryfires them will help to smooth them out.  I would assume they have to be rebuilt then and he has to start all over again.

Gun Broker lists the JM as having a 4" barrel so you should be good to go for IDPA.

FWIW

Richard

PS:  Have to sell something first but hope to have a 4"  .45 revo myself in the near future.

PPS:  Try to find someone locally to chamfer.  Shipping is expensive and I don't think S&W will foot the bill for that.

[1911 Junkie]

Just to complicate things, a lot of guys are using .45GAP brass in their 625's. The shorter case means there is less tilt to the round when in the moon clip so they load a little easier. Load some up just for competition. It shouldn't be too hard to keep everything separate since they fall out of the gun in neat little piles. 

[alfsauve]

Alf, if you listen to him he will tell you that his revos are not modified!  I will say that the number of rounds he puts downrange and the number of times he dryfires them will help to smooth them out.  I would assume they have to be rebuilt then and he has to start all over again.

PS:  Have to sell something first but hope to have a 4"  .45 revo myself in the near future.

PPS:  Try to find someone locally to chamfer.  Shipping is expensive and I don't think S&W will foot the bill for that.

JM is so and hd can beat everybody with an out of the box gun.   I just figure his guns have had some "work" done on them.  I think I saw in a close up of one of his guns and it had the hammer spur ground down.

Yes, the JM is 4".  I misquoted above the limit in SSR is 4.25. 

If all I have to ship is the cylinder then not a big problem.  I have a local smith and will give him a call tomorrow.

[blackwolfe]

If you end up not liking it, you could always get a moon clip conversion on one of your other Smiths.

http://www.moonclips.com/

[Sponsor]

[GeorgeCook]

Alf,
I'm thinking getting one too to shoot in USPSA (will get a 5" after market barrel for it). As far as rapid follow up shots, how did it feel managing the recoil? I know that is a subjective thing but your impression on that will give me some idea what to expect. I typically load my .45 rounds to about 170 power factor and the recoil in my 1911 is very manageable.

Thanks!
George

[ellis4538]

George, you shouldn't need to get a 5" barrel.  S&W shows a regular 625 w/5" barrel.  The smooth trigger (at least to me) is better than the narrow grooved trigger on the JM.

FWIW


Richard

[alfsauve]

George,

I hadn't looked at USPSA rules, but if 5" barrels are allowed then get a regular 625 as Richard said.   You can replace the grips with whatever you want as well as replace the front sight pretty inexpensively.   I'd make sure the chambers are beveled, above all else, whatever you get.  It will definitely aid in reloading, which you'll do a lot more of in USPSA than in IDPA.

I too, think I'm leaning towards the smooth trigger over the grooved one.

As far as the loads go, I'm not sure where mine is right now.   I have several loads I need to chronograph and will need to find the time and place to do so, I might be right at 165.    The gun does recoil a little.  Not much different than firing a Glock with standard 9mm.    IDPA , I believe only requires 125 for SSR, so I may be loading my next batch down quite a bit.

[ellis4538]

Alf, you cannot use your JM in SSR unless you use Auto Rim brass and speed loaders or another revo that uses speed loaders.  Also, IDPA has lowered their pf for SSR so that any factory ammo will be OK.  Any load that you use in SSR will be very mild.  A major pf load in your JM will be a handfull but that is as it should be.  Even though the JM grips feel good most if not all are changing to something else.

FWIW


Richard

[GeorgeCook]

Thanks Alf and Richard for reminding about the older 5" 625. Sadly, it's not made anymore but I can find one on Gun Broker for around $1100 (includes accessories). So either I buy something like that or I go with a 4" model and shoot that one.

I picked up a 617 from Buds a week ago and I am buying a LCR 22 from a local dealer too. I don't know what happened but the Wheelgun bug bit, and bit me real good too.....

-George