Accuracy potential ... pet loads for S&W 625 in .45ACP

[DLS]

Anybody have one of these? What type of accuracy are you getting?

I have a new to me 625JM and have been putting it through the paces a bit lately. I had a mishmash of 200 gr. softball loads I used to shoot Bullseye in my 1911. They are plenty accurate in my 1911 but no so much in the revolver. I'm getting perhaps 2.5 inch 25 yard groups firing from a rest. Granted the sights are rather course for accuracy but I expected to get better. 230gr. factory and reloaded FMJ was pretty similar in group size. This is interesting as my understanding is that the rifling on this revolver is deeper than on an auto to reflect that mostly lead bullets would be used in a gun like this.

I'll be trying some more loads tomorrow primarily as I test the new trigger / spring job I did on it tonight. I'm hoping the load I'll be using will fare better.

What accuracy should I expect from this gun? Does anyone have any pet loads that have worked well? I'm hoping to work up accurate ICORE and pin shooting loads in the gun.

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

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[JuglansRegia]

I have a 1955 target, it likes WW hardball and bear creek 200gr hollow base lead round nose pushed with 231 l don't have hard numbers but l can tell you its the most accurate revolver l own

 

[DLS]

Thanks for the info. I should add I'll be looking at mostly RN bullets to speed reloads during matches. This will be a dedicated competition gun, no hunting or self-defense envisioned as I have other more appropriate tools for those purposes.

The Bullseye purposed softball .45 loads I'm shooting now sport SWC bullets. That shouldn't make a difference accuracy wise, but the shoulder on the bullet can hang on the cylinder edges and slow reloads.

 

[JuglansRegia]

Round nose with moon clips are the only way to go. Also the hollow based boolits are nice if your throats, forcing cone and bore dimensions are not optimal

 

[JuglansRegia]

Also, the bear creek boolits are moly coated, they don't lead the bore for me but they do produce a lot of black cleaning patches

 

[DLS]

This gun is set up for moon clips. My other ICORE gun I shoot in classic division ... speed loaders no moon clips allowed.

I haven't slugged this gun yet and wasn't planning on doing so for a while, especially if I can find a good shooting load. But ... perhaps I'll do that sooner than later.

 

[DLS]

I still moly coat my match Service Rifle loads since I don't want to rework a new load, at least until I shoot out my current barrel. So, I'm very familiar with black patches and black fingers from the reloading process! The small amount of mess is worth it to me in regards to ease of cleaning and lack of fouling.