S&W 625 and 460 rowland... or not.

[Deaf Smith]

I have a 625-3 3 inch .45 ACP.

Now I know they rechamber these guns to .460 Rowland.

But if you use auto-rim cases I wonder how far I reload it to? Can it reach 1100 fps for a 250gr slug?

Or should I rechamber it which would in the long run hurt it's collectors value?

It shoots very well with .45 ACP, and I can get new Auto-Rim cases if I want to go that route and reload.

This is the gun:

I've shot .45 Supers and they chrono a 230 gr. bullet at an honest 1000 fps.

I am just not sure which way to go.

Deaf

 

[rcmodel]

Leave it be!!

It is what it is.

I doubt you can get 1100 fps for a 250gr slug out of that stubby barrel with anything.

If you can't do it with what you have now, you need to move on up to a stronger gun in a more powerful caliber.

Anyway, a 250 at 900 is a force to be reckoned with if it crawls, walks, or runs.

rc

 

[Monster Zero]

Looks like a perfectly good revolver to me just the way it is... JMO.

 

[silicosys4]

I had the same thoughts a few months back about my 625-2
I decided not to for the same reasons you listed, mainly to retain its originality
If I was go that route,
I'd pick up an extra cylinder from Numrichs...they are in stock right now for 625-2's, if you can find one for a 625-3 you could have the spare re chambered and keep the original cylinder tucked away.

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/ad/808620.htm

 

[Sergei Mosin]

Sounds like what you want is one in .45 Colt.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Well FINDING a 3 inch stainless S&W in .45 Colt would be nice (but hugely expensive), and I do have S&W 629s in regular and Mountain gun flavors, but I like my 3 inch snub .45.

I've researched the 460 Rowland conversion but I just wonder if .45 Auto Rim cases can be loaded up to 460 Rowland and skip the conversion. Even a 230 gr. JHP at 1200 would make me happy (I have chronoed .45 Super 230 JHPs at 1000 fps from my 625 snub, so it means 200 more fps is what is needed.)

I might even get it hard chromed to boot. Nuthin like a traveling big bore.

Deaf

 

[clang]

a 3" pre-lock S&W 625 is starting to become a high dollar value gun. Anything you do to modify it or prematurely wear it out is going to negatively affect the value.

You've already got 629s so shoot the heavy loads in those guns.

 

[Deaf Smith]

a 3" pre-lock S&W 625 is starting to become a high dollar value gun. Anything you do to modify it or prematurely wear it out is going to negatively affect the value.

You've already got 629s so shoot the heavy loads in those guns.

Sadly clang I'm aware of that. My two Mountain Guns are even more high dollar!

But life is short. I have that big .45 snub cannon right by the keyboard now. I sure wish they made it look like a S&W 19 snub (as the S&W Backpacker looked... which BTW I used to have one years ago!)

I have eight N frames in .357, .41, .44 spl, .44 Magnum, and .45 ACP (and maybe soon one in .45 Colt.)

But I'm tired of sticking them in the safe.

Deaf

 

[dickydalton]

Sadly clang I'm aware of that. My two Mountain Guns are even more high dollar!

But life is short. I have that big .45 snub cannon right by the keyboard now. I sure wish they made it look like a S&W 19 snub (as the S&W Backpacker looked... which BTW I used to have one years ago!)

I have eight N frames in .357, .41, .44 spl, .44 Magnum, and .45 ACP (and maybe soon one in .45 Colt.)

But I'm tired of sticking them in the safe.

Deaf

Please just stick that 625 in a box and send it to me. I promise to keep it outside of the safes!

 

[Clark]

don't do it.

I have bought a lot of guns for destructive test.
I know where the real limits are.
I have an S&W 25-2 that I load with auto rim brass.
The chamber wall thickness is ~ 0.069"
When I run the numbers in 460 Rowland Quickload for what Clark Custom [no relation] published for 15 years in conjunction with their revolver conversions, I get numbers like 50 kpsi for the Longshot 230 gr.

There is no way I am going to shoot 50 kpsi Quickload estimate in MY 25-2 if I am not trying to blow it up.
Not with 0.069" wall thickness.
I have pressure to half that, and the recoil is like full house 44 mag.

Remember a 29-4 44 mag has 0.090" walls and smaller inside diameter [if you know about hoop stress] and you would not take one of those over 30kpsi QL[24 gr H110/W296 the hottest published 44 mag load]

And there is more risk than blowing up guns with 460R. In May 2000 I got a flinch that took a month to get rid of.

 

[rcmodel]

The S&W 625 is pressure rated for 23,000 PSI .45 ACP +P.

The .460 Rowland is loaded to 40,000 PSI!!!

Nearly double what the gun will stand for any length of time.

rc

 

[Deaf Smith]

I know about the flinch.. long time ago I had a 29 3 inch snub with unfluted cylinder and a underlug on the barrel. I used true .44 magnums just once. Tough gun to hang onto.

But ok, with autorim brass would 250 gr. gaschecked slugs at 1000 fps sound possible? I think something like 12 grains of 2400. I use .45 Supers now.

Deaf

 

[rcmodel]

Speer #5 manual from 1962 shows .45 AR data with 255 grain.

8 grains Unique = 968 FPS.

17 grains 2400 = 1,040 FPS.

I STRETCHED THE FRAME AND RUINED A PERFECTLY FINE MODEL 1917 with that load.

Again, I would not recommend it, as there is no good reason too.

A 255 Keith SWC at 900 will shoot through an elk sideways.

How much more do you think you need out of a 45 revolver, for what??

rc

 

[Deaf Smith]

Speer #5 manual from 1962 shows .45 AR data with 255 grain.

8 grains Unique = 968 FPS.

17 grains 2400 = 1,040 FPS.

Well, rc I've got these off the net:

13.5 grains of 2400 with 250 swc.

250 gr LSW 7.0 grs of Unique with a Fed 150 primer at 900 fps.

255gr rnfp commercially cast slug over 10. gr blue dot 955 fps ave out of 4" bbl.

Lyman 454424 bullet (250 gr Keith) with 7.0 grs of Unique. The velocity is 900+ fps.

Elmer Keith recommended 7.5 grs of Unique.

Few tenths of a grain higher than 5.1 grs. with 231 and 255 gr. cast bullets and gotten over 900 FPS in a 3" 625. It's a very accurate and consistent load.

255 gr SWC, 231 powder, 6.6 grs averaged 1020.

Looks like maybe I can breach the 1000 fps mark. Maybe. I chroned my 230 gr. Cor-Bon .45 Supers at 1000 fps but I'd prefer flat shaped SWC and bit more weight.

But of course if I COULD get to 1100 fps I'd be very happy. The only .45 LC 625 with 3 inch barrel I've found they want well over $1000.

Thanks,

Deaf