Smith 625-3 “45acp model of 1989”

[Elk Creek]

A few months back a fixture in the northern Colorado gun shop world passed. I knew Steve for close to 35 years, we met in 1989 when we moved to Colorado. His estate is being settled and most of his bins have landed at the shop since he had no heirs, and his aging sister wanted none of his guns. At some point he must have sold off some of his stuff, there were some real gems though. I found 2, a CZ 527 22 hornet and a Smith 625-3 damn I’m thrilled!

[Elk Creek]

The other side of the stick.

[JunkCollector]

Both fine acquisitions
So glad the CZ isn't the FS
Then I'd have to be jealous.

We've been taking my hornets out a lot lately
Just such a fun cartridge

[Freezer]

Those are nice pieces! I keep going back and looking at the 625. I really like that one.

[Bigslug]

Love the Pachmayr "boot grips" on the big N-frame. Just about perfect. I'd dearly love one of those as a dedicated Auto Rim launch platform for chunking Big and Slow...

[Elk Creek]

Both fine acquisitions
So glad the CZ isn't the FS
Then I'd have to be jealous.

We've been taking my hornets out a lot lately
Just such a fun cartridge

Yeah a FS would be a super find!!!

[Elk Creek]

Those are nice pieces! I keep going back and looking at the 625. I really like that one.

I really love this one, it has all the features one would want to find on a classic Smith.

[Elk Creek]

Im definitely in love with this one!! I especially appreciate these two because I knew where they came from, not only Steve’s collection but from Cache La Poudre Rifleworks. That shop was amazing, it had all kinds of everything you never thought a down town Ft Collins Colo gun store would have. They carried everything to make any, and I mean any, blackpowder pistol rifle or shotgun work. They carried a full rack of Sharps rifles in the late 80’s and 90’s. Most every modern gun was used they didn’t carry any new guns, just ordered them. They did carry cowboy guns though levers and SAA. Amazing place and Steve was the last person left from that shop I spent most of my late teens through my 20’s in there. Time marches on we have cool memories of places and make new ones….and carry momentous along the way. These are cool since the shoot!!!

[Zee]

That revolver is kinda sexy. Needs wood!!

[Elk Creek]

That revolver is kinda sexy. Needs wood!!

Or G10? The grips will be a process…..

[Zee]

That revolver is kinda sexy. Needs wood!!

Or G10? The grips will be a process…..

G10 would work too.

[CPJ 2.0]

G10. Pukemayers are hideously ugly, and slick. Defeats the purpose of rubber. Cool revolver though. And that Slee Zee is seeeeexxxxy.

[Bigslug]

That revolver is kinda sexy. Needs wood!!

Wood. . .rubber. . .G10. . .it's all good. . .

What it NEEDS is:

NOE 452423.jpeg (11.08 KiB) Viewed 527 times

Elmer Keith's Blunt Instrument for the .45 Auto Rim - the 452423 - in which he gave up on the idea of balancing destruction with long range performance that we see in his 358429, 429421, and 454424 in favor of just plain old destruction.

Big honkin' .34" meplat in front of about 245-250 grains. Original spec documents show 238, but learned speculation suggests more folks worked with less dense linotype back in the day. It's thumpy. . .and commercially available: https://www.mattsbullets.com/250-Grain- ... p_150.html

[Elk Creek]

That revolver is kinda sexy. Needs wood!!

Wood. . .rubber. . .G10. . .it's all good. . .

What it NEEDS is:

NOE 452423.jpeg

Elmer Keith's Blunt Instrument for the .45 Auto Rim - the 452423 - in which he gave up on the idea of balancing destruction with long range performance that we see in his 358429, 429421, and 454424 in favor of just plain old destruction.

Big honkin' .34" meplat in front of about 245-250 grains. Original spec documents show 238, but learned speculation suggests more folks worked with less dense linotype back in the day. It's thumpy. . .and commercially available: https://www.mattsbullets.com/250-Grain- ... p_150.html

I actually have a box of Keith short nose bullets, and a meager stash of 45AR cases…. I’m in luck! And a pile of 230 FMJ’s

[Bigslug]

Un-meager your stash, dear boy! https://www.starlinebrass.com/45-auto-rim-brass

[Elk Creek]

Un-meager your stash, dear boy! https://www.starlinebrass.com/45-auto-rim-brass

I also have a couple 5 gallon buckets of acp brass, really 10 gallons of 45 brass!

[Bigslug]

Un-meager your stash, dear boy! https://www.starlinebrass.com/45-auto-rim-brass

I also have a couple 5 gallon buckets of acp brass, really 10 gallons of 45 brass!

Yes. Because you're a good American, who like all good Americans believes there's no such thing as too many 1911's and you foster dreams of the glorious day when M1928 Thompsons start raining from the sky.

HOWEVER. . .Moon clips are SOOOO "We did a horrible job of prepping for WW1 and now we need to improvise"

In all seriousness. between the cost of the clips themselves, the moon clip tools to make clipping and unclipping easier, plus the hassle of finding them and bringing them to the range in addition to the gun and ammo, you'll be glad you got dedicated brass. Really, no different than if you'd scored the same gun in .44 Special.

AR brass is kind of like being able to drive on the interstate burning 87 octane gas like everyone else. Moon clips are more like putting that same gas in an emergency generator and putting that generator in the trunk of a Tesla.

[JunkCollector]

Moon clips aren't all bad.
One of "the" if not "the" fastest reloads for a revolver.

[Elk Creek]

It’s a quirk to this individual revolver. I like moon clips for reloads. They aren’t right or wrong they just are. For me it’s like complaining about why a vehicle with a standard transmission has only 4 forward gears instead of 6, when 4 is only available in that model. Yeah it’s something to gripe about but in the end you still drive!

[bullsi1911]

Nice scores! Two of my favorites- 45ACP revolvers and CZ Micro Mauser actions. Well done!

[Elk Creek]

Albright gents I’ve been scratching my head for some decent grips… well I found em’. I found a set of Hogue mono grips in cocobolo. Dang I love these grips! Now these grips are worth this revolver!

[CPJ 2.0]

Muuuuuuuuuch better.

[Zee]

Yeah. Those are better.

[PFD45]

They're pretty AND they look like they fit. Nice.

[Elk Creek]

They're pretty AND they look like they fit. Nice.

Yeah hogue makes good grips! They fit like they are suppose to. I’m really digging these grips.