After 1300 rounds I've had the time to come to form some conclusions about my 625JM in IDPA and USPSA matches. Above all, it's great fun to shoot, but that's true of any accurate and well functioning revolver.  What makes the 625 especially fun for me is that it's a .45.  I do like the big holes in paper, but even better is never having a second thought about even hard set steel.  Yeah, I know steel is supposed to go down with a hit from the lowest power factor round, but Id just rather positively take down even hard set steel than have to whine about it and maybe do a re-shoot.

OK, yes the stock gold bead front sight had to go in place of a fiber optic front.  For me it was a red SDM.  I also replaced the stock mainspring with Wolf's reduced spring.  This left me with a DA trigger that was smooth, but maybe a tad too light.  It always fired Federal primers, but not Winchester nor CCIs.  I've got a thin shim (cut from an aluminum beer bottle cap) between the spring and strain screw that gives me full confidence in the strength of the Wolf mainspring to reliably set off Federals.  Of the 1300 rounds fired in the 625JM 1K of them were Berry's plated 230 grain RNs.  Now I'm shooting a 200 grain RNFP cast lead bullet a friend casts for the Cowboy Action shooters in this area.  They seem just as accurate as the Berry bullets and at greatly reduced cost.  I get them unsized and lube/size them to .452.  The RNFP seem to load just a slickly as the RN Berrys.  One thing I rapidly learned was to have a good supply of completely flat full moon clips.  At first I'd segregate the clips and ammo that gave me drag and always found the clips slightly bent.  Now I drop all clips onto a piece of plate glass, before loading them, and see if they lie flat or "teeter totter".  I pitch even the slightly bent clips.  Ranch sells 100 of them for about .30 cents each.  Good, straight clips are critical for smooth, reliable operation of the 625

I know there are horror stories out there about the newer 625s, but I didn't find any problems with mine. I had read the horror stories, too, and was apprehensive after ordering my 625JM.  I've read that one of our fellow revolver shooters won't even try a 625 for ESR because of these horror stories.  All I can say is consider my experiences with the 625JM as very positive.  It's certainly my most preferred gun for shooting either IDPA or USPSA.  I do sometimes shoot CDP and ESP, and even SSR, but when I do I always feel bad about leaving my 625 at home ( maybe not so much when I shoot SSR with the Ruger).

Scott