Moon clips ? (Guns)

[DirtyDan]

Hey all

 Wanted to ask about moon clips for revolvers. If anyone has had any experience with them. Thanks

Dan

[Pappy!]

Yep, Have shot a Custom Shop Smith with moon clips in it. They work perfectly.

[Jess from VA]

Yes I use them with a number of revolvers, including several .45ACP revolvers (old and new) that they were originally designed for (though originally, they were half moon clips).

With rimless cartridges, it is they only reliable way to eject empties (other than poking them out one by one).  I have a 7shot .357 (rimmed) that will work without them, but loaded moon clips are the fastest reload known to man, and better than speed loaders.  You just have to have a number of them preloaded for business.

They can be a bit of a PITA to get the empty brass out of.  They sell tools for it, I just use a cleaning rod.

[..]

So the bullets go into the chambers and the moon clip stays in place making for easy extraction of the spent bullet?

Then you throw the whole thing away unless you are a reloader?

[Serk]

So the bullets go into the chambers and the moon clip stays in place making for easy extraction of the spent bullet?

Then you throw the whole thing away unless you are a reloader?

The cartridges are held by the moonclip, then the entire unit it quickly and easily inserted and removed into and from the cylinder of the revolver.

Even most non-reloaders will pry the spent brass out of the moon clip so that they can pop fresh cartridges into it.

I've had very limited experience with them, used some on my father's gimmicky Governor revolver (Shoots .410, .45LC and, with moonclips, .45acp) and found them to be a major PITA.

I can see why revolver guys would want 'em, but I can't see why anyone would want to be a revolver guy in this day and age... But that's just my opinion...

[Jess from VA]

The moon clips are spring steel, and (for such a small part) relatively expensive.

You may throw away your brass (I mostly don't), but not your moon clips.  Though some years ago a guy at a gun show gave me like 35 of them for 6 shot .45acp revolvers.  The ones for my .357 7 shooter are definitely not cheap (and twice as hard to load and unload).

http://www.tkcustom.com/cart/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=195&cat=.38+Special%2F.357+Magnum+-+6+%26+7+Shot%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EMedium+K+%26+L++-+Frame+Models%3C%2Fp%3E

I like revolvers.... and autos.  And shotguns, and rifles, and derringers, and (well you get the idea).  People like what they are good with;  I'm good with revolvers.  Good, as in hitting what I'm shooting at.  Old habits die hard.  The machinery of a finely crafted and tuned revolver is simply more interesting to me than autos.   

And aside from the oddball coin (not a collector) and my house, nearly all of it is worth more today than what I paid for it.  Not that I intend to sell much.  Nearly everything else we buy in life is just a depreciable asset, headed for the dump sooner or later.

My firearms and valks are not going to the dump.  Not in my lifetime.   I'll be in the dump long before they are.

[Sorcerer]

Think of it as a mag for a revolver. Some revolvers can use moon clips, some can not with out  the cylinder being modified. I have a Ruger LCR9 that uses moon clips. They're easily removed with out the need for a tool. Note: do not set a black moon clip on a shooting bench that had Bedliner on it. Took 10 minutes to figure out ware it went.

[Hooter]

I've used them but prefer speed loaders if I have a choice.

[solo1]

Charter Arms has the latest thing in revolvers. 9MM, 40, and .45ACP.  It's called a Pit Bull.  No moon clips required.  

I bought one, I no longer have it.  Don't buy one.  Cylinder chambers ID vary, sometimes the rounds won't seat. (cylinder won't revolve). All rounds must be pushed into the cylinder, They won't drop in, extraction is iffy and not dependable.. Slower than  you know what.  I took a big loss when I traded it off.  An answer for no question.

My Charter Arms Bulldog .44 special no problem.  It works! BUT IMO, Charter Arms is off and on quality control.

However, I like revolvers, they always go bang, they don't require breakin before they can be trusted. They simply work!

[..]

I've used them but prefer speed loaders if I have a choice.

That's what I have for my 2 inch S&W .357.

[Jess from VA]

I've used them but prefer speed loaders if I have a choice.

That's what I have for my 2 inch S&W .357.

I have a pile of both (speed loaders and moon clips).  My airweight J frame never leaves my bike (cannot use moon clips).  It is accompanied by two loaded speedloaders in the same zipper case.  Sometimes I look in there and the rounds are still in the speed loaders, but sometimes they are loose rolling around in the bottom of the case.

A buddy of mine said I should have the Safariland speed loaders, and not the HKs.  He may be right.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc4-5fRuBNE

Of course, we all hope (and pray) that we can successfully conclude all our defensive shooting incidents with just the five in the gun. 

Mark T's idea of having two Jframes on you has real merit.   

[..]

I've used them but prefer speed loaders if I have a choice.

That's what I have for my 2 inch S&W .357.

I have a pile of both (speed loaders and moon clips).  My airweight J frame never leaves my bike (cannot use moon clips).  It is accompanied by two loaded speedloaders in the same zipper case.  Sometimes I look in there and the rounds are still in the speed loaders, but sometimes they are loose rolling around in the bottom of the case.

A buddy of mine said I should have the Safariland speed loaders, and not the HKs.  He may be right.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc4-5fRuBNE

I have HKS 586

https://www.amazon.com/HKS-Revolver-Speedloader-Ruger-GP100/dp/B0000C1CME

[Jess from VA]

I do too, but it looks like the Safariland loaders are better/quicker/more reliable.

I have one or two Safariland but many more HKs.  (They're all loaded with premium JHPs in the safe)

I also have done precious little live shooting practice with any of them. 

[Kendall]

They work great!! Drop the whole thing in and start shooting, when done its a Pain to get the empty. I just bought a pile for a S&W 45acp. Best price ive seen is on Ebay

[Mr Whiskey]

I can't see why anyone would want to be a revolver guy in this day and age...

Call me old timer but, 5 & alive!
If you need more you're in a war & should be runnin' for the big guns

I have a Ruger LCR9 that uses moon clips.

We really liked the trigger on that and the factory moon clips
Had any trouble with "bullet jump" in that snubbie 9?
It's the only reason we didn't buy one.

[DirtyDan]

Can any revolver use moon clips or be loaded normally without changing cylinders or anything like that ?

They are "hard to eject ?" Wouldn't the whole thing just fall out if pointed down ?

Dan

[Serk]

Can any revolver use moon clips or be loaded normally without changing cylinders or anything like that ?

They are "hard to eject ?" Wouldn't the whole thing just fall out if pointed down ?

Dan

No, if the cylinder isn't set up to use moon clips you can't use 'em (Without modifying the cylinder to accept them.)

By hard to eject, I think they're referring to removing the empty brass from the moonclips, not difficulty in removing the moonclips from the cylinder...

[Jess from VA]

Dan, Serk has it right.  It's hard getting the brass out the clips, not the clip of empties out of the revolver (that is, of course, the whole reason for the clips.  You can shoot rimless cartridges in revolvers set up for them without moon clips, but the ejection rod-star just passes the rimless (or rebated rim) cartridges by, and the fired brass expands enough in the cylinder that they will not just drop out, usually.  So they have to be poked out.  Also, depending on the age and wear on the revolver (like a 1917 smith 45acp revolver), without a moon clip, the cartridge may slip down in the cylinder a bit, and you may get a light or no primer strike.  This could not happen with a regular rimmed revolver cartridge.

Up until 1982, all S&W revolvers were pinned and recessed (barrels and other assembled parts pinned, and the cylinder counter-bored (recessed) for revolver cartridge case rims).

Flat cylinder on top, recessed cylinder on bottom.


Pinned and recessed was a better mousetrap, but more expensive to produce so they quit doing it/


Here you can see that the cylinder is recessed for both case heads (rims) and moon clips.


Here it is recessed for the moon clip, but not the case heads.


If you have a revolver that shoots a caliber (and number of cartridges) that moon clips exist for, the cylinder can be sent away for the necessary machining, by either the manufacturer (I know Smith does, I don't know who else does), or to a custom shop.  It is not generally an expensive cost.  But you need to know if this will require you always use moon clips, or will it work with or without them.  You can call the manufacturer and ask, and/or a number of custom shops.

If you load a moon clip full of cartridges into a flat cylinder revolver, it will not close (lock up).  
  

[Mr Whiskey]

Can any revolver use moon clips or be loaded normally without changing cylinders or anything like that ?

They are "hard to eject ?" Wouldn't the whole thing just fall out if pointed down ?

Dan

This shows it pretty well on that LCR9, there's even a video...
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2014/11/ruger-lcr-9mm-review-pocket-9mm-for.html

[DirtyDan]

Thank you all

 Answered my question. Im using speed strips and have multiple guns within reach (waistband, car, bedroom) Seems much easier to grab a second piece that to try to reload under stress. My buddy ( ex-soldier) told his wife empty the gun, throw it at them, grab next gun

Gonna go shoot my new one but that's for another post......

Thanks again

Dan