Have a Performance Center 686+ 2.5 in. snubbie. I love this beefy little pitbull! However, I can see the cartridges sliding back and forth when tipping the revolver. That can't be right! The cylinder is cut for moon clips, which I don't like using.

Anyone have a solution, beside using @#$%^ moon clips?

The cylinder is machined to give clearance for the moon clips. Apparently, they made no provision for using the revolver without moon clips.

I suppose you could get someone to make you a custom cylinder with a tab in the area of the cylinder the moon clip doesn't cover to act as a forward stop for the case rim. That would still allow use of the moon clips. Or possibly, the PC could fit a different cylinder so you aren't burdened with the moon clip issue.

You might take your concerns to the PC and see what they might suggest.

A couple of whimsical cartridge modifications come to mind........... UMC came up with the .45 Auto Rim cartridge way back when to cure the same problem with Model 1917 revolvers. I kind of doubt that's a realistic option.

What you are seeing is perfectly normal. In any revolver I have ever seen w/o moon clips the rounds will move back and forth in the cylinder. Pick up any other revolver and you will see it does the exact same thing.

Do you own any other K or L Frame revolvers? Do they behave differently?

It seems to me that the cartridges moving back and forth creates a situation where the headspace (if that is the correct term) is not properly controlled. That does not seem right.

There are revolvers that require the moon clip, and those where it is optional. The ones I have seen where use of the clip is optional have a "shoulder" on which the cartridge headspaces when there is no clip in the revolver, and the shoulder does not oermit the rounds to slide back and forth when the clip is missing.

I don't think this seems right.

Agreed, all my non-moon clip Rugers do the same thing.

A picture of the back of the empty cylinder would settle this once and for all - anything else is just speculation.

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NRA Benefactor Member

A thought ocurred to me: does the owners manual make any comments about a need for moon clips? Again, call the S&W PC with your questions if not.

When you shoot a round the cartridge case goes crashing back against the recoil shield. All revolvers do that. The action would lock-up if it didn't, due to the primers backing out. It's the recoil shield that pushes the primers back in.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

Interesting Kernel, I never thought about that.


Molon, if you don't want to accept it and learn to live with that as HarrishMasher suggests then you must try to find a cylinder that is not cut for moon clips. I own the current production 686 SSR which is not cut for moon clips. You could contact S&W customer service and see if they would sell you one (or install it for you.) The possible downside for you is you would go from a 7 round cylinder to a 6 round cylinder and it is fluted which if I remember correctly your PC is unfluted. (This would not be a problem for me because I like fluted cylinders better.)
I don't know that any of the Plus cylinders are not cut for moon clips.

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Accuracy supercedes Speed

"For every action, there's an opposite and equal reaction." Wasn't that Sir Issac Newton?

Actually, shooting loads that are too light is one way to lock-up a revolver. It will push the primers out, but there's not enough force to push them back in.

Rifles chambered in .30-30 are notorious for this with light handloads, but revolvers will do it too.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~