Can the 9mm model 986 be shoot without moon clips?
Thanks Gdog

__________________
GWARD

There may be people that tell you that you can use your rimless cartridge moon clip gun without moon clips. They will claim that the round will headspace on the shoulder in the chamber, theoretically, they are correct. However, since SAAMI sets the specs for cartridge dimensions, the shoulder is placed at maximum case length depth for a given caliber. My experience has been that some factory ammo or brass, when new, is always considerably less than this dimension - meaning that, in reality, headspacing on that shoulder, by the case mouth, may not actually occurs.

What does happen is that variances in chamber roundness, smoothness, cleanliness and other variables, will hold some cartridges firmly enough that a firing pin strike will ignite the primers. Others are driven forward in the chamber, which results in a light primer strike and a failure to ignite.

Just as some rounds are held tightly enough for ignition and others are driven forward, some cases may drop out of the cylinder from gravity, while others may be "pluckable" and yet others will have to be poked out using a rod.

You should consider moon clips essential for any revolver that is chambered for a rimless or semi-rimmed round. The other alternative is using the rimmed version of that round, if one exists.

Moon clips are the greatest thing since sliced bread and people’s aversion to them is, most likely, founded in falsehoods found on the Internet or from people who either have no personal experience, or just a passing experience with them. In order to fully utilize, and fully enjoy, them requires the right tool(s) to load and unload the clips. The best tool that I’ve found is the BMT. It both loads and unloads the clips. An alternative to metal clips and specific load/unload tools are the Rimz polymer moon clips, if available for your firearm. These are easily loaded and unloaded by hand. You may balk at the cost of these ancillary devices - but consider what you just spent for the gun - isn't spending that extra little bit to insure full enjoyment from your investment worth it?

Adios,

Pizza Bob

__________________
NRA Benefactor Member

Yes it can. It's safe enough....try it for yourself.

For all of the reasons just described, you will likely find that accuracy and reliability suffers.

Inconsistent headspace is the bane of accuracy, be it handguns or rifles.

__________________
Carry.."hope" isn't a strategy

No you cannot period. Some rounds may fire-maybe, but not reliably.
Extraction is a problem. You would have to dig each shell out individually as the extractor does not reach them otherwise. Not without the moonclips.
The use of moonclips should be considered mandatory for the 986 and 929 models.


Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

As I try to teach new Paramedics..........

What you CAN do, and what you SHOULD do, can be two entirely different things!

Smith and Wesson revovlers (with the exception of the 547) that fire rimless cartridges are meant to be shot with moon clips

Yes it is true that about 90% of the revolvers will chamber, sit up against the start of the cylinder throat and fire with out a moon clip, but that is happenstance not design.

The case mouth against the cylinder throat is not how the revolver is meant to head space

These revolvers are designed to head space on the moon clip. This is what allows them to chamber and fire all of the smaller cartridges

Like the 310/610 family is chambered for 10MM Auto but can also fire 40S&W. The 940/986/929 revolvers are chambered for 9MM Parabellum but they can also fire 380 ACP. The 627/686s that are chambered for 38 Super can also fire 38 Auto, 9x21, 9MM Parabellum, 380ACP and more

As Pizza Bob says above, if you want consistency in ignition, maximum accuracy, or just plain old ease of extraction then use the moon clips