I purchased a S&W R8 which came with some moon clips. I loaded them by hand and the rounds would remain stiffly straight.

However, after using them a couple of times the moon clips eventually bent, so I had purchased some new ones from the S&W site.

My problem here is, upon loading the rounds, once again by hand, all the rounds jiggle making them unreliable for a quick reload. Is it me or is there some special way to load a new moon clip/tighten the sides that surround the round?

I have also taken a look at arbors but I do not see why they would keep the round snug in the moon clip. Am I doing something wrong here?

The match between moon clips and brass brands is critical, and most competitors find a good matchup and stick to it. If you expect anything and everything to work, it won't.

I use a good anvil and hammer and flatten moon clips that get bent (gently), good as new. Far from being a cure-all, moon clips can be a PIA. Good moon clip tools help a lot.

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Science plus Art

The use of ammo with a shoulder (like SWC's) or very large hollow points also interfere with quick reloads.

I use full moon clips That come in a bag of 100 from Brownelle's. In the course of loading and unloading them they get "kinked", so every clip when loaded is dropped into a cylinder and closed. Those that need service are peened with the flat face of a hammer LIGHTLY on a true flat surface and a scratch mark is placed on the moon clip. After the third scratch that clip is removed from service, because the clip usually has become out of round.

My 625 & 1917 use the same clips and my target reloads are mixed brass, but I don't have a problem with quick loading. I keep a few moons loaded with my prefered SD 45 ammo also. These have very little play between the extractor notch and the clip. They have functioned flawlessly, even with several years of being placed in and out of the cylinder.

I have never tried to throw a loaded moon clip in the air and catch in the cylinder, as some really great trick shooters do. I'm sure they have a perfect fit every time, but somebody has to be paying for perfect clips and perfect ammo. I just shoot my guns and leave the tricks to others!

Ivan

That is why many chamfer the cylinder charge holes.

It's been my experience (with this very gun) that if the rounds are "stiff" in the moonclip, then the clip is not seated all the way to the absolute rear of the case. ( Even with a tool rimmed cases like 38/357 are trickier to load into a moon clip properly as compared to rimless cases like 45acp/9mm which tend to find their own sweet spot.) It's also my experience that unless there is a little looseness in the grip of the clip on the case, it's a real struggle to align and load all 8 rounds without binding. You need that "play" in the rounds for them to find their own way in. Some limited "Jiggle" a good thing when your trying to fit 8 rounds into a gun at once.

Try this. With a straight moonclip, load your rounds as you usually would. Now try turning/spinning each round by hand within the clip. If it turns relatively easy, and has a little jiggle, it's likely seated properly and will have a little play in alignment. If not, try pushing back on the clip (from the bullet end) with the tip of a flat screwdriver while you push the rear of the case with your thumb. Do this on each side of each case until you get all the way around the 8 locations. Chances are, you'll get some movement ( and maybe even hear /feel it pop when it seats correctly near the rim.) When it's right, you'll be able to turn the case and also see some play in all the rounds to assist with loading. Continue for all 8 rounds.

Finally, once the moonclips are fully loaded and hand tested, try dry fitting them into your cylinder. They should drop right in with ease. If not, something still isn't right.



FWIW, I use all kinds of mixed 38 brass in my moonclips in my R8 ( and two 627's) with no issue. Some do fit better than others into the clip but they all work.

hth

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Dave

In .45ACP, I have actually found a little "jiggle" to be preferable to a totally tight and rigid moonclip set....more forgiving and able to self-adjust within a reasonable tolerance range.
If you are bending the clips in the load/unload process, get a BMT mooning tool and that problem will become a thing of the past.
As mentioned previously, there are different thicknesses of moonclip materials out there and not all brands of brass have the same dimensioned relief in front of the rim. Find the combination that works for you and stick with it.

I had my 640 moon clipped along with chamfered charge holes and a lot more. About 2-years later S&W seemingly copied my mod kit down to every detail with the Pro Series 640 (SKU 178044) albeit mine is considerably more finished.

Anyway, I use stainless steel clips and I also have the the insertion tool, puller and true flat disk. I mark the ones’ that need truing and I have yet to have any cylinder lock-ups’. Then again I don't shoot it that often since it's a snub - not a range gun.

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Dan Ortego ~

I have limited experience with moon clips but know two things.
A little wiggle is good, makes it easier to load in the cylinder. The other thing is get some kind of tool, I like the BMT. You do it long enough you will booger up your fingers sooner or later.