I've moved forward with a 1951 S&W Pre 26 in 45acp and will be taking delivery shortly. Now that I have the gun I'm looking on the kind of moon clips I should be getting. The last time I tried to use a moon clip I bent the **** out of it. So what's the deal? Should I get half moon or full moon clips? Is it possible to load/unload moon clips by hand or should I invest in a tool to help make it easier? There not cheap so want to make sure I'm doing this right.

Thanks

Hi Rock I use the full moon clips you can make a tool from a piece of 1/2 inch copper tubing. There videos on You tube on how to make them very easy. And it work great.

I shoot a lot of moon clips, if I buy a gun for competition or carry and it's not cut from the factory I send the cylinder to TK Customs and get it cut!

Full moon are the way to go. For .45 acp there are countless options out there and they're all pretty cheap. I use a lot of Ranch Products I've had for years, I don't know if that company is still around or not though.

As far as tools go, I bought a basic Wilson Combat demooning tool years ago, I think I paid all of $5 for it. For loading I just snap them in with my fingers. When using rimmed cartridges it can be difficult to snap the cartridges in but rimless cartridge go in pretty easy, and the only time I've bent a clip is when I've stepped on one during a match after a reload.

Hope this helps!

Buy lots. I like clips from Revolver Supply. Then set yourself up for range trips with your clipped up rounds. Don’t waste your time fooling with clips at the range. For .45ACP I use my fingers to clip them up and a piece of modified copper tubing to de-moon.

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I use moon clips but both removing empties and putting in new rounds with fingers alone is a hassle. A BMT Mooner tool to load the clips works really well. Some of my guns are happy with moon clips (625s for example) but others (a 25-2) not so much. Another option is 45 Auto Rim, no clips required. I load both and if I'm only shooting a few rounds now and then, the 45AR option works well for me.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

If moon clips aren't cheap, you're buying them from the wrong place. Ranch Products is, AFAIK, the originator of full moon clips, still makes the best and the least expensive. They also make half-moon clips and third-moon clips, and clips for other cartridges besides .45ACP.

You can load them without a tool, but a tool is much easier to use. To unload them, any dowel will work, as will most of the many tools made for such purpose, including the one sold by Ranch Products.

With a pre-26, you don't really need clips for paper punching, unless there are speed-reloads in the game. The cartridges will headspace properly without clips, and if any spent cases fail to fall out when you aim the pistol skyward and swing out the cylinder, you can easily pull them out yourself. If all else fails, poke them out with a pencil.

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Formerly Model520Fan

Moon Clips & the .45 ACP Revolver

I have read, in many forums, how people love a .45 ACP revolver, but hate having to deal with moon clips. I find that most of these complaints originate with new owners or casual shooters, who try to load/unload the clips manually, which generally results in loss of blood and bent clips (only a slight exaggeration).

All they need to do is invest in the right clips and tools to enhance their shooting experience to the point that, I’d wager, their .45 ACP revolver becomes their favorite range toy. You have spent a considerable sum on the revolver, don’t scrimp when it comes to purchasing accessories that can only enhance your experience with your new gun.

First let’s deal with the clips. The .45 ACP revolver, being the most common of the pistol-round chambered revolvers, is probably the easiest for which to find clips. However, caveat emptor, because they are common you will often find clips of unknown origin on venues like eBay, Gun Broker and the like. These can vary considerably in thickness, so my advice is to stick with known manufacturers. Here are a few…

Ranch Products
HOME | Ranch Products

This website will only net you a phone number. You have to call them on the phone and talk to a real human being to place your order. I use Ranch Products clips for my five revolvers chambered in .45 ACP, and have never had a problem (this includes USPSA and IDPA competition, which can be the acid test for any product used with a firearm).

TK Custom
TK Custom Store | Moon Clip Carrier

This is now a full custom shop website with the emphasis on revolvers and moon clips. Tom (the owner) can machine a cylinder on what is normally a non-moon clip gun and convert it for use both with and without moon clips. I have a model 25-13, which is chambered from the factory for .45 Colt, that Tom machined so that I can now shoot .45 ACP in clips or .45 Colt in clips, speed loaders or individually. The modification adds real versatility to any revolver.

Revolver Supply Co.
Supplies for the Revolver Enthusiast

The website for all things moon clips. George (the owner) manufactures an entire line of moon clips and is very receptive to customer input. He makes both blued and plated clips.

All of the above make moon clips for other models of revolvers and various calibers. This monograph is limiting itself to the discussion of those guns chambered in .45 ACP. Look upon the other calibers as the “Advanced Course” in “moon-clipology” as there are some unique problems that may crop up with them. The .45 ACP revolvers are the easiest and have the least expensive start-up costs.

Now for the object of the most complaints – the loading and unloading of said clips. There are many tools on the market to accomplish these functions, I am going to recommend but three.

For loading…

The DeLuxe Moon Clip Tool
MoonClipTool.com is for sale | HugeDomains

NOTE: This website is no longer active. This type of tool is available from TK Custom and also Dillon Precision. It has changeable arbors so that it can be used for a variety of calibers.

There are other websites that sell similar looking tools, but as I understand it this was the original and I feel people should be rewarded for their innovative designs. This tool bills itself as both a load and unload tool. It does a stellar job at loading clips, but there are better tools for unloading. The unloading loops on the end of this tool will do in a pinch, or if your range bag is packed to the point you aren’t able to fit in one more tool, but see below for my suggestion.

For unloading…
Moon clip stripper tool
BROWNELLS MOON CLIP STRIPPER | Brownells

The above link is to Brownells’ website and shows one of the most effective tools for unloading your moon clips. The shank is long enough to hold all six empties that are stripped from the clip, so the unloading goes very quickly. This is a very simple tool and for those of you that are handy (I’m not) they can be easily made from a section of copper pipe or the grip area of an old golf club shaft. Simply notch the end.

For both loading and unloading…
The BMT tool
http://www.bmtequipped.com/products.php

BMT stands for “Better Mousetrap” and believe me this is the ultimate tool for both loading and unloading of your moon clips. It is a bit pricey, and it is caliber specific, but it works. Check out the video on the website as it shows how it works far better than I can explain it. I think the BMT tool is a bit of overkill for the 6-shot .45 ACP clips – for those I prefer the first two tools mentioned. I do own a BMT tool for an 8-shot revolver and think the BMT tool is the only way to go for those.

Using the above tools will make your moon clip revolver shooting experience far more enjoyable and will result in less personal injuries and few, if any, bent clips.

Invariably, in any discussion thread involving moon clips, the polymer “Rimz” clips will enter the discussion.

http://www.ezmoonclip.com/

Their claim to fame is that they can be loaded and unloaded without tools. If you are a casual shooter and only limber-up your moon clip gun on occasion, these may be fine for you. Because they are made of a thicker material, fit to the particular gun is more critical and they manufacture two different Rimz models to fit the various models of .45 ACP revolvers and for range vs. serious work applications. The metal clips, pretty much, work across the board – “one size fits all”. With regard to those for the .45 ACP they are more expensive than the metal clips, the reverse is true for most other calibers. The decision whether these will work best for you, is solely yours.

I prefer the metal clips since their low cost allows me to buy 50 to 100 clips (almost a lifetime supply, even for an active/competitive shooter) for a nominal amount (I paid $35/100, but that was a couple years ago). I can do all my actual loading and unloading of the clips at home, in front of the TV (if you are going to be mindless, you may as well be productive) and then take them to the range. I have made a rack – simply a base with 9 dowels glued in place – that will hold 27 loaded moon clips (162 rounds of .45 ACP), that fits nicely in my range bag. When I go to a match, there is no scurrying around trying to reload clips between stages, I just pull-out my pre-loaded moon clips.




I think that moon clips are the greatest invention since sliced bread. Among competitive revolver shooters they are de rigueur. As I cautioned before, moon clip revolvers in calibers other than .45 ACP may not be as simple a proposition. I went through four brands of moon clips before I found the ones that worked satisfactorily for me, with an 8-shot .38 Super. Unfortunately, the ones that worked best were $7 each – which entails quite an investment when you want enough with which to shoot an entire match. You don’t have those kinds of problems with the .45 ACP guns. A fat, short cartridge with a heavy round nose bullet up front, practically loads itself into your gun.

All opinions expressed above are those of the author – Your Mileage May Vary.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

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NRA Benefactor Member

The easiest way to deal with moon clips is to throw them away and use 45 Auto Rim. Even if you don't reload loaded ammo is available commercially. Moon clips were originally intended for one time use.

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I usually load metal clips at home and take them to the range ready to drop in. Spend a few bucks and get a proper mooning tool. A large Channel Lock plier will work but you must take care to not bend clips.

A demooner tool is easy to make from a piece of tubing, I used an old golf club shaft.

If I shoot them all up and need to reload at the range I use the Rimz plastic ones. They work just fine.

TK for carry and none for range,just pencil to push them out. NO need for clips at range.

As others have stated, half moon clips are not a necessity. But they make extraction easier. The important thing is to buy good quality ones that are properly tempered. Cheap ones bend easily and if they aren't nice and flat they can cause problems.

Some people claim that the use of moon clips allows for more positive headspacing and therefore improved accuracy. I guess you could experiment at the range and see for yourself. The use of .45 Auto Rim brass was suggested and is also a good idea. But if you don't handload or already have a good supply of .45 ACP brass no sense in spending money for .45 AR brass and an additional shellholder.

I have one of the Brownell's demooning tools and it works well. Although it would be easy enough to make one for a lot less than $20.

Over the years, I find that using an inside corner of a steel ammo can for de-mooning a full moon clip works as well as, if not better than, any tool.

Whatever you do, dont but the full clips that are open on the outside. They are like ninja stars and can cut you to ribbons.

Robert

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

When I used moon clips I used RIMZ clips because they are easy to load and unload without a special tool. Now however, I load .45 AutoRim for my revolvers and have abandoned moon clips. I did like RIMZ clips best of all I tried.

I use EZmoons and consider them a prefect asset to the 45acp revolver for ease of use and quick reloads. I usually have dozens loaded up and keep them in pill containers and labeled. Best medicine I know for many of life’s problems.

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Remain Viable

Bob,

Great write up!

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

I'm happy with this, but also easy to please...comes in 9mm as well:

Cartridge Removal Tool, .45 ACP, New Reproduction 1917 COLT

"The easiest way to deal with moon clips is to throw them away and use 45 Auto Rim."

I'll try that in my 646 and 627 V8.

My favorites are the stainless steel clips from TK Custom, along with their loading and unloading tools.

Also, use them for more than just .45 acp

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SWCA 3749 SWHF 867

Still nothing is faster going in or ejecting than full moon clips in my JM 625. I used to shoot in USPSA matches before they changed the rules.

Am not aware of anyone using 45 Auto Rim and a Speedloader for this...

Randy

To make up for having to clip and strip ammo, it insures you get back all your brass, six at a time. No "lost brass" match for the clip gunner.

My thoughts:

I only use moonclips from Revolver Supply. They work with every brand of ammo I use, in all five of my 45acp revolvers.

The BMT tool is the only tool I use. I don't even think about its cost. I've been using the same clips for years with thousands of rounds with no mutilation, and de-mooning is the fastest, with one twist.

45acp ammunition is readily available, whereas 45ar is harder to find and way more expensive. I don't reload.

The nice thing is that 45acp ammo will headspace in the guns so you don't have to use clips at all if you wish. Note: the extractor doesn't work with rimless ammo.

I like using moonclips at the range. I pre-load a bunch of them to shoot and don't worry about demooning or reloading them until I get home. My inexpensive one-piece Speed Beez demooner is quick and easy once you get the hang of it! I use 2-rd, 3-rd, and 6-rd moonclips in both my Model 25-2 and Model of 1917, and haven't had any issues. All my clips are steel, but I think I need to try some of the RIMZ polymer clips. I don't shoot enough .45 ACP in revolvers to worry about buying expensive tools.

Moon Clip Tool | Moon Clips | De-mooner - Speed Beez

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.45 Auto Rim . I avoid clips altogether. Tried them , didn't like them in any version.

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Grumpy Old Man With a Gun

There's alot of wisdom belted out here, especially that Pizza Bob fella. Some stuff I don't quite see eye to eye with, but that's what keeps the world inneresting.

I am an unabashed lover of moonclips. Especially them big .45s, they seem to just be self guiding towards that cylinder. Most of my moon clips average about $1 each. Ranch Products is my favorite all around, though I have some TK Custom as well. I've had approximately 125 of them, give or take. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly I can burn through 200-300 rounds at the range in a very short period of time, giggling like a schoolgirl and having a blast.

I use a Competition Works California De-mooning tool or the Wilson Combat Full Moon Case Extractor. The California tool works best with well broken in ones. The Wilson Combat tool is very inexpensive, and very effective. They're cheap enough to have in every range bag, ammo can, pistol case, etc. Although I rarely strip my moon clips until I'm back home sipping on a cup of coffee and pondering which "Dirty Harry" movie to watch while I'm doing it.

One of my .45 ACP revolvers gets rolled into my defensive rotation quite regularly. As such, I keep a dozen or so new, never used on the range moon clips loaded with my favored defensive ammo. When carrying on the street, I keep them in a pretty rigid speedloader pouch. As good as they are, just a little wobble or ding can mess up your world.

Once I've stripped mine, I do carefully inspect them in the cylinder with no loaded rounds to ensure that they are laying flat. If I have a modicum of doubt, I have no hesitation to toss them. (Admittedly, I whimper when that happens to my $8 each .357 moonclips)

I've never tried the two shot ones, though I would like to. It seems like a neat street carry that would actually be pretty durable.

The only reason I'd mess with half mooners is for authenticity with my 1917.

I've recently started ASI (Action Shooting International) which is very six gun friendly. As such, I'm not so driven to always have the highest capacity, fastest reload, etc. I'm shooting all my wheelguns eventually, but I'm looking forward to my 1917 with the half moon clips and my S&W Victory with a dump pouch! (I already got smoked by running my lever action against the semi auto pistol carbines...lol)

I have some .45 Auto Rim to run some day, but I just don't see a reason to yet when I'm having so much fun with my .45 ACP and moon clips.

Where are you shooting ASI?
I have tried to get the local indoor range to offer IDPA, then ASI, but the proprietor is afraid we will shoot holes in the roof if we get out of the baffled lanes.

I expounded a bit on pizza bobs method, and made a rack that fits inside a plastic .30 cal harbor freight ammo box. You can go bigger with a .50 cal metal can, but that was more than I wanted to lug in one box. I’m planning on making another one, so I’ll have a total of 576 rounds available (288 per can) in two easily transportable boxes.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

My gun show partner just scored ten boxes of Remington 45 Auto-Rim. That negates the need for moon clips for a while. We were wondering what they are worth. 230 grain lead RN. He also got another old box (dog bone) AR. On the box it reads for use in 45 Colt revolvers, among others. I had not heard of that.

I just tried the Auto Rim in my 25-5 and they chamber perfectly. I still think I'll save them for the 45 ACP guns.

Sorry it took a minute to get back to ya'

I'm shooting ASI at Mat Valley Sportsman's Club in Palmer Alaska.

It too is an indoor range. The stages are pretty short, sweet, and fired in one direction only. A few courses of fire would include Mozambique drill x3-4, Bill Drill while coming forward from 20 something feet and going away again, a car jacking to include engaging six pepper poppers, maybe shooting a couple penguins, etc. We of course maintain the 180 degree plan that is common to many of the action based disciplines, as well as all the other common but important safety rules.

ASI would be much safer than an average open range day, IMHO.

45 AR should be too big a diameter for 45 Colt. Additionally the head should be far too thick for 45 Colt.

SAAMI SPECS for 45 AR: 45 Auto Rim

MAP (CUP) – 15,000

MAP (PSI) – N/E

Headspace – Rim

Headspace Dim – .090 to .104

Max Case Length – .898

Trim to Length – .878

COAL – 1.275 to 1.225

Head Diameter – .516

Large Pistol Primer



45 Colt SAAMI SPECS:

MAP (CUP) – 14,000

MAP (PSI) – 14,000

Headspace – Rim

Headspace Dim – .060 to .074

Max Case Length – 1.285

Trim to Length – 1.265

COAL – 1.600 to 1.515

Head Diameter – .512

Large Pistol Primer

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Were you able to close the cylinder with those AR cartridges in place?

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I use the old style steel clips and use them for 2 gun in my 625 smith. They do take a little bit of work unless you’re shooting new ammo. What I’ve found is that if there is any issues with your reloads the clip will magnify them and then the clip will not simply drop in. I run my .45 reloads through a lee bulge buster, assemble them on my clips and check them in my revolver before a match. I also use 45AR too. But moon clips are waaaay faster. Ask JM.

another vote for BMT. It is expensive at $100, but you'll forget the initial cost after loading your first dozen full moons and seeing how quick and painless it is with this thing.

My 25-2 loves the full moon clips whether in stock mode with standard SA/DA trigger pull weights or in competition mode with very light trigger pull weights.

Full moons made of steel are just like the S&W factory moons, both are stamped steel and micrometer at 0.040" thick +/- 0.001"

Sure beats bending your clips, trashing your brass, slicing your fingers, giving up in disgust..

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570