Ran across it on an online auction site this morning and I'm just amazed someone would do this. A full sized revolver in 380 ACP that requires moon clips. Dang, wish I'd though of that.

Why would anyone want to take a more powerful .38SPL revolver and transform it into a more wimpy and expensive caliber to shoot like a .380 ACP? Makes little or no sense to me, unless it's just to say you have one?

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Dick

Maybe they had a lifetime supply of .380 ammo. 9mm I could sorta understand

i think he should have used an n frame and sleeved it to .25 caliber.

The only anwser to a gun like this is why not? If you have the money and want it , go for it. Just another cool custom that someone said, yes I will pay you to make that. For the same reason I want SS 4 5/8 Ruger Blackhawk in 7.62x25, to each his own, and no I dont own the 380acp 15-3

p.s. looks like someone used the gun as a bullseye gun, target grips with the rear sight missing and the frame top strap has been drilled and taped for a big optic mount.

I figured someone was trying to "game" IDPA rules in the early days. Small caliber, moonclipped revolver before they split the SSR category.

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S&WCA 1729

Bowens book makes mention & shows a pic of a S&W J Frame conversion to 25acp using full moon clips. Using a fixed sited original, they used a J-frame 22cal cylinder and most likely sleeved instead of relined the original barrel.

Custom gun people are like that. Something out of the ordinary. It doesn't necessarily have to make a lot of sense.

The 380 conversion may have been like that or as some said, just because of the availability of ammo. Perhaps a companion piece to a favorite 380 semiauto.

Maybe even one of those rules in some places that has total registration of handguns and the powers in charge deny ownership of more than one handgun in the same caliber. ..'You don't need another 38special,,you already have one registered to you'..

Possibly their solution for a child's next step up from a .22 LR ?

Not that I would ever think of such a thing. My idea of a step up from a twenty-two would be powder-puff .38 Wadcutters out of that same wonderful model 15.

Why not just put .38 Autos or .38 Super Autos into a 38 special cylinder and shoot them?? They do fit!

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ken
SWCA #1959

why wouldn't it take 9mm as well?

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ASA/NSA 67-71
NRA Benefactor

I've been waiting for somebody to bring this up, so I suppose I'll have to. Wouldn't accuracy suck, at least with jacketed bullets? If I remember correctly the .380/9mm is .355 caliber and the .38 Spl. is .357. I know two thousandths isn't a lot, but I would think it wouldn't shoot all that great. Or am I wrong?

9mm I can totally see. But .380 is a bit odd. To each their own I guess.

.38 ACP & .38 Super are semi-rimmed cartridges. 9mm are not.

I don't shoot 9mm so I'm in the dark here but won't moon clips work on 9mm, thereby working in this gun?

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ASA/NSA 67-71
NRA Benefactor

Here's the Gunbroker auction number - 190327079.

According to the description the cylinder chambers have been sleeved and .38 Special will not fit. Presumably 9mm would not either, being longer than .380. In addition, the 9mm cartridge case is slightly tapered with the head being larger in diameter than the mouth. According to SAAMI specs, the head area dimensions for the catridges are:

.380 - .3739
.38 Special - .379
9mm - .3910

As you can see while .380 will fit in a .38 Special chamber, 9mm would not. Even the 9mm case mouth is slightly large, at .3811.

As to the original question of why anyone would do this:

It's my gun-if you don't like it don't bid on it.

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Forum consigliere

I did something similar and converted a Mod 15 to 9mm. Moonclips.com did an excellent job with quick turnaround.
I have also considered taking a Mod 34 and doing a similar conversion but to 32 acp.

The moonclips and shorter cartridge length give speedy loads and reloads. The accuracy is there. The only down is that the clips for 9mm are a little flimsy.

How did the system work for the 380 cartridge ? How did the moonclips stand up ?

NB

For those who don't know or remember, the Air Force modified several of their M15's to 9mm a while ago when the M9 came on line. The project was to see if their M15's could use the then new 9mm ammo that was being issued for the M9's. Their moon clip conversion worked as expected, but they never carried forth to convert all of their revolvers to 9mm. They either shelfed them or had them demilled. If one is going to modify a S&W to auto cartridges, why not go to the 9x23. The one could use 9x23', 38 supers, and 9mm Nato in the same gun. Just my thoughts. Bob!

Bob, I carry 9x23s, and I'm a huge fan of the cartridge. However, I'm not so sure I'd want to put them in a cylinder originally specced for .38 Special, since 9x23 runs at 42KPsi+. 9x19s and Supers, sure.

That S&W chambered for 380 ACP may have been part of a shipment originally ordered by either a European Police agency, or security company.

I think this falls into the catagory

"Just because you can, does not mean you should."

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I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

Well if you do not sell it PM me. I'm kind of intrigued, just wouldn't want anyone to know about it.

Actually, if the rear site was there, if it was a FTF transaction, if the price was $25 lower, it looks like something I'd seriously consider just out of morbid curiously. If I have to I can make a moon clip to try out the 380 but I'm sure I have a M15 cylinder in my parts stash.

I'd say a urine test would be appropriate for that conversion:-)

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V/R
Roger / SG

Could have been for use in a country where calibers are very limited. In Brazil and Mexico, for instance, I have read that .380 autos and .38 special revolvers are the largest calibers legal for general civilian use, so I could see somebody converting it so that they would only have to caliber to keep up with.