642 Performance Center moonclip question

G

Grimjaws

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2012
Messages
683
Reaction score
2,314
Never having used or owned a moonclip revolver I have a question or two

Since the 642 Performance Center is cut for moonclips can I shoot 9mm out of it?

I see places like TK offer to convert a j frame to accept moonclips for 9mm use. Since these come from the factory already set up with the clips I am thinking it should work with 9mm already.

Do the moon clips that come with it work with 9mm or would you need to buy a different one

I confess to being totally in the dark on how these things work so thought I would ask😁

Thanks in advance
 
Register to hide this ad
The 9mm will not fit. You will have to have material machined out of the chamber walls. The 9mm is a tapered cartridge.
 
Last edited:
Grimjaws: I have a few S&Ws fitted with an alternate cylinder machined to take 9mm moon clips. By changing cylinders, you can use 38 S&W Special and 9mm in the same frame. All S&W barrels for factory 9mm revolvers and 38 Special are the same. The .002 difference in the bullet is not significant enough to effect accuracy in light of the lands width within the barrel. If you do this, remember the 642 is an airweight and 9mm is usually rated between 357 magnum and 38 special. Be conservative in the 9mm loads you choose.
 
Last edited:
That’s what i didn’t think off

Thanks

Now it makes sense

I figured the barrel would be okay but never thought about the cylinder

I didn’t even think of the 9mm pressure either

Amazing bunch of guys and gals on this forum
 
As to ammo & reloads...

PHP:
Grimjaws said:
Thanks

Now it makes sense

I figured the barrel would be okay but never thought about the cylinder

I didn’t even think of the 9mm pressure either

Amazing bunch of guys and gals on this forum
Click to expand...

TK Custom recommends 9mm standard velocity only: no +P. You can still shoot 38 Special +P, though...

Cheers!
 
I generally shy away from aluminum framed revolvers; and especially the 642. In addition to reading about the many cracked frames (below the forcing cone) it happened to one owned by my best shooting buddy, who only shoots factory ammunition, so it's not like it happened to a friend of a friend of a friend. I realize that the 642 is probably the most sold, Quality, aluminum-framed revolver ever, not some Saturday Night special, and that "eventually a bad one will pass through quality control," but the 9X19 has a much higher pressure than a .38spl. If I were going through the trouble of having a 9mm cylinder fit to a J-frame, it would certainly be a steel-framed version.

My personal snubnose 9mm is a Ruger SP101, which had to be sent back to the factory for some issues with the trigger locking in the back position. This to say that 1) the two largest US revolver manufacturers are letting their customers do the quality control, and 2) that even an all stainless revolver purposely made for the 9X19 can leave the factory with flaws. I could've tried fixing the Ruger, but it was bought new and it was it's first time out when it exhibited the problems, I don't think Ruger sells small parts to anyone but gunsmiths, and I was extremely busy at the time and didn't feel like fixing a brand new gun.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
"Since the 642 Performance Center is cut for moonclips can I shoot 9mm out of it?"

Not without reaming the cylinders.
 
Jeff - some people like moonclips for speed of ejection and reloading... kind of like a speed loader that stays in place all the time.

While in the past this was mostly done with auto cartridges, it can also be done with traditional revolver cartridges as well.
 
"I see places like TK offer to convert a j frame to accept moonclips for 9mm use. Since these come from the factory already set up with the clips I am thinking it should work with 9mm already".

9mm base diameter is too large to fit in a .38Sp or .357Mag cylinders without doing the taper ream oversize. The 9mm won't chamber without reaming.
TK has done three J-frames for me.

You will need to buy different moonclips to accommodate. 38 versus 9mm.
I buy Range clips for about $1.25 each.

In a titanium cylindered Airweight 637-2 J-frame, regular 9mm recoil is painful enough that I don't see the need for extra pain resulting from 9mm +P.
 

Attachments

  • 20210309_095610.jpg
    20210309_095610.jpg
    96.2 KB · Views: 12
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

v8stang289
  • Locked
Remove please -MoonClip Loader and unloader 625/325/25 revolvers
Replies
1
Views
982
v8stang289
v8stang289
Say When!
Scope mount on 1997 S&W Performance Center Model 625-6
Replies
1
Views
262
jrc1
J
C
642 Performance Center version
Replies
2
Views
369
Lucnic
Lucnic
S&W Rover
  • Locked
Sold TK Custom J Frame .38/.357 Moon Clip Loading Tool
Replies
2
Views
109
chico1911
C
S
Picking up a new(ish) J-frame
Replies
3
Views
390
bobsguns
bobsguns

Latest posts

Back
Top