Moon Clip Gun

joespapa

joespapa

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I’ve decided I want a Moon clip revolver. Either 38/357 or 45 acp . My intent is a range toy in a caliber I load for. Would like to hear from owners of 627 pro and pc, 327,325 and 625. S well as any others I’m unaware of .
Thanks in advance!


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I have a 625-8 that I truly enjoy... 5 inch N-frame is well balanced and extremely accurate... when you get your new revolver, acquire the accessory moon & demoon tools and LOTS of moonclips... and I also recommend some RIMZ poly moonclips for range fun... I always think of it as loading 1 and shooting 6.. so buy more ammo than you "think" you will need.. it goes quickly.
 

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joespapa said:
I’ve decided I want a Moon clip revolver. Either 38/357 or 45 acp . My intent is a range toy in a caliber I load for. Would like to hear from owners of 627 pro and pc, 327,325 and 625. S well as any others I’m unaware of .
Thanks in advance!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

While TK Custom might be able to do it - I've not seen or heard of a 38/357 moon clip revolver. Their rim eliminates the need!
 
My first foray into moon clips was via a 627-5PC, 8-times the fun.

Ammo fit fairly well -but not great- there was always some wobbling and it was a bit finicky getting the loaded clips in during reloads.

I didn’t see the appeal of moon clips as a system, to be honest.

THEN THE 625!

The short, fat, round-nosed bullets didn’t flex and sway in the clips, and they seemed to fall in the cylinder almost of their own accord. It was an order of magnitude faster than the 8-round magnum gun.

For the first time, moon clips made sense to me. If you’re dipping the toe into the world of moon clips, the 45 is a much more enjoyable platform.
 
Agreed. The long skinny .38 in a thin clip calls for more technique than the short heavy .45 the system was designed for. Note that revolver competitors will commonly shoot .38 Short Colt for easier loading and unloading.

Smith made some L frame .38 Super and .40 SW clip guns but they did not catch on.
 
Totally sold on moons.
Started with a 625, then along came a 986, and now had TK Custom cut my Model 64 NY-1.
Using Starline brass with TK's Starline specific moons eliminates wobble and eliminates the need for mooning and de-mooning tools.
 

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There is also the 9mm 7 shot L frame 986 and the 8 shot N frame 929 that use moon clips.

I have the only 686 chambered in 357 Sig that I'm aware of. It uses moon clips too. This is not a factory chambering, and I only use light target reloads, as full power ammo would probably blow it up.
 
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I have a bunch of guns cut for moonclips. Usually if they're not cut from the factory I send the cylinders to TK Customs and have them cut.

My experience is that if you've never had a moonclipped revolver I'd start with a .45. Reason being that the auto cartridges are much less finicky than rimmed cartridges, with .357 - .38 being the most fussy. With rimmed cartridges you have to have the proper thickness clip to fit the different brands of brass. My .44 mags that are cut are less particular then .357 but not as forgiving as auto cartridges.

The easiest and quickest for reloads is .45 ACP. The big holes in the cylinder coupled with 230 grain roundnose bullets and the rounds just about jump into the chamber! 9 & 10mm work good too but not like the .45's!
 
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I'll echo that a .45ACP makes for a great moon clip gun. I just had my 625-4 at the range this morning. It's always fun to shoot. I'd suggest 625 in 4-5" for DA/combat style shooting and a 25-2 for SA/target shooting.

A "Mooner" tool is a must, and will be worth the expenditure the first time you use it!

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madmikeb said:
With rimmed cartridges you have to have the proper thickness clip to fit the different brands of brass. My .44 mags that are cut are less particular then .357 but not as forgiving as auto cartridges.
Click to expand...

Very good advice. For my 38, I use only Starline brass with TK's Starline specific moons. A match made in heaven. Fit is so perfect that no mooning/demooning tools are necessary.
 
Go for a 45!

Any of the S&W 45’s is your best choice to enjoy maximum benefit.
The longer and narrower proportions of the .38/.357 cartridges simply are not as compatible with moonclips as the shorter and fatter 45acp.
As a bonus, you should probably pick up a supply of 45 Autorim brass and try out that wonderful version of the 45.
 
45acp revolvers are a lot of fun. I’ve got a 625-8 JM, a 325NG, and a 1917. My 625 is frighteningly accurate with 255gr SWC loads. Just a ton of fun to shoot. As stated, the stubby, fat rounds just work well with clips. Plus, big bullets!

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My 625 JM is a hoot ! Used to shoot it in USPSA until they changed the rules. Big holes made scoring really easy and I got to keep all of my brass.

Nothing faster than a moon clip going into the gun or coming out....

Randy
 
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I have five revolvers chambered in 45acp. I use them with moonclips almost exclusively. The clips work especially well with shorter cartridges like 45acp. I highly recommend the BMT tool for loading and unloading the moonclips. You'll forget the cost after you use it, and the clips will stay usable for years. I buy the moonclips from Revolver Supply. They have worked in each of my guns with every brand of ammo I've used, and that has to number at least a dozen different ones over the years.
 
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