686 Plus and Moon Clips

[Krink]

Please excuse my ignorance as I am a rookie revolver shooter. I have a 686 Plus and have been thinking of shooting it for giggles in our weekly defensive pistol league (IDPA-ish). How can I tell if my cylinder will accept moon clips? What am I looking for? They're not that expensive but I didn't want to purchase any if they aren't going to work without some smithing. I'm not the original owner so I don't know what all may or may not have been done.

Thanks in advance,

Krink

 

[TSQUARED]

The 686 Plus's cyinder was not cut for moonclips at the factory. However sevral individuals offer that conversion - TK Custom come to mind right off the bat. I use the Ranch Products moonclips which are quite inexpensive at $75 per 100.

 

[Jim Watson]

I had one cut for clips and found them to be of little advantage with long skinny .38s flopping around in thin clips; unlike the .45s.
Maybe I did not have the technique down right.
Maybe some good speedloaders would serve you as well. They do me.

 

[imashooter2]

If your cylinder was cut for clips, it will have a thin "rim" around the outside and be recessed to accommodate the moons inside that. See the pictures on the first page of this site:

Welcome to TK Custom.com & Moonclips.com

.38 Special / .357 Magnum moon clips are very brass sensitive. Different brands of moons will provide acceptable "jiggle" with different brands of brass.

I find moons in the 686 about the same speed as a Safariland Comp III speedloader. The problem is, they don't make Comp III's for the 7 shot guns.

A clear advantage for moons is that they provide for positive extraction. You never get one hanger or a rim under the extractor when using moons.

I used a 686+ cut by Mark Hartshorn of Pinnacle High Performance as a low cost ICORE gun for a few years before picking up a 627. Overall, I was very pleased with the compromise. My old 686 ICORE gun: