Full moon clips...

[flatapple]

I recently purchased a S&W 625...my question is, are all full moon clips created equal? I picked some bulk clips up at the last gun show for 10 for $5.00.

 

[Alnamvet68]

TK Custom makes what some consider the better production moonclips, with prices for 10 of $20.00 for blue steel, and $75.00 for solid stainless steel. I don't like them because they are easy to bugger, as well as store concealed when carrying, and even TC's expensive ones can damage easily. I cannot imagine what you get for 10 for $5.00.

 

[milespb]

Check out Revolver Supply Co., I have theirs in .40(610) and .45 (625) and have had good results. And George is great to deal with.

 

[BlueOvalBandit]

TK Custom makes what some consider the better production moonclips, with prices for 10 of $20.00 for blue steel, and $75.00 for solid stainless steel. I don't like them because they are easy to bugger, as well as store concealed when carrying, and even TC's expensive ones can damage easily. I cannot imagine what you get for 10 for $5.00.

As much as I like TK Custom, buying custom moonclips for a 45acp 625 is a waste of money. It's just not needed. 357mag and 38spl on the other hand, there is a huge difference since there is no SAAMI spec for the "extractor" groove.

I bought my last 100 moonclips for my 625 at old sarges drop zone for $35. They work fine, however someone else reported issues with their lot. You can also buy direct from ranch products, I think $40/100.

 

[BobR1]

The lower priced ones are no doubt Ranch Products Brand.
I have been using them for years, and they work just fine.
I also have some of the High Dollar ones. They do look nicer, for the huge price difference they should.
I have had no problem bending any of them either.
Carry them in a California Competition Works Moon Clip Carrier. Available through Dillon and others.

I carried a 610 for most of my 17 years in Law Enforcement. I carried 4 moon clips on the belt in a Quad Pouch. In the Winter months I also carried 2 loose in each Patch Pocket on my Jacket. No issues with bending or losing rounds from a moon clip.

Most who complain about moon clip guns just in general have decided they do not like moon clips.
I have several moon clip revolvers starting with a J Frame 442 Pro Moon Clip. The moon clip is faster to reload with, and also ejection is positive. An issue with short ejector revolvers.
The only time they are unhandy is when you plink and need to reload only a round or two. With the 625-2 and -3 guns you can use 45AR ammo without clips in your revolver. Not sure about this with the newest versions. My newest one is a 3" Dash 3.

Anyone who shoots Action or Defensive Pistol Matches will love a moon clip gun. Besides the faster reloads, you get to pick up all your empties with your moon clips.

Enjoy, you will like it.

Bob

 

[amazingflapjack]

moonclptool.com for clips, etc.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I've been getting bulk full moon clips at 100 for 30 to 35 dollars for a couple of years now. I notice "feeding" problems on about 1/3 of the loaded clips after several usages. To avoid problems in the field I load at home the ammo I'll be shooting then load every clip full into the cylinder and close it. The clips that don't lay flat are set aside and all the loaded good clips go into the range bag or ammo can. The misbehaving clips are inspected at this point or later. I load each loaded clip into the cylinder again and look for a high or low round. Then pop the offending round out of the clip to see if I can see a problem with the extractor groove or the Fingers on the moon clip.(on reloads you would be amazid at the beat up extractor groves that work fine in 1911's but hinder moon clips) If any of the fingers are bent or twisted strip out all the loaded ammo, and lightly peen flat with a hard plastic or wooden mallet on a firm and smooth flat surface (think anvil). Avoid metal hammers as they may beat the moon clip finger a little thinner and that will make it longer! Reload clip and repeat. You can mark seviced clips with a sharpie and dicard repeat offenders (I use the 3 strikes rule). I also notice the 1937 contract M1917 will accept many clip fulls that the 625 rejects, and that makes sense on dependabilty verses accuracies tighter tolerances. Hope this helps, Ivan

 

[m657]

Personally I've never had issue with any 45-acp moon clip, even the cheap ones....unless I stepped on them ......or once dropped a trunk on one.

 

[Bugs Bunny]

i never had much luck with 625's for IDPA using the moon clips, 4 different guns, same thing, a hang during a reload I do not get with various speedloader guns (686 629)

Just could be the alox during the course of a match gets things cruddy, but the 44's dont seem to have that issue from a speedloader with alox.

the bullets start in and one shell will hang causing a cocking of the moonclip putting pressure on the other shells requiring a palm tap or several to seat them so cylinder may close, jacketed bullets may be fine, best luck i had was with wilsons, probably relabeled.

Wilson Combat Full Moon Clip 45 ACP 6-Round Matte Package of 5

 

[rockyrider]

I bought some at Amazon.com. They were $15 for a package of 8. This was for a S&W Governor, they seem to be the same as the original 2.

 

[tomcatt51]

i never had much luck with 625's for IDPA using the moon clips, 4 different guns, same thing, a hang during a reload

Most likely a gun issue. Common 625 problem. 625-8's probably being the worst since the 625-2's. Chambers being both undersize and out of round. It's a worse issue with reloads (vs factory ammo), worse yet when the brass has been fired in a semi-auto.

Two things 'fix" it:
Reaming the chambers, I'm talking about using a saami spec reamer not "hogging them out". Ream the chambers while you're chamfering them.
Use a Lee sizing die and bottom it against the shell holder. It sizes the brass better down near the extractor groove than most.

FWIW I like Ranch Products moonclips for .45 acp. They seem to be as good as any.

 

[BlueOvalBandit]

Most likely a gun issue. Common 625 problem. 625-8's probably being the worst since the 625-2's. Chambers being both undersize and out of round. It's a worse issue with reloads (vs factory ammo), worse yet when the brass has been fired in a semi-auto.

Two things 'fix" it:
Reaming the chambers, I'm talking about using a saami spec reamer not "hogging them out". Ream the chambers while you're chamfering them.
Use a Lee sizing die and bottom it against the shell holder. It sizes the brass better down near the extractor groove than most.

FWIW I like Ranch Products moonclips for .45 acp. They seem to be as good as any.

I had to ream my -8 out, otherwise it would only work when a Lee FCD was used. The reamer took a ton of material out and you could feel the chamber was out of round. Now everything works.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I have had good luck with Ranch Products, also buying them from S&W.