Home-made Mooning Tool

[BubbaBlades]

I have a cut on my thumb that was making my loading of .40/10mm moon clips a pain (pun intended). I built this mooning tool out of some scrap aluminum bar stock.
Mark

 

[Mack]

You have a 610? Where is the picture of it? Nice tool.

 

[Pisgah]

Mine is simple but effective. No pix, but I just went to a thrift store, bought a $1 golf club, cut off the handle, and ground a small section of the end away to create a shallow lip. Pops 'em in, pops 'em out.

 

[RGPM1A]

Here is mine made from an old metal broom handle. And another one I got with my M610 20 years ago. I use them for all my moon clip revolvers. I like the tube one best because it catches the shells as they are released from the clip.

 

[nightshade2x]

Oh Am I the only one that thought this thread was about de-pantsing tools?

Have fun and be safe.
Nightshade2x

 

[imashooter2]

Mine is simple but effective. No pix, but I just went to a thrift store, bought a $1 golf club, cut off the handle, and ground a small section of the end away to create a shallow lip. Pops 'em in, pops 'em out.

Here is mine made from an old metal broom handle. And another one I got with my M610 20 years ago. I use them for all my moon clip revolvers. I like the tube one best because it catches the shells as they are released from the clip.

Those take the cases out. Mark's tool puts the cartridges in.

Mark, looks simple and effective. What did you use for the center post? Something off the shelf or did you cobble it up?

 

[BubbaBlades]

imashooter2,
Good call, I failed to explain that this device is used to put rounds INTO a moonclip. My centerpiece is made from a 40 year old brass fitting that came off of a commercial beer dispenser's pressure line. It had a 1/4" barbed hose fitting that I cut off flush and then bolted the fitting to the base arm using a 1/4" round head bolt. The fitting has a flange at its base that holds the moon clips up at the perfect height (about 1/8").
I use non-factory moon clips. These clips are slightly thicker than the S&W clips and work better for me with my Model 310's standard length firing pin. The clip's solid metal edge between the cutouts also provides a better contact area for demooning.
Mark

 

[SMSgt]

Back in my day I didn't need a tool to moon.

 

[H Richard]

For a de-moon tool for my 940 I used a piece of 30-06 brass. Cut off at the shoulder and screwed to a piece of dowel rod. For the 1917 45acp a piece of 1/2" ID copper I had lying around worked well.

 

[YamaLink]

I'm going to do the 1/2 id copper tube, too. All I need to do is cut the end down a bit?

Does it matter if it is perfectly straight up/down cut or should it be a slight angle?

 

[imashooter2]

imashooter2,
Good call, I failed to explain that this device is used to put rounds INTO a moonclip. My centerpiece is made from a 40 year old brass fitting that came off of a commercial beer dispenser's pressure line. It had a 1/4" barbed hose fitting that I cut off flush and then bolted the fitting to the base arm using a 1/4" round head bolt. The fitting has a flange at its base that holds the moon clips up at the perfect height (about 1/8").
I use non-factory moon clips. These clips are slightly thicker than the S&W clips and work better for me with my Model 310's standard length firing pin. The clip's solid metal edge between the cutouts also provides a better contact area for demooning.
Mark

Hmmmm... That's probably going to be tough to find at Home Depot. I'll have to look around. Maybe there's an NAS flanged bushing that will fill the bill.

 

[imashooter2]

I'm going to do the 1/2 id copper tube, too. All I need to do is cut the end down a bit?

Does it matter if it is perfectly straight up/down cut or should it be a slight angle?

Straight or very slightly undercut is best. Make it long enough to hold 6 loaded rounds (or eight if your demooning a 627).

 

[sheriffoconee]

I cut about 1/4 inch off my pipe about 3/4's of the way around, leaving about a 1/4 of the original length of the pipe sticking out.