Milling 686+ for moonclips for 9mm

[JollyOxe]

I am curious to know if I had my 686+ cylinder milled for moonclips, would it be able to fire 9mm (that are clipped)? Just thinking if it were able to do that, it would make for another ammo type to fire at the range for fun.

Thanks in advance for advice and comments!

 

[colt_saa]

Not unless your chambers were significantly out of specifications

You could have the cylinder converted to 9MM Parabellum and then fire non-moon clipped 38/357 in there but the odds are it will be tough to extract and if you are a hand loader you will not like the brass.

If you want to shoot both, the solution is to acquire a second cylinder.

In the above photo the 627 Pinto's original 357 Magnum unfluted stainless cylinder has not been modified (it came from the factory moon clip enabled)

The black cylinder was acquired as a part and sent to Mark at Pinnacle. The cylinder was re-chambered for 9x23 Winchester and machined for moon clips

Since rimless cartridges fired from Smith and Wesson revolvers (except the 547) head space on the moon clip and not the cylinder throat, all of the smaller cartridges in that family can be loaded and fired. That would be 38 Super, 38 ACP, 356TSW, 9x21, 9MM Parabellum, 380 ACP and more

 

[JollyOxe]

OK! Thanks for the info! I will hold off the milling.

 

[1sailor]

If I'm not hijacking the thread I have a question regarding the dual cylinder. My understanding is that usually the timing is going to be off on the second cylinder and it needs to be corrected. Is this something best attempted by a gun smith or can a reasonably handy guy do it himself. I live kind of in BFE and the couple of competent smiths in my area are backed up by months. The only other option would be to send the pistol myself as long as the shop converting my cylinder is properly listed as a manufacturer or something like that. Was it necessary to fix the timing on your second cylinder? Sorry for rambling.

 

[HamHands]

"The Medusa"

Not unless your chambers were significantly out of specifications

You could have the cylinder converted to 9MM Parabellum and then fire non-moon clipped 38/357 in there but the odds are it will be tough to extract and if you are a hand loader you will not like the brass.

If you want to shoot both, the solution is to acquire a second cylinder.

In the above photo the 627 Pinto's original 357 Magnum unfluted stainless cylinder has not been modified (it came from the factory moon clip enabled)

The black cylinder was acquired as a part and sent to Mark at Pinnacle. The cylinder was re-chambered for 9x23 Winchester and machined for moon clips

Since rimless cartridges fired from Smith and Wesson revolvers (except the 547) head space on the moon clip and not the cylinder throat, all of the smaller cartridges in that family can be loaded and fired. That would be 38 Super, 38 ACP, 356TSW, 9x21, 9MM Parabellum, 380 ACP and more

And that would be the equivalent of S&W's version of "The Medusa" Revolver... of which I think is the coolest of all revolvers because it can fire a myriad of different cartridges of the .38, 9mm, and .357 family! Too bad less than 500 of them were ever made! I'd love to get my hands on one in excellent condition!
Medusa Model 47 (multi caliber revolver) - Wikipedia

 

[colt_saa]

If I'm not hijacking the thread I have a question regarding the dual cylinder. My understanding is that usually the timing is going to be off on the second cylinder and it needs to be corrected.

That is a 100% true statement if this was 50 years ago. Perhaps even only 25 years ago

However, things change, metallurgy improves, manufacturing advances occur and Smith and Wesson learns from all of this and adapts.

With the advances in manufacturing of parts that continuously evolves, CNC milled and Metal Injection Molded parts can be produced to within a thousandth of an inch accuracy

Most fitting of a modern second cylinder in a modern revolver is minimal

However, if your timing is off and you do not already know how to fix it, then take it to a gunsmith. It is not the thing to learn from a YouTube video

 

[colt_saa]

And that would be the equivalent of S&W's version of "The Medusa" Revolver... of which I think is the coolest of all revolvers because it can fire a myriad of different cartridges of the .38, 9mm, and .357 family! Too bad less than 500 of them were ever made! I'd love to get my hands on one in excellent condition!
Medusa Model 47 (multi caliber revolver) - Wikipedia

The company also offered replacement cylinders for Smith and Wesson K-frames.