Moon Clip Conversion Issues

[datsun40146]

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I had a pre-10 cylinder converted to moon clips recently. I’m having an issue with some of my ammunition that I’ve reloaded not seating all the way into the cylinder.
I understand moon clips may be sensitive to brass brands but i’m seeing inconsistent issues across the same brand.

I’m using RP or Federal which according to TK are good to go. The rounds are loaded correctly into the clips using a moon clip tool. They spin freely and are fully engaged. When I drop them into the cylinder the last quarter inch to 3/8 of an inch does not drop in. The cylinder is clean and without any scoring/damage.

Please note that this is not a consistent issue. It only happens maybe 70% of the time. The other remaining time, the ammunition that I’ve loaded drops right in without issue. All of the rounds are loaded on my Dillon 550 B and is sorted by head stamp and loaded onto clips with matching stamps.

The clips are new from TK Custom .025 thick.

I have confirmed my crimp is fully removed. I had changed a bullet types and confirming my resizing due more than I can count. All my ammunition passes case gauge and cylinder plunk test. It’s not until I try to load it into the gun on the clip that it will not seat all the way.

Any help here would be so appreciated. Anything else I can check?

 

[datsun40146]

IMG-9058 hosted at ImgBB — ImgBB
IMG-9055 hosted at ImgBB — ImgBB
IMG-9054 hosted at ImgBB — ImgBB

Images of the loading issue

 

[datsun40146]

Note: The ammunition is hanging up in the cylinder in the attached pictures, I could force the rounds down, but it takes a bit of force to get them to seat enough that it would hurt my thumb after a while, and they do not eject freely either

 

[paladin42]

I've had this problem.

I've had this problem myself. My solution was to use thinner moonclips.

 

[rct269]

It's been a looooooooooooong time since I discontinued reloading, so it can be said this is a really dumb question!

Does a "full length" resizing die really resize "full length"? The next question----is your resizing die set as it should be---or has some gremlin been at work?

That's the first thought that popped into my head---and there have been no others!

Ralph Tremaine

 

[datsun40146]

Good question, the resizing die is the Lee 4 die set in my 550b. It’s set to touch off the shell plate and then 1/4 turn more so the handle cams over. That should be correct. That’s the way I’ve done it for the last 20k rounds or so anyway.

As far as going thinner on the clips. I’m already at .025, they make a .020 but that’s pretty darn thin.

 

[Nightowl]

Can you remove those 6 cartridges from the moon clip and load them and fire them without issue? If so, it would seem to me to be a moon clip issue rather than an ammo issue.

 

[6string]

Moon clips not only add one more that can go wrong, they introduce a variable that can cause other unwanted side effects.
They potentially alter headspace. They act as a buffer, absorbing some percentage of the hammer strike. Together they can have a negative impact on accuracy.
If you perform such a conversion on a revolver intended for a rimmed cartridge, then there is no reliable way to ensure headspace without the clips.
By way of contrast, with the early 1950 and 1955 .45 cal Target revolvers, there is a carefully cut chamber that ensures proper headspace off of the case mouth of a .45 ACP case (match grade!). In this situation, the clip is strictly for loading and extraction purposes.
Nonetheless, my preference is to use either 45 Auto Rim brass or my own fabricated rimmed cases.

For the trouble they can cause, and potential negative effect on accuracy, I would never personally convert ANY revolver to use moon clips.

 

[BrBa]

Can you remove those 6 cartridges from the moon clip and load them and fire them without issue? If so, it would seem to me to be a moon clip issue rather than an ammo issue.

^^ exactly what I was going to say.

TK machines the cylinder so that the cartridge headspaces on the rim with or without the clips. If the rounds go in each charge hole individually without using the clip, then the diameter of the hole spacing on the clips is either too large or too small. Contact them and they'll take care of it for you.

 

[pabicyclist]

I've had that issue with .45 clips in S&W M1917. Mine was corrected by quick touch up grinding (dremmel) to allow the cartridges to move further out from center. Didn't remove much material
, almost like a quick sanding.

 

[datsun40146]

Yes I can fire the rounds without issue when the moonclip isn’t used. I just did this. The clips wouldn’t load smoothly so I unloaded them from the clip, manually loaded and fired without issue