Moon Clip Questions

[SNW REV]

Just picked up a nice 7 shot, 6" 686-5. The previous owner had some work done to it. It has an action job, ball detent lockup, chamferred charge holes in the cylinder and is set up for the use of moon clips. The store owner where I bought the gun, knows the gunsmith who performmed the work. He works at a shop that does custom work. He did a great job on the gun.
The gun also came with 14 38/357 metal moon clips (don't know what make they are).

Last night I was playing around with the moon clips and some empty 357 cases. Boy are they hard to put in the clips and ten times harder to remove.

Does anyone know where I can get a de-mooning tool for 7 shot 38/357 moon clips? I tried Brownells and Midway and only found tools for 45 acp. I'm sure somebody makes them.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Frank

 

[SNW REV]

Just picked up a nice 7 shot, 6" 686-5. The previous owner had some work done to it. It has an action job, ball detent lockup, chamferred charge holes in the cylinder and is set up for the use of moon clips. The store owner where I bought the gun, knows the gunsmith who performmed the work. He works at a shop that does custom work. He did a great job on the gun.
The gun also came with 14 38/357 metal moon clips (don't know what make they are).

Last night I was playing around with the moon clips and some empty 357 cases. Boy are they hard to put in the clips and ten times harder to remove.

Does anyone know where I can get a de-mooning tool for 7 shot 38/357 moon clips? I tried Brownells and Midway and only found tools for 45 acp. I'm sure somebody makes them.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Frank

 

[enidpd804]

I'm using the Wilson Combat tool made for 45 for my 10mm and it works fine. I bet it would work for your gun, too.

 

[RickK]

Try the Moon Clip Tool
www.mooncliptool.com
They have what you need.
Rick

 

[bbiggun]

Originally posted by RickK:
Try the Moon Clip Tool
www.mooncliptool.com
They have what you need.
Rick

+1
I bought one from the guy and I couldn't be more happier. Excellent tool and super fast shipping. I picked up some moon clips too which work flawlessly.

 

[5Wire]

Originally posted by RickK:
Try the Moon Clip Tool
www.mooncliptool.com
They have what you need.
Rick

+1 here, too!

 

[Revolver King]

Just for info the R-P and Federal brass are not as tight fitting as Win. & PMC and starline is even better.

PS. If you decide you don't like that gun let me know, I would be interested.

 

[antolin]

try dillon precision they sell a few different ones

 

[rbishop]

Got mine from TK Customs. Great guy to deal with. Check out his website for alot of nice products. I bought the tool and 10 moonclips.

 

[bellacorse]

Bought mine direct from mooncliptool.com. Couldn't be happier.

 

[Superheat]

Saw one at Dillon press..WHERE ARE THE PICS OF THE SWEET 686??????????????????

 

[5Wire]

Easy and quick to moon and demoon, all metal, well made, different collets available for different caliber and cylinder configurations, the www.mooncliptool.com makes a superior tool. There are less expensive, do it yourself and multiple tool options but nothing as purposefully efficient that I have seen.

I've got an old one:

and it works jes' fine.

 

[ENH]

Here's the ones I use.

 

[whelenshooter]

Brownells DOES sell a moon clip stripper for .357. It is the same tool that is used to strip the cases from 10mm and 40 S&W clips. I have one. It is Brownells part #352-197-100. It has a screwdriver handle with a long tube attached with a cutout on the end that allows you to pry the cases out of the moon clips. It works GREAT, just like the one for .45 ACP.

Brownells also sells the Moonsetter clip loader for .357. It is part #100-001-494 for the 8-shot 627, and part #100-001-490 for the 7-shot 686.

At moonclips.com you can get moon clips of varying thickness. You need thinner clips for Winchester brass, while the thicker clips work fine for Remington brass.

I hope this helps.

 

[sw357nm]

Back in the '90s S&W got some moonclips from their contractor that were thicker than the S&W specifications called for. I got some and they were practicqlly impossible to use. I have forgotten what the correct specs are, but measure yours and talk to someone in the S&W Performance Center about this. You just may have a bad set of clips.
John

 

[devildog66]

I use the demooner and load them with the "ambidextrous forefinger/thumb moonclip loader". That said, that moonclip tool looks like the way to go for an all-in-one tool.

 

[nn]

For a de-mooner use a piece of copper tubing
large enough to slip over the case; twist and pull. Vollia.
Putting the brass in the clip gets easier as you wear the clip in.