Moonclip Conversion.....Does S&W Do It and Is it Worth Having?

[Nalapombu]

Hey all.

I'd like to know if S&W will machine your cylinder to accept moonclips? Does anyone know if they offer the service to those that might want it and if do, what kind of money do you estimate they would charge for doing it?

AND

The bigger question is whether or not it's a worthwhile investment. Is it something you would get on one of your 357mag six guns? Assume this is NOT a competition pistol, just a general use, home protection, woods bumming revolver and maybe some very occasional IDPA shooting.

Is it worth spending the money to get rather than practicing with speed loaders and getting really good with those?

Thoughts and suggestions please.

Thank you for your help and time.

 

[oldsman70]

Don't really know , But I ordered a 642 Pro cause of the Moon Clips. I also have a 327 pug nose with the clips and really like at the range , makes loading lots easier.

 

[bigwheelzip]

A similar question was posted:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...40177-mods-required-full-moon-clips-686s.html

 

[Smoke52]

Moon clips with the proper moon clip tool to load and unload them is a wonderful thing. Loading the cylinder is very quick, just drop in the cartridges. Unloading is just as quick, open the cylinder, tip the barrel up and the clip and all of he casings fall out. Speed loaders are a bit bulkier and slightly slower to load IMHO, as a twisting or pulling motion is needed to release the cartridges, and unloading is potentially slower also as all of the shells may not be expelled cleanly at once with the extractor. I have two moon clip revolvers, a 9mm and a .45, and love them both. While not a competitor, I do occasionally go to pin shoots with a 12 shot/1 reload format, IE 6 rounds and a reload. I can shoot almost as fast double action as those using a semi and the reloads are a bit faster with the moon clips. Fun times. If you do go the moon clip route, a BMT moon clip tool will be a nice addition to your range bag.

 

[H Richard]

Unless you do some competitive shooting there really isn't much advantage to spending the money to have a revolver converted for moon clips. If it pleases you to do it and you don't mind the cost of conversion then go do it.

 

[Pizza Bob]

I do not believe that S&W will do a moon clip conversion on a customer's gun. In the aftermarket, TKCustom is probably the most well known converter and a conversion runs appx $150 + shipping (cylinder only). I believe that Pinnacle Custom also does conversions.

Questionable benefit for what you describe. Convenient, but with full-length .357 cases probably slower to load than using a good competition style speed loader (i.e Safariland Comp III). With full-length .357 cases in moon clips you will experience considerable cartridge "flop", which makes it hard to align the cartridges with the charge holes rapidly. Competitive shooters (on the USPSA side w/8-shot revos) generally use the faster shorter case options of .38 Short or Long Colt, and clips that hold them rigidly (often $7-$8 ea.). You, of course, could do the same thing, but if you are not competing, why bother?

As for IDPA - if you intend to use the moon clips, that means that you have to shoot major PF, which means you'll have to use .357 brass and you are back to the cartridge "flop" in the clips problem. Better to use a speed loader (contrary to post #4, Comp III's do not require any secondary motion to release the cartridges) and .38 Spl brass, as you can load to minor PF. The speed loader (again, Comp III's) holds the cartridges rigidly (no "flop") for easy insertion and release.

Speaking for myself, I could do a faster reload with .38's in a Comp III than with .357's in moon clips. OTOH, .45 ACP in moon clips will be faster than any cartridge in any speed loader. JMHO.

For what you specify in the OP, not sure that you would significantly gain anything with the conversion.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[OKFC05]

I like moon clips for .40 in my 646, but for .357, like Pizza Bob said, I can easily match it with a Comp III speedloader.

 

[Jim Watson]

I strongly doubt S&W will alter a cylinder for clips.
I also agree with Pizza Bob. I put money and time into clip conversions on a 686+ and a 686. I never did get to where I could load them any better than a speedloader.

A .45 M25 or 625 is an ENTIRELY different matter. It is fun just to feel the clip full of ammo thud into the cylinder. Quick, too.

 

[SaberOne]

I customized a 640 for moon clips back in 2010. I sent it to TC Custom and it seems too be holding up just fine. I ordered the stainless clips, insertion tool, puller, flat disk and a boat-load of extra clips - the whole nine-yards. I can't recall what I paid but it wasn't too bad for the conversion itself ($150 including shipping I think) but with the extras' so around $350 if I recall. Later, S&W came out with their copy of my mod project to the T, sights and all. I'll try to post a pic or two later as I'm just lazy right now. Frankly, I don't believe its' all that practical for snub carry. Back then it was something special that few others had done and it was fun!

 

[sodacan]

I like moon clips for .40 in my 646, but for .357, like Pizza Bob said, I can easily match it with a Comp III speedloader.

Why do think that is?

 

[Lou_the_welder]

Hey all.

I'd like to know if S&W will machine your cylinder to accept moonclips? Does anyone know if they offer the service to those that might want it and if do, what kind of money do you estimate they would charge for doing it?

AND

The bigger question is whether or not it's a worthwhile investment. Is it something you would get on one of your 357mag six guns? Assume this is NOT a competition pistol, just a general use, home protection, woods bumming revolver and maybe some very occasional IDPA shooting.

Is it worth spending the money to get rather than practicing with speed loaders and getting really good with those?

Thoughts and suggestions please.

Thank you for your help and time.

Hello.
You didn't mention what revolver you wanted to have the work done- but i wanted to show you an option.
I have a few moonclipped guns and although they're great, i have k frames and L frames that i had thought about sending to have the cylinders prepped for moonclips.
As an example: my model 66 k frame. Ive allways wanted to convert to moons. But as Pizza Bob says, the 357/38s are tuff to slide in sometimes. The shorter 9mm or 45acp being the better candidates. So......loading trays! Gives you the best of both worlds! Safariland has good ones and speedbeez makes them also

You can leave your gun unmodified and original.

 

[wrangler5]

OTOH, .45 ACP in moon clips will be faster than any cartridge in any speed loader.

I've read that this is why Jerry Miculek uses 'em to set his speed records. Big fat holes with short cases and round nose bullets make it practically impossible to misalign mooned reloads even if they flop a little bit.

 

[gr7070]

Is it something you would get on one of your 357mag six guns? Assume this is NOT a competition pistol, just a general use, home protection, woods bumming revolver and maybe some very occasional IDPA shooting.

Is it worth spending the money to get rather than practicing with speed loaders and getting really good with those?

That's an emphatic no to me!

Moon clips are definitely easier and faster than speed loaders, but only marginally.

And if you really think you might need more than six (5,7, 8?) rounds then I'd be looking to an auto.

Moon clips are great for competition. Autos are even better for competition - and for real life if more rounds are needed.

 

[gr7070]

I put money and time into clip conversions on a 686+ and a 686. I never did get to where I could load them any better than a speedloader.

Those of you stating this, were you using the $5 per moon clips, in 38 spl, of the right case brand to fit tightly in the thicker clips?

I'm definitely faster with moon clips. Though it's not a great deal faster, it, without question, adds up over a 20 reload match.

 

[44wheelman]

I have a 629 factory cut for moon clips. The moon clips are very thin...easily bent. The .40 & .45 moonclips bending was never an issue for me. Don't know how the 38 clips are, can't imagine much better than the 44's.

 

[silver belly62]

If your just shooting a few IDPA matches a year, not sure if the extra expense is really worth it. I'm new to the IDPA game myself and watched my first match this past weekend and think the Safariland Comp III are more than enough. If you get into more matches down the road then that's a different story. Comp III's load very fast from when I have used them in practice at the range

 

[Pizza Bob]

Those of you stating this, were you using the $5 per moon clips, in 38 spl, of the right case brand to fit tightly in the thicker clips?

I fully understand about using the proper moon clip/head stamp combination for quick loading. Went through four brands of clips before I found the right ones, that hold the cartridges rigidly, for my .38 Super. The problem with the OP's proposed use is that for what he intends (occasional IDPA) he would have to use .357 Mag rounds to make PF. The length of the round will induce more "flop" than the same clip with .38 Spl, Long Colt or Short Colt. A full-length .357 round in moon clips is not a recipe for speed.

@44wheelman - if the proper tool(s) are used for loading the clip and de-mooning, the likelihood of bending a clip is minimal. I prefer the BMT tool for my 8-round .38 Super clips and they use the split-arm design. Only time I've ever bent any moon clip (and I shoot thousands of moon clipped rounds in IDPA and USPSA matches) is when I, or the SO, inadvertently steps on one.

Adios,

Pizza Bob