My trip to moon clips!

[nksmfamjp]

I bought a S&W 340 no lock. Mostly because I wanted a scandium J frame and well….no lock!

I received it and upon inspection I realized the front site install was messed up. So back it went…a few weeks later I received and was able to take first shots.

It was a bit harder to hit with than my 640 was and it hurt to shoot 357’s. I tried every grip I could get. Then I ended up with the Hogue rubber grips….problem better, but not solved.

I also picked up a Philster IWB that I carry just in front of my front pocket. Works pretty well.

So, after hours of shooting 38’s, I became much better with those. I have tried 357’s again, but too brutal.

Then onto reloading. I got 2 kinds of speed strips….that is like having ammo with you that you cannot use. Way too slow for me. Also, way too easy to pull your cylinder over the frame and lock up the whole mess.

So then I went to speedloaders …Safariland type. Problem solved. Generally ok, but occasionally speedloader kind of locks up in the gun not falling free.

Also, j frames tend to partial eject leaving a case in the cylinder….kind of hard to clear quickly.

So, I bought some moon clips. Now that was a fast zero force, zero chance of pulling on the cylinder reload. Unfortunately, the revolver is not cut for them. So, off to TK Custom it goes. They did a nice job. Even under magnification, it looks good. Shooting, loading and unloading are all great! Unloading from the gun seems better when all clipped together.

At first, I’m like….I don’t need a loader or unloader…..boy was I wrong.I had cases stuck i clips, nearly destroyed clips pulling cases out! Like Jerry’s video, an unloader is a must. A loader is faster.

I’m missing a hand, so looking at everything, I was either going to get just an unloader or maybe a BMT. I’m kind of stuck here…..I’m pretty sure BMT is the right move, but a bit pricy…..

What do you use to load and unload moon clips?

 

[StrawHat]

…So, after hours of shooting 38’s, I became much better with those. I have tried 357’s again, but too brutal…

Lesson to be learned, use the 38 S&W Special cartridge.

…I’m missing a hand, so looking at everything, I was either going to get just an unloader or maybe a BMT. I’m kind of stuck here…..I’m pretty sure BMT is the right move, but a bit pricy…..

What do you use to load and unload moon clips?

…

Not sure how to advise you on that. The missing hand is the sticking point. The tools I use would not work for you. Maybe with an adapter of some sort.

I just went to the BMT site. It looks like you could attach the nylon portion to a paddle or stick and hold that under your leg while inserting cartridge and the clip.

My tools are much simpler but probably would not work for you.

Kevin

 

[Bastogne71]

I’ll be the first to endorse the BMT because it’s fast and very easy to use. The initial price is a bit high but it is well worth it. A year from now you will have forgotten the price and be happy you went with the BMT.

I agree the M340 is too brutal for me with 357 magnum loads which is why it was traded for an all steel 340 pro that came cut for moon clips. I liked the clips so much that I sent my M60 cylinder to TK Custom and now the clips are interchangeable between them.

 

[smithman]

A brass dowel that fits into the case mouth mounted sticking up out of a fixed work bench should give you leverage to remove the cases one by one. I do something similar with a wood dowel using my hands.

 

[JDinAZ]

I use my fingers with Original Precision CCW HD moon clips.

They are a heavy duty heat treated .025 stainless engineered for CCW ejection. Tougher than anything else out there hands down

The brass dowel trick mentioned above works well also for those with diminished manual dexterity

Coolest things about the whole CCW HD thing is there are two levels of CNC cylinder conversions available. They both come with 3 CCW HD Moon Clips

A basic CNC moon clip cut which is the equivalent to the factory moon clip cut.

Or a premium CNC moon clip cut that includes chamfers, with a lot of extra hand work involved, stoning, polishing, precision blending of 84 individual locations for those who like the extras done.

Neither conversion gets run against a wire wheel on a bench grinder nor a buff wheel on a bench grinder that marr up the face of the cylinder, which is what folks have been getting for years.

[ame="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lnDdTK42644"]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lnDdTK42644[/ame]

 

[Swissfan]

I'll be the 2nd to say get the BMT Mooner. It is expensive but so fast and easy, it's really worth it.

 

[John_M52]

This makes me want to finally 3-D print some moon clips. The metal ones cost too much and there is a company that makes injection molded plastic one that cost as much as metal. My thought is to print them cheap and if they are disposable or break easily once extracted who cares. When I finally print some I'll see if they work. Maybe with one hand you could just break out the shells and throw the clip away, IDK, just conjecture. I'm going to make some for 40 and 9. I'll make you a couple to try out for the 340 if you give me the diameter and depth of the counter bore on your cylinder. Maybe I'll even try some for my model 25.

I'm not doing this as a business, just fooling around.

 

[Borderboss]

I use the TK Custom loading tool with for my 940. I can't say whether using it with one hand would be easy or not.

Seems like you made the right move with the 340, going to .38 Special. I've always been amused at those who say the 940 has too stout of a recoil with the 9mm, yet seem to make no comments about a J-frame with .357. I can't imagine even a steel J-frame being pleasant to shoot with .357.

 

[gsn]

Will any of the guns mentioned reliably fire without a clip ?

 

[smithman]

Will any of the guns mentioned reliably fire without a clip ?

My 642 Pro does.

 

[JDinAZ]

Will any of the guns mentioned reliably fire without a clip ?

Every 38/357 cylinder converted by Original Precision will fire any 38/357 with or without a moon clip

I wanted a moon clip in my carry cylinder for positive extraction of all empty cases at once. Then reload with a speed strip like I always have done.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have no dog in this fight! But for positive extraction/ejection a revolver should be pointed barrel up. That went away when the Weaver system of combat shooting became popular. (Your sights never leave the target)

While it is easy for me to say: It's only money!

Buy the right tool that you can actually use and be done with it.

I only have 45 ACP revolvers that use clips. I own a few hundred and keep them loaded by the ammo can full.

Ivan

 

[gsn]

Every 38/357 cylinder converted by Original Precision will fire any 38/357 with or without a moon clip

I wanted a moon clip in my carry cylinder for positive extraction of all empty cases at once. Then reload with a speed strip like I always have done.

Your concerns are for competition ?

 

[sodacan]

I'll be the 2nd to say get the BMT Mooner. It is expensive but so fast and easy, it's really worth it.

Get the BMT. I shoot five different 45acp revolvers and wouldn't be without it.

 

[gsn]

Why the industry, those who make or those who 'review' revolvers which are manufactured to use moonies, steadfastly refuse to state whether or not these handguns will fire without the clips is a mystery to me-especially those guns (snub revolvers) which typically are selected for concealed carry/self defense for the civilian market.

To me it is a matter of common sense-if you need an external part to make it work (fire reliably I don't think reloading is of any concern for self defense) then the only choice one has is which semi to buy. Then invest a great deal of time in learning: which ammo it requires, how to maintain it and how to use it.

 

[S-W4EVER]

Lesson to be learned, use the 38 S&W Special cartridge..

That’s where I’m that, only .38 Specials out of my J Frames.

 

[huthike]

I’ve tried several loaders and unloaders - get the BMT and don’t look back.

 

[JDinAZ]

Your concerns are for competition ?

No. I base mine on positive ejection with 38/357 in snub nose revolvers in concealed carry / self defense uses

1) snub ejector rods are short. Sometimes not all empty cases fall away when you hit the ejector rod. Making you have to pick singles out of the charging holes before you can reload

2) rare but happens. Case head slips under extractor star. Bad position to be in if you have to reload in a self defense situation.

 

[cmansguns]

another vote for BMT

I only use it for my Model 25 but like others..once bought (years ago) I've never looked back. Crank the crank it loads faster then you can (try) to push one round by hand. It unloads empties just as fast too, once back home. Again...just crank the crank.

No bent, deflected moon clips, works with genuine S & W full moons, Rimz plastic, Ranch Products steel, half-moons, etc. and of course, available in other calibers, like 9mm, etc.

In minutes my son and I will load 10 - 20 full moons before going to the range, shoot while not wasting time trying to moon or demoon while at the range. More fun, at least for us.

The de-moon tool shown came with I think the Ranch Products full moons, but it sits unused since buying as the BMT does the job quicker and easier.

In fact...I think that de-mooner just might be my next Karma give-away on this Forum.