N frame 8 round .357 moon clips?
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ENH
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I am not sure if they are the best but I use the S&W moon clips for my 327 and the tools pictured. The subject of tools comes up allot and most of us recommend what we use. They all work well, I just happen to have started with these and use for both the 38/357 and 45 acp.
bombmaster
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Here are some things I have learned about moon clips. (the hard way)
The grove on 38 specials are not caliber specific. There is no Saami spec on the grove depth or width. Since the 38 special or any of its parent cartridges were never intended to be placed in clips. If you are buying clips for special brass you need to know what brass you are buying it for. Winchester has a very narrow groove and requires a clip no thicker .021. Federal and Remington precision have a wider groove and need thicker clips to keep them from flopping around too much. Then you have to wonder about grove diameter. Each brass mfg. has a different diameter.
If you are never going to need a lightning fast reload or are not using it for self defense then I say buy anything. Ranch Products works well for play. They are cut a little sloopy to allow for a variety of brass to work (except winchester). I would not bank my life on them or use them in competition. It is awful to have a round fall out or even worse become dislodged and lock up your reload due to a poor fitting round in the clip.
I recommend you sift through all your brass and find what you have the most of and buy clips made for that brass. Just remember not all clips are the same. With the tight tolerances of the .38special groove you want ot make sure you know the difference between EDM wire cut clips and die stamped clips. Ranch clips are stamped and Hearthco's are EDM wire cut. Hearthco will cut you clips to what ever you want. Here are some clips sources.
Hearthco
Ranch Products
The grove on 38 specials are not caliber specific. There is no Saami spec on the grove depth or width. Since the 38 special or any of its parent cartridges were never intended to be placed in clips. If you are buying clips for special brass you need to know what brass you are buying it for. Winchester has a very narrow groove and requires a clip no thicker .021. Federal and Remington precision have a wider groove and need thicker clips to keep them from flopping around too much. Then you have to wonder about grove diameter. Each brass mfg. has a different diameter.
If you are never going to need a lightning fast reload or are not using it for self defense then I say buy anything. Ranch Products works well for play. They are cut a little sloopy to allow for a variety of brass to work (except winchester). I would not bank my life on them or use them in competition. It is awful to have a round fall out or even worse become dislodged and lock up your reload due to a poor fitting round in the clip.
I recommend you sift through all your brass and find what you have the most of and buy clips made for that brass. Just remember not all clips are the same. With the tight tolerances of the .38special groove you want ot make sure you know the difference between EDM wire cut clips and die stamped clips. Ranch clips are stamped and Hearthco's are EDM wire cut. Hearthco will cut you clips to what ever you want. Here are some clips sources.
Hearthco
Ranch Products
BlueOvalBandit
Member
Competition - Hearthco's hand's down, they make a difference when reloading in a hurry
General Range - Ranch
Best mooner/demooner- BMT, expensive and limited to specific models, but very good and very fast. BMT Equipped, Inc.
General Range - Ranch
Best mooner/demooner- BMT, expensive and limited to specific models, but very good and very fast. BMT Equipped, Inc.
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TSQUARED
Member
Ranch Products moon clips are excellent and least expensive - ca. $75 per 100. As a previous poster mentioned the grooves in 38 Special & 357 Brass vary greatly. With Ranch Products moonclips I find W-W nickel plated brass gives the tightest workable fit but their moonclips are also very useable with both R-P and Federal brass or nickel. Starline brass has a very loose fit in Ranch Products moonclips and would be unacceptable for competition use.
I hate paying for expensive moonclips which are trampled by fellow shooters at competition shoots. With Ranch Produts moonclips I liomit my loss to 75 cents per clip.
I hate paying for expensive moonclips which are trampled by fellow shooters at competition shoots. With Ranch Produts moonclips I liomit my loss to 75 cents per clip.
jdh
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I have a few Ranch Products loaded with Remington 357 that spent the winter in a coat pocket bouncing around and still have all 8 in them.
CCI Blazer have no groove and will not work in the clips of any manufacturer I've tried them in.
CCI Blazer have no groove and will not work in the clips of any manufacturer I've tried them in.
