Question on full moon clips

[ZeppelinM16]

I have recently read that you can get a special cylinder for a 686 that has been machined to accept full moon clips. This being true, are the clips then required for proper firing/extracting, or can the rounds be fired and extracted one by one as usual as well?

 

[OKFC05]

Here's the story from TK Custom:

http://www.moonclips.com/

 

[imashooter2]

You don't need a special cylinder for your 686. The one in the gun now can easily and inexpensively be machined to accept moons. After cutting, single loading or speed loaders will still work just fine which can come in handy at the range now and again.

I had the cylinder of my ICORE 686 cut for moons by Mark Hartshorne of Pinnacle High Performance. Turn around time and workmanship were both very good. That said, most any competent gunsmith can do this job. Note you only have to send your cylinder. No need to ship the whole gun.

 

[ZeppelinM16]

Thanks for the information, it was incredibly helpful. Is there any downside or negative effects to having your cylinder machined?

 

[hayseed]

I have found the "wiggle" factor of moon clips detrimental (time-wise) when using longer case cartridges like the .38 spl, etc. in a 686. The Safariland Comp. style speed-loaders hold the cartridges more rigid and even though recharging the cylinder requires a push on the retaining cup, cartridges are seemingly injected and the speed-loader falls free. Of course, spent cases are ejected from the cylinder individually, not in neat little packages easily recovered. All things being equal, it boils down to proficiency. For my 625, (.45ACP - shorter case) it's moon clips indeed!

 

[paladin42]

I have had a variety of cylinders recessed for moonclips. After using the moonclips off and on for several years, I've found that I've gone back to speedloaders and/or speed strips for a variety of reasons. I guess that my main reason for not using moonclips is that I have a hard time keeping the cartridges aligned in any carrier that I use. I had a rude wake-up call at Thunder Ranch while doing Terminator 3. I went to do a tactical reload and several of my moonclips wouldn't fit into the cylinder because of various misalignments and/or slightly bent moonclips.

 

[imashooter2]

Originally posted by ZeppelinM16:
Thanks for the information, it was incredibly helpful. Is there any downside or negative effects to having your cylinder machined?

I can't think of any downside aside from perhaps resale value, but that is a matter for my estate.

To address some of the other comments on this thread...

I agree that moons are more fragile than rounds in a speed loader. Moons are relatively easy to bend and when bent they no longer function. I use my converted 686 in competition, not for defense. For defense, there isn't anything to stop you from using a moon in the gun for its positive extraction advantage and then speed loaders to recharge. I'll also say that I used Comp III loaders in a 6 shot 686 for a couple years before I bought my 7 shot. The comp IIIs are very fast. But get a case stuck under the extractor and you're all done for the stage. They also don't make comp IIIs for the 7 shot cylinders. Moons are WAY faster than any of the 7 shot speed loader options.