Troubles with moon clips! UPDATE

[Imaposer]

100 new (0.040") clips ordered. As an experiment to see what the problem was, I did sand down one of the one I have, reducing it to 0.043-0.045" or so. Did a good job of removing my fingerprints in the process too! Ouch! But, the good news is that that one thinner one seems to work just fine. SO, it is just a case of the Old Sarge's clips being too thick for my gun. I'll probably contact them about a return and just eat the "restocking fee" and shipping charges. Oh, well, live and learn.

Thanks to all that offered advice and input.

 

[OK Hog Shooter]

FWIW... I've got a few 625s and 610s with moonclips from unknown sources. I haven't had any issues with any of them. The point of my post is simply that when the moonclips work as they are intended... it's the ultimate speed reloader! I giggle every time I pop out a cylinder of spent rounds and drop in a loaded moonclip. Man can you go through a bunch of rounds quickly. Best of all... there ain't no pickin up spent brass!

Blessings,
Hog

 

[Fackler Rebel]

I have my first ever revolver that requires moon clips, the S&W 325PD. Right off the bat I got a pack of Rimz, shot two clips of them no problems and then ordered more. No problems what so ever with Remington FMJ.

Reb

 

[Fackler Rebel]

FWIW... I've got a few 625s and 610s with moonclips from unknown sources. I haven't had any issues with any of them. The point of my post is simply that when the moonclips work as they are intended... it's the ultimate speed reloader! I giggle every time I pop out a cylinder of spent rounds and drop in a loaded moonclip. Man can you go through a bunch of rounds quickly. Best of all... there ain't no pickin up spent brass!

Blessings,
Hog

I forgot what Hog said, super convienent.

 

[Imaposer]

I have a pack of Rimz on the way, as well as 100 0.040" steel moonclips and the BMT loader tool. I received email notifications that the BMT tool and the steel clips shipped today, so they should arrive before I leave on vacation Sat. I emailed back and forth with Denny of Rimz clips and he's shipping the Rimz to my GF's house (where I'm heading) since he said they might not arrive before I left. So hopefully I'll be all set to try this new gun out sometime next week!

 

[Fackler Rebel]

You'll love them.

Super easy to load and unload and they hold the rounds good and snug. No misfires or any problems at all.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I have a love hate thing going with Rimz. When they work they work great. When they don't fit right I have yet to be able to sand away like the instructions say to and get them to fit right.

 

[Imaposer]

I have a love hate thing going with Rimz. When they work they work great. When they don't fit right I have yet to be able to sand away like the instructions say to and get them to fit right.

Well, we'll see. Most reports I've seen have been favorable, but if they don't work I'll just not bother with 'em. I'm done with sanding clips! Hopefully the new steel clips I have coming will work without a hitch and if the BMT tool works as slick as the video shows it to then I shouldn't really need the Rimz anyway.

 

[kennyb]

i have used sarge's moonclips for a long time...and they work fine in my 625 JM from the performance center...as i recall however they come in two differant sizes for diff.era 45's...you may want to check that

 

[Maximumbob54]

Don't get me wrong. My first order of them were all great. They were so great I ordered more and some for a friend. His didn't fit his brand new M22 Classic and mine had to all be modified to get them to work at all. My next order will be for Ranch Products moon clips. I would buy the S&W packaged clips but they want too much for them.

 

[blackcloud45]

My new Thunder Ranch Model 22 works great w/ Ranch Clios and the BMT mooned is worth every penny! Money well spent!

 

[williamlayton]

HUMMMM!
I don't think it is the moonies.
That said---I am not a gunsmith--but I would find one.
Blessings

 

[Macinaw]

HUMMMM!
I don't think it is the moonies.
That said---I am not a gunsmith--but I would find one.
Blessings

On the Revolver Supply website they have different thickness of "moonies".

Depends on what year the revolver was produced.

 

[GCF]

On the Revolver Supply website they have different thickness of "moonies".

Depends on what year the revolver was produced.

Could be mistaken, but I believe the standard clip thickness that .45acp S&W revolvers are designed around, is 0.040". Clips for other calibers (.38spl, .357 mag, 10mm, etc.) are thinner.

W/ unloaded brass in a clip, measure case head clearance (case head to firing pin bushing). Most revolvers (.45acp at least) will measure 0.008" - 0.010" - w/ a 0.040" clip.

The potential for problems, comes w/ tolerance stacking. My 625-3 is set up tight, at 0.006" - w/ 0.040 clips. Add 0.003" to the clip thickness (just 0.043"), & my case head clearance is reduced to 0.003" - about 1/3 what it should be, to allow for normal mud, blood, guts, & bullet lube buildup.

Add 0.010" to the clip thickness (0.050" - as per the OP's clips from Ol' Sarge), & I'd need a hammer to close the loaded cylinder...

 

[Imaposer]

Could be mistaken, but I believe the standard clip thickness that .45acp S&W revolvers are designed around, is 0.040". Clips for other calibers (.38spl, .357 mag, 10mm, etc.) are thinner.

W/ unloaded brass in a clip, measure case head clearance (case head to firing pin bushing). Most revolvers (.45acp at least) will measure 0.008" - 0.010" - w/ a 0.040" clip.

The potential for problems, comes w/ tolerance stacking. My 625-3 is set up tight, at 0.006" - w/ 0.040 clips. Add 0.003" to the clip thickness (just 0.043"), & my case head clearance is reduced to 0.003" - about 1/3 what it should be, to allow for normal mud, blood, guts, & bullet lube buildup.

Add 0.010" to the clip thickness (0.050" - as per the OP's clips from Ol' Sarge), & I'd need a hammer to close the loaded cylinder...

Exactly! I haven't broken out the feeler gauges, but with the clips from Old Sarge's, I can close the cylinder but on some of them it requires some pressure just to close, whereas on a few others it closed but was too tight to rotate freely.

 

[GCF]

Exactly! I haven't broken out the feeler gauges, but with the clips from Old Sarge's, I can close the cylinder but on some of them it requires some pressure just to close, whereas on a few others it closed but was too tight to rotate freely.

I'd be interested in knowing what your gun's case head clearance is w/ the 0.040" clips - when they show up.

In the event that you do take a measurement, please remember, the recommended method is to use UNPRIMED BRASS....

 

[buck45]

Ranch moon clips and the BMT Mooner is the cat's meow! I have 4 625's and 3 627's and the ranch work perfectly in all. As for the BMT, you can load 100 moons in a VERY short time and it also DE moons the brass. Truly a helluva idea. You're wasting shooting time screwing around with the .050 clips. Get .040's and get to the range.

 

[Imaposer]

I'd be interested in knowing what your gun's case head clearance is w/ the 0.040" clips - when they show up.

In the event that you do take a measurement, please remember, the recommended method is to use UNPRIMED BRASS....

I'll try to get that measurement at some point. The 0.040" clips should arrive this week, but I'm leaving on vacation Sat. so I won't have time to fool with it until I get back. Then, I still need to get my reloading dies ordered. I don't have any unprimed .45 brass laying around yet either. I do plan to shoot some factory loads once the new clips arrive though. So, once I get get back and get set up to reload, I'll deprime a handful of the once fired cases and break out the feeler gauges.

Thanks for the spec data above. Mine may be like yours and set up on the tight side but I won't know until I can take some valid measurements. I've never owned a .45 ACP gun before but I'm sure that I have some old range scrounged brass laying around somewhere. Is there a headspace spec worth measuring for loading loose cartridges (sans clips) and just letting them headspace on the chamber shoulder? I could do that with loaded rounds that I have, and I'm sure I could manage to deprime a case or two by hand, if I can find some .45 cases in my brass hoard.

 

[boatboy]

Hey Ima
pm me your info and I will mail you a couple ranch clips.and lets see how they work for you
Hank

 

[GLV]

Ranch,

been using their since I had to buy direct in the 80s. Never the first problem.