So, I understand what moon clips are and how they are used. What I am unclear about is if a revolver has to have a recessed area to accommodate the clip. I assumed that they did, but a friend says no. According to him moon clips will work with a standard revolver, but the recessed area does make them fit better. So, what’s the deal?
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Moon Clips - 101
- Thread starter BarryLee
- Start date
Some history. In WWI, the US found that the standard M1911 pistol could not be made in sufficient quantities so they asked Colt and S&W to make revolvers that could fire the standard .45 ACP ammunition. Since the .45 ACP is rimless (having an extraction groove), it would simply fall through a normal revolver chamber. But S&W came up with the idea of putting shoulders in the revolver chambers to support the round, and a clip that would hold three rounds, making it possible to extract fired rounds as well as to load the gun quickly. Those three round clips were called "half-moon clips." But their use required more room than the standard rim of revolver rounds like the .45 Colt, so some metal had to be removed from the back of the cylinder.
In modern revolvers, used with rimless rounds like the .45 ACP or the 9mm Parabellum, the cylinder is trimmed down, just as with the older guns, but the clips are now usually "full moon clips" holding six rounds (more or less, depending on the revolver design and whether clips are available).
Clips are not needed for extraction of conventional revolver rounds, but some folks, seeing the convenience of loading, put forth the idea of using them with rimmed cartridges like the .38 Special and .357 Magnum. But those rounds are supported by the rim, not the case mouth, so if it was desired to be able to use the revolver without clips, that the cylinder also provide support for the rim. The result was "full moon clips" that fit into a recess in the cylinder while retaining enough full length cylinder to support the cartridge if clips are not used.
So, after a long answer, here is the short one. Moon clips will not work in a standard (no recess, no cut back) revolver cylinder.
Jim
In modern revolvers, used with rimless rounds like the .45 ACP or the 9mm Parabellum, the cylinder is trimmed down, just as with the older guns, but the clips are now usually "full moon clips" holding six rounds (more or less, depending on the revolver design and whether clips are available).
Clips are not needed for extraction of conventional revolver rounds, but some folks, seeing the convenience of loading, put forth the idea of using them with rimmed cartridges like the .38 Special and .357 Magnum. But those rounds are supported by the rim, not the case mouth, so if it was desired to be able to use the revolver without clips, that the cylinder also provide support for the rim. The result was "full moon clips" that fit into a recess in the cylinder while retaining enough full length cylinder to support the cartridge if clips are not used.
So, after a long answer, here is the short one. Moon clips will not work in a standard (no recess, no cut back) revolver cylinder.
Jim
If I drop a 9mm round down the barrel of a 9mm semi-auto, it doesn't fall all the way through obviously.
For revolvers that are made to fire semi-auto cartridges, do the revolver cylinders have 2 different widths? Or are they a straight shot all the way through so the round are really only held in place by the groove?
I am patiently waiting for Charter Arms to come out with their 9mm CARR, but I am wondering how revolvers for semi auto cartridges work in general.
I always thought the moon clips where there to keep the round in place, but mainly from backing out/ falling out the rear of the cylinder, not from falling through.
For revolvers that are made to fire semi-auto cartridges, do the revolver cylinders have 2 different widths? Or are they a straight shot all the way through so the round are really only held in place by the groove?
I am patiently waiting for Charter Arms to come out with their 9mm CARR, but I am wondering how revolvers for semi auto cartridges work in general.
I always thought the moon clips where there to keep the round in place, but mainly from backing out/ falling out the rear of the cylinder, not from falling through.
as in james post, a semi auto 45 indexes on the case mouth, as well as 9mm..
so in the revolver cylinder there is a shoulder that achieves this.. they will not fall through.
i've shot 45 acp out of a smith 25, but it would not extract.. i wont do it again, as i belive the gun needs to space on the clip for better function
(had to use dowel in cylinder)
or you could use 45 autorim, and it would extract.
the moonclip allows a quick method of loading and extraction, but the cylinder is recessed so it spaces like other rimmed cartridges, and limits rear travel. (effectively having the round space from the rim, not case mouth)
mine does not like polymer clips and prefers steel ones.
a convertible blackhawk auto or 9mm cylinder is the same..headspace on case mouth, but ejector rod pushes it out through loading gate.
so in the revolver cylinder there is a shoulder that achieves this.. they will not fall through.
i've shot 45 acp out of a smith 25, but it would not extract.. i wont do it again, as i belive the gun needs to space on the clip for better function
(had to use dowel in cylinder)
or you could use 45 autorim, and it would extract.
the moonclip allows a quick method of loading and extraction, but the cylinder is recessed so it spaces like other rimmed cartridges, and limits rear travel. (effectively having the round space from the rim, not case mouth)
mine does not like polymer clips and prefers steel ones.
a convertible blackhawk auto or 9mm cylinder is the same..headspace on case mouth, but ejector rod pushes it out through loading gate.
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I have a ruger 9mm 357 convertable that you just drop the round in shoot and push it back out since it is a single action revolver. However I have a 905 Taurus 9mm that uses the clip but you can fire the rounds by just droping them in but you have to push them out from the other end with a wood dowell but they will shoot.