i am going to be able to purchase one more pistol before our babies are due. Feb 2008 due date. I am strongly attracted to the S&W thunder ranch model 22, but have had no expirience with moonclips nor do I know anuone who has. Are they a pain in the arse to fool with? How tough are they? Do they require alot of time to take spent rounds off? Also any feedback on the model 22 is welcome too.
tell me the truth re: moonclips
- Thread starter porkskin
- Start date
Moon clips in general are a nice thing. Easy to pop cartridges in the clips by hand in a .45. For removing them, I bought some 1/2" PVC tubing at the hardware store, cut off 4-5 inches, then made a half cut at the bottom. So the tube could slide over a fired case and the bottom part on the outside goes down further past the clip. Then you just give it a little twist and the case pops right off. Heck of a lot easier than just pulling and I didn't have to pay $10+ for a special tool.
I wouldn't buy that new production gun and I suspect you know why.
I have a 90's model 625 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt. It was customized so that it can use .45 Colt "normally," or in moon clips or it can use .45 ACP in moon clips. Very nice gun.
Gregg
I wouldn't buy that new production gun and I suspect you know why.
I have a 90's model 625 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt. It was customized so that it can use .45 Colt "normally," or in moon clips or it can use .45 ACP in moon clips. Very nice gun.
Gregg
i myself have been considering a new s&w wheelie in .45acp for two reasons. one, i recently traded my s&w auto at a gun show recently and have no .45 caliber weapon in my arsenal now! UNAMERICAN!!! and two, my wife won't shoot a auto pistol because she doesn't like the " bullets flying out at you! " ( read hates the spent shells ejected ) i have used speedloaders for my .357's for years and the prospect of moonclips( even better and faster in my opinion ) for a big bore revolver makes me need to grab a napkin before i drool all over the keyboard!
The Tourist
Moderator
I have never owned a revolver that utilized moon-clips, but I did read a few articles about the SW 610 when it first came out.
People said the same thing, that it was a snap to reload quickly, there were now tools to more easily remove spent cases from the clip, and better sources where clips could be found.
The one item that that stuck in my memory was clip maintenance. That is, you had to keep them in good condition, and make sure they are never bent or warped.
I was pretty stoked about that revolver when I heard about it. I cast bullets in .401 and I have lots of 10mm Auto brass.
Believe it or not, I never saw a 610 in my area. To this day, I have never handled one.
People said the same thing, that it was a snap to reload quickly, there were now tools to more easily remove spent cases from the clip, and better sources where clips could be found.
The one item that that stuck in my memory was clip maintenance. That is, you had to keep them in good condition, and make sure they are never bent or warped.
I was pretty stoked about that revolver when I heard about it. I cast bullets in .401 and I have lots of 10mm Auto brass.
Believe it or not, I never saw a 610 in my area. To this day, I have never handled one.
I have one and enjoy it. I use Rimz clips at the range, they are plastic and easy to load and unload. You can also shoot with no clips, you just dont have the ejector star to eject spent brass. You might consider some slightly larger grips. My gun currently is wearing '70's vintage target grips.
My Off-Duty EDC is a Thunder Ranch Revolver in 45 acp.
Moon Clips are easy to use, if you have a Demooning Tool. They cost about $15, give or take. The moon clips are durable and mine have held up well, and I'm "hard use" on gear. What I like about the moon clips is the speed of the reload.
They are easy to load and unload. I often go to the range w/o preloading my moonclips, it takes all of five minutes to load ten clips.
The 22-4 is a great "basic" gun to lightly fool with. Mine was sent back to the S&W Performance Center for an action job, rendered DAO and has the hammer "bobbed". It also has a "new" style cylinder release latch and a local gunsmith drilled a divot in the front sight so I can put a drop of paint in the divot. This makes "picking up the sights" quicker. My next step is to send it to Mr. Walter Birdsong for his Black T finish.
To me the 22-4 is the "Ultimate" out of the box combat revolver, I'm just improving it to my liking and making it suitable for me.
Biker
Moon Clips are easy to use, if you have a Demooning Tool. They cost about $15, give or take. The moon clips are durable and mine have held up well, and I'm "hard use" on gear. What I like about the moon clips is the speed of the reload.
They are easy to load and unload. I often go to the range w/o preloading my moonclips, it takes all of five minutes to load ten clips.The 22-4 is a great "basic" gun to lightly fool with. Mine was sent back to the S&W Performance Center for an action job, rendered DAO and has the hammer "bobbed". It also has a "new" style cylinder release latch and a local gunsmith drilled a divot in the front sight so I can put a drop of paint in the divot. This makes "picking up the sights" quicker. My next step is to send it to Mr. Walter Birdsong for his Black T finish.
To me the 22-4 is the "Ultimate" out of the box combat revolver, I'm just improving it to my liking and making it suitable for me.
Biker
Moonclips are easy to use and as stated a de-mooner is nec, I made my demooner by cutting off 6" of 5/8 inch copper tubing and stopping one end so the brass does not fall on the ground. I have used a 5/8 socket and a stick in the fired brass. Steel moonclips seem the most durable and full moon clips are stronger than 1/2 moonclips. Moonclips are a little more logistically
difficult to carry since comercial carriers are meant for range use vice ccw.
difficult to carry since comercial carriers are meant for range use vice ccw.
crowbeaner
New member
If you ever have the chance to watch Jerry Miculek shoot you will see the beauty of moon clips first hand. That man SMOKES a M625, mister. 12 shots with a reload in under 3 seconds. Where is Ed McGivern now that he has some competition? Both use (d) S&Ws too. Just make sure you don't have bent clips; makes your reloads easier. A friend has a M610 and I've looked it over; nice piece. Sometime before snow flies again I hope to shoot it. My $.02. Enjoy. CB.
DeathRodent
New member
I've only used the plastic moonclips - they are cheap to buy so when they break it doesn't matter and you dont need a tool to unload them.
And I love the 325pd in .45 w/the 2 3/4 inch barrel.
And I love the 325pd in .45 w/the 2 3/4 inch barrel.
Bill Siegle
New member
I love my 22-4. I recently added a set of Craig Spegel grips to it too. Classic styled gun that just plain works Moon clips were never a problem but I did buy the demooner tool from Brownell's that looks like a screwdriver handle on a pipe. Empties the clips fast as can be so I can get back to shooting
http://ourworld.cs.com/WAS4U/2007_0825SmithandRuana0002.JPG
Moon clips were never a problem but I did buy the demooner tool from Brownell's that looks like a screwdriver handle on a pipe. Empties the clips fast as can be so I can get back to shooting http://ourworld.cs.com/WAS4U/2007_0825SmithandRuana0002.JPG
I bought a 22 TR, fairly early in the production run. Early guns had too-tall front sights. My gun shot a foot low, and four inches right, at 25 yards. The factory replacement sight would have raised the POI only six inches, so I did the math, and not trusting math, filed half way, tested, filed half the remaining, etc., in three or four steps, until it was dead-on (the math was right, BTW). I then filed the left side of the sight, bringing windage in line, and creating a bit of light on either side of the sight; the one great weakness of the 22 is the sights. The front sight completely fills the notch, making windage alignment difficult, and the curved upper surface sort of disappears in some light, making precise elevation alignment difficult. A replacement sight, in the form of a post, would be nice, but it would also have to be trimmed to get the gun zeroed.
I've had the Master Action Job performed on my gun, and that included both a smoothing and lightening of the pull, and a chamfering of the charge holes. Reloads were always easy, with roundnosed bullets, but that much easier, now. I always pre-load as many clips as I'm going to need at the range, so I don't have to fiddle with the clips. After loading the gun, I test for both high primers and bent clips by pulling the trigger far enough that the cylinder can free-wheel, then rotating the cylinder through one or two turns. If there's no drag, it's good to go. If a clip is bent, I toss it. Some day I'll get de-mooner, but for now, I use a 1911 barrel to pull the cases off the clip.
I've had the Master Action Job performed on my gun, and that included both a smoothing and lightening of the pull, and a chamfering of the charge holes. Reloads were always easy, with roundnosed bullets, but that much easier, now. I always pre-load as many clips as I'm going to need at the range, so I don't have to fiddle with the clips. After loading the gun, I test for both high primers and bent clips by pulling the trigger far enough that the cylinder can free-wheel, then rotating the cylinder through one or two turns. If there's no drag, it's good to go. If a clip is bent, I toss it. Some day I'll get de-mooner, but for now, I use a 1911 barrel to pull the cases off the clip.
Although I have no experience with the TR M22, I have a M25-2 that uses moonclips. My advise is not to be concerned at all. I too made a de-mooner out of PVC and it works like a charm. I bought a bunch (100+) full moonclips cheap on fleabay right after I bought the -2 and have had no problems.
Enjoy and shoot well!!
Regards,
Enjoy and shoot well!!
Regards,
I will break the suspense and say what I'm sure everyone expected someone to say. Which is that you can also get .45 Auto Rim cartridge cases and load those up, for the times when you'd like to shoot your .45 ACP revolver but would rather not mess with the moon clips.
.45 Auto Rim won't go in Ruger single actions or in the Taurus Stellar Tracker, if you shoot those. But it works in S&Ws.
.45 Auto Rim won't go in Ruger single actions or in the Taurus Stellar Tracker, if you shoot those. But it works in S&Ws.
The 1917revolvers were designed to use the three round half-moon clips.
And I've got plenty of the original half-moon clips just like they used in WWI.
I actually prefer them since they are easily loaded and unloaded by hand and are only slightly slower to use.
I have several full moon clips. Which, by the way, are a relatively recent developement even though they original premise was patented by Daniel Wesson in the 1880s.
I even have a bunch of the Ranch Products one third moon clips, that hold two rounds each, that I bought back in the late '70s. I really like them for pocket carry. I even used them in drop boxes for duty use back in the 1980s.
But I have never heard of ¼ moon clips?
And I've got plenty of the original half-moon clips just like they used in WWI.
I actually prefer them since they are easily loaded and unloaded by hand and are only slightly slower to use.
I have several full moon clips. Which, by the way, are a relatively recent developement even though they original premise was patented by Daniel Wesson in the 1880s.
I even have a bunch of the Ranch Products one third moon clips, that hold two rounds each, that I bought back in the late '70s. I really like them for pocket carry. I even used them in drop boxes for duty use back in the 1980s.
But I have never heard of ¼ moon clips? Regardless of which .45 ACP revolver you buy, the cartridge clips are a must - unless you reload and make up some .45 Auto-Rim rounds.
I've tested out full moon clips from S&W, Ranch products, Wilson and Cylinder & Slide. By far the best of the group were from Cylinder & Slide. No sharp edges and high quality throughout. Ranch products gets my vote as best-buy, though for their durability and decent price.
Rimz - I've tried to use the plastic Rimz clips but they don't work well for me. After two packages I tossed them away and went back to metal. Why? The Rimz are okay for range use only, IMO. I fumbled one and dropped it on the shooting bench... and had to reinsert 2 rounds. In a jacket pocket it seems a two minute walk dislodges them and I end up with a pocket full of loose ammo (5 of 18 rds).
I've tested out full moon clips from S&W, Ranch products, Wilson and Cylinder & Slide. By far the best of the group were from Cylinder & Slide. No sharp edges and high quality throughout. Ranch products gets my vote as best-buy, though for their durability and decent price.
Rimz - I've tried to use the plastic Rimz clips but they don't work well for me. After two packages I tossed them away and went back to metal. Why? The Rimz are okay for range use only, IMO. I fumbled one and dropped it on the shooting bench... and had to reinsert 2 rounds. In a jacket pocket it seems a two minute walk dislodges them and I end up with a pocket full of loose ammo (5 of 18 rds).