Moon Clips

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Redeyes

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I'm new to revolvers so this might seem like a stupid question, but if a revolver has been cut for moon clips, can you still load the revolver manually without the moon clips or use a speed loader? Or once the wheel has been cut for moon clips, then a moon clip must be used all the time? Thanks.
 
It depends. In the case of a revolver chambered in a rimmed cartridge (38/357, 44 mag, etc) you can still use speed loaders and single load normally. Whenever I come across the occasional Dominion 38 special brass (Doesn't have the groove for a moon clip), I reload it and put it in speed loaders, so I can throw it in the garbage after I shoot it. lol.

In the case of a rimless cartridge like 9mm, I'm preeeetty sure you have to run the moon clips? I don't own one, so I could be wrong.
 
Thanks Scotty. I should have been more specific to say that the revolver is a 357/38 sp. So does that mean even though the wheel is cut for moon clips, it's ok to use without moon clips? Loading manually or via a speed loader is ok?
 
I have a S&W 627 (357/38sp) and can use moon clips or load individual cartridges without a moon clip. Some cartridge brands don’t fit in my moon clips (like Blazer Brass) so I load them in the cylinder without the moon clip.
 
It really depends on the gun. For example a Webley converted to use .45 acp moon clips requires moon clips or .45 autorim ammo to work.

Colt M1917 revolvers are the same way but if you have a S&W M1917 revolver you can use moon clips with .45 acp, .45 auto rim, or standard .45 acp without moon clips (though you have to manually eject the cases with a pencil or something).

I can see issues with most designs if they are cut for the moon clips and trying to use standard ammo in them as your essentially shortening the cylinder meaning the rim wouldn’t be putting the cartridge where it needs to be for the firing pin to strike it. It is possible to engineer out the problem but it really would depend on the revolver design.
 
Thanks Scotty. I should have been more specific to say that the revolver is a 357/38 sp. So does that mean even though the wheel is cut for moon clips, it's ok to use without moon clips? Loading manually or via a speed loader is ok?
Click to expand...

Moonclip machining should leave the outside edge of the cylinder intact.

Cases should still headspace on the outside edge of the cylinder, with or without moonclips.
 
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