442 moon clip

[zac stark]

Are moon clips useful? I see this as a option but wasn’t sure if it was worth the upgrade.

[jmoore]

Can’t speak to these tiny calibers, but I wouldn’t have it any other way than using moon clips with all of my 45 acp revolvers. Only use speedloaders for autorims.

geezer john

[SeriousStudent]

I like them for positive ejection of empties on a J-frame. I do not carry them to use for a reload.

When I carry a revolver, I do carry a reload. I just wrap another J-frame around it as a protective coating. I also practice a LOT with speedstrips.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

As above, the only use I find for them is keeping my carry ammo together when I drop it out to practice at the range. They are too fiddle for much else in my experience.

[Chubbs103]

I have a 442 pro cut for moon clips. Just like SeriousStudent, I appreciate the way they eject empties. Speed strips are my current spare ammo solution. This is mainly because my 442 is for when pocket carry is the best option. There aren't a whole lot of really good moon clip pouch options that aren't gun game / competition related.

I did just hear this gentleman:
http://www.andrewsleather.com/traditional.htm
will make his slimloader pouch for moon clips. I am highly intrigued.

[zac stark]

Moon clip it is!

[gunnerblue]

I bought a pack of moon clips for my 640 Pro and was disappointed to find that some of carry ammo wouldn’t fit (Buffalo Bore Low-Pressure .357 140 gr. Barnes bullet). Speer Gold Dot Short barrel .357 works fine so it’s really that big of a deal, but still. Ejection is much more positive and a five-round .35 caliber moon clip is not that bulky that it can’t be carried easily. It’s also more of a gross motor skill in the reload as opposed to the speed strips, IMO

[Chubbs103]

I bought a pack of moon clips for my 640 Pro and was disappointed to find that some of carry ammo wouldn’t fit (Buffalo Bore Low-Pressure .357 140 gr. Barnes bullet).

Do you know which moon clips you purchased? They are available in .020 and .025 thicknesses.

[Wildcat]

For 38/357, the groove that the clip snaps into is not really a controlled feature on the cartridge brass (unlike an extractor groove for an autoloader). So the diameter of the groove itself and the width are both variables depending on which manufacturer made the ammunition.
This affects whether the clips will hold the shells loosely or rigidly and whether you will want a tool to help get the shells into or out of the clips.
I've found that some SPEER shells do not have any groove at all. The wall of the case transitions immediately to the rim diameter without the common undercut.

You will find that the moon clips for 38s (because they are only .020" to .025" thick) are much more susceptible being bent than those for a 9mm, 40 or 45 which are usually about twice that thickness. I totally agree that the moon clip does make ejection positive and would carry the cylinder with clipped ammo (completely makes getting a shell under the extractor impossible) and then reload from some other ammo carrier.

.020" thick clips were the only ones able to fit Winchester brass but I think Winchester has been providing a more suitable groove on some of their more recent ammunition and the thicker clips might be compatible with newer ammo.
.025" thick clips usually fit Federal, R-P, and some Speer (see above) pretty well.