Moon Clips for Revolver Rounds

by
posted on August 19, 2014
wiley-clapp.jpg (2)

Most experienced handgunners know about the WWI half-moon (three-round) clips developed to adapt S&W and Colt revolvers to the rimless .45 ACP cartridge. In more modern times, Ranch Products came up with a full moon clip that holds six rounds in a circular unit which goes into the revolver cylinder as a unit. Originally, these clips were an expedient to permit service ammunition to be used in both 1917 revolvers and 1911 autos. There are some other advantages to this practice, particularly with the full moon types. Shooters have discovered speedier loading when they have only to fit one object—a loaded clip—into the cylinder. It’s better yet at the other end of the cycle when you push the ejector rod to dump the empties. If anything comes out of the cylinder, everything comes out—positive ejection. In recent years, the full moon clip idea has been applied to other auto calibers—9mm, .40 S&W and 10mm. It works very well.

But some unknown handgunner who liked the moon clip concept looked at some of the typical revolver cases. He had an idea that has really taken off. Look at a round of .38 Special ammo and consider how it fits in the revolver’s chamber. It has a rim that extends slightly beyond the diameter of the case body and which must fit perfectly flat against rear face of the cylinder. If there is any radius to the rim-to-body diameter transition, you may get misfires. Therefore, most cartridge manufacturers use a tiny little square cutter to cut a slight groove in the case body where it abuts the rim. This relief cut ensures a proper indexing of the case rim against the cylinder.

It is possible to use this groove to take a moon clip, made expressly for this purpose. A revolver thus equipped can be used with revolver cartridges for all the loading and ejecting advantages we have already described. The cylinder itself must be irreversibly modified, but you can get a bit more speed in loading and unloading. It’s an edge and sometimes “edge be everything.”

Latest

Nighthawk Custom Counselor
Nighthawk Custom Counselor

Review: Nighthawk Custom Counselor

There are myriad makers of the time-tested M1911 pistol, but very few concentrate solely on “premium” M1911s, and rarer still are those that are successful at doing so.

The Armed Citizen® Dec. 4, 2023

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Preview: Creedmoor Sports Multi-Caliber Bullet Comparator

When loading rounds tailored for a precision rifle, ensuring the bullet is loaded until it sits just off the lands is a crucial component of accuracy. Measuring this distance involves the use of a bullet comparator tool.

Mike Fuljenz Wins Highest Numismatic Honor

Prominent rare-coin and precious-metals dealer Michael Fuljenz of Beaumont, Texas, an NRA Golden Ring of Freedom member, is the 2023 recipient of the Chester L. Krause Distinguished Service Award—the highest honor bestowed by the congressionally chartered American Numismatic Ass’n, the largest organization of coin-collecting enthusiasts in the United States.

Colt's Rarest Clandestine Pistol?

According to advanced Colt collectors, only about 35 or so of the original 400 factory Colt 1911s chambered for .38 Super have surfaced in the United States postwar, with only about a dozen of those remaining in their issued condition with their original finish, and given that the war officially ended on August 14, 1945, and since the OSS was dissolved on October 1, 1945, it isn’t likely any of them were issued before the Armistice. 

New For 2023: Taurus 917C

Taurus is re-introducing a Beretta 92 clone in the form of its 917C, and this compact variant provides a "Commander-sized" option for fans of the DA/SA semi-automatic pistol.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.