wwillson Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 I'm a bit confused about the need for moon clips, do you HAVE to always use moon clips because the 45 ACP is rimless? Or, does the moon clip just make extraction faster?Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_in_Utah Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 Have to use the clips to get the .45 ACP out. The brass expands once fired and you have to use a rod to get them out if you don't use the clips. The extractor does not catch the rim of the ACP. IF you get the .45 AutoRIM brass then it will. Here are a few photos hopefully showing what I'm trying to say. Take care, Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwillson Posted November 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 A picture is worth a thousand words!Thanks Bill!Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwillson Posted November 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 Is it hard to get the cartridges in and out of the moon clips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_in_Utah Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 Is it hard to get the cartridges in and out of the moon clips? Not if you have a "de-mooner" tool. Sorry for the poor photo, late and I need to get going to work! (I've got web access in my work truck so I'll check in later) Take care, bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steves Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 Yep!!! I as mentiond in another post just shot a 625 and moon clips are really nice and they make plastic ones for practice that are real easy to install and remove the brass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squibload Posted November 12, 2009 Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 Depending on the vintage of the revolver, the clip provides headspace. Up until about 15 or so years, Smith & Wesson machined their cylinders so that they were stepped to allow positive headspacing for 45 ACP. Newer Smiths don't have the stepped cylinders so you do not have headspacing if you don't use 45 ACP with moon clips. Without the moonclips, the gun may or may not go bang each time you pull the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwillson Posted November 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 Newer Smiths don't have the stepped cylinders so you do not have headspacing if you don't use 45 ACP with moon clips. Without the moonclips, the gun may or may not go bang each time you pull the trigger. Great point - didn't think of that.Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkie_Lefty Posted November 14, 2009 Report Share Posted November 14, 2009 My 45 revolver's an ancient Webley MK5. Absolutely love that old boat anchor! Break top, hold the lever, trip 'er open, and it'll sling moon/fired brass completely over your shoulder! Nearly impossible to imagine a DA trigger pull can be that smooth, yet hard till you experience it. Has a firing pin built to hammer that looks like a deadly weapon in it's own right. Actually punctures a primer occasionally!De-moon tool can be built from a piece of copper tubing with a notch cut to fit above clip, slide over case, then just give it a twist. Bill's pictured full moon clips, there are also 1/2 moons, just requires 2 (3 cartridges each) for a reload. I think they were the original version as used in WWI.Why on earth would you ever want to not use clips?Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moe Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Worlds first speed loaders! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerman1 Posted November 26, 2009 Report Share Posted November 26, 2009 When I got my 625-2,I looked on the net for mooners/de-mooners.The guy I got the S&W off of gave me de-mooner he made: I saw a moon clip loader on Gunbroker and told myself I could build one of them.Fast forward to Sunday morning.It's 6:00AM and my shooting buddy is due to arrive @ 7:15 and I hadn't loaded any clips for the 625 yet! So I went out to the woodshop and piced up some scrap I'd been tripping over for a coons age and cobbled this together. I figgured I'd build a pretty one when I got round 'tuit,never did A friend on CB had some 45AR brass he didn't need anymore,so I assembled these with H&G#78's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Allen Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 My 45 revolver's an ancient Webley MK5. Absolutely love that old boat anchor! Break top, hold the lever, trip 'er open, and it'll sling moon/fired brass completely over your shoulder! Nearly impossible to imagine a DA trigger pull can be that smooth, yet hard till you experience it. Has a firing pin built to hammer that looks like a deadly weapon in it's own right. Actually punctures a primer occasionally!De-moon tool can be built from a piece of copper tubing with a notch cut to fit above clip, slide over case, then just give it a twist. Bill's pictured full moon clips, there are also 1/2 moons, just requires 2 (3 cartridges each) for a reload. I think they were the original version as used in WWI.Why on earth would you ever want to not use clips?Bob I have a 1905 Webley Mark I, 4-in barrel and birds-head grip. Its converted to fire .45 ACPs and I use the half or full-moon clips. I find the half-moon easier (not necessarily faster overall) to load than the full. Since all my ammo pouches (WWI era) are set up for the half moons, that's what I prefer. The old Webley isn't particularly accurate past about 100 feet, though improved with the ACPs over the original .455 Webley ammo, it's a natural pointer. When loaded with hollowpoints, it's got intimidation potential it can back up. If you would ever have to draw down on someone with it, the first think he'll see is a bore the size of a cannon. The second will be those shiny hollowpoints in the cylinder. Definitely a "gulp" moment!Bob, I agree with the smoothness of the action, but it still requires considerable pull. I had my trigger worked on, which improved it greatly with the hammer back but not so much in double action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.