625 Full Moon Clips.

T

threefivesevenmag

New member
Hey All,

I am going to be purchasing a S & W 625 revolver hopefully in the near future. I am confused on a few things.

1. Can you load full moon clips with .45 ACP brass, or do you always need .45 Auto Rims to load them?

2. I read that if you load the cylinder only with .45 ACP ammo...not .45 AR in a full moon clip, the gun can sometimes misfire. Any truth to that?

I plan on carrying a reload or two in a full moon clip, but possibily not keeping the load in the cylinder mooned. Or should I always load the cylinder with a moon clip?

Thanks for the clarification in advance. Sorry for the silly questions, but I love revolvers and I like the feel of this model.
 
MMMM I love 25s LOL:D :D

Yep the full moon clip is only used with 45 auto ammo.

Some clips are made better than others so use them before you carry them to make sure they are not bent. Full moon clips are hard to load and unload without a tool, get one.

There are other variations other than full moon, there is half moon holding three rounds and third moon holding two rounds. In the third moons they fit a gun belt loop.

Auto Rims have a large rim for headspace and extraction without a moon clip or just like any revolver. They are best handloaded in my opinion to get the most from the cartridge.

I leave mine loaded with 230 grain hydrashocks in a full moon clip and keep 25 extra loaded just in case I want to go shooting LOL

Most people don't know about these guns and when they find out, they love them.

25
 
Threefivesevenmag,

When using .45 Autorim you don't need the moon clips. The Autorim was made with a bit larger rim so the gun would be able to extract it with out the moon clip. Standard .45 ACP brass is rimless, the rim is the same diameter as the case itself, and the gun wont extract it cause there is no exposed/portruding rim to catch on.

If you get your self a 625, get your self a moon clip unloading tool from brownells. It kinda looks like a pipe with a screwdriver handle and it works great for unloading them. And it holds the empties inside the tube till you done unloading then yu can dump them.
 
If you're like me- you'll play hell trying to find .45 AR locally. I have a few boxes , but I shoot .45 ACP's with filed out (ever so slightly) full moon clips in my S&W Model 1917. Like the feller above said- get the tool... I'm still using a spent 30-06 case a quite frankly it's starting to piss me off. If your 25 is like it's Grandaddy- my 1917, you CAN shoot the ACP without the moonclip. But there is nothing for the ejector to push against, so you're standing there plucking your brass out one at a time. Go ahead and try it... everyone else does.
 
There is also a plastic moonclip called Rimz. This moonclip requires no demooner tool to remove the spent cases from the clip. They are not as sturdy as a steel moonclip so I would not use one when carrying, but they are great for the range. If buying the Rimz be sure to get the correct one for your vintage of the M625.
 
A second vote for RIMZ: very durable, cannot rust or crimp, no tools required for cartridge insertion or extraction, and (unlike our friend Majic) I have NO problem carrying them (for my 610-3 10mm S&W N Frame) for defensive purposes (I have actually performed considerable drop testing and have never lost a single round).
 
Buying loaded 45 Auto Rim cost way to much so I just order cases (500) and reload. My dillion dies for 45 acp work well and all I had to get was a shell holder for my 550.

Also you can buy speed loaders for the Auto Rim, HKS makes them and they work well.

For big bore revolvers I like the 25 best for alot of the same reasons I like the 1911 in autos. I have yet to find a 25 that isn't dead accurate with a 200 grain swc and 5.6 grains of 231, same as my 1911s. Not alot of muzzel blast, not too heavy, quick reloads, nice big hole if I need to shoot something with it:D :D low recoil.

Yep I love em LOL:)

25
 
Auto rims are the most convenient way to go at the range. Auto rim brass is available from Midway (Starline and Remington) or Starline direct.

RIMZ work very well at the range if you want to stay with 45 auto brass.

The current 625s are chambered in such a way that shooting 45 ACP without clips is hit and miss. I tried it once and approximately half my rounds didn't fire. Others have repoted the same. Funny, S&W could chamber their Model 1917 US Army revolvers so that all loose cartridges could fire and that was under wartime conditions. Maybe Smith figures people who use the 625 today will only use clips or auto rim brass.
 
One more quick point:D

I have a leather speed loader case that has plastic inserts to hold the speed loaders. If I pull out the inserts I can carry two loaded full moon clips in each pouch which gives me double the ammo in the same space. Stacked one on top of the other they fit just right.

I also use a leather pouch that you have all seen that holds an entire box of rifle shells. You can stack alot of full moons in these if you buy the large caliber pouch.

25
 
Moon Clips are Great

Moon clips allow for a much faster reload with a revolver; and, since the .45 ACP headspaces in the cylinder, you can "bevel" the "entrance end" enough so that you can reload even more quickly. I have never fired the auto rim ammo but have shot thousands of rounds in my 25-2s and love the guns. Pleasure to shoot, quick to reload and you don't have hot brass dropping down your collar. If you reload it is nice to be able to pick up all six shells in a "group".

I am sure the de-mooner is nice but for 20 years I have used a short length of 1/2 inch hardwood dowel - still working just fine. I rotate the "face" side of the moon clips with every reload - the idea is to prevent bending but I don't know if that step is necessary. I just do it.

With a really nice trigger job it is better to use Federal # 150 primers. Some of the others don't ignite every time (in my case anyway).

John
Charlotte, NC
 
Georgia Ammo sells .45 AR, loaded with 200 gr JHP, at reasonable prices. We have two 625s, one a 3" and the other a 5". They are great weapons.:)
 
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