Did anyone else read the caption in this month's _American Rifleman_ in the article on service handguns? Apparently, the South Carolina State Police still issues the 940 J-Frame as a mandatory-carry backup. Curiously, perhaps, the duty sidearm is a Glock in .40, which would mean (presumably) that SCSP officers are carrying two different cartridges -- unless there are no reloads for the revolver. Kinda curious, since I've gathered that one of the reasons for the 940 was ammo interchange between the duty pistol and the backup.
940 J-Frames in AR
- Thread starter JNewell
- Start date
Wouldn't do you any good to have a 9mm service auto as a backup ammo supply to a 940. It is difficult to get the 9mm ammo out of the moon clips for the 940 to be able to load into the auto mags and if you load the 940 out of mags without the moon clips you risk failure to detonate because the shell headspaces on the moon clip. If you do manage to get 5 off like that be sure to have a dowel or pencil of 9mm size or smaller, you will need it to eject the empties. The option is to carry Federal 9mm Rimmed as a reload, but again you can't put them into the auto.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Jeff,
Moon clips are NOT necessary for operation of a 940, the same as they are not necessary for operation of a Model 25/625 in .45 ACP.
S&W revolvers that are chambered for rimless semi-auto rounds have shoulders in the chambers on which the case mouths can rest (and thus headspace) if they are not held in a moon clip.
I've fired many hundreds of .45 ACP rounds through my Model 1917 military without a single failure to fire due to the case slipping too far into the chamber.
You do, as you noted, need a pencil or some other object with which to remove the spent casings, though.
Moon clips are NOT necessary for operation of a 940, the same as they are not necessary for operation of a Model 25/625 in .45 ACP.
S&W revolvers that are chambered for rimless semi-auto rounds have shoulders in the chambers on which the case mouths can rest (and thus headspace) if they are not held in a moon clip.
I've fired many hundreds of .45 ACP rounds through my Model 1917 military without a single failure to fire due to the case slipping too far into the chamber.
You do, as you noted, need a pencil or some other object with which to remove the spent casings, though.
Mike, maybe it is just my 940, but I have a couple of chambers that with certain short lightweight loads can be pressed far enough into the chambers that they will not fire. As a result I have found 2 boxes of Federal 9mm Rimmed to carry in speed strips and buy any I find at guns shows.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Jeff,
That sounds to me like a crimp problem, or possibly a bad cylinder.
I don't have a lot of experience with the 940, but the little that I do have never resulted in what you're describing.
That sounds to me like a crimp problem, or possibly a bad cylinder.
I don't have a lot of experience with the 940, but the little that I do have never resulted in what you're describing.
Bill Adair
New member
Jeff,
Where did you find 9mm Federal rimmed ammo? I was under the impression that none had been released to the public?
I shot some ammo the other day, that might fail to fire in your 940 if reloaded?
It was 9mm brass a friend cut down to 9X18, for use in a Makarov. I tried to pick all of it off the floor to dispose of when I was done, but might have missed a few rounds. If someone picked it up and resized it to 9X19 without checking it in a cartridge gauge, it would be just a tad short.
Sure would like to find some 9mm Federal, to try in my revolver!
Bill
Where did you find 9mm Federal rimmed ammo? I was under the impression that none had been released to the public?
I shot some ammo the other day, that might fail to fire in your 940 if reloaded?
It was 9mm brass a friend cut down to 9X18, for use in a Makarov. I tried to pick all of it off the floor to dispose of when I was done, but might have missed a few rounds. If someone picked it up and resized it to 9X19 without checking it in a cartridge gauge, it would be just a tad short.
Sure would like to find some 9mm Federal, to try in my revolver!
Bill
Mike Irwin
Staff
Bill,
Some 9mm Federal did make it out to the public, but not a lot, unfortunatly.
Some 9mm Federal did make it out to the public, but not a lot, unfortunatly.
Bill Adair
New member
Mike,
Really? Guess I'd better start looking for it at gun shows.
Think I might also look for a better cartridge reference manual, while I'm at it!
I'm growing quite fond of my 547, but would still like to find a S&W 940, or Ruger 9mm, to play with.
Bill
Really? Guess I'd better start looking for it at gun shows.
Think I might also look for a better cartridge reference manual, while I'm at it!
I'm growing quite fond of my 547, but would still like to find a S&W 940, or Ruger 9mm, to play with.
Bill
American Rifleman was Wrong
I live in South Carolina and have a number of friends who are Highway Patrolmen. The American Rifleman, for whatever reason, was mistaken. The backup gun issued to State Troopers in SC is the Model 642 in .38 Special. The issue ammunition is a Plus P round with Speer Gold Dot bullets. It is true that the patrolmen carry a .40 cal Glock as their primary pistol. These 642's are issued as backup guns. I don't think the troopers carry a reload for the backup guns on them, but they do have HKS speedloaders available with a reload in their cruisers.
I live in South Carolina and have a number of friends who are Highway Patrolmen. The American Rifleman, for whatever reason, was mistaken. The backup gun issued to State Troopers in SC is the Model 642 in .38 Special. The issue ammunition is a Plus P round with Speer Gold Dot bullets. It is true that the patrolmen carry a .40 cal Glock as their primary pistol. These 642's are issued as backup guns. I don't think the troopers carry a reload for the backup guns on them, but they do have HKS speedloaders available with a reload in their cruisers.
Clemson, thanks for the info! IIRC, the article mentioned at least one other SP agency issuing 640 or 642 revolvers...I think it was Michigan?
Jeff, I haven't had the problem you've had; mine fires reliably with and without the clips -- sounds like the loads are crimped a little tight. I will say that I am not sure why the 940 fires ok with and without the clips. Seems like either the firing pin ought to be too short to reach without the clips, or it ought to be piercing primers with the clips? Extract/eject isn't pretty (and it isn't fast), but I haven't had problems using my fingernails. Probably depends on how smooth the cylinders are, how dirty the ammo, etc.
Having said all that, I think you guys are all correct about ammo interchange being largely impractical.
Out of curiosity, does anyone have any idea how common it is for state or local LEAs to issue backups (as opposed to permitting LEOs to carry backups from an approved list and/or backups that they've qualified with)?
Jeff, I haven't had the problem you've had; mine fires reliably with and without the clips -- sounds like the loads are crimped a little tight. I will say that I am not sure why the 940 fires ok with and without the clips. Seems like either the firing pin ought to be too short to reach without the clips, or it ought to be piercing primers with the clips? Extract/eject isn't pretty (and it isn't fast), but I haven't had problems using my fingernails. Probably depends on how smooth the cylinders are, how dirty the ammo, etc.
Having said all that, I think you guys are all correct about ammo interchange being largely impractical.
Out of curiosity, does anyone have any idea how common it is for state or local LEAs to issue backups (as opposed to permitting LEOs to carry backups from an approved list and/or backups that they've qualified with)?