Is it safe to shoot revolvers without moon clips?
- Thread starter JimFromFL
- Start date
Yes and no (!) The cartridges are supposed to be headspaced at the case mouth the same as in an automatic pistol. If the cylinder has been correctly chambered you can shoot without the clips and dig out the fired ones with your fingernails.
But if the chambers are too deep the round may drop far enough so it doesn't fire. Not likely, but it has happened. I would experiment by trying it with the particular revolver and see what happens. No, it won't hurt anything, but take something with you to knock out the cases.
But if the chambers are too deep the round may drop far enough so it doesn't fire. Not likely, but it has happened. I would experiment by trying it with the particular revolver and see what happens. No, it won't hurt anything, but take something with you to knock out the cases.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Yes.
This is a problem with early production Colt 1917's. I have one and if a round is dropped into a chamber without a moon clip it will stop with the rim flush with the back of the cylinder. At this point the firing pin will not strike the primer with sufficient force to ignite the round. The 1917 was originally intended to be used only with moon clips, but what if a soldier could not find or lost those little clips? Later production guns supposedly corrected this oversight and could be fired without the clips.
I've shot an old 1917 Smith without moon clips many times. No problems, except that it slows down reloading.
I read an old piece of fiction (reprinted) once where a bad guy was captured because he ran out of clips for the 1917 he was shooting. He didn't know you could shoot it without them. The good guy told him about his mistake, which I thought was a mistake too.
I read an old piece of fiction (reprinted) once where a bad guy was captured because he ran out of clips for the 1917 he was shooting. He didn't know you could shoot it without them. The good guy told him about his mistake, which I thought was a mistake too.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Stans,
Ammo for the Colt & S&W 1917 revolvers was provided in clips in pasteboard boxes of 24 rounds.
It was designed to be shoot & discard. To the best of my knowledge, no demooning tools were provided.
Ammo for the Colt & S&W 1917 revolvers was provided in clips in pasteboard boxes of 24 rounds.
It was designed to be shoot & discard. To the best of my knowledge, no demooning tools were provided.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Jar,
Well, when you're talking a 1917, if it were shipped with only one clip, that would be 3 rounds. They were half-moons back then.
Well, when you're talking a 1917, if it were shipped with only one clip, that would be 3 rounds. They were half-moons back then.
Stans;
You are right about the early Colt 1917's having to be used with half-moon clips because of deep chambers. Most that remained in government hands were returned to Colt for new cylinders. A relatively small number had passed (!?) into ah.... unauthorized hands and never got rebuilt. These have a modest collector's value above the ones that were changed.
I have heard that some later S&W model 25-(whatever) had problems if they were loaded without clips, as chamber depth varied. Outside of the obvious (like early 1917 Colt's) I think one has to check out his or her particular gun.
You are right about the early Colt 1917's having to be used with half-moon clips because of deep chambers. Most that remained in government hands were returned to Colt for new cylinders. A relatively small number had passed (!?) into ah.... unauthorized hands and never got rebuilt. These have a modest collector's value above the ones that were changed.
I have heard that some later S&W model 25-(whatever) had problems if they were loaded without clips, as chamber depth varied. Outside of the obvious (like early 1917 Colt's) I think one has to check out his or her particular gun.
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Guy B. Meredith
New member
Current S&W using rimmed cartidges with moonclips or moonclip conversions have absolutely no problems handling individual rounds. They are cut with a lip around the outside that provides proper positioning of the round without the moonclip.
Dunno about the .45 combos.
Dunno about the .45 combos.
fallingblock
New member
Safe, but it might not fire....
I bought a new S&W 625 in 1999. It wouldn't fire two of the six chambers with factory .45 acp. For a new gun it had a lot of problems and I eventually traded it off. I'd say it would depend on when the S&W was made....maybe avoid the "Monday" guns
I bought a new S&W 625 in 1999. It wouldn't fire two of the six chambers with factory .45 acp. For a new gun it had a lot of problems and I eventually traded it off. I'd say it would depend on when the S&W was made....maybe avoid the "Monday" guns
MarineTech
New member
The Dan Wesson 7460s require the use of moon clips. Due to the gun accepting .45 WinMag, .45ACP slides right to the bottom of the cylinder and the firing pin can't reach it.
Still a heck of a gun though. Worth every penny I paid for it.
Still a heck of a gun though. Worth every penny I paid for it.
Coltdriver
New member
Safe? Probably.
Reliable? Less.
More difficult to extract? Probably.
Moon clips are a great way to extract and to reload quickly. I have a 940 that uses moon clips and I think they are superior to speed loaders from a practical perspective.
Reliable? Less.
More difficult to extract? Probably.
Moon clips are a great way to extract and to reload quickly. I have a 940 that uses moon clips and I think they are superior to speed loaders from a practical perspective.
I shoot my S&W 25 , Colt and S&W 1917's without "moons" . I use the rim of a spent shell and hook it under the fired casing in the chamber and pull it out . Works pretty well . No tools needed .
Also , PMC made a run of 45 Auto Rim ammo a year or so ago . 200 gr jacketed SWC . They shoot pretty well and not too expensive .
Also , PMC made a run of 45 Auto Rim ammo a year or so ago . 200 gr jacketed SWC . They shoot pretty well and not too expensive .