A few revolver questions...

[Hoosier Daddy]

I carried a 1911 back in my Army days. That was 25ish years ago, so I consider myself "rusty" with a semi-automatic, but when it comes to revolvers... I have zero experience.

1) I think I read that a .357 will shoot .38 special rounds. Does that mean a .38 special will shoot .357 rounds?

2) With the new(?) hammerless design, why would anyone still want a hammer? It just seems like something to get caught on your clothes, holster, etc...

3) What in the heck are Moonclips?

I'll probably think of some more, so please bear with me.

 

[Bigtanker]

.357 will shoot .38 spl. A .38 WILL NOT shoot a .357.

A hammer is purely your choice. For a carry gun, hammerless is better, less to snag on.

Moon clips are clips you put 5-6 rounds in and drop right into the cylinder. Kinda like a speed loader.

 

[THard6]

1) .38 special will not shoot .357.
2) I want a hammer for better control and two different ways to fire the gun.. so when the gun doesn't automatically cock itself i can pull back the hammer and make it go boom if i need to.
3)

hope this helps

 

[Ejohnson]

I second the hammer design. For carry, I admit its nice to have that smooth hammerless design, but I prefer semi-autos.
I have a Ruger GP100 stainless in .357 Mag and I love the gun. It's not a carry gun with the 6" barrel, but its an excellent recreation and hunting gun. I can shoot .38's all day long as well.

 

[actaeon277]

Moon clip - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Moon clip isn't just for speed loading. You can use it for putting an "automatic" cartridge in a revolver, such as the 9mm.
For CCing, a hammerless model might be better, to prevent clothing catching on hammer. As has been mentioned.
But I OC, and consider this less of a concern. The hammer version gives you the choice of pulling double action (trigger pulling hammer back), or single action (thumb pulled hammer back, trigger now has an easy "break")
Either is ok. You have to find out what works for you.
Revolvers are great for shooting different calibers, or even different loads within a caliber.
The .357 mag is MORE POWERFUL than the .38. Therefore a .357 revolver can take the .357 or the weaker .38.
A .38 pistol is WEAKER. The .357 load will damage the revolver. Therefore, in a .38 revolver, you can only shoot the .38s.
The revolver cylinder lengths are Usually designed with different lenghts, so that you can't put a .357 in a .38 revolver. The bullet would be too long, preventing the cylinder from closing. NEVER ASSUME EVERY REVOLVER IS LIKE THIS. Never assume. Always think, which is my more powerful cartridge.
If you are at the range with both revolvers and ammo, place the ammo in a different marked ammo can. Such as .357 in an ammo can marked in red duct tape.

Then there is .44 manum/.44 special. Once again, remember the more powerful cartridge.
.44 magnum is the more powerful. A .44 mag revolver can fire the mag, or special.
A .44 special revolver can NOT fire the magnum.

Now on the moon clips. Revolver cartridges have a bigger rim, so when you drop them in the cylinder, they don't just keep going through. auto/semi-autos the bottom of the cartridge matches the rest. There is just an indentation around for the extractor.
The moon clip clips in there, and keeps the cartridge in the cylinder.

I haven't used moon clips, so someone else will have to help you. I THINK 9mm works in a .357. BUT SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS TO TALK ABOUT THAT. Because I'm not familiar. And you do have to make sure the revolver can handle the pressure.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

1) I think I read that a .357 will shoot .38 special rounds. Does that mean a .38 special will shoot .357 rounds?

2) With the new(?) hammerless design, why would anyone still want a hammer? It just seems like something to get caught on your clothes, holster, etc...

3) What in the heck are Moonclips?

And now the Leader of the Ancient Order of Wheelgunners takes the floor.

1) Think of a .357 as a jazzed up .38. It is a little longer case.

Use .38s in .357s, not vice versa.

2) Ease of manipulation. I want a hammer so I can roll check with my thumb on the hammer and not just roll check with my finger on the trigger. This is why I prefer the M38s and M638s over the 642, et al.

3) Moonclips are shims (like in carpentry). They are a way of shooting the rimless in a platform designed to use rimmed cartridges.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alA8LakPQp4


More about revovlers from one specific model:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYghKoWgMnE

 

[mrburtreynoldsou]

Moon clip - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Moon clip isn't just for speed loading. You can use it for putting an "automatic" cartridge in a revolver, such as the 9mm.

I had no idea you could do this, thanks for sharing. I imagine moon clips are pretty inexpensive for what they are.

 

[Wannabe Alchemist]

Does that mean there is a moon clip to fire .45acp through a .45lc?

 

[04FXSTS]

Does that mean there is a moon clip to fire .45acp through a .45lc?

It can be done but the cylinder would have to be machined for the MC's. I also prefer a hammer on my revolvers just so I have the option of single/double action. Jim.

 

[melensdad]

Does that mean there is a moon clip to fire .45acp through a .45lc?

The revolvers already set up for shooting 45acp are the revolvers designed to shoot the 45 AutoRim cartridge. Smith & Wesson's 625 series guns are awesome N frame 45 revolvers. You shoot the 45acp with moon clips, either full or half moon and the 45AutoRim without clips.

 

[karl77]

.357 will chamber 38spl, 38lc (long colt), it will NOT chamber 38s&w. A 44 mag will chamber 44spl and 44Russian.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Thanks for all of the replies.
The pictures and videos were most helpful!

 

[in625shooter]

Revolvers are a great platform IMHO. Thats what I started out with so I learned the right way and they work great. Can they run head to head against a 17 shot wonder whatever? In most cases other than capacity YES! It's all in prior programing and getting the right information from an old wheelhead that knows how to make them run!

 

[ChalupaCabras]

I had no idea you could do this, thanks for sharing. I imagine moon clips are pretty inexpensive for what they are.

They actually cost a LOT for a small steel stamping - something like $3 - $4 ... but compared to the cost of additional magazines for pistols, yes, they are quite cheap.

 

[45acp223]

In my old Bullseye shooting days, our club would have a once a year Revolver Championship following the Bullseye rules (22/45's). The S&W 625 was the preferred revolver. I tried shooting it with a 686, great gun, but I was at a disadvantage due to the 45acp cutting a bigger hole and breaking the scoring lines easier. I didn't really like messing with the moon clips, kind of a pain. The S&W 625's are really nice revolvers for competition. 686 or 629's for home defense.

 

[melensdad]

In my old Bullseye shooting days, our club would have a once a year Revolver Championship following the Bullseye rules (22/45's). The S&W 625 was the preferred revolver. I tried shooting it with a 686, great gun, but I was at a disadvantage due to the 45acp cutting a bigger hole and breaking the scoring lines easier. I didn't really like messing with the moon clips, kind of a pain. The S&W 625's are really nice revolvers for competition.

And I still think the best of them was the "625 Model of 1989"

 

[Bosshoss]

They actually cost a LOT for a small steel stamping - something like $3 - $4 ... but compared to the cost of additional magazines for pistols, yes, they are quite cheap.

Stamped 45ACP moonclips start around $35-$45 dollars per 100 or .35-.45 each.
Wire EDM clips can cost $75 for 10

Stamped:Moon Clips, These are the full moon clips sold by The Revolver Supply Company

EDM:Welcome to TK Custom.com & Moonclips.com

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

I carried a 1911 back in my Army days. That was 25ish years ago, so I consider myself "rusty" with a semi-automatic, but when it comes to revolvers... I have zero experience.

1) I think I read that a .357 will shoot .38 special rounds. Does that mean a .38 special will shoot .357 rounds?

2) With the new(?) hammerless design, why would anyone still want a hammer? It just seems like something to get caught on your clothes, holster, etc...

3) What in the heck are Moonclips?

I'll probably think of some more, so please bear with me.

1) The length of .38spl brass is 1.15" or 29.3mm. .357 mag brass is 1.29" or 33mm.

A cylinder chambered in .38spl is to shallow to allow for a .357 mag case to fully seat thus it will stick out. A cylinder chambered for .357 is deeper thus allowing both to seat properly.
Here are pictures of my model 10 with .38 and .357 in it t show that the .357 wouldnt even chamber let alone have the cylinder close. Both the .38 and .357 dummy rounds are tipped with a winchester 110gr JHP

2) Why would someone still want a hammer?
So that you can cock your revolver into single action! if your revolver is based on a hammerless action your pull weight along with length of pull will be greater than that of a traditional double/single action revolver. Single action = pull weights usually less than three pounds and pull length of 1/8-1/4". double action pull (hammer less) 5# plus and a pull length of greater than 1/2".


3) Moon clips as explained are metal holders for either 6, 3 or 2 cartridges at a time to be loaded into revolvers. Originally designed so that rimLESS cartridges could be used they are now also used as a form of speed loader and unloader.
I say unloader because once the clip is ejected ALL empty cartridges are extract. How many time have you hit your star and still had one or two stay behind?!
A cylinder may, but doesnt always need to, be recessed to accept the moon clip. Some cylinders must so that they still close while others have enough space to not need it.

One of my target revolvers with 2 cylinders. One machined for moon clips (the one not installed) and one not machined.

Unmachined:

Machined. notice the nice deep recess so that the moon clip fits flush while keeping the base of the cartridge at the original height.:

Moonclip seated:

and just for fun the barrel:

 

[gunbunnies]

What RolexRifleman said...

I would add that the newer N frame S&W 357's with 8 shot cylinders are normally setup for full 8 shot moon clips and are quite handy to use...

RR, that is one fine revolver you have there...

 

[actaeon277]

So, can you shoot 9mm out of a .357?????