De-mooning half moon clips

[vatrader01]

Hi. Been gone from your forum awhile, don't seem to recall my user name / password, so I start with a new post count.
I ordered half moon clips and a pipe type de-mooning tool for a S&W 1917. Some time back, I had a S&W Model 25 1955. It used full moon clips, that were loaded from the outside of the ring. The pipe de-mooner was slipped over the cartridge, a twist, and the empty was out of the clip. With the half moon clips, the cartridges are inserted from the inside of the clip. When I attempt to de-moon the half moon clip, I break the clip. Five times now. Before you save my bacon and tell me to just use full moon clips, they won't clear the grip. When unloading the revolver, you must turn the cylinder to eject the second three round clip. It stops against the grip. So. What am I doing wrong? I have studied the half moon clip a bit, trying to figure out how to use a different tool, like maybe a needle nose plier, but am not picturing this working. Any hints?

BTW, this 1917 has been heavily modified. Now sporting a four inch barrel, some very obvious trigger work, the trigger guard has been narrowed and the revolver is now nickel plated. Once I get this clip issue figured out, I'll report on how it fare's at the range. So far, at 15 yards it produced a respectable pattern.

 

[Oyeboten]

Maybe try those new 'rubbery' flexible full Mooners...might bend around the Stocks...


Or...modify the left stock so the regular old Full Moons clear?


Pictures?

 

[9mmepiphany]

i'm thinking the easiest and cheapest solution is to modify the grip too

 

[BHP FAN]

stick a 7/16'' dowel inside the empty case and lift.POP,out she comes.

 

[Plain Old Bill]

The REALLY easiest way....

Try .45 Auto Rims. No muss, no fuss......NO PIA CLIPS

 

[Drail]

My opinion is if you are going to run clips or speedloaders then you will probably have to modify a set of perfectly good grips. Every S&W I own has required a bit of Dremeling on the left grip with the stock grips or Hogues or Pachmayrs or whatever. If you're not willing to modify then fast reloads are not going to happen. Of course competition shooters are famous for doing unspeakable things to guns to gain a fraction of a second.

 

[vatrader01]

I think I am asking my question wrong. This weapon was used in competition by the previous owner [now deceased] for years with half moon clips. The problem is not the loading and unloading of the half moon clips from the cylinder of the weapon....it is removing the spent cartridges from the half moon clip. I am breaking the clip when I attempt to use the pipe type de-mooner.
The pipe de-mooner does not follow the radius of the half moon clip. I think I have the wrong tool for this application. I will try the dowel rod tomorrow and report back my findings.
One of the many sad things about the dead. They take so much information with them.

 

[MichaelB]

VATrader: The trick with the pipe demooner is to remove half of the diameter of the pipe from one end, leaving a "step" in the pipe. One slips the pipe over the empty or full cartridge so the long end of the step overhangs the clip. Simply twist the pipe and the cartridge pops out. Using a dowel will just bend the clip.

 

[rcmodel]

Every full-moon clip I have ever seen in .45 ACP loaded from the inside, and the pipe de-mooner works perfectly with them.

I don't even use a tool with half-moon's, as they easily "spring" enough to load & unload with your fingers.

But, I would modify the grips so I could use full-moons.

And I would get some plastic RIMZ clips for range playing.

You can also modify half-moons by filing just a frog-hair off each contact point so the rounds slip in & out with just enough resistance to keep them from falling out.

rc

 

[Sam1911]

Every full-moon clip I have ever seen in .45 ACP loaded from the inside

RC, this one looks like every 625 moon clip I've ever seen:



http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=415505

Meets my definition from loading from the outside.

-Sam

 

[rcmodel]

You are exactly right!

What was I thinking! :banghead:

Another Senior Moment I guess!

rc

 

[BlindJustice]

I don't understand why a full moon clip would have less
clearance with the greater diameter of the half mooons.

Is this just a nostalgic thing to do it the way the dead owner did?

I shoot a 625 with the full size/profile Guy Hogue
Rosewood figner grooved/checkered grips and no
clearance problems with the short ACP cases in Full moon
clips with either the cylinder release or the LH side
grip - which does have a cutout for clearance.

HKS 25M Speedloader for .45 Auto Rim has more clearance
with the short .45 Auto RIm cases than an N-frame with the
long Magnum cases like a 29/629 or 27/627

???

Randall

 

[9mmepiphany]

I don't understand why a full moon clip would have less
clearance with the greater diameter of the half mooons.

because you're only loading half the cylinder at a time

 

[BlindJustice]

I meant extraction.

heck I had a 25-2 before Full Moons were available
and don't recall any great problem demooning the
half moons.

R-

 

[Dr.Rob]

Try one of these:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=866285

I have one for my 1917 Colt and it works fine.