Speedloaders v. Moonclips for SD

[labnoti]

I’ve gone in the other direction. I’ve begun experiencing with Starline’s 38 Shot Colt brass

The shorter cases eject better. I used to use .38 cases in a 357 revolver without limiting myself to the very low pressures of 38 special for this reason. Short Colt is even shorter, but you can also simply trim a 38 or 357 case to whatever length you desire.

Moon-clips can help with ejection as well, if they clear the grips properly. The clips are an all-or-none proposition. Either all the cases come out, with the inertia of the loosest cases aiding the ejection of the stickier cases, or the stickest case holds up the whole package and none eject. Speedloaders need more clearance to load than moon-clips, but the loose rounds coming out during ejection don't need as much clearance to drop as a full clip of empties. So either way, you need good clearance. If you cut a case, it's impossible to get the new clip in the cylinder with the cut piece stuck in one chamber. Once a speedloader looses its rounds, at least some of them will drop into the chambers that are clear. I don't concern myself with that too much. There are plenty of worse things that could conceivably happen.

 

[jski]

The shorter cases eject better. I used to use .38 cases in a 357 revolver without limiting myself to the very low pressures of 38 special for this reason.

EXACTLY!

Short Colt is even shorter, but you can also simply trim a 38 or 357 case to whatever length you desire.

I’ve read about problems with trying to do that. Apparently the case walls taper and by to point where you’ve trimmed the 357 case down to 38 Short lengths, the wall around the case mouth is thick enough to cause problems.

 

[fxvr5]

There is no evidence that reloads in a civilian lethal-force incident have happened, ever.

You say this because you have knowledge of every documented civilian lethal-force incident that has ever occurred. Right?

 

[cfullgraf]

I prefer moon clips for my 38 Special J-frames. The grips that I use interfere with the speed loaders making reloading difficult.

As said, TK Custom makes a couple different thickness moon clip for the J-frame, one for Starline and R-P cases, the other for Winchester and some others. I like Starline cases and don't use much mixed brass anymore.

Ejection of all five cartridges is more positive with moon clips.

A BMT Equipped moon clip loader/unloader is the cats meow for dealing with moon clips. One can just about match the time to load a speed loader with a BMT Equipped loader.

I'll agree, for carry, the loaded moon clip needs to be protected from damage.

 

[bdickens]

There is no evidence that reloads in a civilian lethal-force incident have happened, ever.

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

 

[Tallball]

"I have always heard you will devolve to your base level of training."

That's been my experience in stressful situations.

Rather than a moonclip or speedloader, why not just a "New York Reload"? An LCP is thinner and lighter than a couple of reloads, and MUCH quicker to deploy.

 

[jski]

I suspect using a speedloader with the 38 Short Colts is going to be an attractive option given their much smaller length.

Having been on forums with ICORE competitors, getting 1050+ FPS with 158 grain bullets from the 38 Shorts should not be an issue.

 

[mcb]

I suspect using a speedloader with the 38 Short Colts is going to be an attractive option given their much smaller length.

Depends on the bullet length/shape. With unmodified Comp III speed-loaders and short/light bullets you can get into a situation were you hit the release button on the speedloader before the nose of the bullets are in the chambers. This sends cartridge all over the place rather than into the cylinder.

In experience short fat cartridges are not as not as critical with speed-loaders as it is with moonclips. With moonclips you really want the cartridges to fall into the cylinders unaided (ie not pushing them) and short fat cartridges aid this. With a speed-loader you are pushing the cartridges into the chambers as that is the way most of them function and thus are less depended on them fall in themselves, so where being short and fat is better it does not make as big as difference.

 

[golden]

I would go with the speedloader version. I have had 5 different revolvers chambered for semi auto cartridges and now use only the .45ACP Auto Rim in my S&W 625. It was not worth the trouble to me and the great advantages claimed for moon clips did not show in my use. I will admit, my S&W 610 could be loaded rapidly with full moon clips and .40 S&W ammo instead of the longer 10m.m. rounds, but the gun was heavy as a brick.
If I am going to use a revolver, I will use revolver rounds.
My 625 also loads well from an HKS speedloader with .45AR.

Jim