Brian B

BMT Moon Loaders are the best for me. I have them for my S&W 610, 929, 627 and for my Ruger Redhawk 45Colt/ACP. They have saved me hours of work and torn skin. Cheers Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It all depends what games you want to play with a revolver. For IDPA and PPC (mandatory reload after 6 shots for both games) get a slightly used Ruger Security Six and a bunch of Safariland lll speed loaders? USPSA/IPSC permits 8 shots in Minor power and 6 shots in major power factor. If you want to shoot Minor Power Factor in USPSA/IPSC then get a S&W 929 . I traded my S&W 627 and Super Redhawk. I own all above and Smiths: 610, 617, 586 (expensive PPC). My pistols include all classifications for above games.. I've been playing PPC and IPSC games for 22 years and just turned Super Senior. I'm slower than I used to be so I like a revolver which I find more elegant and less urgent than a pistol. My favorite revolver these days is my Ruger Redhawk 45 ACP/Colt; for IPSC Major and IDPA , nice big bang without a lot of recoil. Moon clips are great with 45acp. I have ordered 45 Winchester Magnum brass from Starline (a touch shorter than 45 Colt, much longer than ACP and it accepts moonclips). I'll work up a load for my recently cast 266 gr. Spire Point 454 bullets. We will see how it goes? Happy shooting! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Consider this moon clip checker? Works for me on my 929 and a similar one (6 shot) for my 610. http://www.revolversupply.com/moon-clip-checker-9-mm-s-w-929/ Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I shoot IDPA with a 4.2 inch Ruger Redhawk 45 Colt/ACP using 230 ball in moonclips. It’s great fun! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

All my S&W have extendended firing pins: 626,617,610,929. Never a problem with FTF. Strongly recommend: https://store.apextactical.com/WebDirect/Products/Details/193033 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Overthinking a potential solution to a potential problem may be the issue here? TK Moon clips (stainless) are my choice for: S&W 627, 610, 929 and Ruger Redhawk 45Acp/Colt. I use reloaded range brass including a wide variety of manufacturers. I’ve shot thousands of rounds without a problem. I use Federal factory ammo for competitions. Extended, competition firing pins are installed in the S&W revolvers. BMT is an excellent tool and I have one for each caliber. Try: ICORE, IDPA, IPSC, PPC, great people and lots of fun. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi, Your 627 is fine. After a zillion reloads you might find the 9mm case length for the 929 a nanosecond faster. My Moon-clips story: In order to improve my accuracy on a 40 yard target I cocked my revolver hammer for a single action shot. It froze after a slight rotation. The hammer had moved back halfway and also refused to move; pulling the trigger had no effect. This was during an IPSC (USPSA) Provincial competition with 200+ watching the final stages of my course of fire. This had never happened to me, nor had I ever heard of it ever occurring to anyone else. Revolves are supposed to be profoundly reliable? Keeping it safely downrange I tried to solve the problem. This was the last of 16 stages and 210 rounds. It was a scorcher of a hot day and we were all thirsty. Time was moving. “Slap and Rack” was all I could think of, from my old pistol days. Therefore I decided force might be the solution. While pointing (not aiming) downrange and my finger off the trigger, attempting to close the cylinder, I hit hard against it with the palm of my hand: BANG. I was DQ (disqualified) due to an AD (accidental discharge). Total embarrassment and confusion... I was using factory ammo (Federal) and none of the casings showed extended primers. The only potential cause of this issue was that I had leaned hard against a barricade during the course of fire and BENT the next moon-clip to be reloaded, which caused the cylinder to refuse rotation.... Competition moon-clips: I use https://www.tkcustom.com/products/swn929x8-9mm-035-ss Practice moon-clips: I use http://www.revolversupply.com/moon-clip-9-mm-and-38-super-s-w-929-blued-finish/ Imperative, Moon clip checker: http://www.revolversupply.com/moon-clip-checker-9-mm-s-w-929/ magnetic moon clip holder BMT loader/unloader Holster: https://www.doubletapsports.com/Ghost-International/ghost-holster-for-revolver Also get the holster extension for the mouth of the barrel and extra powerfull magnets on the moonclip holders from Double Alpha Home Depot has neat storage containers which I store all loaded clips. Great to transport to and from range. If I miss a used clip I can see the empty space and know to go look for it. Usually someone picked it up, put it on a table or bench, not knowing who was the owner: 17 Compartment Portable Storage Box, Red https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.17-compartment-portable-storage-box-red.1001052027.html All above for S&W 929, 610 and Ruger Redhawk 45 ACP/Colt. Good shooting! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Moon-clips: In order to improve my accuracy on a 40 yard target I cocked my revolver hammer for a single action shot. The cylinder froze after a slight rotation. The hammer had moved back halfway and also refused to move; pulling the trigger had no effect. This was during an IPSC (USPSA) Provincial competition with 200+ watching the final stages of my course of fire. This had never happened to me, nor had I ever heard of it ever occurring to anyone else. Revolves are supposed to be profoundly reliable? Keeping it safely downrange I tried to solve the problem. This was the last of 16 stages and 210 rounds. It was a scorcher of a hot day and we were all thirsty. Time was moving. “Slap and Rack” was all I could think of, from my old pistol days. Therefore I decided force might be the solution. While pointing (not aiming) downrange and my finger off the trigger, attempting to close the cylinder, I hit hard against it with the palm of my hand: BANG. I was DQ (disqualified) due to an AD (accidental discharge). Total embarrassment and confusion... I was using factory ammo (Federal) and none of the casings showed extended primers. The only potential cause of this issue was that I had leaned hard against a barricade during the course of fire and BENT the next moon-clip to be reloaded, which caused the cylinder to refuse rotation.... Competition moon-clips: I use https://www.tkcustom.com/products/swn929x8-9mm-035-ss Practice moon-clips: I use http://www.revolversupply.com/moon-clip-9-mm-and-38-super-s-w-929-blued-finish/ Imperative, Moon clip checker: http://www.revolversupply.com/moon-clip-checker-9-mm-s-w-929/ magnetic moon clip holder [/url] BMT loader/unloader. Home Depot has neat storage containers which I store all loaded clips. Great to transport to and from range. If I miss a used clip I can see the empty space and know to go look for it. Usually someone picked it up, put it on a table or bench, not knowing who was the owner: 17 Compartment Portable Storage Box, Red https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.17-compartment-portable-storage-box-red.1001052027.html All above for S&W 929, 610 and Ruger Redhawk 45 ACP/Colt. Good shooting! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve had my 617 since new in 1995. It’s my favourite handgun. I shoot it the most. Most range cessions start with about 100 rounds of 22lr then I transition to another more powerful handgun. The 617 gives me a great warm up to muscle memory, eye hand coordination and trigger control without the distractions of recoil. Taught my kids to shoot with it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

IHAVEGAS is 100% on the money, thank you for link to the great article. HoneyBooBoo, I also recommend your first revolver be a 10 shot 6 inch 22 LR caliber. Mine is a S&W 617. There are a few others now available. It is incredibly accurate with all the ammo I feed it regardless of quality, cheap bulk 22shorts as well as expensive Olimpic grade ammo. I taught my kids how to shoot with it, got newbie shooters started with it and always start my range sessions with it. I practice the long trigger pull associated with revolvers in double action. It promotes good eye-hand coordination without the distraction of recoil. Once I have shot 100 rounds or so then I’ll begin with a larger caliber revolver or pistol. HoneyBooBoo it sounds like you enjoy souping up your toys? Me too. I installed front and rear fiber optic sites on my S&W 617, 610, JM929 and on my Ruger Redhawk 45ACP/Colt. A Big Dot XS sight was installed on my Ruger Security Six. Apex extended firing pins were installed on the guns using moonclips. None of these needed any internal improvements. I did spend about $2,300 in gunsmithing on my 586 PPC revolver. This included a new bull barrel, Aristocrate sights and a complete overhaul of the guts (imagin porting and polishing a V8 motor). This revolver only shoots hollow based wadcutters. Important: Recoil with revolvers is very different than with pistols; pistols have recoil springs which mitigates the millisecond of shearing shock of the explosion. I sold my 44 Magnum revolver because I could not shoot more than 24 bullets before the skin on my palms started to tear. I recently shot a Desert Eagle in 50AE and it kicked like 10 horses but it didn’t hurt my hand. The internal springs made the incredibly powerful recoil even, almost smooth and without that sharp spike in force at the instant of powder burn. I put 100 50AE bullets down range in that one session which left me with: a major dent in my credit card and a spectacular grin for two days. Buy your 617 then get loading blocks, speed loaders and a lot of cheap bulk 22 ammo and have fun.

Yes there was trouble with early production guns. Ruger client service here in Canada was excellent. (Snap Shot Guns in Quebec) My first revolver was seriously inaccurate. I returned it and the Ruger service people agreed with me, returned it to head office and gave me a new gun. The new gun had a serial number that was a few hundred higher than the first gun and it also was terribly inaccurate. The service department again agreed and sent me a third brand new revolver. This one is a charm. It shoots double Alfa’s all day long and easily knocks down steel. What was wrong with the first production? I suspect the cylinder throats were too narrow for the forcing cone and bore. That would send a bullet rattling down a barrel with little or no grasp of the bore grooves. Nothing to do with ammo type nor jumping a gap. At 4.2 inches it is perfectly weighted for USPSA/IPSC./ICORE/IDPA My 610, 586 seem front heavy at 6 inches. My new 929 may be more competitive, time wise, but it is nowhere near as fun as the the big bullets from the Ruger Redhawk . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Consider the Redhawk 45ACP/Colt 4.2 inch revolver. Has curved grip to facilitate carry. Uses moon clips for ACP. I’ve had mine since it came out, 17 months? Great fun, accurate and I like the looks. I shoot mostly 45ACP; the colt rounds make it an over the top hand cannon. If that’s what you want, killing Dinosaurs with one shot, this is it; nice to know you can practice with (softer?) ACP. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

All my S&W revolvers have extended firing pins: https://store.apextactical.com/WebDirect/Products/Details/191695 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Get a chronograph that speaks Bluetooth to your iPhone/Android. Bench rest your barrel going for tightest groups at 15 yards using quality factory FMJ Ammo through the crono. If you have a regular flier, number your cylinders and identify the culprit. Swaging your barrel is the last step. Swage your cylinder throats first. They all must be wider than the barrel. Only if you discover an issue as described above; have a gunsmith ream the throats, cut a shallow edge on the mouth of each cylinder (to improve feeding), trim the forcing cone, check the timing and reface the crown. Unless you can do it yourself have him install a competition extended firing pin from Apex. This eliminates FTF's from light strikes caused by a super small warp of the moon clip. Only after all of the above has been addressed, thereby eliminating any gun related issues, should you consider using reloaded ammo. Testing your reloading recipes with the chronograph will ensure you make your power factor, accuracy as well as acquiring the softest recoil. Heavy and slow bullets seems to be the trend. The most used load at the USPSA Revolver Nationals had a 160 grain bullet on top of a 9mm brass. That's a big projectile for a 9mm. Eight shot S&W 929's are now the majority on the line; all shooting minor. Just got mine and am prepping it. I still love my 610 in major. I don't know if ICORE has power factor rules. Consider only stainless steel TK moon clips for competition. Pricey but absolutely priceless. They are super rugged. Here's why I only use TK in competition: I leaned hard against a barrier during a course of fire and unknowingly bent a moon clip (blue steel). When I quickly fed the cylinder and closed it the revolver froze solid. Nothing moved. The trigger was stuck, the hammer was partly moved back. The warped moon clip was jammed tight. The clock was ticking. Clearing a jam with a pistol is usually a slap up on the mag and a rack of the slide. I thought this could work? While aiming down range, my finger off the trigger, I rotated my wrist so that the grips were horizontal to the ground ( gansta style?) and gave the cylinder a hard knock with my other hand...BANG...I had an AD (accidental discharge) with a revolver. I've never heard of this happing nor did I think it was possible. Disqualified in front of 60 people. The cone of shame. If you must use them, blue steel clips should be used only for practice. Also consider: a BMT MOONER , a moon clip checker, Double Alpha magnetic moon clip holder posts (I added the extra powerful magnet because my moon clips are stainless steel), Double Alpha Revolver race holster. There are three related but different pastimes: shooting, reloading and casting. Have fun! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I believe an extended firing pin in the Smith & Wesson revolver is essential to accommodate the different thicknesses of moon clips that are available. I have had an extended firing pin in my model 610 for several years and enjoyed the reliability. I am just now installing the extended firing pin into my new model 929. Good luck! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk