DogmaDog Posted June 28, 2002 Share Posted June 28, 2002 I talked to a master class shooter at my last match who was shooting a revolver (he doesn't normally), and he agreed with my suspicion that revolvers feedable with moon clips confer a large advantage over those fed with speed loaders. Questions: 1) Do you agree? 2) Since most revolvers don't come this way, and modifying a revolver to accept moon clips isn't allowed, what revolvers (models and calibers) come from the factory ready for moon clips, and which ones are the best shooters using? 3) Why hasn't anyone introduced a revolver designed for IDPA yet??? Thanks, DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted June 29, 2002 Share Posted June 29, 2002 DD, 1) I'm a master class revolver shooter that prefers speedloaders. The main reason is that all the revolvers that take moon clips are big. I shoot a model 10 S&W in 38 special. The smaller gun fits my small hand better. I have more control. I don't think I give up much time using speedloaders over moon clips. I believe that I can draw and move from target to target enough faster to more than make up the reloading speed. Of course I am in the minority. Most revolver shooters use moon clips. 2) Probably the most popular revolver for SSR is the S&W model 625 in 45ACP with moon clips. They have been made in 3 and 4 inch barrels in the past and the Mountain Gun has a 4 inch barrel. 3) I don't know. Any S&W and some others will do fine. Bill Nesbitt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted June 30, 2002 Share Posted June 30, 2002 unlike bill i am not a "seasoned" revolver shooter. however i have some experience. and i hope it will help. got a model 610 (40 less recoil than 45 load it down yadda yadda...) Don't work. almost impossible to find round nose 40 bullets. 2. the spacing of the holes... its cool but its too much steel between the brass ( edege to edge) to get it to work as fast as a 625 in 45. i recently have been shooting a modle 10 as does BILL it is smaller and i have big hands.. BUT it just seems more ergonomic. & sights are closer to the barrel. haven't played with speed loaders vs. moon clips that much, but its impossible to put rounds back in teh gun once a couple are fired from a moon clipped gun. also, i think a moon clip will deform at times.. speed loaders seem more reliable.. and easier to load/unload. BUT moon clips.. you don't lose brass :-) steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hostetter Posted July 1, 2002 Share Posted July 1, 2002 I have competed fairly regularly over the years with revolvers and with a fair amount of success. I have used 625's, 610's, 686's, and 66's. The 1st two with FMC's, and the last 2 with Comp III speedloaders. I find that I am within a couple of tenth's on the reloads either way, and I am a lot faster with the smaller, lighter guns. My favorite is a 4" Model 66................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deaf Smith Posted July 2, 2002 Share Posted July 2, 2002 Attaboy Bill, I am expert rated in IDPA with a Ruger Speed Six 2 3/4 inch in .38. I fully agree. Use a medium .38, good Safariand or such speedloaders and practice like heck! When I carry my wheelgun for CCW, I carry a M64 2 inch .38 (stainless Smith M10). Most of the time I carry a Glock 26, but the M64 was my second carry gun (the first being a Smith M640 in .38 spl.) Deaf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted July 3, 2002 Author Share Posted July 3, 2002 So it sounds like caliber/gun size are of greater concern than the small advantage conferred by moon clips over speed loaders. That's good to know, but I still wonder why no manufacturer has come up with, say, a 9mm revolver that accepts moon clips. Seems you could get the best of both worlds this way. DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phara Posted July 3, 2002 Share Posted July 3, 2002 TK Custom is just now offering full moons for the model 66 and Clark Custom can do the cylinder conversions. http://www.moonclips.com/ If any of you have the conversions done please let us know how you like them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted July 3, 2002 Author Share Posted July 3, 2002 Phara, Good to know, but IDPA doesn't allow modifying your gun to accept moon clips. Guns that come from the factory capable of doing so are OK though. Unfortunately, it seems that manufacturers so far only do this for large caliber revolvers (.45ACP for e.g.) For a while, Wilson Combat was selling a tricked-out S&W 66 snubbie that would take moon clips...wonder why they stopped? It'd be cool, though, if S&W offered it as an option on something like the 686. Semper Fi, DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted July 3, 2002 Share Posted July 3, 2002 S&W did offer a J-frame 9mm that took moons but it was a 5 shot and I think it had a 3" barrel. -jhgtyre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deaf Smith Posted July 3, 2002 Share Posted July 3, 2002 Actually, Smith & Wesson and Ruger DID offer 6 shot 9mms. I have seen their K frame 6 shooter. Looks like a M64, but in 9mm (4 inch HB and 3 inch offered.) Ruger also made their Speed Six and Service Six in 9mm (I use to have a Speed Six in 9mm, wish I had kept it as it would be perfect for IDPA.) Deaf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted July 3, 2002 Share Posted July 3, 2002 Deaf Smith, Did those take moons? They might make pretty sweet IDPA guns if they did. Not that it matters to me, my splits with a revo are embarassingly bad. -jhgytre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted July 3, 2002 Share Posted July 3, 2002 Wasn't the SP101 offered as a Nine as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 yes, there was also a S&W j-frame in 9mm however both guns are 5 shot i believe.. i am sure the S&W was. not 100% positive about the ruger. i also believe the SP101 was only made in 2 or 3" models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 some how my reply was delayed... humm, don't i look foolish. i think a j-frame 9mm would rock as a carry gun... simply because i wouldn't have to stock 38 special JHP's any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Simpson Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 I just picked up this Ruger Speed Six 9mm to try in IDPA. I haven't shot it yet. It takes moon clips. They quit making these years ago, but you can still find them from time to time if you look hard enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 first... can you get moon clips. second, its good to always be looking for another mouse trap, but i think it is sometimes best to go with what is proven. however if that were done, nothing ever new would come about. S&W made a performance center 38 super , that would be awesome in a K-frame! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted July 5, 2002 Author Share Posted July 5, 2002 Byron, Looks like a sweet little piece! Did such things come with a 4" barrel? You can get moon clips for that (and other guns) here: http://www.shooterstore.com/acb/webpage.cf...=133&DID=71 Semper Fi, DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Simpson Posted July 6, 2002 Share Posted July 6, 2002 Hey DogmaDog - I believe they did make some in 4" also. I got my moonclips from http://www.ranchproducts.com I also have a Ruger Security Six in .357 that I have also used for IDPA with speedloaders. I find that the moonclips do speed up reloads, not so much for loading but when unloading, all the rounds are sure to drop free with the moonclip holding them together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted July 6, 2002 Share Posted July 6, 2002 Getting all the cases out of the cylinder guaranteed is why most of the local pinshooters went with moonclipped guns. It's probably more important with heavier loads. I've been meaning to try my 3" 610 in IDPA one of these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 Hi, This is my first post, and I see this thread stopped awhile back but, since I shoot wheelguns almost exclusively, I thought I might add a couple of thoughts. I shoot a 3" S&W 686 in IDPA almost exclusively. If all is right with the world, I can accomplish sub 3.5 second reloads, (that's timed from shot to shot.) That's using a semi-flap style speedloader holder, with the Safariland Comp II speed loaders. From my experiments, what probably makes the moon clip guns faster to reload are the shorter cases, as opposed to the moonclips. I view moonclips like large magwells. A perfect reload is a perfect reload, you times shouldn't differ too much either way, the larger magwells make it easier to get a perfect reload, much like the moonclips take a lot of the oopsies out of reloading a revolver. As far as splits go, I average about a .23 on double taps, or hammers. Not the fastest in the world but, if I keep them around there, I can pretty much assure -0 hits. Recently, I have been playing around with a 3" Model 65. The K Frame is a quite a bit faster on the draw, and seems to transition better for me than the heavier L Frame 686. The downside, for me at least, is recoil, I shoot pretty warm loads in IDPA, and trigger control. I am so used to the trigger on my 686 that I tend to push too much with the 65. All in all, it's a nice little piece though. I think most shooters who shoot casually do better with the 625's. If you are serious about revolver shooting in IDPA, you will need a bit more practice but, can compete very well against the big N Frame guns. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony S45 Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Question for Bob Hostetter What kind of (IDPA approved) belt holder are you using for your Comp III Speedloaders??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 You know, sometimes this "real world tactical relevance" stuff can be taken too far. So, you can't make a custom gun to shoot IDPA revolver. However, you can scour the gun shows and classifieds to find a rare, out of production gun, to gain an advantage. Huh? If I build an S&W K-frame to take 9mm full moon clips, identical to that rare out of production gun, how have I gained an advantage? What would happen if I dragged a Webley-Fosbury out of the safe and showed up with it? I'm all for keeping equipment gaming under control, but sometimes it seems like the control part of it is the actual point of the exercise, and the gaming is the excuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 I am hoping to have just made a point. I just finished second to Alex Zimmerman at the IDPA Nationals using a 3 inch S&W model 10 with speedloaders. I think there were only 4 other speedloader revolver shooters at the Nationals. Yes, moon clips dominate. I don't see why though. Bill Nesbitt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 Competition is the proving grounds for new equipment (in many sports...or, even, societies). To restrict it is to restrict innovation. (Contrats BILL!) (Edited by Flexmoney at 10:46 am on Oct. 7, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idpassr Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Quote: from BILL on 8:26 am on Oct. 7, 2002 I am hoping to have just made a point. I just finished second to Alex Zimmerman at the IDPA Nationals using a 3 inch S&W model 10 with speedloaders. I think there were only 4 other speedloader revolver shooters at the Nationals. Yes, moon clips dominate. I don't see why though. Bill Nesbitt Bravo, Bill! If you don't mind my asking, what were you shooting in your M10? I'm using a 140gn Speer JHP over 5.9 grains of 231 in my M66. It's a nice load, but I was thinking about picking up an inexpensive M10 and getting a 3" tube screwed in it... GB Texas BRT Operator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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