ranch moons what brass is best?

[60crewman]

So I just my 627 v comp and a handful of ranch products moon clips what brass seems to work well with the? Thanks for any help.

[buckaroo45]

While I'm no expert I think it depends on what game you're shooting. For Steel it doesn't seem to matter much because speed of reload isn't an issue. If you're gonna go play with the USPSA Production crowd then Hearthco moons and Starline 38 Short Colt brass is the nuts. Beyond that you're on your own brother.

A D shooter aspiring to become an A poser

[alecmc]

Pretty much all brass is floppy in NON hearthco clips.

With hearthco , everything but Winchester works awesome

[cuzinvinny]

I have found my old W-W (Winchester Western) and the newer "Winchester" brass is the most rigid when used with the Ranch Products moonclips. I can't say how the W-W / Ranch Products combo compares to the hearthco moons since I have never used the Hearthco moons. Since I use mostly mixed headstamp brass, the Hearthco moons may not be worth the extra expense. In my neck of the woods, there are only 2 or 3 ICORE matches and 1 steel match, where reloads are on the clock. If I were shooting more matches with on the clock reloads where I was using my 627, I would probably consider the Hearthco moons combined with some new Starline brass.

[alecmc]

Ranch / Other:

Hearthco :

[60crewman]

Do you have a link where I can order the herthco ones?

[revoman]

all moon clips depend on how thick they are made to what brass they fit

[one-gun]

Do you have a link where I can order the herthco ones?

I order mine through TK Customs. Once out of Dave Hearth's trunk when I caught him at a match.

[Ty Hamby]

I was unhappy with the TK "Hearthco" clips. They are not true HearthCo clips. TK is cutting his own using a wide variety of specifications, pay a little royalty for using the name (im guessing). Confused myself. I have given him many hundred's of dollars for clips and accessory's. This last go around they were so loose they made the "Ranch look tight" When I brought this to his attention he sent me a handful more, mostly junk with a variety of different cuts. One clip would not accept 8 rounds, the 8th fell in and out. On another few, all of them fell out with a little shake. 3 others all wont take any brass. All sold as Herthco's for Starline brass. 3 had grinder marks on them as if someone took a sander to the clip. Very discouraged none the less. I gave up and went with my floppy Ranch Clips. At least I know what I was in for when it came time to reload. Loose but consistent.

I spoke with Dave Hearth last weekend at the SW regional. He looked at a few I had im my bag and said they were not his specifications, and I should return them to TK. So mad after spending several hundred dollars with him over the last decade I decided I was done and don't intend to do anything further with him. Dave said he should have some for sale at the IRC. Ill wait and get the genuine clips.

Apex Tactical sells Genuine Dave Hearth Clips. Dave is also on here from time to time. PM him and buy direct. Slower than TK but you get the good stuff that is right the first time.

[Carmoney]

Ty, you had a very different experience than I did ordering from TK.

For years I have owned 40 genuine Hearthco moonclips (.38 Short Colt -- Starline brass), and love them dearly.

I recently ordered 40 more Hearth-style moonclips from TK, and they seem to be every bit as good.

Tom is really good with customer service--I think you have should have given him the chance to address your concerns before dogging him on the internet.

[one-gun]

Well, I don't know the set up between Dave H. and Tom at TK Customs. I will say that a couple years ago I had ordered a batch of 38 super 8 shot Hearthco moons from TK. Tom had said they were intentionally tight to have the least wobble and good for competition. He said I would not be able to load them using a BMT Mooner. So I bought and used his moon loader as well. They were super tight. To the point that forcing in the rounds with his loader seemed to be damaging the brass and the loader. And when hot, I had one bind up in the cylinder until it cooled a bit and I really pushed on it. That was at the IRC... But luckily after unload and show clear.

I called Tom back. He (who has always picked up the phone, even after hours sometimes) indicated there was a batch that was machined too tight. I sent them back and crossing them in the mail back to me was new moons and even a new loader. The new ones had a little indent machined in one of the fingers to identify them as new. They've worked well since. And they load with my BMT Mooner. So while it was a bummer having that almost torpedo a stage for me at the IRC, it wasn't for lack of customer service or responsiveness to customers from TK Customs. My experience and 2 cents.

[GlockCanMan]

I have done business with TK several times and it has always been A+. His clips have been perfect. But then I use Starline brass exclusively in my wheel guns.

[BlueOvalBandit]

Tom is really good with customer service--I think you have should have given him the chance to address your concerns before dogging him on the internet.

X2 my order was messed up one time sending me 357 clips instead of 38 super and I sent him an email he replied instantly apologizing and sent out the correct order with a prepaid mailer for returns. Total time to correct was 3 days and I contacted him in the evening PST. I can't ask for more, except maybe moonclips made from memory shape alloy so they spring back to the original shaped after stepped on. I can dream right?

[jeremy kemlo]

I like star-line 38 long colts with Herthco clips.

[Ty Hamby]

Ty, you had a very different experience than I did ordering from TK.

For years I have owned 40 genuine Hearthco moonclips (.38 Short Colt -- Starline brass), and love them dearly.

I recently ordered 40 more Hearth-style moonclips from TK, and they seem to be every bit as good.

Tom is really good with customer service--I think you have should have given him the chance to address your concerns before dogging him on the internet.

After re-reading my post, I was realize it may have sounded harsh (dogging). I also didn't explain the fact that these were super clips, which apparently do not hold the brass as I expect a clip designed to hold a specific brand of brass should be held. Dave Hearth told me his 38 super clips are blue steel. Why are all 20 hearthco clips I got from TK Stainless? Hearthco style, Hearthco look-alikes, Hearthco wanabee's, is how my clips should have been labeled. I went back and looked at my original invoice (Order Number 7158). I paid 139.90 plus shipping for 20 hearthco's for 38 super. When I received 20 stainless clips that functioned the same or worse than my stamped steel clips I was mad. After receiving 20 more that were a variety of odd miscellaneous crap,(some tighter, some looser, several ground on or single lug dremmeled,) I decided enough and move on. I could have sent them all back, demanded a refund. I chose to do nothing. That was my mistake, not TK. I should have demanded better product. It all cost me 1st place B at the SW regional last month. I had on imperfect clip hang up and had to throw and get another. Looseing by 2 seconds is my fault not TK's, one just has to wonder if I had Dave's clips in my gun would I have won B? Entry, time off work, hotel, fuel, food, would have been better spent if I had only had a better clip. Understand I am a huge fan of those that service our sport. However selling something as a Hearthco when Dave Hearth looks at it and says, "That is not mine." hurts Hearthco name. Until Dave told me "That's not mine" I thought Dave had a bad run, I thought Dave was getting sloppy. That is just not fair to Dave. I then this week became unhappy that I was sold a mis-labeled product 6 months ago. I choose to move on, and this thread alone triggered my post above only to share my experience. I did a lousy job of expressing that 100% of every other TK order I have placed has been done to 100% of my satisfaction. I mean no ill will to TK, I only want to educate others seeking to walk down the same path I already have.

Let me repeat. I have never had any other problem or ever heard of anyone else having a problem with TK. After looking on his site tonight it is apparent that the Stainless clips are gone on his site and he is now selling the blue steel ones as "Designed by Hearthco". So he may now have it all squared away. The Blue steel ones should serve you all well. Wish I had received a better product, that is all.

[Carmoney]

I will say this to those who use the "high-end" moonclips--make sure you have enough moonclips to make it through the day without having to strip and reload them, and then drop-test each loaded moonclip into the cylinder before arriving at the match.

When you reload a moonclip and stick it on your holder during a match, you are hoping it won't hang up. You're hoping it didn't get bent when it was on the ground. You're hoping you don't have a bulged or slightly misshapen round of ammo in there. But unless you have put that loaded moonclip into the cylinder of your gun, you really don't know.

I see guys who show up with 10 or 12 Hearthcos and think that's enough. And most of the time, it is. But when you don't check to make sure it will freely drop into the gun, it's on you. It's not the moonclip's fault, and it's not Tom Kilhoffer's fault.

Or so it seems to me.

[revoman]

Sorry double post

Edited April 29, 2013 by revoman

[revoman]

That is why I have 50 Herthco moon clips for my eight shot revolvers and they are all loaded and dropped tested in the cylinder before the match whether it is a local or a big match.

As a matter of fact this weekend I just loaded 60 moon clips for the Revolver Nationals and low and behold 4 would not drop in. I had 4 rounds that were bulged enough to keep them from dropping in. Glad I found them now instead of at Nationals. Now all I have to do is shoot straight and fast.

Edited April 29, 2013 by revoman

[Ty Hamby]

I must admit, I tend to talk without a filter. Anyone who puts much weight on my opinion should pause and seek advice else ware. I am new to this whole ICORE scene and there are many others with many more years of expertise. I took a picture of some of my ICORE equipment to show some of the TK stuff I own and use weekly. I have hundreds of Hearthco clips. They are magical with brass that they are designed for. I do not like the hundreds of Ranch clips I have but have not found a suitable replacement.

Like Mike I recommend everyone own enough to make it through a match. I do not consolidate ammo on clips during a match. I do use a moon checker to verify no rounds are slipping prior to setting them on my moon holder. When they tell me "Ty, you’re in the hole" I go back, select my moons, run them through my TK moon checker and set them gently on my moonclip holder. After the stage all moons go on a post and I do not use that post again. 6 posts - 6 stages. My wife and I share the Shooter Connections insert for club matches. It holds 480 rounds on moons. 240 rounds for me and 240 rounds for her. For matches with more than 8 stages (Regional’s and IRC) we both take our own ammo bag. Mike is right, It was wrong to dog TK. I use Toms stuff every weekend. I own 2 moon checker, 1 moon straightener, 3 removal tools, 4 moon clip install tools, Moon checkers, and various other goodies he sells. I was being lashing out at TK because I expected clips for Super that worked as well as my Specials. To date I have not seen any 8 shot super clip that works as well as my 8 shot special clips. TK has satisfied me with everything else I have purchased. I would recommend anyone wishing to purchase accessories to consider TK.

Edited April 29, 2013 by Ty Hamby

[Carmoney]

Ty, I enjoyed checking out the picture of your ICORE gear.......I gotta ask, is that an original Lew Horton 6.5" 627 I'm seeing? Like the one revoman desecrated a few years ago?

[Ty Hamby]

Ty, I enjoyed checking out the picture of your ICORE gear.......I gotta ask, is that an original Lew Horton 6.5" 627 I'm seeing? Like the one revoman desecrated a few years ago?

Yes! #101 to be exact. Remember one mans desecrated gun is another mans ICORE winning hunk of junk. I read about a guy inquiring about a gun coming up for sale at a local auction house. He wanted to know value. He ended up picking it up as everyone told him what it was worth. He said he would never sell. I private messaged him a "forever standing offer". He said "nope' not selling this one. I forgot about it. Fast forward to the day after Christmas and upon opening my new rifle my wife bought me, I jokingly tell her. No more guns, I have everything I need. She laughed and said, she wished she was that lucky. The following day sitting on the beach sipping on something nice, this guy calls me and said. Times are tough, Still interested.... He had a check the following day. Here is what it looked like before I got a hold of it. I have no safe queens in my safe. Everything sold to me is guaranteed range time, and most are destine to meet up with a Dremel soon enough. I will never be a collector of firearms. The second 27-7 is up next. If anyone is keeping a registry of silly looking 8 shot revolvers. I have 2) 27-7 Banger BNG0007 and BNG0036, and the Lew Horton is JMS0101. I have some more including a precious (only precious cause you have touched it) 4" Carmonized 627 that may be converted to open this summer. I am resisting open for as long as possible. I may be gray enough for open but, I am certainly not old enough.

[Carmoney]

By desecration, I don't mean moderate customization that is still legal for Limited ICORE.

But frickin' Revoman went and cut holes (gag!!) in the barrel of his 6.5" 627! Trust me, he regrets it now.

[Ty Hamby]

By desecration, I don't mean moderate customization that is still legal for Limited ICORE.

But frickin' Revoman went and cut holes (gag!!) in the barrel of his 6.5" 627! Trust me, he regrets it now.

HE DID WHAT!!! Yea I could never do that. Pretty hard to go backwards. While the finish will never be original. I can still restore all of mine to almost original. Any plans on Carmonize your safe queen 27-7 ? Ill be happy to pimp it out for you. lol

[revoman]

Ok I get it now it is time to dog revoman. :-) I did modify it just a little by replacing the barrel with a 38 super barrel, cut the cylinder back to 38 short colt and had it blued.

But on the bright side there is only 199 left so I actually made my other 627 61/2" and all the others out there worth more. So I should get a thank you from all the other owners of the 6 1/2". :-) and before anyone asks where the original barrel is it is long gone.

Sometime it is not how good you are but if you have cool guns to make you look good even when you are shooting bad.

[Ty Hamby]

Ok I get it now it is time to dog revoman. :-) I did modify it just a little by replacing the barrel with a 38 super barrel, cut the cylinder back to 38 short colt and had it blued.

But on the bright side there is only 199 left so I actually made my other 627 61/2" and all the others out there worth more. So I should get a thank you from all the other owners of the 6 1/2". :-) and before anyone asks where the original barrel is it is long gone.

Sometime it is not how good you are but if you have cool guns to make you look good even when you are shooting bad.

If I could figure out how to put a 327 barrel in my 627-4 I would do it tomorrow. Love the gun hate the clips. opps. not going there again. Time to sell the dash four once I get the 6.5" dialed in. Then use the other 27 as a backup for either of us should one go down. Highly unlikely but firing pins could break on the first stage of a national match forcing me to take a mulligan. It could happen. Really, I have seen it.....lol