HearthCo. Moon Clips

[apf383]

As I understand it, these are the way to go for my 8 shot 627PC. However, on the TK Custom website they say they are NG for Winchester brass . Since I reaload several typs of brass, including W, am I going to have to eliminate the Winchester, or can they be finessed into the HeathCo. clips? Also, do I want the .020, or .025. thickness? Thanks from newbie.

Edited May 16, 2014 by apf383

[buckaroo45]

Only way I use Heartho's is with Starline because at those prices I don't want them to become loose. Generic moons for everything else. Tom @ TK really knows his stuff so I pay attention when he says something. "Finessed" would be a substitute for forced in this instance. But that's just my take.

[alecmc]

Do yourself the favor and separate all your winchester. Either, go ALL winchester, or no winchester.

He makes clips that'll work with just winchester, and others that work with "most others", and some that work with just starline.

For my USPSA ammo I went the starline route, and hearthco specific clips for starline.

[apf383]

IM sent buckaroo. Thanks. Looks like I'm going to need the 2 different kinds of moon clips alecmc, as I have enough of Federal, Win, etc. No Starline though. Thanks guys.

Edited May 16, 2014 by apf383

[jhgtyre]

IM sent buckaroo. Thanks. Looks like I'm going to need the 2 different kinds of moon clips alecmc, as I have enough of Federal, Win, etc. No Starline though. Thanks guys.

2 different kinds of moon clips sounds like a headache waiting to happen. I would buy a supply of one kind of brass and one kind of moon clip to carry them. It isn't like we lose our brass that often so the investment in new brass lasts a long time.

-ld

[alecmc]

IM sent buckaroo. Thanks. Looks like I'm going to need the 2 different kinds of moon clips alecmc, as I have enough of Federal, Win, etc. No Starline though. Thanks guys.

2 different kinds of moon clips sounds like a headache waiting to happen. I would buy a supply of one kind of brass and one kind of moon clip to carry them. It isn't like we lose our brass that often so the investment in new brass lasts a long time.

-ld

Agreed,

I wouldn't run two different type of moonclips, just get rid of your winchester, try trading with a friend for a different head stamp.

life will be much easier.

[mcb]

Running Revolver Supply moonclips. They are stamped with the thickness on them so running two thickness is no problem. My 38 SC is all Starline but I have some 0.020" thick moonclips I use with a bunch of Winchester 38 Special brass.

[pskys2]

Hearthco Clips are a lot thicker than Revolver Supply's, and won't get bent as easily. The Revo Supply Competition Clips will bend. Use up that old brass in a Production gun and leave it lay. Starline seems to be available more frequently, and in 38's they are very consistent. Whatever Brass you end up with, stick with that brand and get moon clips to fit them from Hearthco or TK.

I wouldn't hesitate to use more than 1 brand of moon clip though. Get Heartco/TK's in only stainless and all others in blue. For instance for NRA Action Pistol I could use Revo Supply's blued moon clips, as they won't get stepped on or need to be used in a speed reload. Places you would want to use tighter moon clips.

The easier it is to load that moon clip, the less sturdy it will be and more problematic on a fast reload.

Edited May 17, 2014 by pskys2

[Bubber]

pskys2, they all bend when a size 13 Broughan steps on them. I can straighten them but sometimes the clips are so loose that they will loose the rounds. Don't ask me how I know!!!

[mcb]

Hearthco Clips are a lot thicker than Revolver Supply's, and won't get bent as easily. The Revo Supply Competition Clips will bend. Use up that old brass in a Production gun and leave it lay. Starline seems to be available more frequently, and in 38's they are very consistent. Whatever Brass you end up with, stick with that brand and get moon clips to fit them from Hearthco or TK.

I wouldn't hesitate to use more than 1 brand of moon clip though. Get Heartco/TK's in only stainless and all others in blue. For instance for NRA Action Pistol I could use Revo Supply's blued moon clips, as they won't get stepped on or need to be used in a speed reload. Places you would want to use tighter moon clips.

The easier it is to load that moon clip, the less sturdy it will be and more problematic on a fast reload.

Hearthco and Revolver Supply moonclips better be the same thickness. They both advertise their thickness. They come in 0.025 or 0.020 inch thick for 357/38 (Revolver Supply also offers a 0.022", Hearthco may offer other thickness too). I have no doubt that the Hearthco moonclips are better but IMHO the cost is not worth the increase in performance they offer. I have yet to have a Revolver Supply 0.025 moonclip and Starliine brass fail me in competition. Are they as tight as Hearthco? Nope, but tight enough. Any bad reloads are my fault not my moonclip/case combo. As for bending them I have only bent 4-5 since I started shooting them last summer. At the Nationals I bent one moon clip and that was after my size 12 stomped it into the gravel. I can stomp on four Revolver Supply moonclips for about the same cost as one Hearthco moonclip. Again, no knock against HearthCo they are awesome, but for me they are not 4x more awesome, so I am happy to use Revolver Supply and they are working well for me.

[pskys2]

Hearthco Clips are a lot thicker than Revolver Supply's, and won't get bent as easily. The Revo Supply Competition Clips will bend. Use up that old brass in a Production gun and leave it lay. Starline seems to be available more frequently, and in 38's they are very consistent. Whatever Brass you end up with, stick with that brand and get moon clips to fit them from Hearthco or TK.

I wouldn't hesitate to use more than 1 brand of moon clip though. Get Heartco/TK's in only stainless and all others in blue. For instance for NRA Action Pistol I could use Revo Supply's blued moon clips, as they won't get stepped on or need to be used in a speed reload. Places you would want to use tighter moon clips.

The easier it is to load that moon clip, the less sturdy it will be and more problematic on a fast reload.

Hearthco and Revolver Supply moonclips better be the same thickness. They both advertise their thickness. They come in 0.025 or 0.020 inch thick for 357/38 (Revolver Supply also offers a 0.022", Hearthco may offer other thickness too). I have no doubt that the Hearthco moonclips are better but IMHO the cost is not worth the increase in performance they offer. I have yet to have a Revolver Supply 0.025 moonclip and Starliine brass fail me in competition. Are they as tight as Hearthco? Nope, but tight enough. Any bad reloads are my fault not my moonclip/case combo. As for bending them I have only bent 4-5 since I started shooting them last summer. At the Nationals I bent one moon clip and that was after my size 12 stomped it into the gravel. I can stomp on four Revolver Supply moonclips for about the same cost as one Hearthco moonclip. Again, no knock against HearthCo they are awesome, but for me they are not 4x more awesome, so I am happy to use Revolver Supply and they are working well for me.

TK sells the premium .025's in stainless steel for 6.495, Revo sells the premium .025's for blue 3.00 and nicklel (not stainless steel) for 3.90. With both, and Hearthco himself, you can get bulk discounts. But looking at mine the big difference is in the width of the spacing metal Hearthco is .090 Revo is .080 and that makes a big difference. I've yet to bend a Hearthco, bent 2 of 10 Revo's. Again I'd not argue against using either, just buy different metal types (blue or SS) to easily ID each.

Edited May 18, 2014 by pskys2

[apf383]

I guess the best thing for me to do is sort my brass, get try a few different ones for myself. Make a determination which is best, and save the rest for practice range. Thanks to all.

[itchy]

Dave Hearth makes moons in two thicknesses. One will fit starline, the other will fit R-P and Federal. Winchester has a thinner rim cut, so the Heathco's won't fit. If you need to do reloads on the clock, there is nothing better than Hearthco, but you must keep brass separated by brand. If you are shooting NRA action pistol, with limited shots per position, you can buy a moon that will fit Winchester, and most other brands will fit, but the will be a little loose.

Seiichi

[jhgtyre]

I guess the best thing for me to do is sort my brass, get try a few different ones for myself. Make a determination which is best, and save the rest for practice range. Thanks to all.

I save the non-Starline brass for my model 19. I shoot that with speed loaders in IDPA and the type of brass is WAY less important for that gun.

-ld

[practical_man]

The ranch products 38 special clips work fine with Winchester brass. They are about $75 per hundred. Sadly hey are terrible with any other brand of brass.

I have a few Hearthco for starline brass. They are excellent. Haven't tried rsc yet

[varminter22]

I went with the "buy once, cry once" theory.

Starline brass and Hearthco clips. Works great.

[mcb]

The 627 is just a moonclip snob. My 625 and 610 have just one moonclip that works great with everything. Ranch Products Moonclip have been tough and reliable for both. The 627 is so much more finicky.

I forgot to add my original mooner to the picture, a pair of channel lock pliers.

[Jaxshooter]

I bought 1000 pieces of nickel plated Starline 38 super brass when I bought my 627 about 6 or 7 years ago. I am still loading that brass. With the light loads I am loading for ICORE and now USPSA unless it gets lost or stepped on I won't have to buy brass any time in the near future. Pay the price once for brass and moon clips and eliminate the head aches so you can concentrate on shooting.

[hearthco]

Hi Guys, Actually all Hearthco 38 special moonclips are .025. Ive never seen a variation of the stock I purchase of more than .0003. The Starline clips are a bit tighter than my standard clips. I have done a few custom orders of .023. But I dont like to have the inconsistencies of multiple thickness out on the range. One clips got to be exactly like another. Winchester groove cut is to skinny for my .025 clips. I actually talked to one of the engineers at Win and suggested if they opened the cut up a few thou they would have lots of folks using their brass. Never happened far as I know.

"I went with the "buy once, cry once" theory." I love that line! Dave

[9146gt]

Hi Guys, Actually all Hearthco 38 special moonclips are .025. Ive never seen a variation of the stock I purchase of more than .0003. The Starline clips are a bit tighter than my standard clips. I have done a few custom orders of .023. But I dont like to have the inconsistencies of multiple thickness out on the range. One clips got to be exactly like another. Winchester groove cut is to skinny for my .025 clips. I actually talked to one of the engineers at Win and suggested if they opened the cut up a few thou they would have lots of folks using their brass. Never happened far as I know.

"I went with the "buy once, cry once" theory." I love that line! Dave

What does "Designed by HearthCo" Mean?

Tom

[hearthco]

Ive done the clip design and programming for many of the clips that Tom sells. He fabricates on his own edm machines.

[9146gt]

Thanks for the info.

Tom

[Brian Gonsalves]

For the 627's get Starline Brass and Hearthco clips, you'll never regret it! You get all your brass back and it will last a long time with how we're loading it. The costs of the occasional clip that get stepped on, is small in the scheme of things in our hobby.

[Carmoney]

I agree with B.G.