Trooper Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 G'day Folks, I'm a pretty new IPSC shooter Down Under - got started with a Glock 17A in Production - as many do! Having a lot of fun I must say... but having seen a small amount of Revolver shooting on a DVD of the XIV World shoot I'm thinking I'd like to add that to my repertoire.... I have a bunch of revolvers already, but they are all Single Action - for CAS (Cowboy Action Shooting) which is my OTHER shooting discipline. Not much use here.. unless I can wear 4/5 of them at once... Having looked at speed loaders and moon clips "in action" I kinda like the moonclip idea... but we have a 38/9mm calibre limit here for most shooting sports.. so a 625 is out of the question.. What options then do I have for a moonclipped wheelgun ? I believe a 686 can be "shaved".. but does it then use 9mm/38 Super.. OR does it still use 38 Spec/357 Mag??? Reading here and elsewhere has left me confused..... THAT question shows what level of knowledge I have right now I suppose! Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revoman Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Pinnacle High Performance can take your L frame 686 and rechamber it to shoot 9 mm, 38 super and 9x23. I have attached his site for you to look at and call him with questions. http://www.pinnacle-guns.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Xtreme Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Or you can use moon clipped 38 specials and 357 magnum cases by just having the cylinder cut for those moonclips for $100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Trooper, Having the cylinder cut for moons would allow you to use the 38/357 rounds that it is already chambered for. The longer cases of the 38 special make it a little slower to reload. UNLESS your moons hold the cases rigid. Depending on your reloading style, ie weakhand / Sronghand, Might I recommend some Jet Loaders or the Safariland Comp III's. There are several accomplished Aussie Revo shooters that frequent the board here. And there is that other sport known as ICORE that is in Australia. Good luck later rdd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8ring Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 TK Custom (www.moonclips.com) can send you moonclips, a moonsetter, and the instructions a machinist can follow to set your .38/.357 revolver up to shoot with moonclips. Moonclips and instructions are available for S & W K, L, and N frames, the Ruger GP-100, the Ruger Security Six, and several Colt revolvers. Be aware that TK Custom's .38/.357 moonclips work best with Federal or Starline brass. Have fun shooting your wheelgun in competition. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pstew Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Sounds like you need to look up some of you fellow australian ICORE members. There are a ton on ICORE members in australia. http://www.icore.org/ Specifically, you get your 686 cut to accept moonclips, and you shoot normal .38/ .357 cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooper Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 Thankyou Gentlemen! I must admit I was flabbergasted to find there was a 'smith doing this conversion Down Under!!! DB Custom in Queensland seems to be "licensed" by TK Custom... or sumtin like that! Too cool! And thanks to pstew for the ICORE link!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pskys2 Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 +1 with Bubber, I watched a .38 Special moonclip competitor at the Iowa Revolver only Champs and those things flop around real bad. Worse was they kept getting stepped on. Really ugly when twisted into a tinfoil ball type mess. I have a M29 cut for moonclips and use them with .44 Russians, works good. But not as good as a .45, unfortunately for you guys. And the clips are easier to bend, also easier to straighten. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Xtreme Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I have a pair of 686's cut for the TK moonclips. I did a 4" for IDPA and the 6" for USPSA. I shot the Aware match and the Area 7 with the 6" last year. I used Comp 3's for years prior to having this done and in my personal opinion the moonclips are better and faster. I made "A" class with them in one season so they aint all bad! I use Remington and Federal 38 special cases, Winchester are to tight. I loaded up Berry's and Rainer 158 gr plated round nose bullets to major power factor and they worked great. My reloads average around 2.30 seconds. I was more like 2.5 with the comp 3's. The moonclips are about $3.50 each, and they are thinner than the 45 moonclips. I did have a few stepped on by RO's over the course of the summer. They straightened out enough to use for practice after that. I agree that the 625 moonclip system is better but if thats not an option I would definately reccomend doing up the 686. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwx40x40 Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Northern EXTREME What powder are you using to get MAJOR with 158 Plated bullets in 38 special? Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdgun Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I am actually going to try the 686 this year. i will be using a 6 inch with the load that NorthernExtreme uses. 6.8 unique w/158 Berry bullet. I will also be trying some 38 super and cut down 38 specials. I like to be different, I never fell for the 625 bit every one raves about. I do own one though. I got my M card this year with a 610 6inch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Xtreme Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 Yes that is the load. Made PF fine at area 7 (171+) but just barely at the AWARE (165 without much to spare). I dont know what the difference was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revchuck Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 I am actually going to try the 686 this year. i will be using a 6 inch with the load that NorthernExtreme uses. 6.8 unique w/158 Berry bullet.FWIW, this same load with a RNL bullet makes major from my 4" guns. It's way cleaner than some folks would have you believe, at least with the new Unique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Xtreme Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 I shoot a lot of lead bullets for practice. I have a friend that used to cast bullets commercially and he will still cast bullets for me if I provide the alloy. I have been seriously considering investing in the molds for a 158 gr LRN bullet, it is one of the few he does not have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10mmdave Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 Yes that is the load. Made PF fine at area 7 (171+) but just barely at the AWARE (165 without much to spare). I dont know what the difference was. How old was the brass ?? Did they use moonclips at the chrono Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Round_Gun_Shooter Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 (edited) Yes that is the load. Made PF fine at area 7 (171+) but just barely at the AWARE (165 without much to spare). I dont know what the difference was. How old was the brass ?? Did they use moonclips at the chrono For some unknown reason MANY had chrono trouble at AWARE. My loads made PF but just barely. Everywhere else they chrono at 175PF +/- a little but to make only 166 was a very rare thing. Should there be a big difference between sea level and the Green Mountains?? Edited November 10, 2006 by Round_Gun_Shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8shooter Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Trooper, I won the revolver class at this years Australian Nationals in Adelaide with a 686 6shot which was moonclipped, and I run 38 special brass through it running around 130pf I tend to shoot slower and make sure the A's count. I had 6 California Compettion works speed load holders, if it was a long course I would keep 6 clips on the belt and load the first clip from hand, and I would stash a "back up" clip in a pocket. With the laws we have here that is basically the best set up you could use in revo class. Honestly spending the money to convert one to 9mm is not worth it.... and personally I wouldn't send a toy gun to DB Custom to work on. If your down south ..... Relic Custom in Melbourne can do moonclip jobs and also supply everything to get you started. Peter Muscat can also do them not sure of where he is exactly but could source a number if needed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Xtreme Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 I used to know some Australian shooter back when I shot the Bianchi Cup in the mid 90's. Do you know if Brian Kilpatrick or Ross Newell are still shooting down under? The Austrailian crew used to buy a Dillon press every year and set it up in the hotel room and they would all load their ammo for the weeks worth of practice and the match. I remember sitting at the bar listening to Brian's stories about hunting Kangaroos from a helicopter. Boy you guys sure can drink Beer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8shooter Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I used to know some Australian shooter back when I shot the Bianchi Cup in the mid 90's.Do you know if Brian Kilpatrick or Ross Newell are still shooting down under? The Austrailian crew used to buy a Dillon press every year and set it up in the hotel room and they would all load their ammo for the weeks worth of practice and the match. I remember sitting at the bar listening to Brian's stories about hunting Kangaroos from a helicopter. Boy you guys sure can drink Beer! NX ... I know of both Ross and Brian, but have never met them, I was at the World Action Titles and neither shot the match ... so maybe just competing locally now. As for the hunting from helicopters and beer drinking ... not much has changed there. I must be a touch smarter than these 2 though, I just got a friend in the USA to load my ammo before I got there, that way I just had to shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Xtreme Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 When they bought the Dillon presses there was a whole airplane full of them. I think they had to place high enough to be able to return the next year. Like it was government sponsored or something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8shooter Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Yeah kinda works like that.... place higher enough at the Nationals after shooting enough qualifying matches and expenses are paid for to a degree. I did the sums and found it was cheaper to fund myself to Bianchi than all the qualifying matches, and then I didn't have to worry about following the team agenda etc etc. I am not much of a sight seeker, so my justification for travelling is to shoot a match at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooper Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 (edited) A man after my own heart!!! I've been to the US 11 times since 97..... to SHOOT!!! Sure, we have done some sightseeing.. but only what we could fit in around the shooting! We shoot EVERY weekend we are over...... most recent trip we shot an "Annual" Match (<200 shooters) in Cortez CO, then drove on down to Albuquerque for the Worlds... (950 shooters) then up to Cheyenne WY for a "Regional" Match... (2-300 folks) Best holiday I've ever had!!! And I imagine the same sort of thing would work with IPSC/ICORE... plan the trip to take in "consecutive" shoots.. hopefully in adjoining states! I am looking forward to taking ONE MORE handgun with me on future trips... and dedicating one weekend to IPSC...... Edited November 13, 2006 by Trooper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooney Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Yes that is the load. Made PF fine at area 7 (171+) but just barely at the AWARE (165 without much to spare). I dont know what the difference was. How old was the brass ?? Did they use moonclips at the chrono For some unknown reason MANY had chrono trouble at AWARE. My loads made PF but just barely. Everywhere else they chrono at 175PF +/- a little but to make only 166 was a very rare thing. Should there be a big difference between sea level and the Green Mountains?? Yep- Very strange how far apart everybody's loads turned out. We had a guy go minor in our squad, after his open gun made 176 at A7. A couple years ago, I made a 191 PF at A7 (WWB) and then 179 at AWARE- with the same ammo. Even bought it in bulk at the same time from Wallyworld. This year, 174 at A7, and 171 at AWARE. Pretty close. I think the temp at Area 7 may have had a little to do with it though (this year)- it was pretty chilly. Here's hoping we all get it figured out before the match this year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKE MSM Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 G'day Trooper If you are looking for moonclips in OZ I can help out. I shoot IPSC and ICORE and just happen to have a EDM Wirecutter. I have been making moonclips ever since the guys I shoot with found out I could. What do you want? One of the more exotic clips I can supply are for a 686 in 357Sig. I have the drawings for Taurus, Ruger and others and am happy to make specials (making clips almost covers my ammo costs they are not a living) I am not a gunsmith or a dealer so cannot modifiy your gun but any decent smith won't have a problem. Best regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooper Posted November 28, 2006 Author Share Posted November 28, 2006 Thanks Mike.... noted!!! Sorry for the slow response.... just in from New Zealand! Went to their CAS Nationals... Fun Match! love to shoot an IPSC event at that range!!! (A private one in the hills near Hokitika) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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