Henry Rifle Forums

Might get a pocket .38 so I can grab and go when I'm walking my dog at night (bear poop and weirdos around here lol) and some have moon clips. Interesting to me but in the whole scheme of things are they worth it? You have to use them if the cylinder is cut for them, right? Seems loading will take longer snapping in the rounds in the clips but faster if you need to reload in an emergency.
Just don't want to get one and regret it.

D

I was wondering about moon clips myself and found this Jerry Miculek video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqLinQGGxSQ&t=29s
Here's a couple that show how fast you can reload with moon clips although you are not likely to get as fast as Jerry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByyEGkdQJF8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNFW8eSzb44

On most DA models that use moon clips, the cylinder has to be cut for them and you're limited to the specific shape/style of moon clip. There have been some models, though, where the cylinder is not cut to take a specific style of moon clip, but still allow enough room for a moon clip. Those are fairly rare, though.

I tend to be faster on the reload with speed loaders than moon clips, myself, but speed loaders aren't as compact and space saving as moon clips. Definitely much easier to reload a speed loader, though, than a moon clip. Filling and unloading a moon clip usually means using a tool.

Unless you want or need to go DA, though, you can ditch the moon clips entirely by going single action revolver. That's always been my favorite way to shoot 9mm and 45 auto in a revolver.

I owned a revolver that used moon clips and all I can say is never again. They are fun to play with but not what I'd call emergency reliable. Just mastering a reload with moon clips takes a lot of practice. If you try to push the moon clip into the cylinder they will jam and not seat. As Jerry Miculek points out in the video they are sort of fragile and can easily get bent. I much prefer a revolver with speed loaders any day. Speed loaders are durable and reliable and with a little practice easy to reload with.

For pocket gun, why not choose a small auto loader? There are plenty out there that will slip in a pocket and magazines are very reliable, easy to use and store in another pocket.

Paul

Thanks for the video and input - way too tedious for me to use tools and such. Thought you could snap the ammo in and snap off. Not the case I see. The only advantage is reloading pre-clipped ammo. Might be a great idea for pocket carry but wow looks like a nightmare at the range.

Headhog wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 30, 2022 4:20 pm

I owned a revolver that used moon clips and all I can say is never again. They are fun to play with but not what I'd call emergency reliable. Just mastering a reload with moon clips takes a lot of practice. If you try to push the moon clip into the cylinder they will jam and not seat. As Jerry Miculek points out in the video they are sort of fragile and can easily get bent. I much prefer a revolver with speed loaders any day. Speed loaders are durable and reliable and with a little practice easy to reload with.

For pocket gun, why not choose a small auto loader? There are plenty out there that will slip in a pocket and magazines are very reliable, easy to use and store in another pocket.

Paul

I was just thinking the same how the autos solved sooooo many problems - the Hellcat or smaller Glock is still on the table but I really love the double action SW's now that I have been shooting the 686. .380 is out of the question just for the fact I don't want any new ammo calibers. .38 seems to be a good answer for throwing in my jacket when I'm out with the dog or going to the store.

dave77 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 30, 2022 1:51 pm

I was wondering about moon clips myself and found this Jerry Miculek video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqLinQGGxSQ&t=29s
Here's a couple that show how fast you can reload with moon clips although you are not likely to get as fast as Jerry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByyEGkdQJF8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNFW8eSzb44

OMG Jerry is lightning fast! Thanks for the vids!

Kissmybrass wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 30, 2022 4:30 pm

dave77 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 30, 2022 1:51 pm

I was wondering about moon clips myself and found this Jerry Miculek video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqLinQGGxSQ&t=29s
Here's a couple that show how fast you can reload with moon clips although you are not likely to get as fast as Jerry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByyEGkdQJF8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNFW8eSzb44

OMG Jerry is lightning fast! Thanks for the vids!

The man is not human. I'm convinced he was dropped off by and alien space ship.

Paul

Headhog wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 30, 2022 4:20 pm

I owned a revolver that used moon clips and all I can say is never again. They are fun to play with but not what I'd call emergency reliable. Just mastering a reload with moon clips takes a lot of practice. If you try to push the moon clip into the cylinder they will jam and not seat. As Jerry Miculek points out in the video they are sort of fragile and can easily get bent. I much prefer a revolver with speed loaders any day. Speed loaders are durable and reliable and with a little practice easy to reload with.

For pocket gun, why not choose a small auto loader? There are plenty out there that will slip in a pocket and magazines are very reliable, easy to use and store in another pocket.

Paul

DITTO!

Glad I checked on the moon clips. Next thread is gonna be Smith & Wesson or (well, any other brand in the .38 +P category) debate. Seems the Taurus is 100% stainless but comes in way cheaper. There's gotta be a reason right? Heard great things about the Rugers and the Kimber revolvers are kinda sweet and modern looking. Would be hard to get away from SW though.

When you're ready to explore those revolver brands, just holler. I've carried every one of them, except for the Taurus and after examining a lot of Taurus revolvers in the showcase over the years, that's fine with me.

North Country Gal wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 30, 2022 6:04 pm

When you're ready to explore those revolver brands, just holler. I've carried every one of them, except for the Taurus and after examining a lot of Taurus revolvers in the showcase over the years, that's fine with me.

I figured for such a low price point there's gotta be some quality shortcuts... I looked as some SW's and like em. Do you have a favorite? Haven't seen a Colt or Ruger yet.

The Kimbers are excellent and I have had a few of them. Expensive, though, but you do get 6 shots instead of the usual 5 with a Smith or a Ruger and if you plan to use a DA trigger, the Kimbers are top notch.

The new Colt Cobra actually surprised me, given Colt QC can be spotty. The one I had actually shot very well. Also gets you 6 rounds instead of 5.

For small, compact and light, still pretty tough to beat a Smith J frame.

The Ruger L series revolvers are worth a look, too.

These days, I'm back to single actions revolvers for all of my needs, including any self-defense needs, since self-defense for me is the 4 legged kind, not the kind that shoots back. A single action works for my needs, plus I've been shooting single actions from the very beginning and they fit my shooting like a glove.

North Country Gal wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 30, 2022 6:50 pm

The Kimbers are excellent and I have had a few of them. Expensive, though, but you do get 6 shots instead of the usual 5 with a Smith or a Ruger and if you plan to use a DA trigger, the Kimbers are top notch.

The new Colt Cobra actually surprised me, given Colt QC can be spotty. The one I had actually shot very well. Also gets you 6 rounds instead of 5.

For small, compact and light, still pretty tough to beat a Smith J frame.

The Ruger L series revolvers are worth a look, too.

These days, I'm back to single actions revolvers for all of my needs, including any self-defense needs, since self-defense for me is the 4 legged kind, not the kind that shoots back. A single action works for my needs, plus I've been shooting single actions from the very beginning and they fit my shooting like a glove.

You must open carry? Single actions are usually the Colt Army style, right? What do you carry or what's your fave?

Kissmybrass wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 30, 2022 5:38 pm

Glad I checked on the moon clips. Next thread is gonna be Smith & Wesson or (well, any other brand in the .38 +P category) debate. Seems the Taurus is 100% stainless but comes in way cheaper. There's gotta be a reason right? Heard great things about the Rugers and the Kimber revolvers are kinda sweet and modern looking. Would be hard to get away from SW though.

Got that right KMB. Nothing in DA comes close to the 686, other than maybe a Python. JMO.

You can carry concealed, as in under your jacket or coat, if you have your permit, otherwise open carry. The traditional Colt 1873, the Peacemaker, or its many clones via Uberti, Pietta and others fits me the best of any single action, but I've owned and used many, many others.

Here's my Cimarron (Pietta) Frontier 357 (top) and my Taylor's (Uberti) Smoke Wagon 357

Beautiful SA revolvers!

Love case hardened SAA's :-) Very nice!

Thanks, guys. What I mean by fit with the 1873s is that I can comfortably cock them one-handed without any change in my grip. That's actually very important if I ever needed a fast follow up shot and couldn't use a two-handed grip. It doesn't take much in a single action's dimensions to change that. For instance, the Ruger Vaquero is very close to an 1873 Colt, but it's just different enough for me to contort my grip in order to cock it with one hand. Very awkward for me to shoot one hand and even more so for Blackhawks. For the Rugers, I draw and operate with a cowboy action style two hand hold.

And for me, there is still nothing faster for me to draw from a holster and that is better balanced than the traditional Colt. Pretty amazing after all these years. Long live the 1873 Colt.

Here's my coin finish, engraved Taylor/Uberti in 45 colt

oooooh coin finish is beautiful! I can see ya fanning off 6 rounds in a couple seconds with that lol