I guess I need to do more explaining about moon clips.
Moon clips are a device that will hold all 5 of your 38 or 357 shells ready for loading in the LCR. You snap the shells into the moon clip at the under cut just above the rim. The Moon Clip and ammunition just drop in the gun as a unit.
The cylinder has to be recut on the back to provide clearance for the moon clip to recess into when loaded into the LCR.
The recess can be done one of two ways. The entire back of the cylinder can be machined off .025. In which case you would be required to use the moon clip for the shell to head space correctly. Not the Hot Set Up.
The other more common method is to just make the machine cut large enough in diameter for the clip to drop into, leaving an outer ring on the cylinder uncut. With this method you can load loose rounds, as they will make contact with the outer non-machined ring, and head space off of it in the conventional manner. Using speedloaders ammunition still headspaces of the outer ring like loose rounds. When using the moon clips to load with, all 5 rounds drop in the cylinder. The moon clip drops into the machined recess cut, out of the way, and you shut the gun. When you eject the ammunition, all 5 rounds come back out of the gun still in the moon clips as a unit.
The disadvantages of using 38/357 Magnum moon clips: First 38/357 ammunition has different size undercuts at the rim Brand to Brand. This undercut is where the shell snaps into the moon clip. Being different sizes brand to brand really messes things up. Winchester cases have a very small undercut and are not recommended at all. Starline is a little looser, but still not suitable for the .025 clips. Remington, and Speer should work ok. Other brands need checked for clearance. Bottom line they can be a pain due to variations in the undercut size brand to brand.
Next with a thickness of .025 LCR Moonclips are a little on the fragile side. The TK clips that are EDM cut are reportedly a little more durable than stamped out moonclips. You must be careful and not bend the clips, as they will not work when bent, they will lock up the cylinder not allowing it to rotate freely, if at all. The Moon Clips are normally bent when loading, or unloading them roughly. The way this normally happens in this application is attempting to snap ammunition into the clips that has to tight an undercut to fit correctly.
Another down side would be doing a top off reload. All 5 shells come out as a unit, loaded or empty. I do not have any TK LCR moon clips to check, but you may not be able to remove and reinstall loose ammunition in the clips just using your fingers.
I believe I have covered the negative issues using moon clips. So why use them at all?
01. They are the fastest reloading method available for the LCR.
02. They eliminate the Grip Clearance problem using speedloaders.
03. In a match where you cannot pick up your brass, you can pick up your speedloaders, which in the case of moonclips means you also get your brass back with the clips. If in a selfdefense situation in say East St Louis Ill. or Chicago you might need to pick up your brass before not talking with the Police after defending yourself if you have that option.
Shooting Factory Ammunition: The process is simple. Find a brand of ammunition that works well in the moon clips, and use it.
Reloading: I have dozens of different head stamps on my several thousand rounds of 38 Special range brass, as do several of the readers of this post. When reloading for Moon Clips you will need to sort it out into Moon Clip and Non Moon Clip piles. I would start by sorting the head stamps first. We know by now from the TK web site that Winchester and Starline are in the Non Moon Clip Pile. Other brands will need checked for under cut width and depth. If the undercut width is narrow the ammunition will be too rigid in the moon clips if it fits at all, and not load well in the LCR. If the under cut is too shallow the ammunition will not snap in the clips fully, and not work well. If the undercut is to deep the ammunition may be excessively loose and come out of the clips in your pocket. By sorting you will be able to determine which brass works best.
After you determine what works best and sort out the brass, keep it seperated for moon clip use.
Loading and Unloading Moon Clips. Most tools are designed around the more common moon clip sizes for the 25-2, 625, and 325 45acp revolvers, and the 610, and 310 10mm revolvers. After that the 7 and 8 shot competition 38/357 Smith and Wessons would be addressed next.
TK lists a Moon Clip Loading and Unloading tool for the SP101, that should also work for the LCR. It is $50. Using the correct tool will definently help you to not bend the moon clips.
The price of having the cylinder machined is $100.
The price of the Moon Clip Loading Tool is $50
The Best available EDM Cut Moon Clips are $60 per 10.
It will cost $210 to get started using moon clips in the LCR doing it right with the moon clip loader. Roughly half what you gave for the LCR. At that price it is not a modification for everyone. A moon clip conversion to an LCR will be for those needing the fastest reload possible for self defense or competition.
My LCR Conversion experiance is by association. I have a Clark Moon Clip Conversion on my 686 Power Custom Combat Revolver. It has all the same issues using 38/357 ammo as the LCR. It also has the same .025 thickness moon clips. I had this conversion done almost 20 years ago. I have not really worked with it as I should have because the wife took over the 686 years ago for her house gun.
Smith &Wesson has a Moon Clip version of atleast 3 of their J frames. The 442, 642, and I think the 640. Moon Clip J Frames while not common, are out their for the fastest reload possible in a small carry revolver.
I have a 686 4", a 625 3", a 610 4" and a 310 Night Guard 2.5" at the moment that all use moon clips. I also have owned an SP101 9mm moon clip gun. I have also owned 1917's, Webley's, and 25-2's over the years. I have been using moon clips for 35 years, so I do have a little experiance with them. Just not in many 5 shot guns.
We may still have some one step up to the plate, who has had this modification done to an LCR, or has first hand J frame experiance using moon clips. Inquiring Minds want to know your experiances using them.
Bob
I mean really, how many times have you spent money on something you wanted but not necessarily needed? I can't say I'm interested in this mod on an LCR but often though about an Alaskan in 454 set up for moon clips. I could then shoot 45 acp to 454 in it. It's beyond my means at this time though.
