I recently bought a Performance Center 586 L-Comp, and it’s awesome.

Right now I’m running a Speed-Beez speed loader, which I like, but I’d like some good moon clips for it (or should I just stay with the speed-beez speed loaders?)

My problem is, the two moon clips my revolver came with, hasn’t fit any of the ammo I have on hand…(three different types)

Speed Beez has moon clips too, is this a common problem with tolerances being….well, all over the place? Or is it just SW moon clips that don’t fit ammo?

Is the cylinder cut for "moon clips"?

I thought conventional speed loaders would not work on cylinders cut for moon-clips.

The ammo you have will not fit into the moon-clips or the loaded moon clip seats too high and the cylinder will not close?

Yes they will. The cut for moon clips does not affect speedloader use.

I can’t get ammunition to fit into the moon-clip slots.

I read that 357/38 specs can be all over the place and this is common? I don’t know if this is true or not…

Just wondering if it’s the “cheap” moon-clips from SW and if I would have better luck with a “better quality” brand of moon-clips.

The 587 L-comp is cut for moon-clips and yes the speed-loaders are also compatible.

Extractor groove clearance can be a problem with moon clips some brands work better with some moon clips. I don’t know off hand where it was but someone has a write up on moon clips and had a break down of which worked best with which manufacturer. Might try searching which moon clips for which brass.

Also it can be extremely hard to get cartridges on them at first at least ime and getting brass off is also a pain. For a loading tool I can’t help with an improvised but for a unloading tool a piece of 375 brass works well. You slide the empty brass over the casing and pop them off.

I have tk custom moon clips for my S&W 442.  So far, 3 different brands of ammo fit the moonclips and Norma does not.

TK custom does list some brands of ammo that don't fit their moonclips, so I suspect it's pretty common that some ammo has a slightly thicker base than others.

Yep there is not SAAMI spec for the rebate under the rim which is why each brass manufacturer is different

The moon clips that will work with all the American manufacturers are Ranch Products, Speed Bees, Wilson

There was only one brand of 38 I can think of that was “tight” but those still worked also. Can’t remember the brand now, it was two years ago when that came up, it was the only obtainum 38 at the time.





Your brass round bar will also do the job for loading moon clips

Here’s a snip from a post in made in a thread here. It was about J frames but the principle will work for any moon clip. I’ve tried 5, 6, 7, 8 shots. Rimmed and non rimmed cases. They all worked


Also.  Far as tools for mooning and demooning those 9mm J frames.  The easiest thing is get a .3125 stainless round bar from Ace, its in the K&S metals display in the nuts and bolts area.

Cut off a 4" section deburr the ends and you are good to go.  Or you can order a 4" .3125 hardened steel or stainless dowel from McMaster Carr if you dont want to mess with cutting the round bar at home.

The principle for using it is simple.  All you really need is an anvil in the center to support the moon clip while you push the round into the clip. And something to get inside the spent brass to give you a "grip" to remove the spent brass.

Lay the dowel in your hand about last knuckle before palm, slide moon clip on end let it land between first and second finger, roll clip with thumb to advance to each opening, push round into clip. You kinda supoort the rod with your palm which makes the moon clip "float" with the center web of it being supoorted so you can push against it.

To take em off its just as easy.  Make circle with thumb and fore finger, moon clip goes in there, case mouth toward ground, rod inside, rod hand thumb beside case base you are taking off, little pull and twist, pops right off.

Takes a little practice but its slick and you dont have to carry a buch of crap

I used to make a tool for moon clips, till one of the materials became unobtanium, which is why I know all this, nowadays when someone calls for the tool I used to make I just tell them the above to help folks out