Best Moon-Clip Revolvers: The 625, 929 and Other Rimless Wheelguns

Why moon clips exist

Revolvers were built for rimmed cartridges. The rim stops the cartridge at the right depth in the chamber, and it gives the extractor star something to push against when you eject. Rimless pistol cartridges like .45 ACP and 9mm have no such rim, so on their own they can slide too far forward and the extractor has nothing to catch.

The fix is more than a century old. The modern moon clip was devised in 1908, and it became widespread in World War I when the US needed more sidearms than M1911 production could supply. Smith & Wesson and Colt adapted their big revolvers to fire .45 ACP, creating the M1917 revolvers. Smith & Wesson patented the half-moon clip, and Colt used it at the Army's request.

That is the whole trick: a flat steel clip holds the cartridges by their extractor grooves, acts like a giant shared rim, and lets the revolver load and eject them as a unit.

Full moon, half moon and why they are fast

• Full moon clips hold every chamber's worth of cartridges.
• Half moon clips hold half a cylinder each.
• Two-round clips suit odd-numbered cylinders, such as five- or seven-shot guns.

The speed advantage is simple. A speedloader has to be twisted or pushed to release its cartridges and then removed. A moon clip just drops in with the ammunition and stays there while you fire. When you eject, one push of the rod throws out the clip and all the empties together. With training, clips are generally faster than speedloaders. The famous demonstration: Jerry Miculek fired six rounds, reloaded and fired six more with a Model 625 in 2.99 seconds.

The downside is the clips themselves. Loading cartridges into them and stripping empties out is tedious without a tool, and a bent clip can bind the cylinder or cause misfires. Every moon-clip owner learns to keep spares and store loaded clips carefully.

How we chose

These picks come from published specifications, design history and each model's reputation, not from hands-on testing. We favored guns that were designed around moon clips from the start, cover the three most popular rimless calibers, and were listed by a major retailer when we checked, except where noted.

1. Smith & Wesson 625: the original recipe

Best for: .45 ACP fans, action-pistol competitors and anyone who wants the classic.

Skip if: you want something light enough to carry all day.

The 625 is the stainless N-frame .45 ACP, a direct descendant of the M1917. It arrived as the ".45 cal Model of 1988," and regular production followed in 1989. It is a six-shot built to run .45 ACP in moon clips and can also chamber .45 Auto Rim, a rimmed cartridge designed for these revolvers. Barrel lengths have included three, four and five inches, plus specialty versions like the Jerry Miculek model with a four-inch barrel and the lightweight Mountain Gun.

Big, heavy and smooth, the 625 makes .45 ACP feel like a firm push, and it has been a fixture of revolver competition for decades. Ammunition Depot's current revolver catalog did not show a 625 when we checked, so check your local dealer or browse the full revolver catalog for alternatives. Feed it .45 ACP.

2. Smith & Wesson 986: the 9mm L-frame

Best for: 9mm shooters who want a seven-shot, medium-size steel revolver with a superb trigger.

Skip if: you want a small carry gun.

The Performance Center 986 puts seven rounds of 9mm in a stainless L-frame, the same size class as the 686. 9mm is usually among the most affordable centerfire cartridges to shoot, and the full-moon clip makes reloads fast. The listing below is the short-barreled version.

3. Smith & Wesson 929: the race gun

Best for: competitors who want a high-capacity 9mm built for speed.

Skip if: you are not planning to compete. It is a big, specialized gun.

The 929 is a large Performance Center 9mm in Smith & Wesson's moon-clip family, built for action-pistol and steel matches where capacity and reload speed decide results. Check Smith & Wesson's current catalog for capacity, barrel and cylinder details before you buy. We did not find a 929 in Ammunition Depot's catalog when we checked; for range ammunition, see 9mm ammunition. Our competition revolver guide covers the matches it is built for.

4. Smith & Wesson 610: 10mm and .40 in one cylinder

Best for: 10mm fans and hunters who want a moon-clip big-bore.

Skip if: you want 9mm-level recoil and cost.

The 610 is a stainless N-frame six-shot. The .40 S&W is essentially a shortened 10mm with the same case head, so with moon clips one cylinder can often handle both, which is a big part of the gun's appeal. Retailer listings vary in which cartridge they lead with, so check the barrel marking and the manual on the exact gun.

Ammunition: 10mm Auto.

5. Ruger LCR 9mm: the moon-clip snub

Best for: a carry revolver that shares ammunition with a 9mm pistol.

Skip if: you want a gentle range gun. Light snubs are snappy.

The LCR and LCRx in 9mm are five-shot lightweight revolvers that ship with full moon clips. Our LCRx 9mm vs Pitbull comparison sets it against Charter Arms' 9mm alternative.

6. Taurus 692: the convertible

Best for: value buyers who want 9mm and .357 in one revolver.

Skip if: you want the most refined trigger and finish.

The 692 is a seven-shot medium-frame revolver sold with two cylinders. The listing describes switching between .38 Special +P, .357 Magnum and 9mm by swapping cylinders, and says moon clips are included for 9mm operation. That makes it a flexible, affordable way into moon clips. Our convertible revolver piece covers the trade-offs of two-cylinder guns.

Honorable mentions

• Smith & Wesson Governor: a .45 Colt/.410 revolver that also runs .45 ACP with included moon clips. The listing we checked includes two six-round and three two-round clips.
• Ruger GP100 in 10mm: Ruger has offered a six-shot GP100 in 10mm Auto. Check whether a given model uses moon clips.
• Chiappa Rhino and Taurus 905: both have been made in moon-clip calibers.
• Charter Arms Pitbull: a rimless-cartridge revolver from Charter Arms; our Pitbull review explains how it handles 9mm.

The quick table

Living with moon clips

1. Buy more clips than you think. They bend, get lost and wear out.
2. Use a loading and unloading tool. Your thumbs will thank you, and you are less likely to bend clips.
3. Store loaded clips flat or in a holder so they do not get bent in a bag.
4. Inspect clips before range day. A bent clip can bind the cylinder. Replace it.
5. Clean the cylinder face and extractor area so clips seat fully.
6. Follow the rules. Treat the gun as loaded, keep hands behind the cylinder, and unload clips completely before storage or cleaning.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications, retailer listings and published sources. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and the law where you live.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links to Ammunition Depot. We may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial choices are not influenced by commissions. Check current price, stock and specifications directly with the retailer.