Brownells Moon Clip Stripper



If you follow me on YouTube, you might have seen my video review of this tool.  If you haven't, and you would prefer to watch a video instead of read, then you can use the following link;

Before I jump into this tool review, I feel I need to provide a little background as to why a moon clip stripper is needed;

A few years ago, I decided I needed a revolver in my collection.  Aside from two heirloom 22lr revolvers, I owned zero revolvers in full size calibers. Being that the lion share of my collection (besides my old duty pistol which is chambered in .40S&W) is chambered in 9mm.  If your like me, adding additional caliber types and investing in an adequate amount of ammunition to feel comfortable is a daunting thought and can be very costly. So when I saw Smith and Wesson offered the 986 PC which was a beautiful 2.5" snub nose with a titanium cylinder, and learned it was chambered in the ubiquitous 9mm, I was stoked and knew I had to have one.  I found a good price for it and picked up this beauty!

When I was looking into the 986 PC, I learned it came with three Moon Clips, and until that point I had no idea what a moon clip was and when it would be needed. 

If you are reading this and are unaware of moon clips as I was, let me help educate you a bit on the difference between rimmed and rimless cartridges. 
Pictured above is a standard 9mm cartage and hopefully you can see how the rim of the cartridge sits completely flush/level with the rest of the case. 
Juxtaposed with the 9mm (which is a rimless cartridge), you can see the 38 special cartridge pictured above has a pronounced rim which extends above the case.  Most popular revolver cartages/calibers are rimmed cartridges.  Examples of this can be seen in the 38 special, 357 magnum, and 44 magnum (all rimmed cartridges).  The reason why those aforementioned calibers are popular is because of the rim;  When you insert them into a revolvers cylinder, the rim catches on the cylinder and prevents the cartridge from falling right through the front of the cylinder.  When you have a rimless cartridge like the 9mm, 45acp, 380 etc., and you want to have a revolver chambered in one of those calibers, enter the need of a moon clip. 
Moon Clips are little flat star shaped pieces of metal which grab onto a rimless cartridge and allow you to load rimless cartridges into revolver cylinders.  What I did not know going into my investment into the 986pc was what a pain in the butt moon clips can be without the proper tools. New moon clips can be very stiff, and after you insert all but the last round, the last round can be very hard to load and even harder to remove from the moon clip. 
TK Customs makes a very nice tool to aid in the loading of the cartridges onto the moon clips. But moving them from the moon clip can be even harder than pushing them on. 
In the photo above, I am applying significant force to the spent cartridge to the point of hurting my thumb and the cartridge barely budged. 

ENTER THE AWSOME BROWNELLS MOON CLIP STRIPPER TOOL!


You can find the tool through the following Brownells link;

The Brownells Moon Clip Stripper Tool is a long wand with a hollow center and a plastic handle.
The end of the Brownells Moon Clip Stripper Tool has a raised area at the end which catches on the moon clip and and pries the cartridge away from the moon clip.




After the cartridge pops off the moon clip, it falls down into the empty tube and starts collecting spent casing.  The Brownells Moon Clip Stripper Tool will hold 8 spent cases. 
Once you have cleared the moon clip of the spent casings, you just dump them out, which makes clean up super easy. The Brownells Moon Clip Stripper Tool comes in two sizes; the first is listed as being made for 45acp calibers or similar (.451-.454) and the second is listed as being made for the 10mm or similar (.400-.401), and both are listed for about $20.  

Honestly, if you own a revolver which accepts or requires moon clips, the Brownells Moon Clip Stripper Tool is a must have! Gab yours today with the link above and your thumbs will thank me!

Remember, Faith Kills Fear! 
















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