Alaskan Super Redhawk 44 and Moonclips

[albertjohnson]

1 Can the Ruger Alaskan super redhawk use moonclips??

and

2 Used to be, you could get a silencer for about $200 tax per year. Can a silencer or suppressor be put on this same revolver?

 

[dougader]

The SRH would have to be modified to use moon clips.

Generally speaking, a suppressor won't work on a revolver because of the gas loss at the barrel-to-cylinder gap. Years ago I read about a rather complex unit that was built up for the military where a sleeve moved forward to close the cylinder gap. IIRC it was done on a SRH. It was suppressed as well.

The tax stamp for a suppressor is a one-time charge of $200.

 

[albertjohnson]

Thanks Dougader.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Yes, here is an outfit that can do it for the Redhawk or Super Redhawk in .44mag .45colt, 45acp, .454, & .480. You have to get the cylinder machined to accept special moon clips but after that you can use the gun with or without the moon clips. https://www.moonclips.com/default.asp

http://www.moonclips.com/cart/shopdispl ... +Moonclips

https://www.moonclips.com/content/machine.asp

...Jimbo

 

[albertjohnson]

Thanks Jimbo.

 

[maxpress]

just use a lawnmower muffler

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

I'm not sure how practical it would be to use the moon clips though... You would be stuck to either emptying your gun to reload.. just like a speedloader.
Or in the case of half moons, you would still have to shoot and dump 3 rounds...
I think speed strips are the way to go.... They lay flat in a pocket and you can use just what you need..... (and they do make them in lots of calibers these day's. I have them in everything from .22 on up to .45... they even make'um in .500)
And.... they are way cheaper!!!!!
Granted the moon clips are cool lookin, but they where a stop gap measure themselves devised for the military....

just my .02 worth.....

regards!!

 

[maxpress]

google jerry miculek to see good reloads with moon clips.

 

[OldNavy]

There is a significant difference between the .45 ACP in moon clips that Jerry uses and .44 Mag. The greater length of the .44 Mag increases the problem of cartridge/cylinder alignment during loading as well as the risk of bending the moon clip during carry or handling. These issues may not be a problem in every case, but they are things that should be considered.

 

[Short Barrel]

I have S+W's in .45 ACP and 9mm,that use full moon clips and I like them a lot.If I fire a couple shots and want to reload them,I just kick out the moon clip and put a full one in.very quick and very convenient.

In the case of the moon clip conversions,they are done so you load the cartridges normally OR use the moon clips.A pretty slick setup.

In regards to the tax stamp,I was told that several years ago it changed from a one time thing to every year.

 

[contender]

Using moon clips is a way to quickly reload a revolver in speed shooting. It was originally devised as a way to shoot a rimless caliber in a revolver,, and nowadays some folks are doing custom jobs on other guns such as 38 spls, 357 mags etc.
Some folks mistakenly believe you can use the moon clips with a rimmed caliber, OR still fire the same ammo w/o the clips. They seem to forget that once you shave off the rear of the cylinder, to allow the use of moons,, then the cylinder is further away from the firing pin. If you try to shoot something w/o the moons,, in most cases,, you will not get reliable (if any at all) ignition. A firearm that is modified to use moons will be permanently dedicated to that method of shooting.
As for the ATF tax stamp,, as far as I've heard,, (and I have a class III dealer friend,) it's still a one time thing.
Silencing a revolver isn't an easy thing to do as noted by the above posting about the noise/blast at the cylinder/barrel gap.

 

[Short Barrel]

Contender,the current moon clip modification that most are doing,allows for loading WITH or WITHOUT moon clips.They don't turn down the whole rear face of the cylinder,only part of the chamber rim where the point of the star shaped clip sits.

This from the site above "Machined cylinders for use of Moonclips can still be used with or without Moonclips, just as the revolver was designed & manufactured."

 

[Short Barrel]

I could have sworn I was told the stamp was every year now but it looks like I was wrong.Thanks for clearing that up Contender.

 

[contender]

Ok,, I stand corrected about the conversions you listed. I was going off what a local gunsmith does for those around here wanting to use moons for speed reloading DA revolvers.

 

[dixie884]

A .45 Colt or .454 Casul Red Hawk with a proper moon clip modification will fire rimmed, and rimless .45s including GAP, ACP, and .45 WM. Wild West Guns in Alaska used to advertise this mod.

 

[mindustrial]

Check out www.TKcustom.com for SRH moon clips. They also do 44, 45, 454 & 480 and the required cylinder machining.

A good point was made..these moonclips are .022 - .025" thk. I've got a 629 factory cut for moon clips, they are rather flimsy, never had a problem dropping them in (vertically).

 

[maxpress]

There is a significant difference between the .45 ACP in moon clips that Jerry uses and .44 Mag. The greater length of the .44 Mag increases the problem of cartridge/cylinder alignment during loading as well as the risk of bending the moon clip during carry or handling. These issues may not be a problem in every case, but they are things that should be considered.

i have no delusions of being as fast as Mr. michulek. but they do enable me to load a revolver about the same speed as an auto. partly because i use a revolver more. i agree about the cartridge length not being as fast .
course the speed difference between a moon clip and a push button speed loader is nominal. 8)