And you choices were a 6 inch S&W 610 shooting .40 on 6-shoot moon clips,
or an 8 shoot .38 special, with speed loaders -

What would be better.

I have been playing with both, never done a match with a revolver.

The clips are faster than the speed loaders, but my .357 is not cut for clips.

Extra 2 rounds more than makes up for the quicker reload

I would buy a 929, or a 627.Both of your choices suck now

Would those two guns be in the same class?

I shot some USPSA years ago and it seemed to me every week they had a new rule or created a new class because some body didn't think something was fair.

I remember looking at their rules , thinking a certain gun in a certain class would work well for me.

I bought a 625 (45acp with moon clips) and practiced with it for a couple of weeks. I showed up for a match and there was some new rule because I had a certain length barrel I had to go against the big boys shooting the 8 shot 38spl guns with moon clips . I asked how I was supposed to be competitive against guys with eight shots of lower recoil loads? They told me tough crap ,that is the way we play it. Pissed me off so I went home.

Couple of weeks later I found a ICORE (revolver group) match about 50 miles away. Great match , S&W donated a boatload of stuff for shooter prizes and a bunch more for door prizes . Great match but as a start up it wasn't well attended. I won like third or forth place in my class , cash prize of $75.00 but to collect I had to join ICORE ($70.oo for two? years)

Tried like hell but there wasn't a ICORE match within 500 miles for the next two years.

That was 30 or more years back , pretty much only shoot local plate shoots and stuff close by now

I’d do the 8 shot every time. If there’s one or two stages where that extra two shots let’s you move earlier and reload while doing so it can have a huge effect on your final score. Standing reloads are death in USPSA and gun games in general.


Revolver is the division is USPSA and Class refers to the classification level of shooters. All revolvers shoot together because there are so few. Unless it’s changed it’s basically the only difference is whether you shoot major or minor power factor ammo and they made it so the minor shooters can have 8 round guns and the major shooters have 6. I think they wrote it so the minimum caliber for major is .40 just like limited.

ICORE is only revolvers so they have many more divisions for revolvers.

I had picked up the guns years ago with plans to mess around and get better with revolvers.

One is a 610 10mm with the 6.5inch barrel.
I have been using the moonclips with .40.

Two are 8 shoot .357s with a 4inch or 6.5 inch barrels.
They don’t have moon clip cuts.
I have been messing around with them with the speedloaders.

No plans on buying another gun.  
Most I would do is get cuts for moon clips on a .357.

It looks like major scoring with 6 shots,
Or minor scoring with 8 shots.

In the past, matches seemed like they were pretty production, limited, single stack friendly and the stages not too much of a hurdle from revolver.

The place near me now though-
Damn-
It’s very, very optics/high cap focused with distance/difficulty of shots highly oriented to optics and round counts essentially right at no mag change if shoot clean with an open mag and one mag change with a 140mm mag.

I would not want to go there shooting revolver.

I know nothing about optimal barrel length, etc. regarding revolver division -
So any tips are appreciated.

Edit-
I also have a Redhawk with 4.2 inch with speedloaders for 45 colt.  And clips for 45 ACP.
But the reliability with the clips is iffy.  I get failures to fire / light strikes.
So, not really working as a moon clip 45 gun for me.

Neither of the 8 shot guns is cut for clips?

No.  They were bought about 15 years ago

15 years ago they had 627's with moon clips. I would have to ask actual revolver people or dig out my blue book but I'm pretty sure it goes back into the 90's they had moon clips. Is there any chance your gun is cut for clips and you forgot? I remember something about one that wasn't but I don't remember details.

Nope.
The .44Mag and 10mm are Smiths.
The 45Colt/ACP is a Ruger.
The two .357s are 608s.
They were picked up LNIB for a song back around 2005.

Back then your typical, average guy looking for a revolver, probably a 38/357 or whatever  - not really looking for competition models,
Wasn’t really going to be looking for a 9mm or moon clips.


To 9 out of ten guys back then, moon clips were for weird crusty old revolvers in 45 ACP,
Speed loaders were what cops or movie guys had been using that you had seen growing up.
The internet as a forum source of detailed information and photos was maybe five or years so along to most people and way less videos, especially decent ones.

I'm talking Smiths you should have specified Taurus guns. You could have the cylinders cut for clips if you really wanted but I would not. I would just shoot the 610. If you really want to get into it you can always get a better dedicated gun down the road like a 627 or 929.

In the revolver competition games reloads are what make or break you. Speed loaders can't keep up with moon clips so unless you are shooting in a division where everyone else is using them you're starting at a big disadvantage.

I have shot a revo in USPSA and IDPA for years. I use a 5" 627 shooting 38 Short Colt in USPSA and a 625 in IDPA (rarely in USPSA).

If you shoot the 10mm, shoot 40's and make sure you are making major. On some stages, a six shot is no that big an issue. On some it is a bear.

Your reloads will dictate your level of success and fun. Shoot whatever you can reload faster.

Speed loaders are not that much slower than moon clips for an experienced shooter but they are a lot more cumbersome to carry on your belt in big numbers.

I'd rather go shoot something else than shoot revolver in USPSA to be completely honest.  I shoot 25+ matches/year and I think I saw a total of 5.  So shooting against your self or looking at high overall placement doesn't sound fun.

To answer your question, 8 rounds or go home.  Your squad will thank you.

Food for thought. When I shoot action pistol matches I don’t think of it as competing against the other shooters. I’m competing against myself. Did I have fewer mikes and more alfas than last match? Smoother reloads? Most importantly did I have fun?

Pick a gun you enjoy shooting and join a match.

I’ve done Limited and L-10 in the 90s with .45, Production with a few different models, a few matches SS, and will end up going CO.

I’m just dicking around for the novelty of doing something totally different for a year or two.

Ok-
So 8n shoot minor is the way to go over 6 shot major.

Moon clips have a speed edge over speed loaders.

What about barrel length?

Is there a consensus on preferred length?

5" used to be the standard but it really just depends on what you can shoot best. I am sure I shoot my 4" 625 just as fast and accurately as my 5".
Anything over 5" does not balance well to me and will not transition nearly as fast between targets.

The number one Revolver in USPSA right now is a S&W 929 6.5 inch 8-shot N-frame in 9mm.  A distant second is the S&W 627 8-shot N-frame in 357 Mag but using 38 Short Colt cases.  All other revolver are a very distant third.  The Minor 8-shooters are seen as a big advantage over the Major 6-shooters.  I started with a S&W 610 6.5 inch, moved to a 5-inch 625 and am now using a 5-inch 627.  I wish my 627 was a 6.5 inch barrel I liked the longer barrel of my 610.

Back in 2013 when the rule change allowing 7&8 shooters was still a rumor I ran that summer's club matches shooting both a Major revolver (S&W 625 6-shot, 45 ACP pushing a 230 gr bullet @~750 fps a 172 power factor) and Minor revolver (S&W 627, 8-shot, 38 Short Colt pushing a 160 gr bullet @~850 fps, a 136 power factor).  I shot the Minor Revolver in Production.  Our local clubs allowed reshoots and I alternate which gun I shot first, match to match.

The 33% greater capacity of the Minor revolver just barely beat out the Minor scoring penalty. And after several matches encompassing 27 stages and ~524 rds fired, the total elapsed time for the Major Revolver was 592.92 second and the Minor Revolver was 564.31 seconds. A difference of 28.81 seconds or the Minor revolver was ~ 4.8% faster, mostly due to less reloading. Over ~524 rd and 27 stages that is least 60 reloads on the clock with the Major gun and only ~39 reloads on the clock with the Minor Revolver.  But the Major scoring bonus closed that gaps score wise and after 27 stages the Minor Revolver won 2421.1 match points vs Major 2419.6 match points A difference of ~.06%.

If it matters I was a B-class shooter when I did this.

Thank you.  I went to a match with the 610 6.5inch this weekend.

I enjoyed it.

One issue I have had in the past, just practicing at the range, we’re light primer strikes in a Redhawk 45ACP/45Colt when using the ACP and moonclips.  A buddy told me this was a flaw of the Ruger and they were known for not being a great moonclip gun in that model.

I had not been having that problem with 40 and moonclips in the 610.

I am having that problem about 1000 rounds into it with the gun.  Maybe about one or two times out of half a dozen clips I am now getting a light primer strike while firing a clip.  

I thought it might be my reloads, with with SP primers or some I used SR on.
But it has happened with factory ammo as well.

Couple things you might check.  Make sure you the strain screw on the bottom front edge of the grip frame is not backing out.  It should be screwed in firm.  Also make sure the main spring inside that grip frame is not shifted off center and rubbing the inside of the grip.

I assume your 610 has standard factory springs in it.  If you bought it use someone might have put a lighter hammer spring in it.  My 610 was bought used and when I first got it the hammer spring was so light that it was only reliable with Federal primers and then only with heavy bullets.  It worked fine with 180's but would occasionally light strike with 135's I was trying to use for practice.  Someone had filed the end of the strain screw down so I replaced with with a factor length one and got it back a little tighter and its pretty reliable with most pistol primers again.  I am pretty sure it would light strike with many rifle primers.

Also extend the firing pin and make sure the end of it does not look damaged.  Also make sure it moves easy in the frame.

One last thing to check is that your moonclips are flat.  Usually a bent moonclip will completely jam a cylinder but a very slightly bent moonclip could still allow the cylinder to rotate but cushion rounds just enough to cause a rare light strike the the hammer spring was already a little on the light side.

Moonclips............but I'd shoot 45.

What primers are you using?  I have an old Dan Wesson P38.  Nobody seemingly makes replacement mainsprings for it, and it has issues with harder primers like Win or Rem.  Federal SP always work though.

My money is on the strain screw backing out. It might be configured to run with the screw out a turn or two (if bought used) and now the locktite has slipped.

Thank you.
I am going to try a turn on it plus the TK custom extended tool steel firing pin in the 610.

IF the 608 uses a firing pin identical to the S&W one, I will try one in those as well.

Also, I have been using Bullseye since the 90s.
It is pretty dirty and Smokey.

I will try Ramshot Silhouette to cut down on the gunk if that is an issue.  I had started using WAP ages ago before it went out of production.

Get the 8 shot cut for moon clips.

I wouldn't shoot any revolver using a rimless case and moon clips. I had a 610 once, it was a nice gun until you tried to shoot it. It constantly failed to fire with my 10mm ammo.  I sold it out of disgust.

I started USPSA revolver division with a S&W 610, 40S&W on moonclips.  But that was back when Revolver division only allowed 6-shooter.  I did well with it.

Later I upgraded to a S&W 625, 45 ACP on moonclips.  That was the fastest most reliable reload I have every had with a revolver.

In 2013 when rumors started that they were going to let the 7&8 shooter play I bought a 627 and use 38 Short Colt on moonclips.  This did good.  In 2013 in my run up to the 2014 National Match I shot a bunch of club level matches with both my 625 and 627.  Many of my local matches let us reshoot matches with a second gun.  I would shoot the 625 in Revolver division and the 627 in Production division (my current Production classification is all based on stages shot with my 627).  After nearly thirty stages the 8-shot minor gun beat the 6-shot major score but only by less than 1% for me.  That said the first year of the USPSA Revolver National match only one Major gun was in the top 25.  Two years later there was only a few Major Revolver shooter left at the National match.

But after the first year or two nearly all the serious USPSA Revolver shooters were shooting 9mm and the 929.  The 357 Mag 8-shooters (usually using shorter cartridges 38 Special, Long or Short Colt) were a distant second.

Of the two revolver the OP has (assuming he is not going to have the 8-shooter cut for moonclips) I would run the 610.  6-shots with moonclips is going to beat the pants off 8-shots from speed loaders.  Reload time has a huge effect on your score in USPSA and the Major scoring of the 610 and Moonclips will more than offset the two extra rounds in light of the speedloader handicap.

Makes perfect math sense.

I would and have used my 625-2 six shooter in more than a few matches.  I never stay long enough for the 'results'.  I shoot and then leave.

It is what I do.  Smooth and shit.  

Thanks for the further information.
It is still pretty slow going for me.

From a basic progression stand point,
In the beginning with the 610
From beep to draw and first shot, six plates at a dozen yards, reload a moon clip,  six more pages was an 18 second or so slow motion type deal you could have timed with a sun dial instead of a shot timer.
It’s about 12 seconds for me now.
Significantly longer than with a semi with magazine change.

I was finding the 6.5 inch very cumbersome on first shot and transition.
A new 4 inch showed up at the local fun shop and followed me home so I will try that out this weekend.

Is there a good guide to chamfering the cylinder?
I think that might keep my reloads more consistent.

Good thread.
I really like moonclips. Not only are they faster but they're more consistent. I've had some rounds fail to seat with speedloaders, even with a clean gun.