Moonclip's affect on accuracy?

[Casimer]

I'm considering having one of my revolvers cut to accept moonclips (e.g. the thin TKCustom variety).

What I'm wondering is whether a moonclip can affect the accuracy of a revolver by introducing differences in headspace among the cylinders.

For instance if the moonclip isn't flat against the rear cylinder face, due to a bend in the clip, so that some rounds are further from this face than others, can the resulting differences in headspace affect shot-to-shot accuracy? - or will the hammer blow typically push the cartridge forward to correct this before firing?

[Slopemeno]

If your moon clip is bent, pitch it. More than likely it would interfere with cylinder rotation.

[zippy13]

An interesting question.
My only experience with moon clips, both half and full, is in revolvers designed for them. I have a pristine original S&W M1917 issued to my wife's grandfather, a US Cavalry Colonel, after the Great War and a S&W 625 Model of 1989.
My last range outing included sighting-in the 625's new scope on sand bags. With my restricted abilities and home cast reloads, it shot 25-yard 6-shot strings smaller than a quarter. Understandably, I was surprised because that's much better than I'd anticipated with my reloads, bad eyes and shaky hands.
Since it's possible to shoot loose .45 ACPs and Auto-Rims; Now, I'm curious to see how it will shoot without the clips.

[Casimer]

If your moon clip is bent, pitch it.

I agree. But I doubt that any moonclip is going to be as flat as a machined cylinder face. That's basically my concern - they're probably all bent , or uneven, to some degree. But does this affect the revolver's accuracy, or does the clip bend under the force of the hammer so that the headspace of each cartridge is effectively the same for each chamber?

[ClarkEMyers]

does the clip bend under the force of the hammer so that the headspace of each cartridge is effectively the same for each chamber?

Wrong issue - the clip is a spring and cushions the hammer blow. Most people. rimfire excepted, don't check rim thickness anyway. Full moon clips are most likely to be bent and so springy, half-moon clips less so and two at a time are the best for everything except speedloading.

Headspace is an overdone issue so far as reasonable - not bench rest - accuracy is concerned. The .45 Auto does just fine and almost everybody shoots cases that are well under chamber length. Pachmayr made pistols with a spring loaded ball - socket wrench or S&W lock style - in the breech face to push each chambered cartridge against the end of the chamber and it may have worked but nobody has bothered to use it since.