Anyone carry just a J-Frame, no speed loaders/strips?

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I carry my 340PD in A paddle holster (all the time) with no reloads on me (most of the time). I have brought 5 more rounds in my pants pocket before. But for the most part 5 rounds of .357 Mag is all I have.
 
someone once told me "you can never have too much ammo unless you're drowning or on fire"

Let me start this off by saying there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a revolver for self defence. But ask yourself first, "Do i think 5 shots are enough?"

True, most gunfights end before they start, you draw, they run away

BUT

Consider the chances of facing multiple attackers or attackers on controlled substances. It happens more often than you think.

Make sure your gun suits your siuation. I carry a total of 45 rounds of 9mm on my person (glock 26 + 2 G17 mags), but, i live in a notorious drug corridor with lots of gang violence. Before i moved here i was planning on carrying my bersa thunder (22 rounds of 380 with 2 spare mags), but after i moved here and was hearing about violent muggings from multiple attackers every week, i bought a glock 26. This may or may not be your situation in birmingham.

Ask yourself these valid questions

"Is five shots enough to stop an attacker?"
"On drugs?"
"If he has a friend or two?"
"when the adrenalines pumping and i'm moving to avoid being hit and the chances of missing are significantly increased?"

The last thing is: practice practice practice.

Practice making hits while on the move!

Practice reloading! Buy some quality snapcaps for the speedloader, put some empty casings in the gun. practice ejecting the spent casings and reloading with the snap caps.

Consider: maybe i'd do better with i different gun. Is the revolver the only gun you own? A friend of my dad got a CWP and went into a gunshop to buy a gun for self-defence. He asked the guy "what's a good gun for concealed carry?" and told him he didn't know much about guns and wasn't looking to spend too much. They gave him a taurus snubnose 38 and sent him on his way. Later he told my dad that he was having a hard time with it. I took him shooting and he got better with the revolver. I said, "here, try my bersa thunder" and he was hooked. He just shot a lot better with a semiautomatic.
 
Make sure your gun suits your siuation.
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Excellent point! For some of us, a 5-round revolver is more than we will ever need. For others, it falls well short of the requirements for a back-up gun.

A 2-inch .38 is a difficult gun to shoot well. (Not that it can not be shot well, its just requires more effort.) The 2-inch barrel does nothing to help the .38's terminal ballistics. It seems to me that limiting yourself to 5 shots, in a gun that is difficult to shoot well, in a caliber that most professionals consider the bare minimum for self-defense is unwise.

Would a speedloader and/or speedstrip really be that much of a inconvenience?
 
Consider the chances of facing multiple attackers or attackers on controlled substances. It happens more often than you think
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Whenever I hear this I laugh. If you are facing multiple bad guys and shoot one, the others are likely to flee. If they dont then it doesnt matter what you are carrying short of an MP-5. You've had it. Done.

For anyone with a snubby I would highly recommend the book "The Snubby Revolver" by Ed Lovette. A lot of good info, esp on reloading technique.
If I am just going out to the store or something I will stick my Model 38 bodyguard in my pants pocket and go. For more extended trips it is the Model 19 or 1917 in the holster and the Bodyguard in the front pocket.

Ammo selection in the snub .38 is critical, imo. I highly recommend the 158gr LHP +P as a proven stopper. There are certainly other good choices as well.
 
Whenever I hear this I laugh. If you are facing multiple bad guys and shoot one, the others are likely to flee. If they dont then it doesnt matter what you are carrying short of an MP-5. You've had it. Done.
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While dedicated attackers are definitely the exception rather than the rule, assuming your assailants will automatically flee is planning for failure. Likewise, assuming that because you are confronted by more than one armed assailant you cannot win is also planning to fail.

Such situations, while not common, have been encountered and have been resolved successfully as evidenced here:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_156_26/ai_82533205

Look at incident occurring on Novemeber 27, 1989. Coincidentally, look at the weapon initially selected for defense and the good-guy's post-shooting assessment of his equipment.
 
I carry either a Glock 26 or a Taurus 85 titanium. With the 11 rounds in the Glock I carry a reload most, but not all, of the time. I have left the house with the Taurus and no reload, but I always feel stupid for doing so. I have installed crimson trace laser grips on my snubbie and I have found them to be very helpful shooting it accurately in low light or unusual positions.

The easiest way I have found to carry a reload is a little plastic case made by MTM molded Products called "The Ammo Wallet." You can carry it in your pocket and it looks perfectly innocent even if you empty out your pockets. It looks like a change purse or a little match box. I also sometimes use a little Galco belt pouch that disguises pretty well.
 
Look at incident occurring on Novemeber 27, 1989. Coincidentally, look at the weapon initially selected for defense and the good-guy's post-shooting assessment of his equipment.
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If you had to go back 15 years for an incident this pretty well proves how rare it is. The circumstances of the individual (jewelry store owner etc) were also unique. Everyone needs to evaluate his life-style, location, and comfort level and act accordingly.

Someone told me the SKS stripper clips are available for next to nothing but work fine for holding .38s. Anyone evaluate this?
 
"Check out the FOP Range in Pleasant Grove; it's the best range I have ever used."

Shep:

I joined 1st thing (gift from the fiancee for moving to her home).

I'll be the short blonde guy with the Yankee accent and a buncha mil-surps! :)

" I would highly recommend the book "The Snubby Revolver" by Ed Lovette. A lot of good info, esp on reloading technique."

The Rabbi-

I own it and second the reccomendation!

"The last thing is: practice practice practice."

Victory-

Roger that. I guess what I am thinking is I should get reeeaalll good with "5 for sure" than to think I can carry a bunch of speedloaders, etc. Eventually that might happen , but first things first ( I do also have a police trade K Frame revolver that I am pretty good with, but as I just moved to AL this will be the first chance at CCW).
 
to choose to carry a wheelgun for CCW requires the skills of an expert gunman.

1. the DA wheelgun trigger pull is the hardest to master in rapid fire
2. reloading using a speedloader, to say nothing of using speedstrips, is a much more complicated skill than reloading a pistol with a mag.
3. a short barreled and light weight piece like the 642 is the hardest to master of the DA wheelguns.

it does take practice, and the correct movements, to do a smooth reload...the worst thing you can do is hurry...but it can be done. i can reload my python, using the safariland comp I speedloader, faster than many co-workers can swap mags in their sigs. IMO if you can't reliablely reload your snubby, underpressure (try doing it in the dark) you likely should pick somthing else to carry.

the last time we were having a wheelgun vs. auto shootoff, we had a guy (using HKS speedloaders) who was beating all comers using mags.

when i'm carrying my 642 alone, i usually throw a speedloader in my jacket pocket and a speedstrip in my jeans.
 
Carry spare ammo.

For my entire career in law enforcement, I carried a BUG, almost always a J-frame. I always carried a speed strip. Yes, it is slow, but is a good way to keep spare rounds organized.

Even in a self-defense situation as a citizen, do you really want to have only five shots and no more ? Two thoughts on this: Once the dust settles in your defensive use of your snubby, ythere is s good possiblity you will have fired all 5 rounds, leaving you with nothing more than a doorstop. Many shooters lose track of how many rounds they fired under stress. Carry the extra ammo, and reload from some position of cover while waiting for the local police to show up.
 
Yes, I do.

I always carried a speed strip. Yes, it is slow, but is a good way to keep spare rounds organized.
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One of the reasons I don't carry a speedloader is that it's rather bulky. A speed strip is something I never thought of. I'll have to try it.
 
Rabbi-

I'll second the use of SKS strippers. I typically cut them down to hold 6 or 5 rounds. They are small and unlike a speed strip in the pocket the rounds will not come loose. You can even load two rounds at a time like a speed strip. I keep one in every jacket I own so that no matter what I'm wearing from fall to spring I have atleast one reload handy.

I also have an ankle holster setup that a buddy made for me that carries two speed loaders and a speed strip.
 
I choose which gun I carry based upon many factors, the two most significant being (1) what I am planning on doing and (2) what I will be wearing. If I'm going to be in a suit and tie meting with non-threatening people in my office, my Smith 649 and a pair of speed strips will be the choice. If I'm headed out for witness interviews in a questionable neighborhood, I'll stil wear the jacket and tie, but my Glock 19 in a shoulder rig, with two spare mags.

But, no, no matter how hot it is, even if I'm in shorts and a t-shirt, I'll always carry at leats a pair of speedstrips.
 
If you had to go back 15 years for an incident this pretty well proves how rare it is. The circumstances of the individual (jewelry store owner etc) were also unique.
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The point was that such encounters do occur and can be overcome.

Everyone needs to evaluate his life-style, location, and comfort level and act accordingly.
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I could not agree more.
 
I carry an SP101(5 shot) and I always carry a speedloader(sometimes 2)in my strong side pocket..I don't find them all that bulky(I wear loose fitting pants)I also have 2 speed loaders in the car.....I hope they run,but if not I'm using every single round I have if I have to.....
as far as being in the wrong place at the wrong time.....sometimes it happens..sometimes good places become bad one in an instant...be prepared...
(I'm glad I'm not the only one who goes to the mail box packing.....) ;)
also...anyone can carry an auto...real men carry revolvers :neener:
 
I guess I am one of those idiots that never carries a reload for their 5 shot revolver. I am just two damn slow reloading and don't like the extra bulk associated with a speedloader. In fact I rarely carry reloads except for the extra mags I have stashed in my car for my Steyr. Now that is is so cold I usually carry my Steyr instead of my 637. I know it is dumb, but I hate carrying anymore then I need to.
 
Sturmruger,
How long have you been carrying and how many problems have you had with that set-up? I'll guess the answers are "awhile" and "none."
Everyone's got to do what he's comfortable with.
 
Used to be, my Kel-tec P32 was the gun I carried when I really wasn't dressed to carry much of a weapon.

Since I bought my Taurus 651 (Titanium S&W Bodyguard ripoff), I haven't packed the P32, as the snubbie is just so handy.

Generally, a speed strip goes with me & I leave one in the vehicle. I find speed loaders a bit bulky.

I have yet to have a round come off a speed strip unless I wanted it to.
 
Many years ago when I was a C.O. on Rikers the Tour Commander told us a story at roll call. Seems one of our lads was out walking his dog when he was the victim of a drive by. As I remember it someone in the car recognized him from the jail and decided to administer street justice. They turned the car around and started shooting. He was carrying a J frame which was an authorized weapon. He drew and fired 5 times at the fleeing car. Now he's out of ammo and the car turns around to make another pass! Everything worked out as he took off running and luckily the car fled the scene. If you're gonna carry, it's no big deal to carry another 5 or 6 rounds. Seems like common sense to me.

We were taught to reload immediately after the engagement is over. Reason being most times under stress you really don't know how many rounds you fired and also just in case it's really not over. A full load is more desirable than a possibly empty gun. One never really knows until sufficient backup arrives.

I carried a Colt D/S as a BUG with no reload. It was a BUG, not the primary weapon. Even if my Model 10 was rendered inoperative the speed loaders would work with the 6 shot Colt. Some of us carried an extra box of 50 in our briefcases.

Now I usually carry a Model 65 with 2 speedloaders in my vest pocket with 2 more in the center console of the truck.
 
I guess I am one of those idiots that never carries a reload for their 5 shot revolver.
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Let's look at the odds here. My recollection (and also borne out by discussions on this board) is that 90% of LEOs never fire their weapon in a confrontation. Let's assume that holds true as well for the citizen population, even though is is even less likely for them to. Of those 10%, in the revolver days, 80% were resolved without reloading, if you believe Ed Lovette (and I have no reason to doubt him). Of the reloadings I am going to guess that at least half the time it made no difference to the outcome. Either the defender was killed anyway, or he triumphed anyway.
That works out to a 1% chance over a person's life that having a reload will make a significant difference in their survival. People take more chance than that every day.
I am not advocating never carrying a reload. I am saying that someone's choice not to is not out of the ballpark.
 
95% of DGUs or some close figure have no shots fired. Thus, one can have an unloaded gun.

The stripper clip is like the condom in your wallet. Probably never use it but when you never know when luck is on your side or against you.

When I carry my 642, I carry a strip.
 
My work carry and my lightest load outside of running is a j-frame, p-32, one speedloader and one speed strip. This is my level of comfort, and here is my reasons for carrying these items. I do not plan for the ordinary, but for the extordinary. I live a normal, sedate life, I work full time, go to school fulltime, and live in a nice neighborhood in northern virginia. That said, bad things do happen to good people in "nice" neighborhoods. I carry a backup gun, due to the things that can happen to your gun in a gunfight. It could be shot, or get dropped and thrown across the room, or it may be the first day ever it has failed to fire. Whatever the reason, I carry a second gun against that eventuality. Two, spare ammo and reloads. For autoloaders its a a no brainer, carry a second magazine, as magazine failure happens often and is real easy to fix IF you have a spare magazine. With revolvers, particullary j-frames I can see the logic of not carrying reloads. Reloads can be slow, the average gunfight only lasts...(insert whatever statistic you believe), if I shoot one attacker the rest will flee...all that is fine, and if you feel comfortable, well at least your carrying a gun. Im not trying to look down on those with that mindset, or say my way is better, but here is my opinion on carrying the extra ammo. Yes the reload is slower, but I can reload faster than not having a reload at all. The more I train, the faster I get at it too. Say the gunfight does last less than five rounds, and the other attackers have fled. What do you do on the way home, or while waiting for the police to arrive - you have anywhere from 0 to 4 shots left and thats it. What if the guys friends talk themselves into coming back, or the only reason they ran off was to get better weapons or more friends. I can find dozens of imagined or real world scenarios where extra ammo and spare guns could be handy, without getting exotic and coming up with farfetched scenarios. The hard part of finding scenarios where there was shooting and multiple attackers is there is not that many concealed carry shooting incidents, while tehre are many incidents of multiple attackers on regular people.

Me, I plan for the worst, hope for the best, and live my life out like normal. If I am ever attacked by a gang of street thugs, or one mugger, or the ninja mutant zombies of the world, I have prepared as much as i can for sucess. I plan to survive, and I continue to train with my chosen weapons while living my daily life. I do think its pretty silly to not at least have a speedstrip or two, but YMMV and its your life. Everyone needs to carry what they feel comfortable with and what works for me, certainly might not work for you.
 
Coming in late here but I'll offer this FWIW. The speed of the reload isn't as big a deal as you might imagine. A really fast reload might be 2 seconds, while a average to slow reload might be all of 6 to 8 seconds. Now one is 3 or 4 times slower than the other, but so what. You are not in much more danger 6 seconds after you run dry than 2 seconds after. Remember the other guy is going to be just as nervous as you, somebody just fired five shots at him. :uhoh:

Just because it feels like it takes forever to reload doesn't mean you are doomed. Of course you aren't doomed with five shots either.
 
I admit to carrying my Mod 60 with just the five in it...occaisionally.

If I am wearing demin or Docker style shorts...I drop a speedloader into a pocket...usuyally if I have on pants that take a belt, I carry my regular full size gun.

If I have on jeans...that means a belt and a Glock and 2 spares.

My habits were formed from years in law enforcement though.
 
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