9mm snubbies

I have a Taurus 905 and I love it. Its very well made, accurate and reliable. Here is a short review I did when I purchased it last year. Still going strong with close to 1,000 rounds now. I believe I paid $375.


http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=678182

David,

The film canisister was always faster than the speed strip every day for me for whatever reason. About half the time I lost one round using the film canister, but always was able to close the revolver and start shooting faster than trying to load five or even four from the speed strip.

Still a speed loader, even an HKS twist type was faster and more reliable than either......and a second revolver faster and more reliable still.

I played with speed strips for a couple of years both red and black in color and pretty much abandoned them.

FOr a bit I used a six shot strip with the third hole empty making it easier to load two with out dislodging one twice. My biggest problem with a speed strip was one still needs something to carry it in unless one did not mind the ocassional round falling out in the pocket or getting caught on removal from the pocket. I wished they made a five shot speed strip with the rounds set so two are close for double loading at once then a space two more and a space and the fifth round out by itself. Less chance of stripping off rounds un wanted that way.

Reloads for speed where not a high priority for me most of the time and I often carried an ammo wallet, next slowest thing to standard belt loops one side or the other.

My favorite game revolver of what I have is a 1917 as I like the moon clips, thought a five shot nine with a full moon might be interesting.

Not interested in arguing though, certainly not on the high road.......

-kBob

Look for a S&W model 547, I think they are.
Steve

kBob said:

The film canisister was always faster than the speed strip every day for me for whatever reason.

Click to expand...

Too bad the YouTube video of Massad Ayoob demonstrating the speed strip reload wasn't available to you at the time. The technique shown is solid.

There are now "Quick Strips" that hold 5, 6, 7 and 8 cartridges. You could leave one or two cells empty to allow a better hold, or stagger the rounds as you suggest.

Not only was there no you tube 20 some years ago, but Massad Ayoob did not teach me anything unusual about speed strips in his LFI-1 class back then, except the load two at a time and the skip number 3 hole technique on a six shot for a five shot revolver. He complained mightily about the fact that under pressure I slipped back into Cooper-isms with the autos though.

His 2 1/2 inch tricked out python was a joy to shoot. BUt even with a bobbed barrel the python is a lot of six shot .357 to conceal. Still not sure how the skinny LFA did so so well......

-kBob

He apparently has updated his speedstrip technique somewhat.

What's important is that good techniques are found, mastered and updated if necessary.

C0untZer0 said:

I think it's impossible to tell if Charter Arms has worked out the quality problems with their rimless revolver in 9mm because they only seem to make a few revolvers a month.

I'd be surprised if they make more than one 9mm PITBULL in a week.

As leary as I am of Taurus, I've only hear good things about the 905 - the "stellar" clips are another matter, but you can buy moon clips from other makers now. Just accept that the Taurus stellar clips are going to be a problem. For people who just want a 9mm revolver(not a snubbie) CzechPoint USA will be importing the 3" Alfa Proj revolvers in September - the 9231:

http://www.czechpoint-usa.com/products/revolvers/9-mm-luger/czechpoint-9231-9mm-para/

Click to expand...

Ohhhh yeah! I want it!

Didn't read every comment so someone might have suggested already. Get a .357 and shoot 38+ P. A 357 is just a hot 38 special, 38 special +P is somewhere between the 2.

I'll probably carry my reload in a speed strip.

Click to expand...

I don't think rimless 9mm cartridges can be secured in a speed strip.

There is no reason a speed strip could not be designed to work with 9mm. I doubt that a 38/357 one would, though.

I was pretty interested in a 9mm revolver until the latest ammo scare. Now I'm kind of glad that I'm not stuck with 9mm only. I'm not going to consolidate anytime soon now.

One huge benefit to a 9mm revolver would be a shorter frame/cylinder - it looks like that's not the case in any of them I've seen so far.

My ideal 9mm revolver would be scandium frame 3" barrel and a 6 shot cylinder as close to a J frame in size as possible.

So far, though I'm pretty happy with 38 +p with either the gold dot short barrel (scarce) or the 158gLSWCHP.

Maybe one made for a smaller caliber wood work?

Click to expand...

I'm thinking the problem is mostly lack of a rim to hold it in place. I don't know if the short little rim of the 9mm could be made to work. (Oops! I see you already addressed that.)

One huge benefit to a 9mm revolver would be a shorter frame/cylinder - it looks like that's not the case in any of them I've seen so far.

Click to expand...

I thought the Taurus 905, or at east one version of it did have a shorter cylinder and frame scaled to the 9mm cartridge. Am I imagining that?

The main allure of a 9mm revolver is the speed of a moonclip reload.

To purposely negate that is..........interesting.

Gary A said:

I thought the Taurus 905, or at east one version of it did have a shorter cylinder and frame scaled to the 9mm cartridge. Am I imagining that?

Click to expand...

They shortened the cylinder on their .380 revolver, not so much on their 9mm

Ah, David, thanks. You're right. That's what I was "remembering".

David E said:

They shortened the cylinder on their .380 revolver, not so much on their 9mm

Click to expand...

Taurus made a version called the 905 Instant Backup, it had a shorter cylinder and frame, I had a blued one. Must not have been popular, it was short lived.

WC145 said:

Taurus made a version called the 905 Instant Backup, it had a shorter cylinder and frame, I had a blued one. Must not have been popular, it was short lived.

Click to expand...

Maybe there were enough cases of "flash gap thumb shred" to make them reconsider that option.

Maybe there were enough cases of "flash gap thumb shred" to make them reconsider that option.

Click to expand...

Now there's a thought I had not considered. Ouch! As was mentioned, sometimes learning from others is so much better than learning everything through personal experience.

Every time I get in the mood to sell my 905, I find a thread like this one and feel glad that I still have it. I would not want a lighter frame as 9mm packs a pretty good punch (more than my model 36 and Colt Cobra in .38 sp). Mine has the optional grip from Taraus that is a longer than the standard one. This grip takes some of the bite out of the recoil. When I carry it, it's IWB in Desantis leather. My loaded stellar clips are in an old pill bottle.

Grapevine

David E said:

Maybe there were enough cases of "flash gap thumb shred" to make them reconsider that option.

Click to expand...

I've never had such an issue with any revolver, including the 905IB. Of course, I'm smart enough to keep my thumb away from the cylinder face when shooting.