HKS Speedloader or Bianchi Speed Strip. Need Advice guys!

Hey all,


Im currently carrying my S&W Model 36 in a Don Hume JIT holster, and now that i have a great holster to carry my CCW in, i need to think about reloads, as i havent been carrying any extra rounds up until now. Ive had experiece with HKS speedloaders with my S&W 686, and i found that i sometimes had trouble seating the rounds. Ive never held the bianchi speed strips, ive seen pictures. What are the advantages/disadvantages of the speed strips versus the HKS speedloaders? are the speedstrips just a convienent way of carrying the rounds in your pocket or something?


Thanks Guys

Ryan

 

Speed strips are much more convenient for carry. You can carry one in any pocket with no bulge and after you practice loading, can reload pretty quickly. $8 for a pair makes it an inexpensive try-out. I use both but much prefer the speed strips.

Also, you can use the same speed strips your M19.

 

The ease of carrying the speedstrips makes them that much more likely to be in your pocket should you ever need them...

 

I use the speed strips. As mentioned, they're a lot less bulky & more likely to be carried.

My normal carry is a 642 in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster. I'll insert the revolver, a piece of felt towards the outside of the holster (away from body), then put the speed strip in the holster. This has the added advantage of breaking up the outline of the revolver so it's less likely to be recognized.

 

Are the speed strips just a way of conviently carrying the rounds or do they serve another purpose?

 

I agree with this.I tried the HKS speedloader and the bulkiness is a definite negative.
The Bianchi Speedstrip/wallet combo is faultless and you don't know its there.A little slower on the reload perhaps,but the trade off is worth it,IMO, with my S&W 340PD.
Ten rounds of 125 grain HP .357 Magnum is very comforting.

 

What trouble are you having with the HKS speedloaders? Is it an alignment issue or are the rounds hanging up? You might consider getting the cylinder holes chamfered. It doesn't cost much and will help to funnel the rounds into the cylinder. Round nose type bullets will help as well versus any SWC type.

 

An interesting article on the subject of using Speedstrips...http://www.snubnose.info/docs/speedstrip.htm

 

Speedstrips on my person, HKS in car.

 

I greatly prefer Safariliand Speedloaders to HKS, when they are available for your gun.

 

The Short Crane...

...on a small-frame revolver, such as the S&W M-36, may make it difficult to get the speedloader to drop its rounds and fall free. While slower, the Speed Strip will not have a similar problem. The speedloader will also require that you dump all the rounds in the cylinder, even if some have not yet been fired. The Speed Strip will give you the option of replacing only those rounds that have been fired.

If you must reload one-handed and do so by stuffing the muzzle of the revolver behind your belt, after the action has been opened and the fired cases removed, a Speed Strip will likely pull a revolver with a two-inch barrel out of the waistband. For this reason, I carry a DeSantis 2+2+2 pouch just to the right of my belt buckle, where it is accessible to either hand. I also carry Speed Strips in the side pockets of my vest but regard those as being there for "administrative" reloads. My primary reloads are additional revolvers.

 

A speed strip fits perfectly in the coin pocket of most jeans.

 

You can get pretty quick with speed strips if you practice.

 

Speed strips are the way to go for concealed carry. I would suggest practicing reloading with them at the range, this way you learn how hot the barrel gets! It will also give you practice in maintaining the muzzle down range, which is one of the problems most people encounter when reloading (they try to maneuver the pistol, rather than the speed strip).

 

i use the 2x2x2 pouch also. speedloaders in the console of my car

 

In the 686 (house gun) Safariland Speedloaders. In the J-Frames (EDC) Speed Strips for sure.

• Much more convenient to carry.
• Allow partial reloads.
• Carry more of them (more ammo on person)

I personally have never had much luck with reloading the J-Frame in a hurry from any make of circular speed loader of any make. J-Frame and Speed Strip are like bread and butter, they belong together. I think of the Speed Strips as spare magazines! They seem part of the gun. I hit indoor range twice a month and I always load from speed loaders/Speed Strips. I also practice with snap caps at least twice a week.

 

I have tried both, and 2 safariland speedloaders or 2 speed strips carry easily in my pocket along with my Surefire L1. Carrying all 4 was a bit much.

I settled on the safarilands for everyday because they are quicker for me to use with my 640 and 642.

I like the Remington 158gr SWCHP +P for carry, but can reload the Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel quicker.

The soft lead semiwadcutter does not slide in very smoothly.

Compromise: I load the snubbies with the 158gr and the safarilands with the Gold Dots.

 

Speedloaders. I made sure that my CCW holster has a place for them, and there is no circumstance other than plinking in which I would not be doing the Ayoob Stressfire reload (crane out, barrel vertical, hit ejector with palm of support hand to dump all cartridges, support hand cradles cylinder and locks frame in barrel-down position, strong hand dumps a fresh load of six into the cylinder in preparation for whatever comes next, strong hand discards speedloader and returns to firing position while support hand closes cylinder, support hand returns to support position). If any of the dumped cartridges was still unfired and happened to be easy to grab, and I had a moment to do so, I might stuff them in a pocket until I could get them back into a speedloader, but I would never attempt a "partial unload" of only the fired rounds -- catching a rim under the ejector star would be a real possibility, and that would render the revolver inoperable until I could get away, calm down enough to regain my dexterity, then free the jam.

Speed strips are fine for keeping loose rounds from rattling around, but if I have to have the gun loaded right now I don't want to be trying to regain my fine motor skills while processing a full dose of adrenaline, or trying to regather my higher processing skills while in brain-stem fight-or-flight mode.

 

I use both.

The speed strips fit into the watch pocket on my jeans. I carry them when I need something flat such as when I need to carry it in a pants pocket.

I carry the speedloaders if I have a jacket pocket or some other location available.

 

I much prefer Safariland speedloaders, when they are available. The only advantage HKS has, IMO, is more variety. Just can't get Safarilands for some revolvers. I don't find them particularly hard to carry either. Chunk one in a pocket and there it be. If you want it on your belt, there are over-the-belt designs. Del Fatti and Christine Cunningham are two makers who offer this kind of carrier.

Can't say much about speedstrips. Never used them, don't have a need for them. Much flatter though.

 

Speedloaders are the way to go speed strips are too slow. I have used both for almost thirty years. I wear cargo shorts all summer,I carry 2 speed loaders in right front pocket or wear tee shirt out with speedloader pouchs on belt(split six style). gun is iwb holster. I carry one speed strip or Desantis 2x2x2 pouch on belt for tactical revolver reload.This is when you have time and cover to top off, for partial cylinder reload instead of waisting a full speedloader and dumping unfired roads on the ground. On model 36 or any J-frame you have to pick grips carefully alot of grips will not allow you to use speed loaders. I stopped using J-frame guns years ago and use two K-frame instead. One 2" and one 3" much easier to shoot and reload. 3" is just as easy to carry iwb as 2". In 30 years of carry I have never had anyone know I was packing until I wanted them to know.

 

The previous posters have outlined the strengths and weaknesses of speed strips and speed loaders. However, no matter which (or both) methods you select you just gotta PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. If you haven't made the effort to achieve some strong sense of muscle memory through practice then you are highly likely to be too slow with either or both of the loaders. So, practice, practice, practice

 

Which is better with the SP101? Just curious...