No speedloaders, no problem (well...maybe)

[Doug.38PR]

Complaints that revolvers are too slow to reload because of having to load one at a time instead of 6 at a time with a speedloader or 3 at at with a speedstrip aren't quite as well founded as some think.

I have found I am able to load 2, 3 or even as many as 4 rounds at one time. Taking into account adrenaline pumping and a tense situation I typically I stick with 2 or 3 as they are much easier to do and require far less concentration.

With two or three fingertips and a thumb you pull two or three rounds out of a dumb puch or push two or three out of a loop slide and slip both or all three into your cylinder and repeat the process and viola! Your gun is loaded. I load like this all the time in practice at the range right out of the box.

Granted a speedloader would be preferable as it is a little quicker and fewer things can go wrong with one, but if one is not available this isn't a bad option, especially if you want to carry extra ammo in a dump pouch or slide and save the speedloader for a part of the gunfight where you will need to reload extra quick.

 

[atlctyslkr]

I used to carry 35mm film cases with ammo. I loaded 5 .38's bullet head up. I found that they were just the right size and by popping the top and lining the case up over the cylinder I could shake the rounds into the cylinder very easily. This was way back in my early days before I knew anything about guns other than the fact that I needed one on the streets. I eventually solved the jiggle of the rounds in the case in my pocket by putting a cotton ball on top.

 

[Dienekes]

I have used a 2x2x2 De Santis pouch for years. When unsnapped it leans out about 30 degrees and presents the rounds to you the same way each time. I have a K frame sized hand, and I can index the cylinder with the flutes without difficulty. It takes a smidge longer than with a speedloader (I use Comp IIs) but gets the job done.

Personally I think this business of reloads and speed loads is overdone. The point is to think tactically (cheat) and hit with the rounds in the gun to make things settle down. Pretty hard to reload fast enough to make up for the misses that should have been hits.

But that's just insensitive me.

 

[Doug.38PR]

Good creative ideas!

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Doug,

Years, ok well decades, ago when I trained for PPC shooting with revolvers we were taught to use speed loaders. When we shot without speed loaders, we were always trained to load in groups of 2. Even to this day I find loading 2 rounds at a time is the faster reloads. Just a comment from older training.

 

[BluesBear]

Years ago the guys shooting PPC did indeed load two at a time from belt loops no less. And believe me they could reload faster than most people can with speedloaders.

And for duty use, loops are much faster than the drop boxes we were issued when I started.

I recall an old officer on the county police who carried a 5" S&W pre27 in a swivel holster that had TWENTY-FOUR loops on the belt tunnel. Yes, two rows of twelve. His grips were the standard oversized S&W that had been sanded smooth and were similar in appearance to Jordan grips, but different.
You could tell by the honest wear on the gun and by the way he carried it and himself that he knew how to use it.
He just had that "look". If the balloon went up I'd rather have one of him watching my flank than a half-dozen of these craptical operators.

 

[HiWayMan]

Now that I've done that (just funnin' Blues), on to the question.

I carry revolvers and have a real love affair with them. I've sold off all my autos, but the BHP, to finance my wheelie habit.

I like speedloaders, but in all honesty they are bulky and rarely are on my person. I use belt slides usually and find they work great. Reloads aren't super fast for me yet (give me a few more decades to master it), but I'm not digging in a pocket for cartridges either. I can do the two at a time reload, if you can't do this from a belt slide I reckon you're screwed if the balloon blows up. But, there is very little chance of me being able to do three at a time. You see, .44 specials is just to big for my wittle fingers.

 

[MCgunner]

For tactical reloading, I carry one or two Bianchi speed strips. I often get fumblitis when I'm NOT excited. I figure the speed strips will keep me at least from dropping 'em in the dirt. I always have a Safariland speedloader. I ain't very good at speed loading, but danged sight better than using loose ammo.

 

[bigmike45]

I've been reading a lot about the resurgance of the moon clips in revolvers, especially those not requireing them in the past. I carry a SP-101, a 5 shot revolver from time to time and there are several manufacturers that make the moon clips for this gun. I currently use HKS speedloaders but am considering the moon clips. Jerry Mickulek, the revolver speed wizard has a big role in this resurgance. His 12 shots in just over 2 seconds is accomplished using them.

 

[Whirlwind06]

I've been reading a lot about the resurgance of the moon clips in revolvers, especially those not requireing them in the past. I carry a SP-101, a 5 shot revolver from time to time and there are several manufacturers that make the moon clips for this gun. I currently use HKS speedloaders but am considering the moon clips. Jerry Mickulek, the revolver speed wizard has a big role in this resurgance. His 12 shots in just over 2 seconds is accomplished using them.

How do moon clips fit into a cylinder with a star extractor?
Does the cylinder need to be modified?

 

[HiWayMan]

Whirlwind06 -

Yes the rear cylinder face must be milled to accept moonclips. The star extractor will then bear upon the moonclip allowing extractoin on the expended rounds and the moonclip as a single unit. Another option in factory moonclipped .45ACP revolvers is to use the Auto Rim cartridge which has a rim thickness equal to that of a .45ACP round plus a moonclip. These load like standard cartridges. I found them handier for field use than moonclips when I had a .45ACP revolver. They also make speedloaders for the .45AR cartridge which negates the whole moonclip thing completely. A "more than one way to skin a cat" type of thing.

 

[MCgunner]

I've thought this over, and it's danged hard to tac reload with moon clips, just thinking about it. You just shoot till empty. Well, you can do it like with a partial magazine in an auto, stick the partial clip in your pocket, but when you go to stick it back in, you'll have to index it to the hot round or just go click click bang. It may not be advisable to take your eyes off the threat long enough to do that.

I think I'll stick with speed loaders and speed strips.

 

[HiWayMan]

What also makes a tac reload with moonclips damn near impossible is trying to stuff fired brass back into the cylinder. It is hard enough to do with a single fired round, but trying to line up two or three with even slightest moonclip slop is just short of never gonna happen. Good thing you can put two moons in a single speed loader pouch.

Of course half moons and 1/4 moons can take care of this, but 1/2 moons are tough to find and I haven't even seen 1/4 moons in years.

 

[BluesBear]

Well there ain't no 1/4 moon clips. And they'd only work in a four or eight shot cyinder.

Ranch products still makes their 1/3 moon clips and they can be purchased through Midway. I used 1/3 moons 20 years ago for pocket carry and they worked quite well.

Midway also sells 1/2 moon clips and I believe you can still order them from S&W.

I have found that moon clips do have an advantage for .45Auto Rim chambered revolvers over speedloaders. Years Ago™ I carried my cut down 1917 loaded with AutoRim ammo but my reloads were 1/2 or 1/3 moon clips (full moon clips are a rather recent invention).

I've tried conventional caliber revolvers adapted to moon clips and it seems to me the speed advantage is lessened when using longer cartridges. To me moonclipped .357 ammo has just as much slop as a speedloader and is slipperier to handle.


I have taught revolver tactical reloading for 25 years now and has been said previously, tactical reloads are extremely difficult with full moons.

Speedloaders and speedstrip work quite well in the real world but you do need to practice and make sure you don't have any clearance problems.
Clearance problems is what caused the demise of the Dade Speedloader.

 

[HiWayMan]

DOH!!!!!!

Ya got me Blues. 1/3 moons it is. It would appear math wasn't my strong point on Friday.

Good to see 1/3 are still available.

 

[Doug.38PR]

are there any clip on cartridge loop holders out there? Or clip on dump pouches? I've looked around the net and in my local gun store and they are all belt slides. Don't like having to take my belt off in order to get all my gear off. Like belt clips and paddles.

 

[BluesBear]

I don't recall any clip on loops but several companies made them that snapped on and off.

You can often fine the single Safariland drop boxes on fleabay. If you just wrap the back around your belt instead of threading the belt through, it makes it easy to remove and also makes it carry flatter on your belt.

 

[kmrcstintn]

3 words for you...

BIANCHI SPEED STRIPS

 

[BluesBear]

Complaints that revolvers are too slow to reload because of having to load one at a time instead of 6 at a time with a speedloader or 3 at at with a speedstrip aren't quite as well founded as some think.

Speedstrips were mentioned in the original post however it is impossible to load 3 at a time with them.

Two at a time however is easy. (Except with an N-frame)

Thanks to Lady45 for allowing the use of her hands and revolver.

More info on Bianchi Speed Strips can be found here.

 

[pezo]

I used to carry 35mm film cases with ammo. I loaded 5 .38's bullet head up. I found that they were just the right size and by popping the top and lining the case up over the cylinder I could shake the rounds into the cylinder very easily. This was way back in my early days before I knew anything about guns other than the fact that I needed one on the streets. I eventually solved the jiggle of the rounds in the case in my pocket by putting a cotton ball on top.

good lord man, you invented the speedloader. Now go and collect your due royalties.

 

[BluesBear]

I used to carry 35mm film cases with ammo.

Ingenious for sure.

Now I can't find a photo of the wooden speed loaders that Colt sold with their New Model 1892 Army revolver. Nor can I find any of the ones the British tried with the Webley before WWI.

But I do have, in my collection, a photo of a Nelson Rapid Fire Speed Loader from, I believe, the 1940s.

I've seen a few of these in a previous life. I believe they were once used or tested by the Indiana State Police. I know that there are a few still floating around the Hoosier State.

They worked. Somewhat. But they were not well suited for pocket carry and for heavens sake never drop one.

 

[1557]

Very ingenious for the time.Shows that someone was thinking outside the box,even in those days. Bet those things are heavy, too. Long before the days of plastic and polymer. First time I've ever seen one of those.