I have dealt with the capacity “problem” by carrying multiple revolvers. In early 2002, when I reluctantly transitioned to a Glock G22 duty pistol, I discontinued my habit of using the same handgun, on and off the clock. Gen3 Glocks did not fit me very well, which contributed to my shooting an SP101 better than the G22. That was 2002, when I added the second spur-less SP101, soon followed by another, with the hammer spur. Instead of carrying a full-sized duty pistol during personal time, I carried two or three SP101 snubs. Some days, my 4” GP100 subbed for one of the snubs, as “primary.”
The 3” SP101 was a nice replacement for a very special revolver that I let get away from me. In the Eighties, I had an S&W Model 60, a stainless J-Frame, with a 3” bull barrel, and a square butt, one of a limited edition. I could shoot that one as accurately as I could a medium-frame revolver, especially when our qual course was set-up to be shot with five rounds between the mandated reloads. I very nearly shot a felon with this one, as he pivoted and tried to draw a huge 5.5” Ruger Redhawk, which he had tucked, holster-less, into his britches. He fumbled his draw, resulting in the Redhawk falling to the pavement. I already had the 3” Model 60 in-hand, so, he was taking a big chance, trying to draw. We learned that this felon had gone to prison as a teenager, for murdering the neighborhood ice cream man, and had just been released, after 30+ years, shortly before I almost shot him. He had been burglarizing vehicles, and was in an area we had staked-out, to catch folks like him. Unlike most car burglars, in the Eighties, he was packing iron. He admitted that he was thinking about committing armed robberies, in the area that we had under surveillance.
Multiple-snub carry was/is not just for ammo capacity, but for accessibility options. I write lefty, but throw righty, and shoot DA revolvers decently well both righty and lefty. Some thugs target their intended victim’s right hands/arms, at the beginning of an attack, so, having a weapon positioned for lefty access has merit.
Another reason for multiple five-shot snubs is the amount of work space that one has, when reloading. There is ample clearance when working with a K/L-Frame, Speed/Security/Service Six, or GP100 cylinder. SP101 and J-Frame revolvers require more care in aligning the speed-loader or other loading device.
To be clear, I am not all-revolver, every day. I use Glocks, too, with some frequency, especially when abusive environments are a factor. We live not far from brackish and salt water, and in this wet, green, humid part of Texas, my own body is producing plenty of salty perspiration, much of the year. Gen4 and Gen5 Glocks fit my hands much better than the Gen3 Glocks I was using 20 years ago.
