Who carries reloads: Speed Loader vs. Magazine

[AK103K]

I dont see how you can carry your main gun without a reload, regardless the type or capacity.

I can see maybe not carrying a reload for a back up, but I generally carry one for those that cant use the same mags as my main gun.

You never know when you may need to hand that spare gun off to someone along who chooses not to have one along. Then again, maybe they'll just have to live with what you give them, and learn a lesson and bring their own next time.

 

[riceboy72]

I carry a reload no matter the gun.

J frame = two Speed Strips in a phone case on my belt. I don't carry a speedloader but have an extra one or two in my car.

Semi auto = one spare mag usually; two depending on the pistol. In a dedicated mag pouch on my belt.

 

[MCgunner]

I understand that a speed loader is too bulky to want to carry, but I don't understand why several 5-shot revolver toting posters here won't carry a speed strip with 5 rounds in it. Or even 2-3 loose rounds.

I carry 6 in my speed strip for my 5 shot pocket ultralite snubby. Why carry five when you can carry six? Unless you cut a round off it, it holds 6. Then, when I put on my 3" Taurus 66 as a primary, the same reload will work in the .357. That gun has the uncanny ability to shoot POA with .38 or .357 rounds. Makes things simple.

 

[jeepnik]

You don't carry a reload for DURING the fight, you carry it for AFTER the fight.

It's poor form to go bustle about with an empty gun. Watching some videos of actual shootouts, it's interesting to see how many defenders give chase or stand guard after the initial exchange with an empty gun.

Darn, I spent all that time learning a tactical reload. Thanks for educating me.

 

[km101]

Dang, where do you guys carry all that extra ammo? I have trouble enough concealing the gun!

If I am carrying a J frame I have an extra 5 rounds in my pocket. If I am carrying a SA, I have 11 rounds total and so I don't carry an extra mag.

 

[Hometeached1]

Dang, where do you guys carry all that extra ammo? I have trouble enough concealing the gun!

If I am carrying a J frame I have an extra 5 rounds in my pocket. If I am carrying a SA, I have 11 rounds total and so I don't carry an extra mag.

I carry my pistol at 3:30 two spare mags at 8:30/9:00. Kind of balances nicely that way too.

 

[AK103K]

I really dont understand the mentality of not carrying a spare mag with the auto loaders. With them, its not so much about capacity, as it is a malfunction issue. If you should have a problem, you now have zero capacity.

Carrying a 5-8 shot revolver, and the capacity thing is a whole other issue.

Hey, I normally carry a Glock 17 with a double reload, as well as a Glock 26 as a BUG, so I have little sympathy for the "the little trains who cant".

 

[CraigC]

No reloads. For those who think that's silly, I find it equally silly to be carrying 2-3 guns and/or several reloads.

 

[SEE IT LIKE A NATIVE]

I usually carry my Glock 30 (10 shot) with a spare mag in my truck . In the last couple months I have been carrying a ruger LCR 38 special , speed strip in the truck . On occasion I will carry both guns ,depending more on my attire and the activity planned ! My purpose is to shoot my way out of trouble , not into it ! Kevin

 

[AK103K]

No reloads. For those who think that's silly, I find it equally silly to be carrying 2-3 guns and/or several reloads.

Id rather be silly for having to much along, than in a bad spot, for not having enough, and/or a stopped gun, with no way to remedy it. Murphy IS more real than all the other gods.

 

[CraigC]

We all make our choices based on our needs, real and perceived. Some folks are just more comfortable with less.

 

[AK103K]

Hey, if youre comfortable with less, have at it. We all have to make our own realistic choices, and deal with them.

If we're lucky, none of us will ever have to find out if we've chosen our gear, and maintained our skills appropriately.

"Lucky" is one of Murphy's many nick names, by the way.

 

[Pofficer]

At one time or another, all of the above. Usually an auto w/ spare mag, sometimes a revolver w/ speed strip(s).

 

[MutinousDoug]

When I carry a revolver, I carry a speedloader and maybe a speedstrip.
When I carry an auto; I carry a spare mag.

 

[David E]

Hallo David E.,

"It sounds like you're pulling the 1.5 second time frame out of thin air... How fast is your draw of the second and third gun?" [David E]

The 1.5 seconds refers to my time for reloading ammo into a handgun, which for me is a fiddly process fraught with uncertainty. Actual draw time to second and third handguns is zero, that's right, zero seconds. How can this be? Think about it.

"How do you carry them?" [David E]

My handguns are usually carried in 3 different places, high to low. Since everyone is physically different, locations can vary.

Best to you.

How do you time your reload ?

Now, forgive me, I'm not as smart or as skilled as you...

How, exactly, do you achieve a zero draw time?

I am only coming up with:

1) hicap auto (fastest reload is no reload)

2) draw two guns simultaneously.

3) draw the second gun just before the first one runs dry.

That's all I got. Please enlighten us.

 

[shadow9]

If the SP is in the holster, I've got my Safariland C-1 in the pocket (polymer/smaller/lighter than the HKS). Likewise, I've got an additional HKS 36A in my coat pocket, another in the glove compartment and an empty third one hanging out in the keys/etc pocket in case I need to unload the revolver (makes it MUCH faster and easier to unload/reload than just dumping the shells into your hand).

 

[Combat Engineer]

re: post #65, queries:

"How do you time your reload ?" [David E]

Digital timer.

"How ... do you achieve a zero draw time?" [Ibid]

A variation on option 3.

Best to you.

 

[oldbear]

Unless I'm going somewhere where I can show off my B.B.Q. leather I don't carry a reload on my person. I do though keep two loaded speed strips in my car.

 

[David E]

re: post #65, queries:

"How do you time your reload ?" [David E]

Digital timer.

"How ... do you achieve a zero draw time?" [Ibid]

A variation on option 3.

Best to you.

A variation of Option #3........that's it?

What, is it some ancient Chinese secret or something?

Dang, if I wanted to pull this many teeth I would've become a dentist!

 

[Skribs]

Interesting now that there's a larger sample.
Revolver, no reload 10
Revolver, reload 41
Auto, no reload 25
Auto, reload 84
Revolver: reload to no reload 4.1:1
Auto: reload to no reload 3.36:1

A greater percentage of revolver carriers have a reload than auto carriers. This is not what I expected.

 

[David E]

Darn, I spent all that time learning a tactical reload. Thanks for educating me.

Can you cite a situation that's non-military where somebody performed a "tactical" reload, pocketed the partial when the bad guy's buddies showed up, commenced the fight anew and the good guy had to use his previously pocketed rounds before the fight ended?

Yeah, neither could Walt Rauch.

Soooooo what's all the fuss about a "tactical reload" that involves pocketing the partial mag? (Never mind the revolver shooter who "dumped and pocketed the whole mess" in his pocket!)

 

[zerobarrier]

I always carry at least 2 extra mags

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

This is more a satisfy-my-curiosity thread than anything else. I hypothesize that a smaller percentage of revolver carriers carry a reload than auto carriers. This is both because speedloaders can be more cumbersome for their capacity than magazines IMO, and because revolver carriers often say you dont need more than five or six shots to justify going revolver over auto. I realize I am biased here, that is just the attitude I've gotten from a large number of revolver fans.

The other possibility, of course, is that revolver fans know they are limited and carry reloads, while auto carriers feel sufficient with a larger magazine. So I ask the question: is your EDC a revolver or auto, and do you carry a reload? (And why or why not on the reload).

ETA: I realize many people swap back and forth for various reasons. The question here is regarding your primary EDC. I know, I know, you have no favorites and you love them all equally...

ETA #2: For the purposes of this thread, "speed loader" can also mean "speed strip".

The holster that I have right now has a place for one spare mag and I keep one in the pistol. Now when I get my new carry holster I'll most likely carry both of my spare mags as well as the one in the pistol. That will give me a total of 30 rounds of 40 S&W rounds. Note: I do not have the same ammo in each mag. I have one mag with 155 grain hollow points, one mag with 180 grain Barry plated bullets loaded with 6.8 grains of Longshot powder, and the third has 165 grain fmj bullets in it at the moment but it will be loaded up with as a combo mag with rat shot, hollow points and fmj of three each.

 

[hartcreek]

I agree with Sam1911 as I carry wheel guns or autos depending on my mood heck I even have an inside the waste band holster and have carried my walker that way.

 

[tomrkba]

Can you cite a situation that's non-military where somebody performed a "tactical" reload, pocketed the partial when the bad guy's buddies showed up, commencing the fight anew and the good guy had to use his previously pocketed rounds before the fight ended?

Yeah, neither could Walt Rauch.

Do what's all the fuss about a "tactical reload" that involves pocketing the partial mag? (Never mind the revolver shooter who "dumped and pocketed the whole mess" in his pocket!)

Tom Givens agrees and does not teach it. I can see knowing it in case it is needed, but focus on emergency reloads is more important.