Question about Speedloaders for revolvers

I would say first practice and practice more. I you can set your gun on the coffee table every evening and load and unload snap caps with the speed loaders. Load them left handed, right handed, siting, standing laying down, squatting, eye closed, etc.
Muscle memory take thousands of repetitions to build and ingrain.

5-357rds is pretty deadly 1 in the chest cavity is pretty life threatening.

Statistically most "shoot outs" are not really shoot outs. Most people will get the hell out of dodge when they start hearing gun shots. Not to really on that but the odds are that you will not really be exchanging tons of rds. Especially you you make them count and do not waste them.
 
I sometimes carry a 642 or an LC9 . 5 in the 642, 7 in the LC. If there is more than 2 bad guys you're in too deep. I saw Matt Dillon take on 3 guys, 3rd guy shot Matt. No answer unless you carry something belt fed.
 
It's your home you have the advantage. Play the home field advantages and use cover, concealment, corners, rooms, tactical use of lights... If you start throwing down lead your adversaries will most often take flight. If it's a dedicated home invasion team, ie you have high value items you're protecting, then use your revolver to fight your way to a rifle or shotgun.
 
Buy a handful of speed strips. Then practice loading two bullets at a time. Practice a lot.

image012.jpg
 
Practice a lot.
Click to expand...

This ^^^

No matter what reload method you use. Use more than one. Use them all. Practice them all.

Every operator/practitioner in the world who got good at their craft, shooters, dancers, body builders, all of them, got good by practicing.


Sgt Lumpy
 
A few thoughts:

As many have pointed out: Practice, practice, practice.

I really really have a hard time believing that 5 rounds (or 6 for that matter) will not be enough. Sure there are extenuating circumstances that do happen (however remote), but I probably have just as good of a chance being struck by lightning. With the areas of town I frequent and what my daily activities entail, I feel like 5 rounds from a weapon I am proficient with will be enough. Based on the many firearms courses I have taken in the past, I believe the average gunshots fired in a defense situation is well under 2.

For home defense, I think it is tough to beat a short barreled shotgun with a light mounted on it.
 
I'm a revolver man to the bone, and I can relate to the thought of "what if I run out of ammo?" I do believe I'm more likely to run out of time before I run out of ammo. However, I've come up with a couple of items for myself.

First, I started shooting at IPDA. Didn't take the easy route. I showed up with an S&W 28 and some HKS speedloaders held at the belt in pouches with flaps and snaps. That experience will very quickly teach what works and what doesn't. If you can learn to reload quickly while everyone is watching you and the clock is ticking, you are on your way. It will also teach you how you react under stress (nowhere near that of a life and death scenario, but still more stress than the square range).

Second, I decided that for home defense, my revolver becomes the secondary weapon. My first choice at my house will always be a long gun with an extended magazine.
 
There are more reloaders on the market - than the one in your photo attached....which looks like the HKS version....

depending on the model of your gun ....you can try Safariland or Jet.../ I like them both way better than the HKS speedloaders...with the Jet being my personal favorite in a K or L frame S&W 6 shot revolver...
------------
Capacity is an often debated issue on "Defense" ...but to me, a good Defense gun, is the gun you shoot the best - at the range that you intend to defend yourself ( 3 - 24 Feet probably )....

So you need to practice with the gun - firing quickly double taps, triple taps - and some reloads...and whether its a revolver or a semi-auto is probably irrelevant...if you can put shots on target consistently that is the key ! So go to the range and practice ....ideally drawing from holster, or shooting from low ready or whatever....( draw from holster and trip taps under 5 sec is probably ok - especially to start ) ....but if you're not 99% in that triangle between the nipples and line to belly button ...you have some work to do. I'd forget about the lasers - and all that stuff....it comes down to whether you can shoot the gun you've chosen or not.../ and .357 Mag is just fine - if you can shoot it well.

Then work on the reloading...and I think Mike said above ...last shot - to reload and 1 shot was around 4 sec ..../ that's a good goal.

One of the drills I like is -( draw from holster - a double tap - reload - another double tap ). Probably start at a 10 sec goal ( for the whole drill )....run it twice at 9 Ft, 12', 15', 18', 21' and 24' - so that's 48 rds ...or almost a box. In a revolver for this drill ...it depends on what fits your hands the best - but I like a K, L or N frame S&W in a 4" in .357 Mag...4" gives me a decent length of sight plane...and K, L or N frame gives me enough weight to handle the .357 mag ( K frame mod 19 or 66, L frame mod 686 , N frame model 27 ...)...but you should shoot what you like, and what fits your hands ! If this revolver was my primary carry gun - or my night stand gun ....I'd run this drill at least twice a week ....3 or 4 times, per range visit....until I had the muscle memory down to a point where I was really consistent on time and reload competency. ( and its fun !! )...
 
Getting fast at reloading -

Shooting (surely any sport) is all about several very small tasks. You combine those tasks, string them together, and you have the executed shot (dive, baseball pitch, ballet dance, whatever).

Fine tuning the small tasks is what world class athletes and their coaches do. Get EFFICIENT at those small movements so that you eliminate extra, unnecessary movement(s). Once you're efficient at those individual movements, they take up less and less time. And that's what makes you fast.

Focus on the SMALL movements.


Sgt Lumpy
 
Try being left handed in a world where almost all revolver cylinders swing the wrong direction... :rolleyes:

I had to learn to tip the revolver upside down to load with the proper hands, switching hands to reload then switching back would not cut it (yes I can shoot righty, but I'm better with my left). Bottom line, find what works for you, and practice.

I actually do carry my speedloaders in my pocket, I moved my keys to a carabiner clip (goofy I know) on my belt loop. moved my zippo to the little watch pocket of my jeans and started carrying my Leatherman in the pouch again. Now all that in my pocket is a speed loader and my EDC flashlight, which is easily distinguishable from the HKS and not much bigger than the AAA battery inside it.

Carrying a gun is an inconvenience, sometimes we have to adjust ourselves to fit it!
 
you can try Safariland or Jet.../ I like them both way better than the HKS speedloaders...with the Jet being my personal favorite in a K or L frame S&W 6 shot revolver
Click to expand...

BigJimP - Could you comment on the differences between Comp IIIs vs the Jets? Are they essentially the same design but the spring isn't exposed on the Safari?

Thanks -


Sgt Lumpy
 
The body diameter of JetLoaders is a teensy bit smaller than CompIIIs. The spring on the JetLoader feels a bit more positive to me, too. You can also get a JetLoader (but AFAIK not a CompIII) for a 5-shot J-frame.
 
I don't always carry a five shot, but when I do, I carry a couple of Safariland 5 round speed loaders. Just push them in until you hear/feel the click.

And as others have stated practice, practice, practice.
 
Does anyone remember the early Bianchi speedloaders? They looked sort of like a comp II but there were no moving parts. The whole thing was a rubber, flexible shell. Rims were held in place by friction and a little rubber ledge. To release the cartridges from the speed loader, you'd squeeze the whole thing, like a rubber ball. They usually needed just a bit of a twist to encourage the last round or two to let loose. I hadn't thought about them for years. They weren't approved for my dept. We were still using dumps.


Sgt Lumpy
 
SgtLumpy,

There is just something about the Jet that feels better ...( I'm in my office today, so I don't have them handy - side by side....) but part of it is the Jet just seems to get into position cleaner and releases the rounds more cleanly into the gun - or it might just be the way the Jet fits my big paws ..../ or the style of wood grips I have on my K and L frame guns.

Like most of you guys.. :D ..I have a 20 gallon tub full of holsters and speedloaders, etc that I don't use ...and in speedloaders, I have HKS, Safariland II's and III's, speed strips - and the Jet ...)...

and it really irritates me that I have to use the HKS for my N frame model 29's, 27's and 28's ...because Jet doesn't make a speedloader for an N frame - at least that I've found...yet !

I'm not a competitive shooter so its not a big deal....but I'm almost 1/2 sec faster with the Jet than the Safariland...and at least a full sec faster than I am with the HKS.../ but I think a lot of what speed loader you like the best comes down to just the little things - some guys swear by moon clips - and I've never liked that idea at all..
 
Last edited:
If I carried a 5-shot snubbie, I wouldn't bother with extra rounds. Not meaning to sound snide, but my plan would be to hit what I aim at; or don't take the shot.

As previously mentioned: practice practice practice.
 
If I carried a 5-shot snubbie, I wouldn't bother with extra rounds. Not meaning to sound snide, but my plan would be to hit what I aim at; or don't take the shot.
Click to expand...

Has a multiple-attacker situation never occurred in your part of the country?
 
To answer more seriously, and to Wheel-Gunner's point: I believe the average gunfight last - something like - 1.8 rounds. The chances of needing a semi-auto mag's worth of rounds is exceedingly small.

My work buddy and I have the "fire-power vs. hitting-power" debate on a regular basis. He prefers his 15-round 9mm, and I want my 6-shot .357 smokewagon.

It's unlikely that a defensive situation would result in emptying your weapon - even if it's only a 5-shotter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top