Revolver reloading
- Thread starter ATN082268
- Start date
There are four things I ALWAYS carry.
- A gun
- Minimum of 1 re-load for said gun.
- A blade
- The ability to make fire.
I started my LEO career 22 years ago with the wheel. It was the FBI revolver reload method with HKS speedloaders. Those touting Safarliland, I had back luck with those accidentally having the button pushed and all of my rounds being on the ground instead of ready to be in the cylinder. HKS was a bit slower, but more dependable for me.
If I'm carrying a 5 shot off duty, I use the speed strip with the same method.
- A gun
- Minimum of 1 re-load for said gun.
- A blade
- The ability to make fire.
I started my LEO career 22 years ago with the wheel. It was the FBI revolver reload method with HKS speedloaders. Those touting Safarliland, I had back luck with those accidentally having the button pushed and all of my rounds being on the ground instead of ready to be in the cylinder. HKS was a bit slower, but more dependable for me.
If I'm carrying a 5 shot off duty, I use the speed strip with the same method.
Glenn E. Meyer
New member
For snubbies, I've seen recommended and taught to load 4 in the five shot speed strip with two, a space and two. The idea is that you can quickly get in two rounds and then another two. You load the pair at the same time. This gets you back in the fight quicker than five, one at a time.
It is embarrassing when you accidentally trigger your speed loader and dump the round in your pocket or on the ground. The crowd laughs. In the semi world - it's when you don't seat the mag and when you raise it up, the mag falls out. Hahaha, the crowd sez.
It is embarrassing when you accidentally trigger your speed loader and dump the round in your pocket or on the ground. The crowd laughs. In the semi world - it's when you don't seat the mag and when you raise it up, the mag falls out. Hahaha, the crowd sez.
Mannlicher
New member
I use Bianchi speed strips and the HK loaders. Both work fine. You have to practice though. Again, and again, and again.
boondocker385
New member
FWIW I have used a revolver in a DGU with 2 bad guys. It pays to practice and you should be behind cover and/or moving when you do it. Even bad guys understand flanking. If you handle the speedloader properly, I think safariland are faster and smoother to use. The long competition models are a good place to start.
begging the question
I tend to carry 380 DAOs and a spare mag, but for those times I carry a revolver, I carry an S&W 940 (9mm) which uses moon clips. I carry a spare moon clip in a pop-top plastic container made from an old prescription bottle. You can also get .38s with cylinders bored for moon clips. Everything comes and goes at once in the reload, no buttons to accidentally push.
I tend to carry 380 DAOs and a spare mag, but for those times I carry a revolver, I carry an S&W 940 (9mm) which uses moon clips. I carry a spare moon clip in a pop-top plastic container made from an old prescription bottle. You can also get .38s with cylinders bored for moon clips. Everything comes and goes at once in the reload, no buttons to accidentally push.
Model12Win
Moderator
A Webley Mk IV service revolver in .38/200 makes for an excellent fast loading revolver. You can use K-frame 6-shot speedloaders for these guns. I find the Safariland Comp IIs to work nicely. With the break open case ejection, I think reloading is just as fast if not faster than reloading with a swing-out cylinder revolver.
Some don't consider the venerable Webleys as worthy defensive guns these days, even those that praise the more modern S&W and Ruger revolvers as good for the same task. I think this is bunk. The old Webleys are very effective even today. The Mk IV with it's .38/200 chambering isn't overly powerful, but with the original 200 grain loads was considered to be a good stopper. The .455 Webley, while slow by today's standards, was well regarded as a formidable cartridge.
With a little practice and use of some modern techniques like the great speedloaders we have today, there's no reason a Webley can't be just as viable a defensive revolver as your S&W Model 10 or Ruger GP100.
Some don't consider the venerable Webleys as worthy defensive guns these days, even those that praise the more modern S&W and Ruger revolvers as good for the same task. I think this is bunk. The old Webleys are very effective even today. The Mk IV with it's .38/200 chambering isn't overly powerful, but with the original 200 grain loads was considered to be a good stopper. The .455 Webley, while slow by today's standards, was well regarded as a formidable cartridge.
With a little practice and use of some modern techniques like the great speedloaders we have today, there's no reason a Webley can't be just as viable a defensive revolver as your S&W Model 10 or Ruger GP100.
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A great conversation!
Anyone who knows me knows that I favor "J" frame revolvers as the must have self defense gun. Not the minimum, but a must have. I may also carry another revolver, or an autoloader. But I'll always have the 5 shot.
Far as reloading, I prefer the speed strip, usually carrying two on my strong side.
Far as the actual mechanics of the re-load I was trained in the police academy, and carried that method up until today. I'm going to describe it right handed, left handed is the opposite. First of all, this method as with any reloading method should be perfected and practiced without looking. When reloading the revolver it should be done the same every time. When I first began carrying a service revolver on a duty belt the spare cartridges were carried in whats called a box holder, and in loops on the belt or holster. The box carrier held loose rounds stacked on top of each other all pointing in the same direction. when it was time to reload you'd drop six loose rounds into.your hand and load the one at a time. The standard was that an officer had to fire 6 rounds, reload from his holders and fire 6 more within 60 seconds.
Enough ancient history. The department adopted HKS speed loaders after
an officer was killed while reloading during a gunfight. With the the advent of the speed loader it got more interesting. OK cut to the chase... the revolver in the strong hand, release the cylinder while curling the two middle fingers under the cylinder pushing outward and gripping the gun. With the thumb press the ejection rod to remove the spent casings. Strong hand picks up the speed loader with the index finger laying on a round in the speed loader. holding the revolver in the weak hand with the thumb on a high point of the cylinder where a round would go. If you put the index finger over the round to meet the thumb on the chamber the speed loader will fit pretty easy. Grip the handle with the strong as the weak hand pushes the cylinder closed. done
I know it sounds like a lot but it takes only a few seconds with some
practice.
Just a quick word about reloading revolvers, while it is easier to reload an auto a revolver requires some practice. earlier I mentioned an officer getting shot to death while reloading. The word is that the officer may not have been shot if he kept an eye on his opponent. He may have buried his concentration in reloading and lost sight of the gunbattle. So as I was trained with both revolvers and autos, to be able to reload without looking.
Anyone who knows me knows that I favor "J" frame revolvers as the must have self defense gun. Not the minimum, but a must have. I may also carry another revolver, or an autoloader. But I'll always have the 5 shot.
Far as reloading, I prefer the speed strip, usually carrying two on my strong side.
Far as the actual mechanics of the re-load I was trained in the police academy, and carried that method up until today. I'm going to describe it right handed, left handed is the opposite. First of all, this method as with any reloading method should be perfected and practiced without looking. When reloading the revolver it should be done the same every time. When I first began carrying a service revolver on a duty belt the spare cartridges were carried in whats called a box holder, and in loops on the belt or holster. The box carrier held loose rounds stacked on top of each other all pointing in the same direction. when it was time to reload you'd drop six loose rounds into.your hand and load the one at a time. The standard was that an officer had to fire 6 rounds, reload from his holders and fire 6 more within 60 seconds.
Enough ancient history. The department adopted HKS speed loaders after
an officer was killed while reloading during a gunfight. With the the advent of the speed loader it got more interesting. OK cut to the chase... the revolver in the strong hand, release the cylinder while curling the two middle fingers under the cylinder pushing outward and gripping the gun. With the thumb press the ejection rod to remove the spent casings. Strong hand picks up the speed loader with the index finger laying on a round in the speed loader. holding the revolver in the weak hand with the thumb on a high point of the cylinder where a round would go. If you put the index finger over the round to meet the thumb on the chamber the speed loader will fit pretty easy. Grip the handle with the strong as the weak hand pushes the cylinder closed. done
I know it sounds like a lot but it takes only a few seconds with some
practice.
Just a quick word about reloading revolvers, while it is easier to reload an auto a revolver requires some practice. earlier I mentioned an officer getting shot to death while reloading. The word is that the officer may not have been shot if he kept an eye on his opponent. He may have buried his concentration in reloading and lost sight of the gunbattle. So as I was trained with both revolvers and autos, to be able to reload without looking.
I basically use the Jerry Miculek technique, which I assume is similar to others. I'm just slower than he is 
, but not too bad. Not much slower than reloading a semi.
I also carry HKS speedloaders, I agree a little slower than the Safarliands, but more secure I've found. Always carry them in the same location, same for spare mags. I always carry 1 or 2 extra speed loaders or mags, depending on the gun.
Repetition can't be stressed enough. You can botch a reload on either platform - dump the rounds from the speedloader too soon, drop it, spill rounds out of the cylinder - don't seat the mag all the way, jam it in backwards, fumble it, etc.
Even when just plinking with a revolver, I nearly always reload the same as if I'm doing more serious drills. Retrieve the mag or speedloader as I would in a serious encounter, from the same location, always let the empty mag or speedloader fall to the ground. Things like that.
, but not too bad. Not much slower than reloading a semi.I also carry HKS speedloaders, I agree a little slower than the Safarliands, but more secure I've found. Always carry them in the same location, same for spare mags. I always carry 1 or 2 extra speed loaders or mags, depending on the gun.
Repetition can't be stressed enough. You can botch a reload on either platform - dump the rounds from the speedloader too soon, drop it, spill rounds out of the cylinder - don't seat the mag all the way, jam it in backwards, fumble it, etc.
Even when just plinking with a revolver, I nearly always reload the same as if I'm doing more serious drills. Retrieve the mag or speedloader as I would in a serious encounter, from the same location, always let the empty mag or speedloader fall to the ground. Things like that.