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.