NY Reload -- same caliber?

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Cal44

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I'm considering carrying, at least sometimes, a NY reload.

My primary carry gun these days is a 340PD.

Another gun, on my carry license is my 431PD (32 H&R mag).

An alternative is my 649 -- also on my carry license. But as a NY reload, it's a lot heavier.

In each case, I'd carry at a reload speed strip.

How important is it to carry two J frames that can use the same speed strip reload?
 
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Obviously, it's up to you.

However, I would suggest that if you're going to carry a pair of J-frames, they should be in the same, or at least compatible, caliber.

Let's assume a worst-case scenario. You've emptied both guns, or you're in a situation where you decide it'd be better to reload than to draw your BUG. How are you going to know which reload is which? I prefer the KISS principle...Keep It Simple, Student (that's the version I prefer... ;) ). By having J-frames in different calibers, and reloads for each, you now have to not only come up with a way to differentiate between them, but practice it so you can do so while under stress. Simpler is going to be better. My suggestion would be to make your 649 your primary and your 340PD your BUG. A 649 on the belt, IWB or OWB, is going to be relatively easy to carry, and you can still have your 340PD in a pocket or ankle holster, or whatever method you decide on.

Or, just don't carry a reload and rely on your BUG. Not my preference, but it would eliminate the need to be able to distinguish reloads between different calibers.

Of course, this doesn't apply when you have completely different and incompatible guns, i.e., my PX4 Compact 9mm and my 642-1 .38 Special. I carry a reload for each, but there's no way I'm going to confuse those two (hopefully! ;) ).

FWIW, there were times when I carried a 3" 65 and my 642-1. I carried a couple of strips loaded with .38 Special since I knew they would work in either gun.

Just my opinion.
 
I believe a NY Reload indicates going to an alternate gun rather than attempting to reload the first gun, whether it be out of ammo or disabled. So that alone does not require the two to be exactly the same caliber although you can argue for interchangeable caliber in the really remote chance that all other ammunition is expended and one might need to salvage ammo from a disabled primary firearm.
It seems to me that additional reloads carried should be able to feed either, in case the gun battle continues beyond the initial two gun loads.

The odds of a gunfight are remote to start with... a pitched gun battle is damned unlikely. If the day comes when that black cloud is hovering over your head... which plan have you selected.
 
I carried a small .25 laced into the top of my combat boot, but replaced that w/a J Frame as a b/u to my issued Model 15. When we transitioned to the Glock 23 I was in management (limited street time) so I left the J Frame in my locker.
 
Ive never been given an opportunity to read Jim Cirillo’s books but I always heard his handgun preference was two model 10S with a Colt Cobra as his 2nd NY reload. If he made it to the Conra that was the one he reloaded.

I think having at least ammo compatibility is important. I would take a 38 and a 32 over one gun.
 
My FTO carried an ankle gun... the other guys used to bust on him because he carried his old cuff case with the odd drop shape as well as the issue case. "You gonna arrest 2 guys?" they'd say. I happen to know there was a 22 semiauto in that old cuff case which would make three guns.
 
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When I carried my Glock 26 I also had a J-Frame in my pocket. I carried reloads for both. I carried various 357’s and a 38 was always in my pocket. 38 caliber reloads for both. These days, Two J-Frames and Two Speed Strips. Speed loaders are in my cars and house.
 
The point of a NY reload, is no reload?? If carrying a reload, I would want them to be the same for both guns. If a bug, I would want same platform & caliber; g17 & g26 as examples.
 
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I carry a 340 as a back up for my SP-101, or a 12-2 as a back up for my 64-2 or 65-3. Those pairs of guns use the same speed loader and ammo. When I was starting out my 36 served as a back up for whatever my primary was because all I could afford was the 36.
 
An interesting though experiment.

Given the comments from Tom Givens, Active Self Protection , Grant Cunningham and other knowledgeable revolver gurus, reloading rarely occurs during armed encounters involving civilians and when it does, it usually occurs after the decisive moments. That said, having a common caliber for a reload is not a negative nor is it a decisive advantage during most commonly encountered situations.

I'd be more interested in the mechanical and procedural similarities between the weapons then the caliber in your case. However, given that you have a Smith pure fleet this isn't an issue. It would be rather embarrassing if you where trying to open a smith cylinder by pushing on the release like it's a ruger. I'd pay attention to the differences in POA/POI of the various revolvers. I'd take them to the range and compare how they are shooting (left, right, high ,low) so you know the differences in hold overs (if you use them). However, at close quaters, this may not be significant at all.

Commonality of caliber in my experience is best for practice and training. Only needing to bring one caliber to the round to the range eliminates The possibility of being at the range with a .32 revolver and a case of .38 ammo. Plus, you can buy in bulk and direct your ammo budget in one direction. As a counterpoint, the ammo shortages have show us that some of the less popular calibers are good to have in inventory as their supply seems to dry up slower then 9mm and 5.556. The counterpoint to that statement is that there are less runs made of the less popular cartridges and the ammo companies has focused on producing the popular rounds meaning that the less popular stuff take longer to get on the shelf.
 
I carry a J frame model 60 pro series either in my pocket or on my belt (dependent upon shirt). I don't have a BUG yet but I do carry speed loaders for the time being. My BUG will be another .357 magnum, I prescribe to KISS, keep it simple stupid anthem.
 
I can recall from days of yore that the recommendation was to carry a backup in the same caliber as your primary gun. The reason for this was not to keep the carrier from getting confused and grabbing the wrong ammo to reload; rather, it was so that in an apocalyptic, end of the world worst-case scenario you could share your backup with an unarmed ally recruited on the spot and then share the ammo reserve as the two of you fought off marauding hordes.

Personally, to me this always smacked a bit too much of the "I-have-a-concealed-carry-permit-and-therefore-am-appointed-a-superhero" syndrome.
 
Pisgah said:
I can recall from days of yore that the recommendation was to carry a backup in the same caliber as your primary gun. The reason for this was not to keep the carrier from getting confused and grabbing the wrong ammo to reload; rather, it was so that in an apocalyptic, end of the world worst-case scenario you could share your backup with an unarmed ally recruited on the spot and then share the ammo reserve as the two of you fought off marauding hordes.

Personally, to me this always smacked a bit too much of the "I-have-a-concealed-carry-permit-and-therefore-am-appointed-a-superhero" syndrome.
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that might have been aimed more at LE. Carrying a S&W Model 10 primary and a DS secondary (both used the same speed loaders) made sense. Or later when the Glock 26 could take the Glock 19 and 17 mags. There where a couple gun fights I read about in the gun rags where the officer's primary either malfunction, was hit by incoming fire or was lost in a tussle and the back up became the primary.
 
The point of a NY reload, is no reload??
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Correct.

Remember MOST can draw a second gun a faster than you can reload one. The one big drawback is remembering to DROP the empty gun. Everyone should ask themselves what are the chances of needing a second gun, and shooting both dry?
 
old bear said:
Correct.

Remember MOST can draw a second gun a faster than you can reload one. The one big drawback is remembering to DROP the empty gun. Everyone should ask themselves what are the chances of needing a second gun, and shooting both dry?
Click to expand...

I like having one accessible to each hand. The offside gun is in my pocket. I like being able to have my hand in pocket with a full grip on the gun. Weather walking on the trail, on a City sidewalk, or a Parking Lot. The gun in my waist would be the normal draw and shoot situation or a problem that gave for warning. I hope I never need to use either.
 
old bear said:
Correct.

Remember MOST can draw a second gun a faster than you can reload one. The one big drawback is remembering to DROP the empty gun. Everyone should ask themselves what are the chances of needing a second gun, and shooting both dry?
Click to expand...

Right.

There is always a question of how far out on the paranoia scale you want to go:

One gun, no reload.

One gun, plus reload(s)

Two guns, no reload

Two guns, plus reload for each.

Three or more guns...

At some point you are preparing for a scenario that is so unlikely you should probably wear a helmet to protect from getting hit by a meteorite.
 
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