I like Smith revolvers alot and the 2" barrel models seem to be favored for concealed carry in another thread in this forum. My concern is regarding their reloading. Some of the 2" barrel revolvers, like the 36 and 60 models, have a short ejector rod that only pushes about half the cartridge case length out of the cylinder. With the hotter defensive loads is that enough or do you have to struggle to empty the cylinder because the brass case expanded against the cylinder wall and is stuck?
2" Concealed Carry Pieces
- Thread starter jchodur
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I think that Jaymo gave you the correct answer. That has been my experience. However, if you wish, you may sharply actuate ejector rod and watch empties fall out. As long as you actuate it with your hand, you're not going to do it hard enough to hurt the gun.
If all else fails, buy a gun with a 3" barrel.
P.S. You have to be fast with that "actuate" thing, otherwise the empties may fall out on their own before you have a chance to watch them.
If all else fails, buy a gun with a 3" barrel.
P.S. You have to be fast with that "actuate" thing, otherwise the empties may fall out on their own before you have a chance to watch them.
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Kensterfly
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What he said...
revolver686
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I carry a 2 1/2" 686 with a short ejector rod and don't have a problem ejecting rounds.
After opening the cylinder I hold the the gun in my weak hand with barrel pointing up, cylinder between my thumb and my two middle fingers. A single quick strike with the palm of my strong hand and the casings fall out - every time. I shoot magnum loads 80% of the time and this even works with aluminum casings that tend to swell more than brass.
You can then rotate the muzzle down and use your strong hand - which remains free using this method - to reload.
After opening the cylinder I hold the the gun in my weak hand with barrel pointing up, cylinder between my thumb and my two middle fingers. A single quick strike with the palm of my strong hand and the casings fall out - every time. I shoot magnum loads 80% of the time and this even works with aluminum casings that tend to swell more than brass.
You can then rotate the muzzle down and use your strong hand - which remains free using this method - to reload.
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Agreed with all the above - except that I don't transfer the gun to weak side hand. I always keep it in strong hand to discharge empty brass, holding the cylinder open with index finger, then reload with weak hand. Anybody else have an opinion on this?
ColbyBruce
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Reloading might be over-rated. I believe it was Rooster Cogburn who said something about filling one's hands.
Same here......
Gray Rider
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I went through the Academy just as our firearms training had transitioned to a mindset of target shooting to one of "Train like you'll fight because you'll fight like you train". We were taught to push the cylinder out with the middle and ring fingers of the weak (left) hand with the index and little fingers over the barrel and hammer and the thumb actuating the ejector rod while aggressively thrusting the revolver down toward the ground, almost as if trying to throw the casings out of the gun. Hope I explained that in a way that makes sense.
We then were taught to place the back of our weak hand against our thigh just below our loop loaders and to load two rounds at a time rotating the cylinder with our thumb. This way the revolver never changed position in our hand, and, with practice, you could reload very quickly while keeping your head up looking for more threats. I don't remember how the lefties were taught.
These were 4" 681's but I imagine the same method would be effective for the shorter revolvers also.
We then were taught to place the back of our weak hand against our thigh just below our loop loaders and to load two rounds at a time rotating the cylinder with our thumb. This way the revolver never changed position in our hand, and, with practice, you could reload very quickly while keeping your head up looking for more threats. I don't remember how the lefties were taught.
These were 4" 681's but I imagine the same method would be effective for the shorter revolvers also.
Realgunner
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I was taught this method thirty years ago in law enforcement service. It has served me well. As a civilian CCW carrier now, I don't worry about reloading. If I feel under-armed, I'll carry a semi-auto, with greater ammo capacity. Just my opinion- each person should do what he or she feels is right.
M3Stuart
Member
Per the OP; I've never had the problem with .38's like I do virtually all the time with .22's.
Thanks for all the advice. My current technique is similar to REVOLVER686's but I don't have any experience with 2" barrel revolvers and the short ejector rod, yet. My concern was do the fired cases expand enough to be a problem if reloading becomes necessary. From what I'm reading here it is a non-issue. And yes, a 3" would help but they are harder to come by. And some 3inchers I've seen still had the short ejector rod.
Thanks again for the help.
Thanks again for the help.
lawandorder
Member
Economy of motion, as you are dumping empties with weak hand the strong hand should be retrieving a fresh reload and and inserting in the cylinder.
You will be amazed how fast you can do this after a bit of practice.
You will be amazed how fast you can do this after a bit of practice.
David R
Member
I don't carry extra ammo. It took me years just to bring the gun.
The methods above are what I do. Open the gun with the weak hand holding it by the cylinder pointed up. Push ejector, empties fall out. I do this with all revolvers.
The methods above are what I do. Open the gun with the weak hand holding it by the cylinder pointed up. Push ejector, empties fall out. I do this with all revolvers.
smithman 10
US Veteran
The old fashioned method of holding the revolver in your weak hand and pushing the ejector rod down with your thumb while the strong hand fetches your speed loader works for me. A LEO department firearms instructor taught me this method 20 years ago - I'll never change. If you practice it enough it becomes automatic and fastest of all revolver reload methods IMO.
Dave T
Member
This is going to stick out like the proverbial sore thumb but I have the same concern as the OP and I first qualified with a revolver (M28-2) in the academy in 1973…i.e. the revolver days.
I've always accepted the idea that the brown, stinky stuff happens and it will hit the air circulation device at just the wrong time. I don't and won't own a 38/357 revolver with a barrel shorter than 3" to insure I have a full length ejector stroke, every time.
I have no more trouble hiding (concealing) a 3" barrel than a 2" or 2.5". The cylinder and butt are the parts of a revolver that are hard to conceal. IWB holsters take care of every barrel length up to about 4" or 5" depending on your size and build.
In my experience short barrels tend to make the gun top heavy, causing it to tilt away from the body with an on the wast band holster and work it's way out of the wast band when carried inside. Longer barrels like 3-4 inches anchor the gun IWB more solidly and force the grip against your side for better concealment.
YMMV,
Dave
I've always accepted the idea that the brown, stinky stuff happens and it will hit the air circulation device at just the wrong time. I don't and won't own a 38/357 revolver with a barrel shorter than 3" to insure I have a full length ejector stroke, every time.
I have no more trouble hiding (concealing) a 3" barrel than a 2" or 2.5". The cylinder and butt are the parts of a revolver that are hard to conceal. IWB holsters take care of every barrel length up to about 4" or 5" depending on your size and build.
In my experience short barrels tend to make the gun top heavy, causing it to tilt away from the body with an on the wast band holster and work it's way out of the wast band when carried inside. Longer barrels like 3-4 inches anchor the gun IWB more solidly and force the grip against your side for better concealment.
YMMV,
Dave
hotrod150
Member
I like 2" j-frame and have several. Sometimes ejection is sticky, sometimes not. I hold the gun muzzle up in my off hand as described by others, and smack the ejector rod with the heel of my strong hand. This makes for positive ejection even with sticky cases.
Groo01
Member
Groo here
The FBI had the same ideas when they used m66 2 1/2 in.
Their fix was special loads made up in 38spec cases but closer to
357 spec.
The 3in barrel allows a longer rod to push the cases out with.
The FBI had the same ideas when they used m66 2 1/2 in.
Their fix was special loads made up in 38spec cases but closer to
357 spec.
The 3in barrel allows a longer rod to push the cases out with.
ColbyBruce
Member
The AirLite 317 .22 LR at the top of the photo is my worst gun when it comes to ejecting all the empties unless I use standard velocity ammo.
attn Colby Bruce
Hey Colby! Thanks again for that PM some weeks back. Re that snub 317: any accuracy possible with that, or do you use it as a practice stand-in for the .38s? Just asking because I once had a 2" Kit Gun that was horribly inaccurate.
Kaaskop49
J-hound extraordinaire
Hey Colby! Thanks again for that PM some weeks back. Re that snub 317: any accuracy possible with that, or do you use it as a practice stand-in for the .38s? Just asking because I once had a 2" Kit Gun that was horribly inaccurate.
Kaaskop49
J-hound extraordinaire
Although hard to come by the old Colt DS & Cobras did not have problems dumping empty casings. They had full length ejector rods and were probably some of the best small thirty-eights ever produced. My Cobra gets an occasional range trip but is not carried much now. It was my first off duty purchased new in 1968 & I plan on passing it down once I'm gone.
sac-gunslinger
Member
That is a recipe for dropping rounds on the ground under pressure. When holding the gun in the palm of the weak hand, the web of your hand becomes a safety blanket to catch dropped rounds. Why?
1. you don't want to put dirty rounds back in the gun, and it can be awfully easy to miss small specks on dust on the round.
2. under stress (e.g. BG's shooting at you) it is far easier to fumble a reload. There are no "King's X's" in a gunfight.
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sac-gunslinger
Member
One other note on reloading the DA revolver. Your ammo carrier should be to the right side of your belt. Why? Think about it, you are holding your firearm in the palm of your left hand, your right is free to grab a speedloader or, even, dump boxes. Watch the Jerry Miculek videos on YouTube to see extremely smooth and fast reloading with speedloaders.
Some departments used to mandate that the ammo carriers were placed to the left side of the belt (watch Adam 12 reruns to see this in practice). This makes for some awkward juggling during reload.
Some departments used to mandate that the ammo carriers were placed to the left side of the belt (watch Adam 12 reruns to see this in practice). This makes for some awkward juggling during reload.
I carry at least two "J" frames when I carry them. No brainer for a reload, drop one and draw the other. It's worked in New York for years ("New York Reload") and yes, I train that way.
De Oppresso Liber
De Oppresso Liber
David Sinko
Member
The weak hand reload is very popular today. Many shooters are very fast with it. When reloading this way, you will want to keep your spare ammo on the left side if you are a right handed shooter. I have tried it and I still prefer the old fashioned way.
I see I'm not the only one who feels that short barreled revolvers flop around a bit too much on the belt. This is especially true with an N Frame. But I'm starting to realize that good holster design can pretty much eliminate the flop.
And if you want to guarantee that the fired cases come out of the cylinder all at once, moonclip them! I never have any problems with stragglers in my 2" Model 625.
Dave Sinko
I see I'm not the only one who feels that short barreled revolvers flop around a bit too much on the belt. This is especially true with an N Frame. But I'm starting to realize that good holster design can pretty much eliminate the flop.
And if you want to guarantee that the fired cases come out of the cylinder all at once, moonclip them! I never have any problems with stragglers in my 2" Model 625.
Dave Sinko
ColbyBruce
Member
Kaaskop49 my AirLite is capable of decent accuracy with standard velocity ammo and a decent rest. I doubt I could commit suicide with it shooting off-hand. It is small and light and was $250.00+ tax years ago. It has been on every BSA outing I attended, from the AT to the MLK, Jr. Memorial. I also have owned a few 34's that shot no better.
Wow. I didn't expect this would be so popular a topic. I'm suprised with the number of responses. Once again, thanks to everyone who chimed in with their advice/opinions.
I put money down today on a Smith & Wesson Model 649, .357 Magnum though I don't plan on shooting .357's with it. It's small, has a shrouded hammer, and the barrel (and ejector rod) is .250" longer than the typical 2" barrel Smith that actually only measures 1.875" long.
Regards
jchodur
I put money down today on a Smith & Wesson Model 649, .357 Magnum though I don't plan on shooting .357's with it. It's small, has a shrouded hammer, and the barrel (and ejector rod) is .250" longer than the typical 2" barrel Smith that actually only measures 1.875" long.
Regards
jchodur
Geronimo Jim
Member
Polish inside of cylinder for better ejection. And, keep gun clean.
