Dump Pouch?

[JayFramer]

I recently bought a S&W branded revolver "dump pouch", or "drop pouch" etc.

From what I've read these were used in days gone by to hold spare shells. They are a break tip down affair with metal inserts that drop all six rounds into your hand:

I've read some criticisms of the concept, that the rounds are easy to fumble and drop, and that it's pretty slow and clumsy. I practiced reloading them and found it pretty fast but nowhere near as quick as with a speedloader. Still they were widely used by many departments across the US.

Anyone ever use these? What are your thoughts/opinions on them? This one seems to work pretty nicely and I like it. Only cost $10 and figured it'd be fun to work on reloading drills the old school cop way.

-Jay

 

[OldSarge21]

Looks like it might work pretty well in conjunction with a speed strip instead of the metal insert. Better control of the ammo strip as it slides out in one unit. I like that the ammo pouch lies flatter to the belt than a round speed loader.

 

[Iggy]

We went from belt loops with 12 spare rounds to dump boxes to speed loaders in about a decade. As you say they aren't as fast as speed loaders.
The only disadvantage to speed loaders was the bulk on your belt. You could catch them on the steering wheel or things pretty easy.

 

[armorer951]

I carried the pouches, the loop type carriers, and eventually speedloaders while in Uniform Division. After using these over a period of years, with practice, I actually eventually preferred the loops to the dump box. Speedloaders were also very good, but you had to practice regularly with them....and the revolver had to have grips that accomodated the speedloader.

The pouches were very hard to load out of, particularly under stress, when some of the live rounds would frequently end up on the ground. It was very hard, actually impossible, to control how many pieces of ammo came out at a time. Many officers carried the rounds in speed stips, and placed the loaded speed strips inside the pouch, which added a degree of control over the individual rounds.

I believe this reloading "drill" is part of the reason that pistols finally became the norm for carry back in the 70's and 80's. Autoloaders provided both extra capacity, and, reloading became faster.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Wore one for many years; it's what was issued and I had no choice.
I did eventually pick up some Speed Strips and carried my 6 rounds in strips in the pouch. Much faster and more secure.

 

[JayFramer]

Very cool, thank you gang.

I tucked some speed strips in the pouches and it does work very nicely after removing the metal inserts (won't fit otherwise). Fit much flatter to the body than my speedloader pouch. I can see this being very useful for carry.

 

[apollo99]

The good old dump pouches, guaranteed to dump 6 rounds onto the street during a gun fight.

 

[kennyb]

I carried these for a few years...prior even to speed strips...I have never seen the metal insert

 

[daddy bear]

I went to work in '59 using loops. Later the dep't issued dumps. After a short while, I opted to return to loops. Somewhere in the '66-68 time frame, I made the regional pistol team. Speed loaders from there on. At the state meet that year, some teams were unaware of the rule changes and we walked away with the team PPC trophy. No like dump boxes!

Jack

 

[spdguns]

Wow, thanks for the memories. When I started on the job, we had to load from loops. Model 15 with wadcutters at the range.

 

[Old cop]

Our agency issued those in the late ‘60s and a close friend was shot trying to reload in a gunfight w/an armed robber in 1974. We were trained to load two rounds at a time, rotating the cylinder to the left, but it was still difficult w/six rounds wiggling around in your hand. I was able to shoot the bad guy and reload w/my [unauthorized] speedloader very quickly.

 

[moosedog]

I was issued those in Detroit back in the late 1970's. Just a bit ahead of ball and musket in technology.

 

[BE Mike]

The metal inserts are in the pouch to keep it from collapsing inward and making it hard to get the ammo out. Leather does change form over time. Funny to see what is now ancient history was common back in the 70's and before. I am a relic!

 

[WR Moore]

Did the loops/dump pouch/speedloader dance myself. Dump pouches led to a trend to teach kneeling/squatting to reload. That way, any rounds you dropped were at least close at hand. (You were also supposed to eject your empties away at an angle so they weren't in the same place as any dropped live rounds.) Particularly a good idea in the dark.

Come to think of it, after Newhall, reloading less than a full cylinder from loops/pouch/pocket became part of the training too.

 

[rednichols]

Did the loops/dump pouch/speedloader dance myself. Dump pouches led to a trend to teach kneeling/squatting to reload. That way, any rounds you dropped were at least close at hand. (You were also supposed to eject your empties away at an angle so they weren't in the same place as any dropped live rounds.) Particularly a good idea in the dark.

Come to think of it, after Newhall, reloading less than a full cylinder from loops/pouch/pocket became part of the training too.

Tell 'em about Newhall.

 

[rednichols]

I believe this reloading "drill" is part of the reason that pistols finally became the norm for carry back in the 70's and 80's. Autoloaders provided both extra capacity, and, reloading became faster.

Autos were by no means 'the norm' in the '70s. There were exceptional departments, though, with the press in favour that began with Cooper in the '60s.

They became the norm -- beginning with the adoption of the Beretta by the U.S. Armed Forces 1985/6. Which led the charge in particular for DA 9mm double stacks that had been around since the M59 Smith.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Thanks for the memories! I remember seeing all the local police carrying such pouches and I remember discussions about the difficulty in their use.

I think the use of automatic pistols by police departments was triggered (no pun intended) by the Miami incident in the mid-1980s.

 

[Old cop]

We transitioned to the Glock in the ‘80s and the guns came in very quickly, but some nucklehead in admin forgot to order the leather gear. You cannot make this stuff up!

 

[WR Moore]

I won't name the major city, but back in the 60s-70, the Traffic Division seemed to all have 4 inch (swivel) revolver holsters. The problem being that the guns were mostly 6 inch and a couple stray 5 inch.

 

[JayFramer]

Guys I thank you all so much, it is EXTREMELY COOL to hear from men who've used these in service. It also appears they weren't such a popular item!