A few thoughts about some the topics mentioned above:
1) I agree with the OP about habits, but to be honest there isn't anything in common between a semi-auto reload and a revolver reload. However, you do fight like you train and if you carry a revolver for self defense your concern for commonality with a semi-auto and/or keeping the muzzle below the berm may well get you serious trouble if you ever have to do a tactical reload in the real world with an actual self defense round.
2) The "full length" ejector rod used by S&W is found on 3" and longer revolvers - but it is only "full length" relative to the .38 Special, and then it is just long enough to move the mouth of the case to the rear edge of the chamber with no extra margin. If you are shooting .357 Magnum, that full length ejector will leave an 1/8th of an inch of the case still in the chamber. If you are shooting .357 Magnum in a 2.5" revolver, you'll be leaving at least 1/4" of the cases in the chambers.
In addition, higher pressure loads tend to stick in the chamber and with 6 empties expanded to the point they won't drop free, you need a pretty fair whack on the ejector rod to get them knocked out of the cylinder, and a really good whack on a shorter ejector rod to get them all out cleanly.
3) If you plan on using an upward or horizontal ejection you'll find it works a lot better with really short case like the 9mm or .45 ACP and you'll find it works a lot better with a 9mm Luger than it does the .45 ACP.
That's because the 9mm case is shorter, has far less surface area, and is a tapered case, so as soon as it starts to move to the rear, it is out of contact with the cylinder. Nothing against Jerry Miculek, but he's using a stacked deck when he trick shoots - and that isn't the same deck you'll have with a .38 or .357 revolver for self defense purposes.
4) I still like practical pistol competition, as there is value in thinking, moving, shooting and reloading under time pressure. However, I don't focus on winning as the things you need to have or do to win are often contrary to what you need to have and do to survive in a real world shoot.
For example IDPA's tactical priority rule leaves a lot to be desired and their refusal to allow a shooter to initiate a reload that will leave unfired rounds on the ground forces a shooter to by pass naturally occurring points where a reload would be prudent. For example, if you've just cleared a room and know you only have a couple rounds in the magazine, you normally would not enter another room knowing you might not have sufficient rounds to deal with a threat in the next room - you're going to do a reload before you enter. I'd hate to train myself to wait until I'm at slide lock to initiate a reload. I will however give IDPA credit for not allowing "memory stages".
5) If you are shooting in the stock revolver division with a .38 Special, the FBI reload method works fine - and it's very fast.
The stock revolver power factor is only 105, and that can be met with a .38 Special with a 158 gr bullet at just 670 fps - a light target load by most standards and those cases will fall right out on their own, so the FBI reload works great.
In the enhanced revolver division the power factor is 155 and you need a 158 gr bullet at 985 fps to meet it - but that's still just a .38 + P load and a light .357 Magnum load, even in a 2.5" revolver. Consequently, the cases are also likely to drop free on their own and the FBI reload still works fine.
In the real world however with a true .357 Mag self defense load, and particularly in a 2.5" revolver, you'll find the FBI reload won't result in positive ejection.
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There are three more to less standards of reloading a revolver and I'll present them in the order they were developed:
The FBI reload.
In this method you use the thumb of the right hand to press the cylinder latch. At the same time you're wrapping your left hand around the bottom of the revolver, and then pressing the cylinder and crane open with your middle and ring fingers.
When you turn the revolver muzzle up, the revolver's forcing cone is resting on the side of your middle finger near the joint closest to your hand. Your index finger is around the barrel and the ring finger is near the back of the top strap over the hammer. Your thumb is in front of the cylinder and you then use the thumb to fully depress the ejector rod to push/knock the rounds free.
You then shift your thumb to the front face of the cylinder outside the crane and rotate the revolver muzzle down for the reload. Unless you are using a moon clip, that's essential as speed loaders are usually gravity operated once the rims of the rounds are released.
As soon as your right hand has released the cylinder latch, and the revolver is in the left hand, your right hand is going for the speed loaders on the right front of your belt, and by the time the rounds are ejected, you should be ready to press the new rounds into the the cylinder of the now muzzle down revolver. Once the rounds are in you close the cylinder with the left hand (like a book - you don't "slap" it shut - that's how cranes get bent), while your right hand re-grips the revolver.
The major advantage of this method is speed.
The major disadvantages are:
- this method was developed in the 1930's when the .38 Special was king, and your thumb may not provide enough force to eject a sticky high pressure cartridge;
- for IDPA revolver shooting where you may be carrying 3 reloads for a 6 or 7 shot revolver, that can mean 18-21 rounds have been fired before that last reload - and that forcing cone resting against the side of your finger can be quite hot if you're shooting .357 Magnum loads (hot enough that officers have been known to drop the revolver when they burned their finger). It's not as big a deal with the .38 Special; and
- having your middle and index fingers through the cylinder cut means your wrist is already very close to a wrist lock position and it requires you to bend forward to get the muzzle down to allow gravity to drop the new rounds in the cylinder. This takes your eyes off the fight and you lose contact with the target and lose situational awareness at a really bad time.
The Universal reload:
This was developed to address one of the major short comings of the FBI method related to the use of .357 Magnum ammunition. It starts the same, except you place your thumb on the front face of the cylinder or on the outside of the cylinder and then use your right hand to come across and slap the ejector rod down. If you're shooting a short ejector rod revolver you want your thumb to the outside to allow full movement of the shorter ejector rod.
The major benefit of this method is that it provides a lot more force and velocity to eject the cartridge cases, enough to cleanly eject even full power .357s in a revolver with a short ejector rod. Once loaded, you grip it with the right hand and again use your left hand to close the cylinder like a book.
The major downsides are:
- the right hand doesn't start going for the speed loader until the rounds have been ejected, so it is slower than the FBI reload,
- you still have the issue with a hot forcing cone against the side of your finger;
- you are still in wrist lock position and have to bend a bit to get the muzzle down; and
- coming across with the right hand to slap the ejector rod can result in an off axis hit that can bend the ejector rod - it's a major cause of bent ejector rods, especially in revolvers with full length ejector rods.
The Stress Fire reload.
This is a different approach that addresses the downsides of the FBI and Universal reloads.
In this method you use the thumb of the right hand to release the cylinder, and you push the cylinder out with the fingers of your left hand, but then you pivot the revolver up in your right hand so the hammer sits back in the web of your hand. You then use your right thumb to hold the cylinder open, and with the pistol now muzzle up you use your left hand to slap the ejector rod and eject the rounds. You bring your left hand down so that the index finger is on one side the barrel and the thumb is on the other side of the barrel. This helps prevent an excessive off axis strike on the ejector rod.
You then rest the revolver muzzle down in the palm of your left hand with the ejector rod between your thumb and index finger, while your right hand gets a speed loader and drops the rounds in the gun. Once loaded, you grip it with the right hand and again use your left hand to close the cylinder like a book.
The major benefits are:
- the forcing cone never touches the side of your finger;
- it provides enough force to eject full power .357 magnum cases even in a 2.5" revolver;
- the ejector rod does not get bent; and
- you are never wrist locked and can keep your head up and your eyes in the fight.
The downside is that, like the Universal reload, it is slower than the FBI reload.
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It's your choice what you use, but if you carry a revolver for self defense, you're better served by a method that will positively eject your cases from your revolver - every time.
