Speed loaders and five-shot cylinders

[ISCS Yoda]

They confiscated the rounds, but let me keep the strip

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New thread coming - tactical pens in airports.

 

[dr. mordo]

From personal experience I can say that I've unintentionally dropped loaded Safariland Comp I speedloaders on concrete and they held the rounds in place, but still worked when I needed them to. I've also read of an instructor who would take loaded Comp I speedloaders and throw them against a wall without losing rounds, but still work. This is part of the reason why I use Comp Is, as well as their simple operation.

For pocket carry, I'd say it should be fine. You're probably more likely to hurt yourself from a fall than to damage these loaders.

The one caution I'd advise is to not use them with split-six-type belt-mounted carriers, as the speedloader is carried such that the release mechanism rides on top of the belt. While it hasn't happened with me, I have read of people somehow putting pressure on top of the pouch, causing the loader to release its rounds.

Personally, for pocket carry I'd use a speed strip or two. I have a preference for Tuff Products strips, but the original Bianchi strips are good, too. I don't like the 5-round strips as I don't feel like I can get a good enough grasp on them. If I carry a reload in my pocket, it's a 6-round strip in a Side Guard Holsters pocket pouch. Most of the time, I carry Comp Is in JOX belt-mounted pouches.

I completely agree with most of the above post. I prefer Safariland loaders, and have carried two every day for the last year or so. Though they feel cheap, I have never had one malfunction, period. The one concern with speedloaders is that they often do not work with non-stock grips. Most rubber grips and large wood grips seem to not work with speedloaders in my experience, even if they are cutout for them.

I also carry speedstrips sometimes, but here's where I differ from the post above. I much prefer the Bianchis, which I find to be softer and easier to use in every way than the Tuff strips. The Tuff strips can be very difficult to load and unload due to their very stiff plastic.

 

[hostler]

I drop a Bianchi speed strip in my pocket. As ContinentalOp said, I don't anticipate ever needing a reload but just in case, speed strips are nearly weighless and hardly noticeable in the pocket. I used to carry a speedloader but found it to be uncomfortable and bulky at times. I have not had an issue with the rounds detaching from either method, (That's not entirely true, when bored I did have a bad habit of fondling the speedloader while in my pocket. I got pretty good at releasing the rounds then putting them back in the speedloader with one hand while still in my pocket.

 

[JH1951]

What Old Cop said - speedstrips suit me best.

 

[ContinentalOp]

I also carry speedstrips sometimes, but here's where I differ from the post above. I much prefer the Bianchis, which I find to be softer and easier to use in every way than the Tuff strips. The Tuff strips can be very difficult to load and unload due to their very stiff plastic.

That's interesting, because my experience has been the opposite. I found Bianchi strips to be stiffer than Tuff strips as well as more difficult to load/strip, which is why I prefer the Tuff strips.

I suppose one could buy a set of each and see which works best for them.

 

[BB57]

From personal experience I can say that I've unintentionally dropped loaded Safariland Comp I speedloaders on concrete and they held the rounds in place, but still worked when I needed them to. I've also read of an instructor who would take loaded Comp I speedloaders and throw them against a wall without losing rounds, but still work. This is part of the reason why I use Comp Is, as well as their simple operation.

For pocket carry, I'd say it should be fine. You're probably more likely to hurt yourself from a fall than to damage these loaders.

The one caution I'd advise is to not use them with split-six-type belt-mounted carriers, as the speedloader is carried such that the release mechanism rides on top of the belt. While it hasn't happened with me, I have read of people somehow putting pressure on top of the pouch, causing the loader to release its rounds.

Personally, for pocket carry I'd use a speed strip or two. I have a preference for Tuff Products strips, but the original Bianchi strips are good, too. I don't like the 5-round strips as I don't feel like I can get a good enough grasp on them. If I carry a reload in my pocket, it's a 6-round strip in a Side Guard Holsters pocket pouch. Most of the time, I carry Comp Is in JOX belt-mounted pouches.

There's never a free lunch.

The Safariland speed loaders are generally considered to be faster, since the release movement is a forward press on the button, rather than a turning movement as on the HKS speedloader.

However, as you've noted, they are more vulnerable in a slimmer profile slip over speed loader case, since they dump their rounds if the button is pressed - and the comp 1 would be have to get out quickly.

The HKS are not perfect either, as if you turn the knob the clockwise they will release the rounds. Consequently, I use a slip over carrier from Wild Bills Concealment with an HKS speed loader, but I use an intentional slight counter clockwise movement when drawing them, to prevent an unintentional release.

The best approach to speed strips is to move up one size. Use a 6 round strip for a 5 shot revolver and a 7 round strip for a 6 shot revolver and just leave the spot open next to the tab.

If you are looking for a full on reload, then a speed loader is an order of magnitude faster, than a speed strip, but the speed strip is easier to carry and conceal.

For a time the FBI used speed strips to get just a couple rounds into the gun to get back in the fight. But you still spend just as much time ejecting, and what little, if any, time you might save slapping 2 rounds in with a speed strip versus, 5, 6, or 7 with a speed loader is mostly or totally offset by the extra time needed to index the cylinder on those two rounds.

In that context then, the tactic of loading just 2 rounds with a speed strip was in preference to the much longer time it took to load all 6 from a speed strip, not in preference to using a speed loader.

Consequently, my preference is a slip over speed loader carrier and my back up is 6 rounds in 7 shot speed strip in my watch pocket.

 

[Rastoff]

I have used both Comp I and HKS speed loaders. They regularly get tossed on the ground after loading. None of mine have ever failed. With practice, both are easy to use.

What more can I say?

 

[eb07]

I created this video today:

J Frames and Speedloaders - YouTube

 

[RGVshooter]

I use speedloaders mainly at home for home defense or out at the range but for carry I use Bianchi speed strips for my 642. The speed strips lay flat in the pocket and they're not even noticeable.

 

[VictorLouis]

eb07, that's a good, succinct little vid! I've seen nothing yet that would want to make me change from Safari's Comp series.

 

[2K7]

I find the older I get...the lighter my guns get...the shorter my pocket knives get...and I carry an extra 5 round speed strip for the J frame. That extra round and weight of a 6 round speed loader only slows my ability to serpentine at shuffle speed!

 

[one eye joe]

DEPENDING ON MY DAILY CIRCUMSTANCES, I CARRY EITHER A 2 1/2" M686+, A M642-1, OR BOTH.....

A PAIR OF SPEEDSTRIPS, HOLDING 12 ROUNDS, OFFERS A COMPLETE RELOAD, IF BOTH OF THESE WEAPONS ARE EMPTY. TRY BOTH THE TUFF, AND THE BIANCHI BRANDS, TO SEE WHICH SUITS YOU BEST. CARRYING ONLY 6 ROUNDS, IN A 7 ROUND STRIP, GIVES YOU A LITTLE LARGER TAB TO HANG ON TO, DURING THE RELOAD.......








=

 

[BC38]

CARRYING ONLY 6 ROUNDS, IN A 7 ROUND STRIP, GIVES YOU A LITTLE LARGER TAB TO HANG ON TO, DURING THE RELOAD....

Where have you found 7 round speed strips?
I've been looking and am only finding 6 rounders.

 

[Ross3914]

Where have you found 7 round speed strips?
I've been looking and am only finding 6 rounders.

Amazon.

Do a search for "revolver speed strip" and you'll find 5, 6, 7, & 8 round speed strips.

I went with 8rd strips because it gave me plenty of real estate to hold on to with either 5 or 6 rounds. They're easy to carry.

I picked up an older 3" .44 Charter 5 shot and bought 6 rd strips for that.

 

[GeoJelly]

Naphtali - I'm sorry to hear about your falls and wish you the best. I went thru a succession of falls starting in 2011 - wound up with a hospital stay and lost two front teeth. A wee bit off-topic - and this sounds obvious - but I have eliminated my falls (for three years) by being uber-careful about surveying the road or sidewalk conditions in front of me. ALL of my falls were related to either unintentionally stepping off of a sidewalk or encountering a step-down (mostly) or a step-up that I didn't see. My wife always yells at me to hurry up when I get out of the car ... but I take my time to look at the planned walking route before I actually walk away. Back on-topic - I like the strips because they'll fit into a small carrier (Leatherman) so I can almost always have a reload - but not speed load - with me ...

 

[ContinentalOp]

Where have you found 7 round speed strips?
I've been looking and am only finding 6 rounders.

Tuff Products Tuff Strips. They make 5-8 round strips in different calibers. You can also get different colors. I have black strips for carry and orange strips for practice.

 

[Execpro]

2 - six round speed strips with 5 rounds in each for extra ammo ( it gives more surface to grip) in right pocket.I carry AIWB.
When reloading I open cylinder with and hold gun in left hand as I was trained with speed loaders back in the day,but use my right hand and thumb (hand over top of cylinder)to strip rounds into the cylinder two at a time. This allows me to keep my gun at just below eye level so I can still see what's going on around me and puts gun into action faster than holding it at almost waist level and loading with index finger (you have to look down to reload).
I also find it is faster and gives more control of the speed strip.
As mentioned above the brand is up to you. I prefer the Bianchi because they are a little stiffer but ammo comes out easily.

Wish you the best in your search for ammo carrying delema and stay safe. Falling and getting hurt Sucks!!!

Be SAFE and shoot often!

 

[3rdRRU_PhuBai]

5StarFirearms makes fine speedloaders and also offers pouches/carriers that might contain the cartridges in the speedloader during acrobatics.
I have a half-dozen of their speedloaders but never tried their pouches.
They ain't cheap.
J2-357/38 Accessories