So, I’ve decided that carrying my .380 Ruger LCP mouse gun ain’t enough firepower, should I ever need it. I may still carry it as a backup, but want to carry my Taurus model 605 .357 magnum snubbie revolver.
It really is the handgun I’m most comfortable with, and more powerful, by far, than my 9mm semi-auto.
I’ve gotten really good with the revolver, can hit a soda can at 25 feet, which is pretty damn good for a snubbie, and more than good enough enough for anything I might likely encounter. (And my wife is almost with me, and she carries a .40 cal Glock 23, which has 12 rounds in each mag, and she carries two extra mags.)
But the revolver only holds five shots, so I got two speedloaders
and a little belt pouch that holds two loaded speedloaders.
Got ‘em from here.
Speedloaders kind of like spare mags for a revolver.
Speedloaders are not quite as easy to use as changing mags on a semi-auto. Practice with them.
Here’s a couple videos on using speedloaders:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aulxNjoFoOk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC9La…eature=related
MWD
Here is a great site for snubby users:
http://blog.snubtraining.com/
I’ve known some hard core revolver shooters that were pretty good with a speedloader. I think that with enough practice, a person can be just as fast if not faster with one than changing a mag. The best part? Revolvers don’t jam . . . ever. Gotta love a good wheelgun.
Justin
Nice. Be aware of two things: extraction problems and alternatives to the speed loader you’re using.
Extraction problems are the #1 thing that will make a speed loader useless. Since the cartridges are “loose” in the wheel, and expand on firing, they can stick and be hard to extract from the gun.
I use “moon clips” in my revolvers. They’re the same as a speedloader, except they go in with the rounds and come back out when you extract, allowing the center extraction rod to press on the center of the moon clip. This alleviates any problems with the half moons popping off the round in extraction.
Some revolvers can’t accommodate a moon clip, but most do just fine with them. They’re cheap too.
Anyway, there’s two cents of unsolicited advice.
Only revolvers I’ve ever seen that use moon clips are revolvers that chamber rounds originally designed for semi automatics. In other words, rounds that don’t have a flat flange at the base of the shell, only a groove for the extractor. I’ve seen conversion cylinders for .357’s and .38’s that fire 9mm ammo and variants, and I’ve seen similar for .45 Colts that make them able to fire .45 ACP. I’m sure there are others, but those are probably the most common. With a smooth sided cartridge, a moon clip is the only way to keep the entire shell from sliding into the cylinder, hence the moon clip. I’ve yet to see a moon clip employed with a standard revolver cartridge, but then again, I don’t get out much.
If they can be used however, I would definitely recommend them, perhaps even OVER a speed loader. I’ve seen them employed on the aforementioned conversions, and they do work slick. Also, not all speed loaders are created equal. If a person were serious, I’d advocate trying several until they found the one that works best for them.
I’m kind of an old goat roper cowpoke myself, always been partial to single actions. I reckon if more than six bad guys come at me at once, I probably don’t have much of a chance anyway, LOL.
Justin