Considering the Snub Nose Reload - Spares Carry

[ST911]

Snub interest and discussion has been particularly popular of late, so I offer the following as we deepen our knowledge base and consider our options.



Purpose: Compare the time required to reload and fire 20 rounds from a 5-shot snub revolver using three spare ammunition carry methods.

Start position: 5 fired cases placed in the cylinder, gun held in a two handed firing grip, covering a target placed at 7 yards. Spare ammunition set out on a table top in front of the shooter.

Instructions: On the tone from the shot timer continuously reload from the loader specified (below), firing the ammunition in the cylinder to the designated target zone until 20 total rounds have been fired.

Target: 8”/-0 zone, RGT-1 target (https://www.letargets.com/estylez_item.aspx?item=RGT-1)

Drill 1: Safariland Comp 1 Speed Loader
Loaded: Capacity
Time (1): 34.51, Clean, 1:1.73 sec
Time (2): 31.68, 17/20 hits, 1:1.58 sec

Drill 2: Bianchi Speed Strips
Loaded: 4 strips of 5 rounds each
Time: 52.02, 18/20 hits, 1:2.6 sec

Drill 3: Bianchi Speed Strips
Loaded: 5 strips of 4 rounds each, load to middle four slots
Time: 54.27, 18/20 hits, 1:2.71 sec

Notes and Discussion:

Target size and distance was chosen to prevent artificially rapid fire for the sake of setting up the reload.

Spares carriers (pouches, pockets, etc) were not utilized to prevent giving any reload configuration possible advantage.

20 rounds was the quantity selected as it was the lowest mathematical intersection for the chosen reload configurations.

Reloading via speed loader was ~34% and ~40% faster than the lowest time for any speed strip configuration.

The rate of fire averaged over each string with speed loaders was 1 round every 1.58 and 1.73 seconds. The best speed strip run was 1 round every 2.6 seconds.

For the two speed strip configurations, it took approximately the same amount of time to load and fire the revolver with 4 rounds 5 times, as reloading with 5 rounds 4 times. This is due to the amount of time required to index the speed strip and cylinder to load the remaining fifth round each time. The four round speed strip returns the gun to a firing condition quicker, but with 20% less ammunition. The five round speed strip leaves the gun down longer during reloads, but at full capacity when brought back to target.

Summary: The limited capacity of the snub revolver does not negate its value as life support gear, nor its ability to accurately place rounds on target if the shooter can deliver. It does require an additional layer of deliberate planning and training for keeping it loaded and able to fight. Many shooters will consider concealment and convenience in the choice of reloads, without regard to performance. The information above may be helpful to them.

[LSP552]

I like my speed strips loaded with 5. I don't use speed loaders because they, for me, defeat the purpose by being bulky. If I'm carrying a speed loader, I feel I can carry a larger gun. When I carry my 642/442 in a pocket or ankle holster, I always have two speed strips in another pocket. If you carry 5 in the speed strip, and time constraints allowed you to only load 2, 4, whatever, you can still do that.

Question for those who load 4 as a default concept; how do you ensure you index a live round on the next pull?

[ST911]

Question for those who load 4 as a default concept; how do you ensure you index a live round on the next pull?

I don't worry about it. If I've loaded the cylinder 2x2 from a 4-rd strip, and pressed the cylinder back into the window without rotation, I've found I get a good index 50% or more of the time. If I get a click, the next one is GTG. The upside to that in training is that I get an unexpected dry fire opportunity and check my trigger press.

[Hizzie]

How about the 8 shot tuff strips? Loaded with two rounds, space, two rounds, space, two rounds. Better grip and leverage.

Another variable is Comp I vs JetLoader.

[ST911]

How about the 8 shot tuff strips? Loaded with two rounds, space, two rounds, space, two rounds. Better grip and leverage.

Another variable is Comp I vs JetLoader.

I don't own any JetLoaders but have used them. They are fast, but big.

I do have a bunch of the 8rd Tuff Strips. 3 staggered pairs would give you the same positive handling as the single 4s, but then require either retaining or abandoning the remaining rounds. Two 4rd strips seems like better time and ammo economy.

[SAWBONES]

The Safarilland Comp I speedloaders are actually quite sufficiently compact to carry easily on the belt with an optimal carrier, e.g., Matt Del Fatti's SLC-2.

On those relatively uncommon occasions when I actually carry a J frame snub (a 649), I always carry at least one Comp I reload (and sometimes two), and just to cover all the bases, also a speedstrip loaded with 4 rounds (as 2-space-2).

A snub is such an easy CCW sidearm, it's attractive to consider just a having nothing but a speedstrip in the pocket as a reload, though I think it's SUCH a slow reload that I'd rather rely on the Comp I as a primary reloading option.
YMMV.

[Malamute]

I carry a Safariland loader in the same pocket as the J, to the right of the gun as it sits vertically in the pocket. It rides fine like that in Carhartt pockets. I carry a strip w/6 rds in the watch pocket.

[Hizzie]

I don't own any JetLoaders but have used them. They are fast, but big.

I do have a bunch of the 8rd Tuff Strips. 3 staggered pairs would give you the same positive handling as the single 4s, but then require either retaining or abandoning the remaining rounds. Two 4rd strips seems like better time and ammo economy.

If you are in a shootout are you really gonna care what happens to the extra round? Bonus would be the technique would transfer readily to standard six shooters.

Try it out and compare times.

[Chuck Haggard]

I carry the four round strip, but with a space between the two set of two rounds. I find this faster and more sure to grip and index to the chambers.

[MGW]

This seems like a good time to ask about stocks for J frames that work with speed loaders.