Snubbie Questions?

[Ga Shooter]

I was selling an old revolver to pay for a new snubbie carry gun. A guy put a down payment on mine. I have decided to purchase a S&W 642. Here are my questions:

1. Should I get it with the moon clip cuts already made? If I do does that make reloading with strips harder?

2. What have you found to be the best (concealable and fast) reload technique strips/speedloaders/moonclips?

Thanks for the help.

PS Weapon will be used primarily as a BUG but will be primary for when deep concealment is required.

[TGS]

I don't have any experience outside of the HKS speed loaders and Bianchi Speed-strips, so I can't give you much info. I didn't practice reloading with speed loaders much at all, while reliably and efficiently reloading a revolver mandates lots of practice. Thus, I didn't really see a huge advantage in speed loaders for me personally, because at the speed I could do it I would have either 1) Died in a gunfight from taking too long or 2) been doing it as a tactical/admin reload after the fight. Thus, given the bulkiness of a speed loader compared to the clothing I usually wear while concealing the 642 as a primary(meaning I wasn't dressing around the gun in the first place), I chose to just throw a speed strip in my pocket.

I had no grandeur about being able to reload a revolver efficiently in a fight, but figured it'd really suck if I fired all 5 rounds and the proverbial goons came back with more friends to find me and I was out of ammo.

Besides that, here's a very informative video by de Bethencourt about different speed-loaders:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSDAZLc5Jgg

[gringop]

Moon clips are great when you have dedicated holders for them. Moon clips bend like a reed in the wind when they are rattling around in a pocket. I run plain old HKS speedloaders.

Gringop

[Wheeler]

I was selling an old revolver to pay for a new snubbie carry gun. A guy put a down payment on mine. I have decided to purchase a S&W 642. Here are my questions:

1. Should I get it with the moon clip cuts already made? If I do does that make reloading with strips harder?

2. What have you found to be the best (concealable and fast) reload technique strips/speedloaders/moonclips?

Thanks for the help.

PS Weapon will be used primarily as a BUG but will be primary for when deep concealment is required.

I have found speed strips to be the most concealable. Regardless of whether my snub is my primary or secondary, I always carry one speed strip with four rounds. Yep, I said four, not five or six. Afer doing some research on de Bethencort's site and reading some of his articles, I rapidly came to the conclusion that four rounds in a speed strip makes more sense than five. It's very easy to load two at a time, that fifth round is sort of out by it's lonesome. A revolver with one round is fully loaded, but partially charged. I'd rather load four and get back into the fight if need be, rather than fumble trying to get that last round in a chamber.

Headhunter made a statement in an interview, (I'm paraphrasing), that he has changed his focus from a rapid reload to making the shots fired count, ie. accuracy and shot placement. Makes sense to me; make the reload an administrative function of topping the gun off rather than an emergency function of trying to make up for misses.

I've always considered a BUG as an Ace-in-the-hole. If I have a primary and my snub is a secondary, then my main focus for spare ammo will be for the primary. Thus we are back to the single speedstrip with only four rounds in the pocket. It doesn't take up much weight or space. If I carry my snub as a EDC/primary, I will carry another speedstrip in a different pocket, preferably on the same side.

Speedstrips are not anywhere near as fast as a speedloader. On the other hand they are quite a bit more concealable, not to mention they have very positive retention.

I don't have an answer regarding the moonclip cuts. I agree with gringop, they are better off in some sort of pouch or holder rather than a pocket.

I hope this helps,

Wheeler

[Little Creek]

Until recently I had used HKS speed loaders exclusively since 1973. I carried them in my LE career until be switched to pistols. I used them in PPC and IDPA. Recently I discovered S. L. Variant. IMHO the S. L. Variant is more better at only 4 times the cost. As far as carrying a 5 shot spead loader in a pocket, I trust the SLV more than the HKS. I have turned the HKS knokb before I was ready. I have also had the HKS know get turned in a pocket and release the rounds in the pocket. I bought a SLV for my J-frame and a second one for my N-frame 44 mag./45 Auto Rim. They both work great. I just have to make sure the grips are ground away so they do not hinder the repid reload. I will probably buy a 5-Star speed loader for the J-frame, just to try. I am tempted to get my J-frame cut for moon clips.

Jeff Cooper once said that you carry a second magazine for your pistol to reload after the fight in case you get into another fight. He said one magazine, he was talking about an 8 shot 1911, should be more than enough to get you through the fight. A J-frame is no 1911. A J-frame may go in your pocket when you leave everything else at home or in the car.

[TNWNGR]

Much of my LE career was spent with revolvers and Safariland Speed loaders, Speed Strips figured in the equation as well. Having a set of handgun stocks (grips) that are designed to provide clearance for speed loaders is your first concern. Learning to properly dump spent shell casings effectively in one smooth stroke is another as the method is more critical with snubbie’s.
Now, to the crux of the question of secondary reloads, I consider a slightly chamfered cylinder for speed loader reloading as the best overall set up. You have a bit more leeway in alignment of the bullets and the reloading drill is smoother. I generally found one speed loader and a speed strip were what I carried on me most often when I carried a S&W M-60 as a BUG/ODG.

[Matt C.]

I must be in the minority.
I've been carrying moon clipped revolvers for ten years without incident. Most damage with moon clips occur when loading/unloading with pliers or otherwise improper tool.

[Chuck Haggard]

I have also found moon clips fragile and a PITA to carry.

SL Variant and Jetloaders work much better IMHO. I typically carry strips though, with my primary being a strip with four rounds. Attending Headhunter's snub class made me a believer in that TTP


Check this out;

http://www.snubtraining.com/

[Al T.]

It's very easy to load two at a time, that fifth round is sort of out by it's lonesome. A revolver with one round is fully loaded, but partially charged. I'd rather load four and get back into the fight if need be, rather than fumble trying to get that last round in a chamber.

Excellent point!

Running some drills with my J frame and a four round speedstrip, it seems much faster if I load the four rounds with two spaces in the middle empty. Anybody else do it this way? I also find that two 4 round speed strips carry well.

[TGS]

Excellent point!

Running some drills with my J frame and a four round speedstrip, it seems much faster if I load the four rounds with two spaces in the middle empty. Anybody else do it this way? I also find that two 4 round speed strips carry well.

I used to load my speed strips with 5 rounds with the first hole next to the tab being empty. This was I had something substantial to hold on too...that little tab just doesn't feel like enough.