I load my semis with my weak/left so I forced myself to learn the same for my revolvers. Keep them in the same place as I keep extra mags.
I load my semis with my weak/left so I forced myself to learn the same for my revolvers. Keep them in the same place as I keep extra mags.
I don't know about Comp III's, but, Jetloaders will partial reload. I messed up a reload awhile back, pretty much as described, tripping the release and loading 2 rounds in the cylinder while dropping 4 rounds on the deck. Knowing it can be done, I can replicate it intentionally. Maybe a wider release button on the Jetloaders? On the other hand, I couldn't have aborted it. The rounds went in, the release tripped with no unusual pressure, just pop like a successful reload.
160RN Bayous and 147RN X-Tremes back when they gave the option of .357" dia.
The Bayous shot and reloaded better but I got a deal on the plated once in a decent quantity. They worked fairly well in my gun. I always ran a "pretty aggressive" cylinder chamfer too, the type that would probably give the S&W techs a coronary.
You guys have motivated me to try to figure out the best (fastest) way for me to use. I have always just held the open cylinder in my left (support) hand and loaded with my right, but I was not really trying to learn a life or death skill. Now I am retired and have time, so much time.
This new design of speed-strippy thing is now available, and I bought a couple of packs. It allows a 3-at-a-time insertion of rounds and is as sturdy as any Bianchi Speed Strip I have seen. The cylinder must be kept from spinning during the loading, or at least it needs to for me as I am still refining my moves.
Zetasix K-Pak
I’m a weak-hander simply because I can’t standing carrying SLs/moons gunside.
I started my pistol craft journey learning from my father, a retired NYCPD officer, service starting 1952 after returning from his second USMC enlistment coming home from the Korean War, and a serious student of the defensive revolver. My learnings from him seem antiquated by today’s standards with FBI crouches and point shooting. He was well practiced, well disciplined, very impressive, and an expert who came out the first place winner twice on the streets of New York City. I remember bringing up the great idea I had of keeping the gun in my right (strong) hand and reloading with my left for a time saver. I cant repeat the exacts words here that he replied with, but he questioned my intelligence, claimed that I was the son of a female dog, and would likely be on the ground looking for dropped rounds in a stressful situation. Right or wrong, I’m not going to argue, just the memory that came to mind when reading about this controversy.
I think if you're coming to wheelguns after a long time spent on semi-autos, it's an easier transition to learn how to reload with your weak hand since you've already been doing that. Obviously, weak hand reloads are limited to clip guns and push type speedloaders, which isn't really a bad limitation when you think about it, since HKS speedloaders suck.
But, if you had the chance to approach wheelguns from a completely blank sheet of paper, a brand new shooter who decided to chase the old ways, the Miculek style hand swap reload has a lot to recommend it. I still don't know if I'd recommend it over a weak hand load, but it's a different case if you're completely new to guns entirely.
I am not a revolver expert, but I do practice with and carry a J-frame fairly often. I came to revolvers after many many years of carrying semi-autos. I prefer the hand swap/strong hand reload vs trying to load with my "weak" hand. J-frames are fairly small, the charge holes are not spaced very far apart, and IMHO there isn't a whole lot of room to get things lined up right, depending on the grips. I use speed strips and Comp-I's...
This is despite the fact that my 442 is the "Pro" model that is cut for moon clips. The clips are somewhat of a PITA, depending on brass clip groove dimensions/fitting. Some brass is loose and wobbly, others are too tight to even fit a full 5 rounds into the clips. I never found a good way to carry a loaded clip that didn't risk bending it. The rounds in the gun are on a clip for the sake of better extraction (and easier admin loading/unloading), but my reloads are strips/Comps. Clip guns can be super fast in a competition setting for sure, when properly set up, and with an ample supply of spare clips, and less concern for carriage and concealment. I have never tried HKS loaders, just because the "push and go" of the Comp-I's makes more sense to me. I was excited to try the fancy Lyman aluminum loaders that came out a few years ago, but early reviews were very poor, so I never did.
I have tried the weak hand loading methods, and they just seem more fiddly to me. I'm sure if one was to dedicate time and effort into mastering it, it would be faster for most. I recall someone shooting a very good FAST test with a AIWB J-frame, using a weak hand reload. As I recall, he had dedicated a lot of time to the reload, since that was the biggest thing slowing him down.