How do you carry ammo for your revolver?

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speedloader in pocket, or in a nylon belt pouch that holds two of them
Click to expand...

+1 on this carry method.

My reasoning for carrying extra ammo is that I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
 
For my J-frames, 2 Bianchi speedstrips in my pockets - 1 per side - with the rounds grouped 2 + 3. Thus OO-OOO. This leaves an empty spot and it's easier to load the cartridges in pairs. I keep 2 HKS loaders in the car.
 
I've tried reloading quickly and decided that it was going to be just too slow and cumbersome to do in a pinch. My motor skills will likely go to pot as everyone seems to agree will happen in a gunfight.

I prefer and carry a N.Y. reload in the form of a 5 shot 340M&P J-frame.
 
I carry differently depending upon situation...a few examples:

a) on body concealed CCW is usually a S&W 642 inside Uncle Mike's Sidekick in pocket holster w/ reloads on a Bianchi Speed Strip inside a different pocket

b) in car concealed CCW is usually the same S&W 642 in an IWB hoster that is sandwiched into a storage area along the center console near my knee with the same Bianchi Speed Strip inside a flip top storage area in the center console and/or a Safariland Speedloader in the same flip top storage area

c) on belt open carry at hunting area...Ruger GP100 (.357 mag) in strong side cordura holster and 2 Safailand Speedloaders in a belt pounch on opposite side or S&W 629 (.44 mag) in strong side Bianchi leather holster and 2 Safailand Speedloaders in a belt pouch on the opposite side or Uberti Cattleman (.45 Colt) in strong side cordura holster and reloads in a cordura ammo pouch on opposite side
 
I was just about to ask this question... Love the timing!

I often pocket carry a SW 442. Haven't found the perfect reload setup yet. If I am worried enough about extra ammo I usually take the P7 and a spare mag instead. Or the 629. ;)

However, I did find one thing that worked well enough to share. I bought a 5.11 "Aggressor" parka year year, and have several pair of 5.11 covert khaki pants. Both have mag pockets *inside* of zipper or velcro pockets. I find that I can place a speedloader either in or half-in (depending on size) one of these pockets and have it ride very comfortably, deploy quickly, and (importantly) index perfectly.

Just a thought. I have not further explored repurposing mag holders of other sorts.

Have been meaning to try one of those speedloader pouches that splits the loader across a belt. Those look like they might be acceptably comfortable and also reduce the bulge profile...

Like the simpler safariland loaders so far. Not the huge shopvac-sized competition loaders, but the pocket press-to-load loaders. Surprised but concerned to hear that someone has had a failure with the safariland loaders.

Cheers,
David
 
Have been meaning to try one of those speedloader pouches that splits the loader across a belt. Those look like they might be acceptably comfortable and also reduce the bulge profile...
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's the Blade Tech version and it's what I use for competition and carry.
http://www.blade-tech.com/Double-Speed-Loader-pouch-pr-888.html

It looks huge in the picture but that's because they've got two Safariland Comp III loader in it which are twice the size of most standard speedloaders.

I carry mine for .44 with HKS twist-knob style loaders and only the little aluminum knob sticks up past the top of the pouch.

I'm curious that throughout this thread there have only been a few mentions of folks' reloading techniques with their chosen method.

I carry the loaders on the belt at about 1:30-2:00 -- strong side, in front of the holster -- the same way I do for competition. A revolver reload is slower for 99.99% of shooters anyway. Why make it worse by carrying the loaders in a pocket or somewhere you've got to fumble around to even find them?

With them up front and on the strong side, they're where they need to be for a fast "crossover" style reload.

I know most folks will say convienience or comfort, but have you practiced reloading against the clock from a loader in your pocket? Is it fast enough for your comfort?

-Sam
 
A lot of guys who carry 5 shooters use a speed strip with a 2-0-2 set up and not a full 5 or 6 set up.

They find that it makes loading the cylinders much easier and much quicker. With some practice the empty space ends up under the hammer 90% of the time and it is ready for 4 shots in a row without a misfire. But because it's a revolver you're only one click away from a hot round even if you goof on your reload.
 
Another option is an ammo wallet, I believe its an mtm, hold 18 rounds of 38/357, had it for years. I find it very comfortable and no one, I repeat no one knows or cares what it is in my other back pocket. Speed strips work good too.
YMMV

John
 
I carry my sp101 loaded, and utilize a famous tactic known as a BUG for reloads. My back up is a Beretta 21a in .25acp with 2 mags. I know, .25 is likely to get me flamed, but it sure beats the heck out of an empty .357 besides if 5 rounds from the .357 and 17 rounds from the BUG don't get me out of a jam, then it's pretty much over for me anyways. Not to mention the AK in my trunk, the above should at least get me to the car......
 
If I thought ammo capacity to be critical or wanted to feel, well, you know, Tactical, I'd carry one of those plastic things that holds 19 rounds of 9mm. I figure the OK Corral is in Kansas while I'm in Florida, so the most I need to worry about is muggers or vicious dogs. Five rounds will do just fine.
 
Sam1911,

That double-pouch looks pretty darn serious. In fact, some of the other Blade Tech products I browsed looked like something out of RoboCop!
It looks like it would be fast.

I was actually thinking of something to split the width to make it even more discrete with one pouch. Found this:
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review...ader_Pouch.htm
Not sure if there are others.
Click to expand...

Well that's why I posted that link, though I didn't explain it well. The belt passes through the centerline of the pouch. Three cartridges in each loader sit in front of the belt and three behind. The belt actually projects up maybe 1/2" into the pouch area so the cartridges settle down in around it. It's about as slim as such a thing can be.

I've carried it and used it all last year in IDPA competition, along with a similar single-pouch on the weak side. It is as quick as any you'll find, but if you do carry it up front, it's best to fight the "Dunlap" disease as much as you can. When I've been enjoying too much of my wife's best cooking, they can dig in a bit. :eek:

-Sam
 
I carry the loaders on the belt at about 1:30-2:00 -- strong side, in front of the holster -- the same way I do for competition. A revolver reload is slower for 99.99% of shooters anyway. Why make it worse by carrying the loaders in a pocket or somewhere you've got to fumble around to even find them?

With them up front and on the strong side, they're where they need to be for a fast "crossover" style reload.

I know most folks will say convienience or comfort, but have you practiced reloading against the clock from a loader in your pocket? Is it fast enough for your comfort?
Click to expand...

Actually, this is not enough...add movement. The task becomes twice as hard.
 
Yeah, that's the Blade Tech version and it's what I use for competition and carry.
http://www.blade-tech.com/Double-Spe...ch-pr-888.html
Click to expand...


For my S&W 610 , I also use the same type of fullmoon holder that "splits the moon" so 1/2 is inside your belt --- was a custom made job , can't remember who I had make my pair --- 6 rds. in the gun and 12 rds. on your belt -- 18 rds. of 10mm hopefully will get the job done:p
 
to crebralfix, I've been thinking of making my own holsters as well possibly out of leather, however your material seems to be quite suitable although I can't tell exactly what it is. What type of material are you using and where can I aquire some? Also, what is the method used in forming it?

As far as reloading options, someone reminded me of an idea I had. I have no idea how efficient this would be but I've wondered if one could strip rounds out of a Desert Eagle .357 magazine into the chambers of the revolver. I do not have a Desert Eagle magazine to try this theory nor do I have the money to buy one right now. Any one else able to try this?
 
Depends

If my carry piece is my SP 101/M85/642, then its 2 Safariland Comp II's in a double s/l pouch on my left side. For the rare occasions when I carry my 686+ its 2 HKS S/L in the same pouch.

If I'm lazy and and my 642 is in my Mika in my front right pocket, then I have a SS with 5 Nyclad rounds in it, same pocket.
 
I often carry a revolver with cargo pants or shorts. The two speedloaders easily reside in my left cargo pocket.
 
I often carry a revolver with cargo pants or shorts. The two speedloaders easily reside in my left cargo pocket.
Click to expand...

Just curious, why the left side?

Do you prefer the non-crossover reload? How do you practice?

-Sam
 
I still have a dual Safariland pouch with two speedloaders from back when they were called the "Kel-Lite Firepower" loaders. I know I have one for my Colt Python, and might have one for my Detective Special as well. They are odd black rubber "conical cups" with no moving parts; cram the rounds into the cylinder and peel the loader away. I haven't tried the Safariland Comps yet.
I also might still have some Bianchi Speed Strips kicking around, and started acquiring some HKS loaders for both revolvers years ago. Speed Strips were good with the DS, placed vertically in one of the extra pockets on a belly band, or kept in a pants or jacket pocket when wearing an ankle holster.

I'm going to try some of the Tuff Products stuff, either in place of or in addition to the six-at-a-time loaders, according to how I'm dressed and what I'm doing.

In my Air Force SP days, I can recall one base armory issuing 12 spare .38 (FMJ) rounds in fairly stiff clear/white plastic strips that looked like they had been cut from something, maybe some kind of shipping material, since the holes looked like they were evenly spaced and made to fit the case diameter. (Coulda been milk jugs, for all I know.) Six rounds per strip, all pushed into the plastic up to the case rims, which kept them from falling out. Somebody with a round or two inserted deep into the cylinder might have been able to peel the round(s) out of the plastic, but I kinda doubt it. Maybe someone could push them out base-first two at a time, and reload slightly faster than if they were issued a flintlock pistol. :rolleyes:
If those were intended as "speedloaders," we never used them that way during qualification. Of course, no one at the higher levels ever thought we might have to fire even one shot, so they didn't much care. I think the SAC SPs in CONUS usually had the Law of Averages on their side, at least during my mostly uneventful eight years. :rolleyes:
I was lucky to usually be issued 18 loose rounds when drawing equipment before a shift, so I could tuck the extra 12 into Speed Strips. I had a Smith & Wesson fold-out "dump box" that the speed strips fit into very nicely. The pouch looked "issue" enough that no higher-up ever questioned it, so I got away with it for about four years before I went on to other things.

But I digress. I ended up on this thread because I just started looking into whether anyone makes a quad speedloader pouch other than something for competition. Maybe something for duty carry if I ever have to switch from the SIG P226 to the Python for awhile. Done right, it could even be used for concealed carry. Probably nylon, with concealed snaps on the flaps.
So that it wouldn't be too wide or too "thick," I was thinking of something like two Comp II's side-by-side, over a pair of Comp I's. (So the space at the center of the upper rounds would fit over the knob on the lower loaders.) It might be a little tough to dig out the lower ones, but inside flexible fabric, it might be possible to push them up from underneath.

Whaddya think?
 
When I have only the derringer, I fill my jeans watch pocket with six loose rounds. When I pack the revolver also, I carry one HKS speedloader in a leather Bianchi speedloader pouch, the kind mentioned above, where the rounds sit half inside and half outside the belt, just abaft the revolver. I figure if the bad guy doesn't die laughing seeing me try to reload fast with my speedloader, he'll definitely have some kind of debilitating laughing attack when I try digging out the loose rounds.

LBS
 
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