Speed Strips and Speedloaders 101

Loading / reloading the cylinder of a double action revolver one cartridge at a time is not a very fast method for getting into and staying in action.   Circular speed loaders (aka "speedloaders"), such as the HKS Speedloaders shown above, are a method for charging all of the chambers in a revolver cylinder at the same time.  

Unless one has the uncanny skills and work ethic of the gentleman in the above video, speed loaders will never work out to be super-speedy.  However, the worst of us (that includes me) usually find that the slowest use of speed loaders works out to be faster than plopping cartridges into the cylinder one or two at a time.  Practice improves performance.

Another revolver reload option is the speed strip (Bianchi brand shown above).  Many revolver shooters find the flat profile of speed strips makes them easier to carry than the circular speed loaders.  Carrying reloads is as simple as dropping one or more speed strips into a pocket, pouch, or purse.






All things being equal, a practiced hand likely will be able to reload faster with the circular speed loaders than with the speed strips.  However, for many folks, speed strips are much easier to learn how to use than are the circular speed loaders.

Even in an unpracticed hand, many folks may just find that they can reload faster with speed strips than they can by inserting cartridges into the chambers individually.  The video above details a method of use.

Most of my pockets tend to be very "busy" with EDC stuff so I usually protect routine carry ammunition from getting all grungy and dinged up by using carriers (photo above is a "pocket dump" midyear of 2014).

Do I always carry reloads?  No.

The speed strip carriers I prefer are from Del Fatti Leather (SSC).  They are designed to fold over and snap onto a 1.5'' belt, but work well even on the narrow straps of shoulder holster rigs.  They also work for pocket carry; I find them to be very versatile.  On a belt, it is likely that only another studied gun nerd would recognize the speed strip carrier as something for carrying ammunition.

For quite a while I shifted my only two speed strip carriers around as needed but that got kinda inconvenient.  Recently I decided to increase the number of carriers to six so I could just leave them where I used them the most, such as on certain holster rigs and in each of the different pre-stocked travel / hiking / fishing / bugout "kits" that I keep ready to go for special occasions.

S&W 442 revolver in a Ken Null SKR shoulder rig with what has become the its dedicated speed strip carrier.

Colt Agent revolver in a Ken Null SMZ shoulder holster with what has become its dedicated speed strip carrier.

NOTE:  All guns are locked in a safe unless I am using them; no guns are left just hanging around, unattended.

3/11/2017 EDITED TO ADD THE FOLLOWING VIDEO by Franklin99D

REQUISITE DISCLAIMER BS:

As always at this blog site, this entry is simply a good old-fashioned campfire chat; this is not an opinion on what I feel you should or should not purchase or what you should be using.  What does or does not work for me could be many country miles away from your tastes and needs.  All products that I review for this blog are purchased at retail price by me.  I do not accept payment, gifts, discounts, "freebies," products on loan, demon alcohol, drugs, probation, parole, Presidential Pardons, or sexual favors for doing any review.