[Ruger Collector]

Since this reply won't really be on topic w/Backup Guns I'm moving to a new thread just to be safe... :wink:

I like the idea of carrying an extra magazine or a back up gun but find that the extra magazine is as hard to carry and conceal as the gun is, or maybe a little harder for the big magazines. Speed loaders are an awkward shape as well. Most of the time I just give up and only carry the ammo that is in my gun.

I've found Speed Strips and Ammo Wallets to be perfect for packing extra ammo with a revolver. They're not nearly as fast as a speed loader (or magazine swap, BUG etc), but they work really well. In fact the speed strip works better than a speed loader for revolver tactical reloads, and they disappear nicely into the side pockets of Guide Gear 8-pocket jeans.

Both can be purchased at Sportsman's Warehouse and many other retailers.

Speed strips:

Note that I use ammo without exposed lead in the strips, this is safer to handle.

Ammo Wallet:

The wallets are better for when you're not in a hurry.. Like when you get a sudden urge to stop for some target practice in an unincorporated area.

 

[knayrb]

Hey Ruger, I've wondered about those speed strips. How easy are they to load 2 at a time?

I pocket carry a small S&W 642 5-shot. When at work or in my car I keep it in my open soft attache case with the stock exposed. I also keep a speedloader with 5 additional rounds in my attache case easily accessible. I never reload the new rounds one at a time at the range. I always practice by using the speedloader and seeing how fast I can pop the spend casings and put in a fresh 5. This has got me down to about 4-5 seconds which is OK but not great. I try to hit the range once a week and shoot 50 rounds. The problem with a speedloader is just to uncomfortable to keep in my pants pocket so I don't. It does come with me when I carry in a jacket or coat. You've inspired me to get a pair of speed strips and try to see if they aren't as uncomfortable as the speedloader.

For my house gun, a S&W 686 6" 7-shot .357 Magnum, I keep another 7 rounds in a speedloader ready for use.

 

[xmirage2kx]

you can load them 2 at a time, but I have found 1 at a time is quicker in the long run.

 

[Ruger Collector]

Hey Ruger, I've wondered about those speed strips. How easy are they to load 2 at a time?

In a 5 shot wheel it's easier for me to load 2 at a time.

I pocket carry a small S&W 642 5-shot. When at work or in my car I keep it in my open soft attache case with the stock exposed. I also keep a speedloader with 5 additional rounds in my attache case easily accessible. I never reload the new rounds one at a time at the range. I always practice by using the speedloader and seeing how fast I can pop the spend casings and put in a fresh 5. This has got me down to about 4-5 seconds which is OK but not great. I try to hit the range once a week and shoot 50 rounds. The problem with a speedloader is just to uncomfortable to keep in my pants pocket so I don't. It does come with me when I carry in a jacket or coat. You've inspired me to get a pair of speed strips and try to see if they aren't as uncomfortable as the speedloader.

Most of the time you'll hardly know they're there...

I really admire Jerry Miculek, "Six shots-reload-six shots in 2.99 seconds - Six shots, two on each of three targets, in 1 second", those times are hard to touch even with an autoloader. Watching him at work on Shooting USA is inspiring.

For my house gun, a S&W 686 6" 7-shot .357 Magnum, I keep another 7 rounds in a speedloader ready for use.

For my house gun, if I can't stop a threat with the handgun(s) on my person I'll use it to buy me (or a family member) time to get to one of these (they're secured in different locations, in case one direction is cut off). As Bert Gummer would say "Broke into the wrong

rec-room didn't ya!"..

 

[knayrb]

Jerry Miculek is amazing. I've seen that ad Personal Defense TV and Shooting USA also in which he is doing the 6-reload-6. I actually used my DVR and watched it frame by frame. What I think I see is that he is using moon clips. He is definitely not using a speedloader nor is he puttting them in one-by-one. In slow motion he is closing the cylinder just as the set of 6 fall into place. It's nothing short of art.

Ruger, I'm with you on the auxiliary arsenal.

 

[Ruger Collector]

He's proven moon clips ARE the best for speed (Click here), half-moon clips are even easy to carry. But common caliber revolvers don't have the headspace.. And if I had to choose between a 625 and a 1911 for my 45ACP needs........ Aw heck give me both!

 

[xmirage2kx]

I had never heard of moon clips before, gonna have to look into getting myself some.

 

[knayrb]

I would like try moon clips in a few of my revolvers but one problem is that the cylinder needs to be machined to accept them. This will require that you use moon clips from then on out for all ammo. I might be wrong on this but you can't just drop a few single rounds in the cylinder, you must put them in the moon clips first. I just don't have the desire to permanently modify any of my revolvers as of yet.

 

[xmirage2kx]

I would like try moon clips in a few of my revolvers but one problem is that the cylinder needs to be machined to accept them. This will require that you use moon clips from then on out for all ammo. I might be wrong on this but you can't just drop a few single rounds in the cylinder, you must put them in the moon clips first. I just don't have the desire to permanently modify any of my revolvers as of yet.

I will have to look into this. I don't mind having some work on my gun done, but if I cant drop in loose rounds then it might not be worth it.

 

[Ruger Collector]

I've only seen them made for the 45acp. On a cartridge like the 357 there wouldn't be anything to stop them from sliding out of the moon clip rim first.

 

[Car Knocker]

I've only seen them made for the 45acp. On a cartridge like the 357 there wouldn't be anything to stop them from sliding out of the moon clip rim first.

http://www.geminicustoms.com does a moonclip conversion for the Ruger SP101 .38 Special or .357 Magnum. The circumferance of the cylinder is left with the original surface so that individual cartridges can be loaded.

This is a great custom modification for those that want a fast, convenient speed re-load for their awesome SP101. This precision modification/addition will allow use of moonclips, speed re-loaders, or conventional loading methods. We use the Moonclips manufactured by TK Custom (the BEST) and include 5 Moonclips with each conversion!

Moonclips are also used with 9mm revolvers, such as the Ruger Speed Six and SP101, S&W 940? and I think Taurus may have made a model or two. Not relevant to the moonclip discussion but I recall Ruger also had an optional 9mm cylinder for its single action Blackhawk in .357 Magnum.

PS: I think I've seen a photo somewhere of a GP100 with a moonclip conversion.

 

[Ruger Collector]

Those customs are nice.. But I wouldn't trust moonclips on to stay put on revolver cartridges enough for frequent (extra ammo) carry. I like the way that cylinder mod allows you to leave a clip in there to load individual cartridges or use speedloaders. I wonder how tightly the clip stays in place in the cylinder?

Finding replacemen't clips for an obsolete model probably isn't as easy as for a current production model, which would explain why all I found were 45s... The 9mm S&W 547, Colt Survivor, and the Medusa Model 47 had neat extractor designs and didn't need clips to hold rimless rounds. The Colt Survivor prototype used the Medusa design and would have fired 38/357/9mm from the same cylinder without clips, but the design was dropped in '99 (with others) thanks to pressure from the Klinton administration. The Medusa and Survivor were actually able to shoot all of these calibers from the same cylinder: 357 Magnum, All Nato 9mm, 356 TSW, 9mm WinMag, 38 Super, 38 Special, 38 Long Colt, 38 S&W, 9X18 Ultra, 9 mm Browning Long, 9X23, 38 ACP, 380, 30 Carbine, 32-20, 32 Spl, 32 Magnum, 22 Jet, .351 Winchester SL Mod. (some more accurately than others). Was this thread about moonclips or revolver ammo? The kids have kept me too sleep deprived today to keep anything straight!

 

[Car Knocker]

Revolver ammo, actually, but the moonclip tangent was a nice digression.

 

[Tarzan1888]

I often carry a .357 Magnum and I always take 1 or 2 speed loaders along for good measure.

This was augmented Yesterday when my loving wife made me a happy boy by giving me the following; (Only the shoulder rig, I already had the gun and speed loaders)





As you can see I can carry the speed loaders with ease now.

This makes a total of 21 rounds of .357 Magnum power.

Tarzan

 

[tapehoser]

NICE!!!

That's a huge pic. Any chance you can resize it so's we don't have to scroll all over the place to read every post in this thread?