It seems the snub revolver is experiencing a revival. The evidence is in the new gun listings; some makers are increasing their short, DA revolver lines. An example is Kimber with their new lightweight, six-shot 38. Other line extensions are seen in the Taurus line. The Ruger LCR is still out there in various trims as are various S&W snubs.
Support gear – ammunition, holsters and loading devices – are keeping pace.
I currently use a pair of items from The Wilderness Tactical; one is the Twin Loader loops set and the other the DB Force Option Pocket Holster.
The Twin Loader is a pair of loops on The Wilderness wrap-around belt attachment system. As I understand it, the idea was to put a couple of rounds of snake shot in the loops for that critical and usually sudden “select snake” drill in the Arizona desert (h/t to Ed Head, RIP). I have it for a quick top-up if I’ve fired a round or two.
It’s bad form to finish an engagement without a loaded sidearm. A strip loader backs both the loaded revolver and the Twin Loader.
The DB Force Option Pocket Holster is a recent development, designed with Darryl Bolke. If you read this service or The Tactical Wire and don’t know who DB is, shame on you.
A retired peace officer, tactical shooting instructor, and writer, he’s an authority on force transactions generally. The Force Option Pocket Holster, made from custom-laminated XHD elastic used in the very handy Renegade Ankle Holster, has a “grippy” exterior to keep the holster still during the draw. The holster remains open after the gun is drawn and has an open bottom to keep the holster shorter.
The band of heavy-duty elastic wrapped around both sides form a pocket on the holster. According to the website, “Contents that fit include folded bills, credit cards, I.D. cards, or single ammo-carrying strips like Tuff Products QuickStrips and Bianchi Speed Strips (*ammo strips are very snug and we recommend inserting them without the firearm in the holster while stretching open the pocket with the fingers).”
It can be used by the left-handed or the right, fits S&W J-frame revolvers with barrels up to 2 ½” and Ruger LCRs with up to 1.87” barrels. Other similar size revolvers will fit.
I also got the firm’s Basic Pocket Mag Pouch which I use for the also-ordered Tuff QuickStrip. Carrying any strip-loader in the pocket can lead to the loss of tabs and, sometimes, rounds.
The other holster in the attached image showing the DB Force Option Holster is from Simply Rugged Holsters. The Bolke rig is also available in leather – the Force Options Pocket Holster - Leather Concealment Holster – with the pockets for documents, ‘throw-down’ money, etc. Rob Leahy is also making a belt holster for revolvers which features a ‘sidecar’ for a speed loader and he has a belt top holder for speed loaders.
Speaking of strip loaders, Galco E-Z Loader strips are a fairly recent product roll-out. Like the Tuff QuickStrip and the Bianchi Speed Strip, the loaders are made of flexible Santoprene. Available for the more-or-less standard 38/357, Galco also has units for 44 Special/45Colt.
Another loading option comes from Zeta-6; their J-CLIP is a rubber loader meant to fit 5-shot J-frame size revolvers. More or less a cylindrical strip loader, this thing is made in a pentagon shape to fit with most 5-shot J-frame guns including S&W, Taurus, Rossi, and older guns from Charter Arms. While it’s not amenable to use with the Crimson Trace LaserGrips that I use, nor for Ruger LCRs (they make a version just for that gun), it’s appropriate for most ammo types excluding the blunt target wadcutter format.
While scribbling this piece, I attempted a few loads with the J-CLIP into the S&W M&P340 that’s currently riding along with me. Like the other M&P340 I have, it wears the Crimson Trace LG-350, a “padded” LaserGrip that my hand’s taken a liking too. The J-CLIP seemed to work fine with that model of aiming laser stock with a little practice.
It’s a handy bit of gear.
The quick revolver loading stand-by for me going back decades is the HKS Speedloader. A cylindrical device with a twist-knob, it’s more secure than some other loaders of my youth. The 10-A for K-frame guns (including snubs) keeps the rounds snug in the loader cylinder. Earlier versions weren’t so tightly fitted.
Simply unload the chambers, turn the gun muzzle down, get a pair of rounds in the loader lined up with chambers and all the rest fit up quickly. It’s not as fast as refilling a semi-auto, but it’s quicker than loading singles from a dump box or your pocket.
So what’s coming? The founder of Snub Noir – a shooting club that specializes in the use of the short revolver – announced a prototype of the slanted cartridge loop arrangement popularized by Jim Cirillo for PPC “back in the day” (I carried a 12-round version from Don Hume in uniform early in my career).
The unit appears to be a snap-on six round affair. Being developed by Dave Shoemaker of Texas Built Leather, it’s something I’m very interested in.
It’s a great time to be a revolverero.
-- Rich Grassi