Historically, real world events where an armed citizen had to reload a revolver during a gunfight to prevail are exceptionally rare. Although the likelihood of having to perform such as task is infinitesimal, we all need to be proficient in reloading. Should you be so unfortunate to resort to deadly force, you may be the anomaly and be put in a position where you have to reload. Even in if only a few rounds are fired, do you want to stand around and await the cavalry with a half empty gun?
I have carried a .38 Special snub revolver as a discreet hideout or a backup gun to more serious hardware for almost a half century. More often than not, my gat of choice was a small Smith & Wesson J-frame I could carry on the belt, ankle, pocket or even in a shoulder holster. Agency regulations originally specified that personally owned revolvers had to be either a Colt or Smith & Wesson with a steel frame but over time the rules were relaxed to allow revolvers that were +P safe. That opened the door to alloy frame Airweight revolvers and I carry a M638 Bodyguard to this very day.
Like many gentlemen of distinction, I don’t jump as high or run as fast as I did when I was younger. When I wake up and only one body part is giving me trouble, I feel I’m on way to a good day. A touch of arthritis has adversely impacted my ability to shoot a handgun as well as I did once upon a time and dimmed my enthusiasm for the .357 Magnum. I’ve also earned frequent flyer miles at my chiropractor for treatment of my perpetually stiff back.
To cut right to the chase, lighter guns that don’t beat me up or weigh me down now have greater appeal. I can get through the day with a service size handgun on the hip when I’m teaching, but once I’m on my own time, I reach for something smaller and lighter Ultimately, this quest led me to the Ruger LCR chambered for the .327 Magnum.
I have owned a S&W Regulation Police revolver in .32 Long for many years but never seriously considered it as a carry gun. The LCR however, had some possibilities. I immediately dismissed the idea of going with .327 Magnum ammunition as that is far too rude in such a lightweight gun. However, I had been hearing good things about the potential of the .32 H&R Magnum with performance close to that of .38 Special.
I have running my LCR for a couple of years now and have shot it quite a bit in my practice sessions. Reloading is always part of my practice regimen and I quickly noted that doing this with the slightly smaller .32 Long and .32 Magnum is just a little more challenging. What follows is a brief summary of my experience in topping off my .32 caliber revolvers and the tools I utilized.
The reloading devices and ammo carriers I used have included speedloaders, strips, belt slides, a JOX speedloader pouch and a 2X2X2 carrier. It will come as no surprise that the speedloaders proved faster and far more efficient than anything else. Strips were a distant second and the belt slides and the 2x2x2 carrier I utilized were far slower. However, all have a place in the grand scheme of things
Speedloaders utilized have included examples from Speed Beez, HKS and 5 Star. When I purchased my LCR, I quickly noted my trusty HKS loader for my J-frame was a no-go. Up until that time I had no experience with Speed Beez loaders but since they did make one for the LCR, I just had to try it. The Speed Beez loader is spring activated and inserting cartridges in it is a piece of cake. Like the Safariland Comp IIIs I run with my K-frames, it is a push and load device and very fast. My only complaint is that cartridges can fall loose if it is dropped or bumped. The Speed Beez loader definitely cries out for a dedicated carrier.
I used the HKS loader for my S&W Regulation Police snub and the 5 Star loader for the LCR and both delivered the goods. The only rub there is that HKS loaders release the cartridges with a clockwise turn of the knob while 5 Star requires a counterclockwise twist. Since I’ve used HKS loaders for many years, I require a liitle more mental focus when I go with the 5 Star speedloaders to make sure I’m twisting the knob in the proper direction. I do find the unique shape of the aluminum 5 Star speedloaders to be a little more accommodating with some revolvers.
Quick-Strips from Tuff Products come highly recommended. While I remain skeptical of the concept of the tactical reload where one only replaces the depleted cartridges as opposed to a full cylinder dump, there could be some limited application, particularly for a snub revolver. I have been using the 8 round strip and skip loading and inserting 6 cartridges. This enables to do a quick partial reload, tactical reload or complete reload with far greater efficiency than with loose cartridges or plucking them from a belt slide.
My old Bucheimer 2x2x2 carrier has been a faithful companion for many years and topping off my .38 Special snubs is second nature. Would one cut for .32 caliber cartridges work? I did buy one from a very well known manufacturer of quality leather goods and although it’s very well made, it has not proved satisfactory. I suspect it might be just the ticket for longer .327 Magnum cartridges but the .32 Longs and .32 H&R Magnums sit too deep. In the meantime, I’m holding out for a proper .32 caliber pouch where I can easily grab 2 cartridges at a time.
Rounding out the mix is a 6 loop belt slide from Sam Andrews and the Pick Six Ammo Carrier made by Galco. The Sam Andrews belt slide is a first class cartridge carrier but my reloads could have been timed with a sun dial as I can only remove one cartridge at a time. The Galco Pick Six is an open top carrier where cartridges are divided into pairs for convenient reloading. Designed for .38 Special and .357 Magnum, it works great for those cartridges but not as well with .32 H&R Magnums. Unfortunately, at the present time there isn’t sufficient demand to tool up and make such a unit for .32 caliber guns.
So team, what’s the bottom line? For the fastest possible reload the speedloader is king. After being subjected to life threatening stress, it gives you the greatest likelihood of quickly returning your .32 caliber snub to full compliment. But keep a Quick-Strip handy as well. If circumstances permit, it too can be a lifesaver.
Short ejector rods can play havoc with snub reloads so it’s extremely important that you scrub out that the chamber in the cylinder after each practice session. When reloading, use a positive stroke to kick empty cases well clear of the gun. Needless to say, fine tuning your reloads should be part of your practice routine. This is a skill that can be practiced off the range with dummy rounds and fine tuned when you get the opportunity for live fire. Stay safe!
Captions:
IMG_0289 – Clockwise from the top: Tuff Quick-Strip, 2x2x2 Carrier, Galco Pick Six and Sam Andrews Belt Slide.
IMG_0297- Speedloaders available for .32 caliber revolvers include (left to right) the HKS, 5 Star and Speed Beez.
IMG_0302- A Tuff Quick-Strip and 5 Star speedloader are regular companions of the Ruger LCR.
