Reloading a revolver with some speed is part art and part science, part honed individual technique, part gear. Some revolver carriers never plan on a reload, relying instead on the five or six rounds in the gun or carrying a second firearm. Manufacturers haven’t helped matters by selling models often not relieved for speed loaders, the most common and fastest reloading option.
While reloading a revolver requires a few extra steps, with practice, it can be done faster than you might think. Once you’ve mastered the cylinder release and a clean smack of the ejector rod to clear the empties, speed loaders like the Safariland Comp series can bring an empty gun back to capacity in seconds.
But speed loaders are not the only reloading solution. In some circumstances, they may not even be the best. Case in point: the Bianchi Speed Strip. This unpretentious piece of neoprene was among the first speed reloading devices and remains a worthwhile addition to both the range bag and the EDC loadout.
The Origins of the Bianchi Speed Strip
For most of the 20th century, American policemen wielded .38 Special or .357 Magnum revolvers. Unfortunately, most of that time on duty was spent with few reloading options.
Early on, loose rounds in the pocket or belt loops were the only means of reloading one or two rounds at a time until the cylinder was filled with six rounds. Dump pouches attached to the belt were later used. These were buckled upside-down on the belt allowing gravity to feed six rounds into the hand for reloading. It was easy to drop loose rounds, and in a live shoot, topping off could take a lifetime.
Through the 1960s, criminal activity was on the rise and John Bianchi developed the Bianchi Speed Strip to speed up reloads and save lives. However, it wasn’t until the 1971 Newhall Massacre—where CHP officers perished with empty guns and spent brass at their feet—that departments began taking speed and tactical reloading seriously. In the aftermath of that unfortunate event, speed-loading options like the Dade and HKS loaders, as well as the Safariland Comp series, came to the forefront. But in the fray from the beginning was the Bianchi Speed Strip.
The Speed Strip is an injection-molded rubber strip with a grip tab and slots designed to hold the rims of several revolver cartridges. Cartridges are inserted rim-first, with the rubber snapping over the rims to keep them in place. The strip could be pressed into a dump pouch or in a pocket.
On reloading, the strip is pressed into the cylinder bullet-first and then peeled away, leaving two chambers loaded at a time. This process continues until the cylinder is full or until a threat presents itself, prompting the shooter to close the cylinder and press the trigger. While it doesn’t reload all chambers at once, the Bianchi Speed Strip has spawned many imitators and remains a viable option. Here is my take:
Bianchi Speed Strips: A Complicated Relationship
Bianchi Speed Strips hold six rounds and currently are available in .38/.357 or .44/45 caliber. I have used the same package of speed strips for the better part of ten years and when I first started using them on the firing line, I disliked them on sight.
Loading them is easy—simply snap the rim of each cartridge into the strip’s grooves. The rubber secures the rounds in place. Repeat until the desired number of rounds is in the strip.
Using the strip is also simple. With an empty revolver in hand, hold the cylinder open with one hand while you push two rounds home into the cylinder. Then, peel the strip away to release the rounds into the chambers. Repeat until full.
I am a long-time speed loader user, particularly with the Safariland Comp II type. The Speed Strip initially seemed slow and unappealing—until I gave it a fair shake. During my first range session, the strips were tight and stiff, making it difficult to strip off rounds. I quickly threw them in the range bag and went back to loose rounds. But after some reflection—and a bit of bending and flexing at home—I gave them another try and found they worked as advertised. Loading was easier and stripping the rounds off even easier.
Thankfully, the years of intermittent use, and ease of use, haven’t caused a breakdown of the strip. I’ve tried alternatives to the Bianchi Speed Strip, which come in more calibers, but they tend to crack along the rim lines in short order. Bianchi Speed Strips, on the other hand, are surprisingly tough for what they are. Over time, they gradually replaced my speed loaders in situations where my dress code didn’t allow for unsightly pocket bulges. That little piece of gear came a long way from being discarded after its first use.
Why choose a Bianchi Speed Strip Over a Speed Loader?
On the firing line, I can unload and then reload my double-action revolvers in four to five seconds. With the Bianchi Speed Strip, my time doubles to 10 seconds.
While Speed Strips are more consistent and slightly faster than loading loose rounds from a pocket, they lag behind speed loaders in raw reloading speed. But as I continued using them, I realized their real strength isn’t in speed reloads in the conventional sense. Where Speed Strips excel is in portability, partial reloads, and the ability to carry extra ammunition for multiple platforms in their respective calibers.
As beforementioned, I sometimes go for a Speed Strip instead of my usual speed loaders because round loaders can be bulky, particularly in some pants pockets. Speed Strips are flat, discreet, and will not rub you through your pocket lining by the end of the day.
Bianchi Speed Strips excel at partial reloads. Ironically, they first gained popularity just as police agencies across the country began incorporating partial reload techniques into training. In the aftermath of Newhall, investigators found that one of the officers succumbed while reloading his Colt revolver. He was found with six empty cases at his feet and a fully loaded revolver. During the fight, he reverted to his firing line training, prioritizing a full reload rather than loading just one or two rounds and re-engaging the perpetrators.
Speed loaders are designed to reload all chambers of a revolver at once, but they don’t work well with every grip configuration and are model-specific. They also take up more pocket space. In situations where carrying a speed loader isn’t practical, a Speed Strip offers a solid alternative. But to speed reload with the speed strip is to conduct a partial reload, as you can pluck two rounds into the revolver almost as quickly as a speed loader inserts a full set. You have to know which way the cylinder of your revolver turns, but once you have your two rounds in, you can close the cylinder and reengage. Stripping off all five or six rounds takes time—time you might not have.
Although Speed Strips are associated with concealed carry and revolver reloads, they’re just as handy outside of your pockets. They aren’t picky about the ammunition you put in them—any rimmed .38, .357, .44, or .45 caliber round will fit, and the .38/.357 versions can even hold rimless 9mm Luger ammunition. I mainly use my Speed Strips to carry extra ammunition for lever action rifles and to speed things along on the firing line with variety of common and obscure firearms.
Bianchi Speed Strips: More Than Meets the Eye
James Yeager was once quoted as saying that “the definition of an optimist is a guy with a speed strip and a snubbie.” On the surface, there is some validity to that.
While Bianchi Speed Strips are easy to use, they’re slower than a speed loader when performing a full reload. However, they make up for it with unmatched versatility. They are easier to carry, work across more platforms, and can accomplish a partial reload about as fast as a speed loader. While it won’t get you up to full capacity in a hurry, Bianchi Speed Strips can get you back into the fight in a hurry and and make range sessions smoother—no matter what you’re shooting.
