Many Americans choose a revolver as their concealed-carry handguns. Most carry a snubnose revolver; a few carry a 4-inch barrel 357 Magnum like those tested elsewhere in this issue. Their faith in the revolver is understandable. Our raters observe that criminals often run in packs. The natural polarity between good guys and bad guys may erupt into a gun battle. While high-round counts are not the norm, the possibilities are endless. At any rate, after you win the fight, you will wish to reload the handgun, which means carrying spare gun loads – a somewhat more difficult task than with magazines for a self loader. We believe the reason the revolver reload isnt carried as often is because of the bulk of speedloaders, and carrying loose ammunition in the pocket is a bad choice. Revolver speed strips help, but are far from ideal. In our view, a revolver speedloader is best, but they are about as wide as the revolver cylinder, which makes for a bump on the belt with conventional old-style speedloader pouches.
A new product caught our attention that seems to solve a lot of problems for those carrying the revolver. The JOX speedloader pouch (JOXloaderpouches.com, $43 plus shipping) is designed for concealed carry. The JOX is made of Kydex and attaches to the belt with a J hook that goes under the belt and hooks securely. The attachment is rigid. Movement is minimized.
The carrier rides high on the belt. The top is open. The JOX unit retains the speedloader by pressing outward on the outboard side of the pouch. The speedloader is then inserted. The carry is secure, and since the JOX carrier is molded for the individual speedloader – HKS, Safariland, SL, etc., there is minimal rebound.
We recommend the pouch be threaded onto the belt before the final belt loop is threaded, as it is difficult to mount the JOX unit after the belt is fastened. This is a good thing, as the JOX carrier is tight on the belt.
To draw the speedloader, press the speedloader slightly outboard, and the carriers grip is released. The carrier must be worn forward, where it cannot interfere with drawing the revolver. The carrier also must be accessible to the strong hand for a proper speed load. As for concealment, the carrier may be concealed under a light covering garment or a pulled-out shirt. The footprint, when it is noticed, is smaller than a cellphone carrier. Since most of us already carry a cellphone, the JOX carrier should not be noticed. When the speedloader is inserted in the carrier, the depth or height the speedloader rides in the carrier is affected by the cartridges used. A Glaser Safety Slug has a light and short bullet. The Speer Gold Dot 125-grain load is another overall cartridge length, and the Winchester 158-grain SWC yet another, not to mention 200-grain handloads for the 357 Magnum cartridge. While the carrier and speedloaders work OK with most loads, there is a superior option. The JOX pouch is supplied with spacers carried in the bottom of the pouch. These spacers serve multiple duty. They cushion the nose of the bullet to prevent damage. They also eliminate any rattle. But they also may be stacked or removed as needed to properly set the height of the speedloader.
Our Team Said: After considerable testing and wearing the JOX speedloader pouch, our raters find it good kit with no drawbacks. You should carry spare ammunition for your wheelgun, and this pouch solves a lot of problems.
GUN TESTS GRADE: A
