Notes From The Gun Room, No. 3 John Markwell


THE LOOSE AMMO SOLUTION We’ve all taken off for a short


jaunt, with rifl e, handgun or shotgun, and just stuffed a few extra rounds in our pocket or pack. Usually this situa- tion leads to said ammunition getting thoroughly mixed up with the contents


of the pocket or gravitating to the ab- solute bottom of the pack to mix with a year’s worth of detritus. Either way, getting the ammo usually involves some digging, sorting, or cussing. More years ago than I like to re- member, Bianchi (the holster maker)


came up with a nifty item called the Speed Strip which was marketed to folks who carried .38 special pocket revolvers, as well as law enforcement offi cers, who were at the time wedded to the .357 Magnum wheel gun. The Speed Strip was literally a molded rub- ber strip that held six revolver rounds by their rims. The cartridges could be inserted and then “stripped” into the revolver’s chambers one or two at a time in a more or less fumble-free fash- ion. The big selling point for many folks was that the loaded Speed Strip was fl at and did not “print” when carried in a pants pocket to provide backup ammo for one’s .38 pocket gun. The Speed Strip also provided the advantage of not having to fi nd loose rounds in one’s pocket or having to deal with the bulk of a Speed Loader pouch on the belt. Tuff Products has taken off with


The original Bianchi Speed Strip (with .38 Special cartridges) and the new Tuff Products QuickStrips with rimfi re and centerfi re cartridges in place.


the above old idea and now is offering their QuickStrip for lots of different handgun, rifle, and even shotgun rounds. QuickStrips are available in either black or orange and sell for $8.95 per pair or $99.00 for 12 packs of two. The smallest QuickStrips will hold 10 rimfi re cartridges. Along with the six rounds of .22 LR in my K22, I’ve found the QuickStrips’ extra ten rounds provide me with just about the right amount of plinking ammo for a walk up to my wife’s cabin. The QuickStrips for all other calibers have a six-round capacity. Whether for 38/357, 44, or 500 S&W magnum, or rifl e or shotgun rounds, the QuickStrip eliminates the loose ammo problem whether in pocket, pack, glove box, or console. Additionally, a QuickStrip full of am- munition does not rattle when carried, will not roll around on the pickup dash, nor will it fi t down the defroster vent. If you’re looking for a simple, compact, and economical means of toting just a bit of extra ammunition, the QuickStrip from Tuff Products should fi ll the bill. CHANGING MAGNIFICATION There are some of us who fi nd it


Rattlesnake rattles with buckskin strip and loops glued in place. Page 84 October — December 2011


diffi cult to turn the magnifi cation ring on some variable power telescopic sights. As we all know, some of these


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