U.S. Military .38 Caliber Colt Revolvers, pre 1909.

[Grapeshot]

Somewhere, deep in that gray misty area called my memory I recall an article about an ammo pouch for the .38 Colt Revolver that had a wooden block and with two huge round holes drilled in them for an early version of a speed loader like we see today.  Experience tells me that there is nothing new under the sun and some one will always manage to re-invent the wheel, speedloaders not withstanding.

Anyone out there want to clarify this mystery?

I have a .38 pouch Marked RIM and 1909 that has 12 .38 holes for loose cartridges, but I remember seeing one that was marked even earlier that had the two holes for the "speedloaders" as well as six .38 holes for loose cartridges.

[Books OToole]

There was such a device for the 1889 Colt.  It is pictured in The History of the Colt Revolver by Haven & Beldon.

Books

PS;  It did not work very well and was dropped from the catalog after a couple years.

[Grapeshot]

Thankyou, sir.  I knew I wasn't going mad!