It’s not often we see revolutions in the field of revolvers. Revolvers are revolvers, right? They work and work well. The revolver is still a very popular choice for concealed carry and revolver carriers have likely thought the market and technology for revolvers, has become stagnant. Well NeoMag, a company known for creating a concealed carry magazine system is now working on revolvers. They’ve given us the RASC, or Revolver Ammunition Strip Concealment, which is a pocketful of revolver revolution.
Breaking Down the RASC
The RASC is a very simple device that is made up of two components, a revolver speed strip, and an anodized aluminum handle and pocket clip. It will accommodate Speed Strips from Bianchi or Tuff Products Quik Strips. The RASC as a device has two screws that you loosen which allows you to remove the top of the RASC. You then insert the Speed Strip tab or handle and put the top back on lock it all down. The RASC also has a titanium pocket clip that can be removed and reversed for different shooters.
Currently, the RASC is only available for use with 38 Special/357 Magnum speed strips. These are the two most popular rounds for concealed carry with a revolver so it makes sense. Will more RASCs be added in the future? It’s likely, so keep an eye out.
The MSRP is 29.99 and its available here.
How It Works
It’s simple, once the strip is installed into the handle, load it, and put it in your pocket. The design of the pocket clip makes it look like nothing more than a pocket knife. The profile is no larger than a pocket knife and once it’s in your pocket it’s invisible. Better than just being concealed the RASC makes it easier to draw and reload the revolver from.
Speed Strips are great but without a pouch, pocket carry is a bit of a pain in the ass. Pouches are okay, but a bit big and ugly. The strips bounce around a bit, the rounds can fall out of the strip, and can be difficult to retrieve.
The RASC acts as both a means to conceal the Speed Strip and as an extended handle. Speed Strips are often small, thin, and somewhat difficult to grasp. Even harder when it comes to drawing them out of the pocket.
Carry and Concealment
Carrying the Neomag RASC is very easy and as I mentioned its quite easy to conceal. It does render your pocket a bit useless. Tossing in a cell phone, keys, or more can tangle up the RASC so make sure you have the room to do so. The RASC is comfortable, no poking, no prodding, and it’s easy to forget its there.
Even when seated the RASC doesn’t stand out or print through my pocket. It’s virtually invisible. The RASC is easy to carry in jeans, khakis, and shorts. The only time I ever saw any evidence of printing was in the pocket of the traditionally tighter female jeans and that was only when seated. That being said its hard to tell exactly what it is even when printing. Most folks won’t recognize revolver rounds in a line in the pocket.
The pocket clip is just long enough to conceal the rounds and is made of titanium so it’s not likely to bend and become useless without some effort on your part.
Reloading with the RASC
You reload the same way you would with a traditional Speed Strip, only now you are retrieving it from its vertical pocket position. The RASC itself acts as an outstanding handle that gives you a better grip and more control over the Speed Strip and makes it way easier to hold onto. Speed Strips and those little tabs are always a pain, and the addition of a handle makes them much easier to use.
There are a lot of ways to skin a cat and a lot of ways to reload a revolver. I hold the gun with the cylinder open in the palm of my non-firing hand and retrieve the RASC. I load two rounds twice and finish by topping off the last round of my 5 shot J frame. The RASC makes it easy to bend and strip the rounds from the Speed Strip without much hassle.
With the RASC I’m way faster on the reload, and the chances of me making a flub grabbing or gripping the Speed Strip is eliminated. My hands aren’t slipping, and I don’t fail to properly strip the rounds when reloading. If you are packing a revolver for any serious task I would strongly advise checking out the RASC.
Once the revolver is loaded I drop the strip and resume firing. A big benefit is the ability to quickly top a gun off. If I fire two shots I can eject the two empties and reload just two rounds with the RASC. The pocket clip design makes it easy to take off and put on without effort.
The Revolver Conundrum
The problem with revolvers is limited capacity so it’s more likely you’ll need a reload than if you were rocking a Glock. Another issue is the fact you can’t just slam a magazine into a revolver and keep shooting. You have to find a way to load a revolver quickly, and how to carry ammo to load that revolver. With a doubt, a technique is needed, but technology plays a part as well.
Speed loaders are great but hard to conceal, and worse than that you can’t top off a revolver with a speed loader. It’s all or nothing. Also, speedloaders and J frames can be a bit of a pain with the little clearance between the cylinder and grip they can get hung up.
When it comes to revolvers I like to think to think it’s less Speed Strips versus Speed Loaders and more like Speed Strips and Speed Loaders. Why not have both? If you don’t want to carry two devices I’d recommend a Speed Strip, and these days I’d recommend a Speed Strip with the RASC.
