When I carry a Chief's Special airweight, I always carry a speed strip with five rounds in it. Some very knowledgable trainers recommend a full six in the strip, so there is at least a second reload of one round.
I like the speed strips because they are flat and carry better for me in the pocket than speed loaders (you can purchase speed loader carriers for ccw)...although I am not as fast with the strips as the speedloader. Back when the revolver was in its heyday as a police weapon, the police carried and used speedloaders once they saw the advantage over loops and dump pouches, and I would surmise that many who use the revolver regularly today have a preference for the speedloader.
Always carry extra ammunition for any handgun you carry, at least one reload. At best, any handgun is somewhat of a comprimise. I think it was Clint Smith who said "Never take a handgun to gun fight" (meaning a gun fight you know you know you will be engaged in). As far as the number of rounds to carry, I have always followed the advice of those authorities who have subscribed to the idea that if you can't solve the problem with a half dozen rounds or so, you are probably way over your head...others will disagree, of course, but statistics seem to bear out the fact that most handgun fights occur at close range with just several rounds being exchanged. (Small comfort, I know, if you are facing six or eight heavily armed Hell's Angels or MS13 gang members.) Still, the one reload rule is what I was taught, and thre is nothing wrong with several reloads, except in concealed carry this creates different problems than carrying lots of spare ammunition on a duty belt.
Mark L.