"Speed Loaders"

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

I have a bunch o' revolvers... and most of 'em are single action.  Load 'em up one sausage at a time.

 

But I do have a couple of Ruger DA's ~ a GP100 (.357) and an LCRx (.38).  And so I'm hoping for some opinions on speed loaders.  Preferably some sort of "push button" types; the ones I have require twisting a knob - kinda tricky sometimes, since the cylinder wants to spin right along with the loader.  

 

Suggestions?  

 

Oh ~ might make good stocking stuffers for the Kid, come Christmas.  He "outranks" me in the DA department.  

[Rye Miles #13621]

4 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

I have a bunch o' revolvers... and most of 'em are single action.  Load 'em up one sausage at a time.

 

But I do have a couple of Ruger DA's ~ a GP100 (.357) and an LCRx (.38).  And so I'm hoping for some opinions on speed loaders.  Preferably some sort of "push button" types; the ones I have require twisting a knob - kinda tricky sometimes, since the cylinder wants to spin right along with the loader.  

 

Suggestions?  

 

Oh ~ might make good stocking stuffers for the Kid, come Christmas.  He "outranks" me in the DA department.  

I have the push ones for my SW 617 but I don’t know of any for other revolvers.

 

[Long Fingers, SASS#56813]

just search Safariland comp 1,2,or 3 

Midway or just about any of the shooting suppliers have them. 
Not really a push button but no twisting of a knob. Push them into the cylinder and they release. Much easier to use vs the twist knob. 
LF. 

 

[DeaconKC]

@Long Fingers, SASS#56813 beat me to it. The Safarilands are tough and reliable.

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

used Safarilands when I was shooting USPSA

1:  small size probably good for concealed carry

2:  push the center to load once the shells are in the chambers

3:  spring assist--these are the ones I used

 

 

[Pat Riot]

9 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

I have the push ones for my SW 617 but I don’t know of any for other revolvers.

 

Speed Beez makes a bunch of different models for a bunch of different guns. 
https://www.speedbeez.com/product-category/speed-loaders/

 

I have Spped Beez, HKS and 5 Star speed loaders. The fastest are Speed Beez, but all your rounds are held under spring tension. If you carry it in your pocket there is a good chance you won’t have a full loader when you need it. They work great in a Speed Beez belt carrier. 
HKS, the one I use most for carry, to release the rounds you turn it Clockwise.  
5 Star, which are aluminum and quite rattly if not held in a pocket or case, to release rounds you turn the knob counterclockwise. The opposite of HKS. 
 

I personally like and trust HKS. 

@Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967

This gent gets in his own way when talking but the method he uses is pretty much how I use HKS speed loaders. Give it a try. The cylinder will not spin on you. 

 

 

Since I have used HKS for so long I would have a hard time switching. Be sure that you practice with whatever loader you decide on. 

When I try my 5 Star speedloaders I have finally broken my habit of wanting to turn the knob to the right to release, like an HKS. 
HKS does not make and 8 round speedloader for S&W 327s, 627s, or the TRR8 series of guns. Only 5 Staer and Speed Beez do. 

[Alpo]

I disagree with his method.

 

I was taught to do this.

 

Once you are ready to unload or reload, you put the trigger guard in your left palm. You have your index finger on the barrel your little finger on the frame, the two middle fingers are on the cylinder, and your thumb is on the other side of the cylinder

 

You push the thumb latch and open the cylinder using your thumb and two fingers. You get your right hand out of the way. You have the muzzle pointed up, the gun is sitting on your middle two fingers, and you push the ejector rod with your left thumb. All the time you are doing this your right hand is going for your reload.

In his method, the right hand does not let go of the gun until the brass has left the cylinder. Depending on how fast you are, that's about a quarter of a second that you're wasting by holding on to the gun with your right hand. Put the gun in your left hand push the cylinder release and then let go.

 

Once you have dumped the brass using your left thumb, you tilt the muzzle down. When you put the cartridge noses in the chambers, you have hold of the cylinder with your thumb and your two middle fingers. The cylinder cannot rotate unless you wish to let it rotate. Turn the knob and let the cartridges fall into the cylinder, and yes drop the speed loader on the ground.

[Rip Snorter]

I was taught the same.  One additional point, if the brass does not easily eject, keep the hold, muzzle up, get your thumb out of the the way on the cylinder, and slap the ejector rod with your right palm.  Can't recall having to do that.  It was part of the training.

Edited July 2 by Rip Snorter
Clarity

[Sedalia Dave]

45 minutes ago, Alpo said:

I disagree with his method.

 

I was taught to do this.

 

Once you are ready to unload or reload, you put the trigger guard in your left palm. You have your index finger on the barrel your little finger on the frame, the two middle fingers are on the cylinder, and your thumb is on the other side of the cylinder

 

You push the thumb latch and open the cylinder using your thumb and two fingers. You get your right hand out of the way. You have the muzzle pointed up, the gun is sitting on your middle two fingers, and you push the ejector rod with your left thumb. All the time you are doing this your right hand is going for your reload.

In his method, the right hand does not let go of the gun until the brass has left the cylinder. Depending on how fast you are, that's about a quarter of a second that you're wasting by holding on to the gun with your right hand. Put the gun in your left hand push the cylinder release and then let go.

 

Once you have dumped the brass using your left thumb, you tilt the muzzle down. When you put the cartridge noses in the chambers, you have hold of the cylinder with your thumb and your two middle fingers. The cylinder cannot rotate unless you wish to let it rotate. Turn the knob and let the cartridges fall into the cylinder, and yes drop the speed loader on the ground.

That’s how Jerry does it. 
 

 

 

Edited July 2 by Sedalia Dave

[Sedalia Dave]

Seem to me that holding the revolver by the grip when ejecting shells, that your thumb would get in the way and keep the brass from properly ejecting. Especially of there were a couple of unfired rounds in the cylinder.

[DeaconKC]

The Safariland ones are very resistant to losing rounds as the pin that releases the rounds is inside the circle of rounds. Very little rattling too.

[Pat Riot]

I use what works for me. You use what works for you. 

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

Alpo's method.

Slight difference.

Open cylinder, holding as he illustrated.

Smack ejector rod instead of thumbing it -- muzzle up, gravity is your friend -- then muzzle down, dunk in the Safariland, twist, close cylinder and shear the empty speedloader off the back of the cylinder if it hasn't already fallen off.

It's what I got used to -- but there are many ways to do it right -- and as dear old Dad said, "You pays-a you money and takes-a you choice!"

[Pat Riot]

Thanks @Sedalia Dave

 

I love that Indiana State Police video. 
I realized Alpo’s method is pretty much the same. I watched the Indiana Police video and it dawned on me that I do pretty much exactly what is in that training video. So, I guess I am doing it as Alpo was describing after all. Sometimes. I actually do it both ways, depending on how my hands feel. They aren’t as dexterous as they once were. 
By the way, I recall doing the boot loading method with my work boots and it worked great. It does not work with my motorcycle boots. 

Also, the belt method will not work for me. There’s some overhang to contend with. Not sure where it came from.