Magazine Loaders

[MI2600]

Kind of a newbie question. Please move if I'm in an incorrect forum.

While I mainly shoot revolvers, but I do have some automatics and I'm looking for advice on magazine loaders. With the automatics, I usually load 5-6 rounds and then call it good because of the spring compression. I recently watched a Hitchcock45 segment on the Sig 365 in which he used a handy device to fill a magazine.
I would like input on what other members use, both good and bad. Also, should the loaders be caliber-specific, or are multi-caliber loaders acceptable?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

 

[Hokie_PhD]

I second the UpLula for handgun magazines.

And I like the Mag Lula for AR magazines.

 

[ATLDave]

YeS, uplula is the answer.

 

[Jim Watson]

Uplula is basic.
One unit serves most full and medium centerfires
Same one works for me on 1911, 2011, M&P, Glock, and CZ.

There are specialty Lula loaders for oddballs. I have one for CZ Kadet.

 

[MI2600]

Thanks for the inputs. I believe that's the one that Hitchcock used.

 

[Texas10mm]

Uplula is basic.
One unit serves most full and medium centerfires
Same one works for me on 1911, 2011, M&P, Glock, and CZ.

There are specialty Lula loaders for oddballs. I have one for CZ Kadet.

They make a shim that snaps on the bottom to help center single stack mags. They are well worth the money,

http://www.maglula.com/product/1911ai-aligner-insert/

 

[Jim Watson]

I have that, too, and it helps. But it worked without for a good while.

 

[herrwalther]

upLula is the gold standard for loading pistol magazines. There are a few knock offs by various makers that you will find at big box stores. Eventually I will get a upLula myself, when my thumbs don't wanna work as well anymore.

 

[sevt_chevelle]

I have the pink one for pistol mags, I love the thing worth every penny.
The list of what I have tried mine on.
1911
S&W M&P
CZ 75
CZ P09
High power
FNH FNX
3rd gen S&W
S&W shield
Star Super B

 

[jr_watkins]

fer sure, UpLula. Have one for pistol and one for AR mags.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Everyone should have one in his tool chest. Mines purple so that it’s easy to find.

 

[il.bill]

First time I used my UpLula to load pistol magazines at the range, I immediately ordered a second one once I returned home. I most definitely wanted a backup in case I lost the first one (breaking the thing with normal usage is hard to imagine). It makes loading and reloading magazine so much easier. With careful use, mine works fine on both single and double stack magazines in 7.62x25mm Tokarev, .380 ACP, 9x18mm Makarov, 9x19mm Luger, .38 Super, .40 S&W, 10mm, and .45 ACP.

I too, am partial to the purple colored one.

Don't leave home without one ...

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Uplula is the only choice in my book.

 

[jar]

nudder Uplula vote and voting for the large and the mini as well. The mini is great on most of my old single stack 32acps.

 

[P5 Guy]

UpLuLa was the only way I was going to get more than five rounds in my new S&W, M&P Shield's magazines.

 

[Jeff H]

This is really the only excellent choice.

/end thread

 

[GarySTL]

UpLula works very well, but you need a hard surface to press it on. That surface is usually my gut unless 'm near a table or something similar. It's not really an issue though.

 

[Jim Watson]

Caldwell/Midway has a squeeze action loader. It looks complex with its rotors to adjust for different width magazines. I have only seen one at a rental range.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/221062/caldwell-mag-charger-universal-pistol-loader

 

[MI2600]

I ordered one, but I didn't see any "mini" advertised. But then, I can't remember when I last shot any of the .32 ACPs.

 

[crestoncowboy]

Caldwell/Midway has a squeeze action loader.

I have the Caldwell. It has rotors on the side that adapt it for different mags and a thumbscrew that clamps the mag in. Going from gun to gun takes 2 seconds. I've not used the uplula but I'd rather just load the mags by hand than use the caldwell. Even the free glock thing is better. I shot a Glock, a beretta 96, a usp, a 320 and a 226, all in the same day. 500 rounds or so. All mags fit fine. Problem is that the gray thing pushes the rounds back toward the back of the mag and the grip pushes the round up. The timing of it isnt great. And sometimes the round gets hung in the feed lips. Not great for mags

 

[Jim Watson]

Good to know, I'll just stick with my UpLulas (Uplulae?) and various other loading aids for my .22s.

I notice the Caldwell gadget is advertised at a reduced price on "closeout." Hmm.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm another UpLula fan, great tool IMO. I also bought the add-on bases to aid in loading the 1911 and single stack mags too. Also well worth they money.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/3...oaders-for-single-stack-magazine-polymer-gray

Here is a sale in both sold together.
https://smile.amazon.com/Nimrods-Wa...words=UpLula&qid=1558623247&s=gateway&sr=8-58

 

[crestoncowboy]

Walmart had the caldwell for 20 bucks on clearence when I got mine, maybe early last year. Regular 39 I think. On some guns it works better than others but not 100 percent on any I tried. I loaded up 25 glock 22 mags for a class once. After about 10 I just did the rest by hand flipping the rounds into place. It is hard on fingers but works. Lol. The caldwell will manage to slide the round in between the feed lips if you put too much pressure and then you have to get it back out of it clamped position and pick the round out. I think it would ruin mags eventaully. The thumbscrew that clamps the mag will also mar the mag a little if that matters to you, but it doesn't to me. The adaptability between mags is impressive. And it's pretty impossible to do it wrong unless you just insert the cartridge backward (HK style). Problem is that the angle of the rounds and how far they can be in the mag before being pushed backward is different for every gun. No way 1 tool with fixed angles can work. It might even work better with certain bullet shapes. I need to try it on a 1911 just out of curiosity. I dont think I've loaded anything but .40 cal. With it. But of all those double stacks I named it pretty much sucked. I'm not shocked its on closeout

 

[Jim Watson]

I am sure the MagPump all aluminum loader for a mere $799 would serve well.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/319474/magpump-elite-aluminum-magazine-loader-9mm-luger

Or the plastic economy model loader for only $99.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/901598/magpump-polymer-magazine-loader-9mm-luger