Speed loaders...

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CORDITE

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So i have a question for the "wheel-gun" guys out there: How fast can you reload your gun with the use of a speed loader? Is it something you practice a lot? Is it possible to be as quick as a guy with an autoloader? I have seen the video about the fast shooting wheel gun guy, very impressive! P.S Since i bought my revolver i cant trust an autoloader ...:D
 
Try the Safariland Comp II loaders. They seem to be a bit faster than the more readily available HKS loaders. The Comp II's are hard to find, but Sportsman Guide has them for about $10 each.

Speedloaders aren't as quick as reloading a semi-auto, unless you really, really, practice. With practice comes smoothness. Smoothness leads to speed.
 
The reason for this thread is that i hope someone can offer some sort of technique to reload fast. You know like, use your left hand to open the cylinder, or hold the gun vertical when emptying and/or reloading. I aim to become extremely proficient with reloading my .357 wheel gun, so i want all the info i can get from the more experienced guys... ^^^^ Thanks i will try those loaders you suggested!

I found some info:
www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-3368.html
 
CORDITE said:
The reason for this thread is that i hope someone can offer some sort of technique to reload fast. You know like, use your left hand to open the cylinder, or hold the gun vertical when emptying and/or reloading. I aim to become extremely proficient with reloading my .357 wheel gun, so i want all the info i can get from the more experienced guys... ^^^^ Thanks i will try those loaders you suggested!

I found some info:
www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-3368.html
Click to expand...

I push the cylinder release with shooting thumb, pop the cylinder out with my right "shooting hand" index finger, hold the gun up vertical and slam the extractor to force the empties out HARD (especially important to do that on a snubby as the extractor travel isn't as long as the cases are). Here's where I screw up, I have to hold the gun in my left hand while I feed an HKS speed loader into the cylinder and rattle it around to get all the cartridges fed into it. I'm going to try that safariland speed loader. Then, maybe I can use my left hand for loading if it'll load without all the shaking an HKS takes. Moon clips are the ultimate, why really dedicated wheel gunners always want a 9mm snubby. :D I ain't THAT dedicated a wheel gunner. I consider my Kel Tec P11 the ultimate wheel gun. Smoother DA travel, concealed hammer so it don't grab on stuff, flat and small and 14 ounces light, yet +P 9mm capable and the ultimate moon clip, loads from the bottom. :D And, the "moon clip" in this case carries 10 rounds, a 12 round magazine being optional. So, who needs a reload anyway? I still like to carry my .38 now and then, but really, the compact 9 makes a lot more sense as a carry gun to me. I love that thing. But, my roots are sunk in the wheel gun and I will forever appreciate them.
 
I shot my Security Six for part of a season while my Springfield made its transition to comp gun. I used Safariland Comp II speedloaders. Heres my technique:

Firing right handed, hit the cylinder release with your dominant thumb. Since both hands are still at the gun (firing two handed), the right hand rolls the grip of the gun clockwise, as the cylinder stays in its upright position. The left fingers go thorough the window of the frame, and the left thumb hits the ejector rod. The right hand is headed back to the strong side speedloader while youre clearing.

NOTE: heres what I found to be a lifesaver. The round closest to the frame will sometimes clear the ejector star, but slide to a stop againt the side of the grip. If you make a habit of rolling the cylinder with your fingertips (just close your hand slightly) it drops clear.

Anyway, I had pretty good luck with this style. Shooting a revolver against autos is a bit of a uphill battle but it was fun to try.

Right hand returns with the speedloader, stuffs it in place, the speedloader body drops clear. Close cylinder and sights come back up on target.

NOW-some will ask why I dont reload using the weak hand. I tried, but the holding the gun right handed while hitting the ejector rod left handed hurt me on times. Also, the muzzle up to clear, muzzle down to load was another mark against this technique. I'm muzzle level, downrange with my style.
 
Sorry - I can't help with technique but reloading quickly - very quickly - blindingly fast - is definitely possible for most and is a reality for some.

I certainly can't do it (never will) and I've got no idea how the guys that do, do it, but at IPSC matches at OKC Gun Club I've seen revolver guys speed load so fast that if you aren't paying attention you might miss the fact that they actually did a reload. :what:

Their speed is pure tea freaking amazing. Until I started competing in IPSC I would never have believed that real human beings could reload a revolver so quickly (we're talking movie type stuff here). It still amazes me when I think about it. :D

I imagine the secret is to find a series of moves that work for you and then practice, practice, practice. FWIW - I was told once that practicing a technique for just 10 minutes a day provides a more rapid and consistent increase in skill than practicing for an hour once a week.
 
Moonclips are the choice for a mjority of serious revolver competitors. The reloads you saw Jerry Miculek doing were probably either a 627 with moonclips or a 625 which uses moonclips for the .45 ACP rounds.
 
Here's one for ya and I've never paid enough attention at a shoot to figure it out. I'm always shooting an auto in the IDPA stuff. Anyway, IDPA does "tactical reloads" where you can't let the magazine drop, but must save your mag that has some rounds left in it. You can either retrieve your mag first, then go for your loaded mag, or if you're really deft, you can grab a full mag, retrieve the partial mag and insert the new mag. In either case, you have to stick your partial used mag in a pocket or pouch or whatever's quickest ( I usually go for a pocket), can't let it fall.

We've only had a couple of revolver shooters at those events. How do you accomplish a tactical reload with a revolver. Would you dump the cases out in your hand and pocket them? In real life, I would just dump the mess on the ground, live or not. Or, I'd be behind cover, could remove the spent rounds and use my speed strip to top up. I'm just talking IDPA games here. How do IDPA revolver shooters do the tac reload thing?????
 
(Edited because I posted the wrong information in the wrong thread. That's what you get when you have tabbed browsing and don't pay attention!)
 
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I shot PPC for years with a revolver, I used to have some photos showing the speed load technique, but I'm not sure what happened to them, anyway...here's the process, it is very fast, not quite as fast as Jerry Miculek but for most people it's pretty darn good. This is using Safariland Comp II speedloaders, the Safariland loaders are much faster than the H&K, I never saw anyone using the H&K speedloaders in competition.

Revolver in the right hand in a two hand hold, as the revolver comes down you press the cylinder release, the fingers of the left hand push the cylinder out to the loading position and retain the revolver, the muzzle comes up and the left thumb forcefully ejects the empties, as this is going on the right hand goes to the belt to get the speedloader.

After ejecting the empties, the muzzle is pointed down for loading, the cartridges in the speedloader are pressed into the cylinder, the Comp II automatically releases the rounds, the left thumb pushes the cylinder closed, the speedloader is left to fall away freely, the right hand takes control of the revolver, and you are ready to shoot.

That sounds like a lot of things happening, but with practice it only takes about 1-2 seconds from start to finish. In competition you are shooting wadcutters, and the cylinder is beveled slightly to make it easier to load the wadcutters into the cylinder.

The left hand holds and controls the revolver and cylinder, the right hand is used for handling the speedloader and loading.

This is all from a right handed person's perspective, I have no idea how a leftie does it.
 
My technique is the same as slopemeno's. It's worked well for me.

As for HKS speedloaders I've used them in local pin matches. While not as fast as Safariland, the extra time it takes to spin the lock isn't really noticeable.
 
No Choice in Speedloader for 7 shot revolvers

I recently bought a S&W 686P (7 shot cylinder). I was very disappointed to find out that Safariland does not make a 7 shot speedloader AND has no plans to do so. Only HKS makes them.

I don't like the idea of having Safariland loaders for my S&W 36 (push-in auto release type) and HKS (twist-release) for the 686P (think "muscle memory"), but there's no other choice. Bummer.

Perp
 
I don't like the idea of having Safariland loaders for my S&W 36 (push-in auto release type) and HKS (twist-release) for the 686P (think "muscle memory"), but there's no other choice. Bummer.
Click to expand...
Actually, there is a choice that you simply may not like enough to notice.

If muscle memory is a large issue for you, then try using HKS loaders for the 36 also. :)
 
I ordered a safariland comp 1 for a M60 smith (j frame five shot). I hope it works in my Taurus 85. It's the only one they listed on the sportsman's guide site that looked like it might work. All the comp 2s were for six and seven shot revolvers. They only had the comp 1 listed for J frames.

What's the difference in comp 1 and comp 2?
 
Janitor said:
Actually, there is a choice that you simply may not like enough to notice.

If muscle memory is a large issue for you, then try using HKS loaders for the 36 also. :)
Click to expand...


Thanks for cleaning me up on that one, Janitor! I meant to say without having to re-learn after many years of training with only the push-in Safarilands. I never liked the possibility that when reaching for the HKS I would pull on the HKS knob and accidentally twist it at the same time, spilling the rounds on the ground. I wonder how often that ever happens. It was just a non-issue with the Safarilands (though locking the rounds INTO the SL speedloader was a pain).
 
perpster said:
I recently bought a S&W 686P (7 shot cylinder). I was very disappointed to find out that Safariland does not make a 7 shot speedloader AND has no plans to do so. Only HKS makes them.

I don't like the idea of having Safariland loaders for my S&W 36 (push-in auto release type) and HKS (twist-release) for the 686P (think "muscle memory"), but there's no other choice. Bummer.
Click to expand...

I understand completely. However, if you look around the auction sites sufficiently, you may be able to find the SL Variant speedloader made for the 7-shot. In operation, it's like the Safariland (though the mechanism is different.)

Unfortunately, they are few and far between. You may end up using the inferior "Brand H". :(
 
FWIW, here's a site from Australia that carries them. Unfortunately I don't see one for the 686P 7-shot, just the 6 shot.

http://www.sportingguns.com.au/UsedGuns/speedLoader.html

Also, I just found this in THR archives from a year ago:



Many thanks to all! I just ordered from Midway:

2 HKS Speedloaders
1 HKS Double Speedloader Pouch (Med)
2 Maxfire "Soft" Speedloaders

I also found the address/phone for S. L. Variant Speedloaders

FX3 Enterprises L.L.C.
4509 Dusty Trail
North Las Vegas, NV 89031
702-396-0027
[email protected]

I tried the number (after hours) and it works. These Variant speedloaders sound comparable to the Safariland Comp III's, just more expensive. I'm going to order a couple tomorrow. FX3 doesn't have a website to order through, so looks like the phone is it.

U.F.O.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PaleRyderJanuary 7th, 2005, 03:32 PM
I also just purchased a 686-6 2.5 yesterday. I bought mine used however.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

U.F.O.January 8th, 2005, 12:00 AM
Follow up:

Shot the 686P.....WOW! Love it! Shot 38spl standard loads and .357 magnum 125gr's. Those .357's kick like a mule but are quite controllable. I also ordered a OWB holster from Milt Sparks and already got my speedloader order in from Midway. The HKS speedloaders and pouch are quality merchandise. The Maxfire soft speedloaders..... :barf: Don't waste your money. Junk with a capital J. I also ordered some of the Variant loaders which won't be in for a week or so. The wheelgun experience continues.....and I like it!

PaleRyder, is yours the 7 shot? Have you been to the range yet? Congrats!

U.F.O.
 
If SL Variants work as well as Safariland they would be the only option I would take in speedloaders. HKS hate to let go of rounds. If you want HKS and IF (probably not likely as I think I threw a frustrated fit) I still have them I will send them to you for the cost of postage.


MCgunner,

For tactical reload with speedloader just aim the muzzle up, the brass with bullets are heavy enough to fall out, put them away and punch the ejector for the empty rounds.
 
perpster said:
I also found the address/phone for S. L. Variant Speedloaders

FX3 Enterprises L.L.C.
4509 Dusty Trail
North Las Vegas, NV 89031
702-396-0027
[email protected]
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, FX3 stopped handling the SL Variant product line nearly a year ago. Overseas (or the used market) are, at this moment, the only options.
 
I think the SL Variant speedloader (schnellader) are made in Germany by Longwitz and are/were made in long and short variants for the 7 shot 686. Perhaps one of the German catalog shooting supply firms offers them. Power Custom offers some of the Jet Loaders for $17.95 (see www.powercustom.com ) but I don't see the 7 shot model.

What I can find on the Internet is this on the company:

Longwitz HarDia Werkzeuge
BiegelhofstraBe 15
74924 Neckarbischofsheim
Deutchland
Tel: 07268/719; Fax: 07628/8753

website: http://www.longwitz.de/

Supposedly, they are trying to get a website that will take orders up and running.
 
of topic...
I dont have a speedloader (yet) but I keep my .357 shells on SKS stripper clips.:) :) Seems to help me while shooting at nite and is a good way to store ammo. Better than just a pocket or bag full, I know exactly how much I grabed by counting 1,2,3, = 10, 20, 30, my tuff little eyeglass case holds 40.
pict00043bg.jpg
 
Ditto on the techniques posted above. It sounds like I need to check out the Safariland loaders. To replace the multitude of HKS I have will be expensive.

One question: Why is it that the J-fram HKS 5-shot loaders are such a pain? I've had to carve out a section in a Hogue grip on my 36 snubbie to even get those things to work half-way decently. It seems the problem may be the J-frame itself, that is, an inherent problem with the space allowed for the reloader, cylinder release, and the grips.

Anyone else experience this kind of problem?
 
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