Speed Loader Recommendations

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I went to MFS today to shoot my new Ruger GP100.

Nice gun, shoots well, and the recoil is manageable.

However, I would like to get a battery of speed loaders for it.

What brand to you recommend?

(This is for an old guy with challenged hands)

Thanks
 
HKS speed loaders all day, every day. 586-A

iu
 
there are some fancy options out there. i like the safariland speed loaders because they're around the same price as HKS, feel lighter, push button release over twisting which i much prefer. i find it easily to either accidentally dump rounds out of the HKS when trying to fish for them or i forget which way to twist when trying to put them in the cylinder. my brain says to twist left to release but IIRC it's twist to right. YMMV.
 
Don't forget speed strips. Great for flat-pocket carry. Fast too. Only 1 moving part. You!

iu
 
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i find it easily to either accidentally dump rounds out of the HKS

I carry the HKS loaders (4) in a way that would release the safariland cartridges during carry. But they are an excellent system.
I've carried the 4 HKS loaders for over 19 years daily and have never spun the knob during carry.
Also used them in a Combat Handgun Course that used to be offered by Greg Danas of A.G Danas (Lowell) 100 timed flawless reloads. YMMV

Ask yourself this question first: Are these speedloaders for competition or combat?
 
I carry the HKS loaders (4) in a way that would release the safariland cartridges during carry. But they are an excellent system.
I've carried the 4 HKS loaders for over 19 years daily and have never spun the knob during carry.
Also used them in a Combat Handgun Course that used to be offered by Greg Danas of A.G Danas (Lowell) 100 timed flawless reloads. YMMV

Ask yourself this question first: Are these speedloaders for competition or combat?

how were you carrying to ahve the safarilands release?

i occasionally carry the LCR 38sp in which case I use speed strip for extra rounds. i prefer the safariland speed strip because it's quiet and flat so fits in pocket easily. it's a little slower to reload but simple.
 
how were you carrying to ahve the safarilands release?

i occasionally carry the LCR 38sp in which case I use speed strip for extra rounds. i prefer the safariland speed strip because it's quiet and flat so fits in pocket easily. it's a little slower to reload but simple.

One stacked on top of the other and next two beside those. Think of a square.
Safari's would release lower pair. HKS never.
 
HKS speed loaders all day, every day. 586-A

I use these as well for my S&W 64.
Simple, cheap, work well. Never had them drop any cartridges. Just carry them in my front pocket, strong side. Just enough wiggle to let ball, round-flat nose, or hollow points line up and find home. Easy to hold the loader without accidentally twisting the knob due to the difference in diameters. Plenty of knurl on the knob for an easy grab and twist.
 
HKS speed loaders all day, every day. 586-A

iu
I disagree so very strongly. HKS speedloaders just suck. Safariland speedloaders hold the cartridges firmly, making them easier to seat. Safariland speedloaders are triggered by just pushing them into the cylinder, whereas the HKS require you to turn the knob to release the cartridges. The result is that Safariland (and similar) speedloaders are easier to use quickly and under stress.

I spent about a year competing with my K-frame in IDPA. I used Jetloaders, which work like a Safariland. No one competing in SSR used HKS.
 
Ask yourself this question first: Are these speedloaders for competition or combat?

Ask yourself this question, if you ever have to reload while someone is shooting at you, would you rather use a speedloaders that is easier and faster to use, or one that is harder and slower?
 
Ask yourself this question, if you ever have to reload while someone is shooting at you, would you rather use a speedloaders that is easier and faster to use, or one that is harder and slower?

Another vote for HKS!
 
Another vote for HKS!

If the HKS was easier and faster than the push-to-release speedloaders, then all the guys shooting speedloader revolvers in IDPA would be using them. They aren't. To reload with a push-to-release speedloader, you align the cartridges, push the speedloader towards the cylinder, release the speedloader, and close the cylinder. With the HKS speedloader, you align the cartridges, push the speedloader towards the cylinder, turn the knob, release the speedloader, and close the cylinder. That extra step takes time.

You are correct that competition isn't combat. But timed competition like IDPA and ICORE due add some stress; they are about as good training as we can achieve without someone shooting at us. Those of us who have competed with revolver spent hours performing reloads with dummy rounds. Push-to-release speedloaders work. They are easier to align the cartridges in the chambers because they cartridges don't flop around. They don't require a firm hold on the cylinder to prevent it from rotating -- in fact, I keep the revolver in my right hand while reloading and don't secure the cylinder.
 
If the HKS was easier and faster than the push-to-release speedloaders, then all the guys shooting speedloader revolvers in IDPA would be using them. They aren't. To reload with a push-to-release speedloader, you align the cartridges, push the speedloader towards the cylinder, release the speedloader, and close the cylinder. With the HKS speedloader, you align the cartridges, push the speedloader towards the cylinder, turn the knob, release the speedloader, and close the cylinder. That extra step takes time.

You are correct that competition isn't combat. But timed competition like IDPA and ICORE due add some stress; they are about as good training as we can achieve without someone shooting at us. Those of us who have competed with revolver spent hours performing reloads with dummy rounds. Push-to-release speedloaders work. They are easier to align the cartridges in the chambers because they cartridges don't flop around. They don't require a firm hold on the cylinder to prevent it from rotating -- in fact, I keep the revolver in my right hand while reloading and don't secure the cylinder.

Happen to have a video link of the technique you use? I use the hold cylinder and frame with left hand, reload with right. Ejecting spent brass with left thumb while reaching for speed loaders.
 
Safariland Comp loaders are far, far superior to HKS. They are also far less likely to lose the rounds inadvertantly. I've used both and I'll never go back to HKS. SpeedBeez makes great products, but I like the way the Safariland loaders work. In my experience, the Safariland loaders tend to very positively release the cartridges, but the HKS loaders are more likely to hang up.
 
Gentlemen, as I have stated before, with my style of concealed carry of spare loaders, I can not use the push button type loader like Safariland offers.
The Safariland releases its cartridges each and every time I carry using my method. The HKS does not and has not in over 19 years of daily carry.
If you go back and re-read my posts, you will see that at no time do I crap on the Safari's.
Instead, I've given personal testimony on what has worked for me for over a nearly 2 decade period, without fail and without cartridge drop in heavy physical and practical movement.
Please do not crap on my choice because it is not yours.

I'm a Chevy guy, you may be a Ford guy. Who cares?
 
Happen to have a video link of the technique you use? I use the hold cylinder and frame with left hand, reload with right. Ejecting spent brass with left thumb while reaching for speed loaders.

No, I don’t. I push the cylinder release with my right thumb, push open the cylinder with my left hand fingers. I eject with my left index finger with the muzzle only slightly elevated. With the muzzle somewhat depressed, I grab the Jetloader from the side and with a slight twisting motion seat the cartridges in the cylinder. I then discard the speedloader, close the cylinder, and reestablish my grip. The gun never leaves my right hand.

This is an unorthodox method that I picked up from another shooter. I was trained with both the FBI and Ayoob methods. There are a couple things I don’t like about those techniques. First, I don’t like the large movements of the muzzle all the way up and all the way down. That seems unnecessary to me (and some foolish range Nazis wig out at the sight of an elevated muzzle, even though the cylinder is open). The theory of elevating the muzzle vertically in the Ayoob and FBI methods is that tilting the barrel skyward uses gravity to help eject the cases. I’ve never found that necessary. Using just my finger, the cases eject firmly enough to hit me in the chest.

The Ayoob method has you smack the ejector rod with the palm of your right hand. I’ve tried that, and usually end up with semicircular cuts in the palm of my hand from the ejector rod.

One of the main reasons I don’t like the Ayoob and FBI methods is that during an extended practice session, when your gun heats up, you can end up burning your hand on the forcing cone (FBI) or cylinder (Ayoob).

Now I know some revolver shooters who are much better than I who do conventional reloads, and their reloads are faster than mine. Also, while my left-handed reload can be very fast and smooth when I hit it, it can also go to crap if I mess it up. I think it is perhaps a bit more risky than the conventional reloads, so try before you buy.

There are lots of different ways to reload a revolver. Make up some dummy rounds, get your charge holes chamfered, and practice dry a lot.
 
I disagree so very strongly. HKS speedloaders just suck. Safariland speedloaders hold the cartridges firmly, making them easier to seat. Safariland speedloaders are triggered by just pushing them into the cylinder, whereas the HKS require you to turn the knob to release the cartridges. The result is that Safariland (and similar) speedloaders are easier to use quickly and under stress.

I spent about a year competing with my K-frame in IDPA. I used Jetloaders, which work like a Safariland. No one competing in SSR used HKS.


OP said something about challenged hands. Don't Safariland speed loaders require significant pressure to release ammo?
 
OP said something about challenged hands. Don't Safariland speed loaders require significant pressure to release ammo?
No, they don’t. Some competitors will “Bubbaize” their Safariland speedloaders by disassembling them, the grind down the cartridge holder until it is about 1/2 the thickness of stock. That makes them release easier. That is fine for competition but not something I would carry, and is unnecessary, IMO.
 
The only advantage to HKS at all is every gun shop has them. The cost after markup on those is obviously better than Safariland, otherwise they wouldn't bother carrying them.

-Mike
 
No, they don’t. Some competitors will “Bubbaize” their Safariland speedloaders by disassembling them, the grind down the cartridge holder until it is about 1/2 the thickness of stock. That makes them release easier. That is fine for competition but not something I would carry, and is unnecessary, IMO.

Safariland must make two types of speedloaders. The safariland speedloaders that I have do not twist to release ammo. You must push down on the speedloader to release ammo. Sometimes they release easily. Other times you must push the hell out of them to release ammo. They've been that way since new.
 
Safariland must make two types of speedloaders. The safariland speedloaders that I have do not twist to release ammo. You must push down on the speedloader to release ammo. Sometimes they release easily. Other times you must push the hell out of them to release ammo. They've been that way since new.

Rinse them out with water. Then spray some graphite powder (like you use for locks) into the mechanism and work it back and forth. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to take apart the sticking ones and see what the problem is.
 
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Rinse them out with water. Then spray some graphite powder (like you use for locks) into the mechanism and work it back and forth. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to take apart the sticking ones and see what the problem is.

There really isn't a problem . These safariland speed loaders ae spring loaded and are a different design from HKS. They aren't designed to twist lock and unlock. You apply pressure to release the ammo. I just thought all safariland speedloaders worked the same way.
 
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