Looking for critique on a new mag loader

AFLoader · Jun 28, 2017

I read the rules and hope I'm not stepping on any toes! This is still in development and constantly improving, and I would like legitimate comments and critique. Here to answer any and all questions

Thanks everyone

edited to add other post:

The loader supports 9MM, .40 and .45 calibers in double and single stack, including extra capacity. There are plans to expand the ammo types if the product does well. The hoppers are available in 100, 250, 500 and 1000 round capacities. At full speed it will load 2 rounds/sec

It is fully programmable and up to 10 magazines can be saved to the memory. The digital display keeps track of how many rounds remain in the current hopper and provides a read out of what will be loaded into the next mag. Wall power 120v/240v or 18v lithium Rigid battery packs. One 18v pack will load about 500 rounds

Havok7416 · Jun 28, 2017

Since you don't provide any details....

1. What does this unit cost?
2. What are its limitations in terms of mags and/or calibers?
3. What is the power source?
4. How many rounds does it hold in the hopper?

I'm sure I have more questions but I can't think of any so I will add them later.

AFLoader · Jun 28, 2017

I wanted to be careful what I put up. Some forums have rules concerning posts about products.

The loader supports 9MM, .40 and .45 calibers in double and single stack, including extra capacity. There are plans to expand the ammo types if the product does well. The hoppers are available in 100, 250, 500 and 1000 round capacities. At full speed it will load 2 rounds/sec

It is fully programmable and up to 10 magazines can be saved to the memory. The digital display keeps track of how many rounds remain in the current hopper and provides a read out of what will be loaded into the next mag. Wall power 120v/240v or 18v lithium Rigid battery packs. One 18v pack will load about 500 rounds

The base model with 3 user selected hoppers will about right around $250 USD

Havok7416 · Jun 28, 2017

If you read the rules as you said you did (and I'm not doubting you), then there should be no issue with your post. Then again, I'm not a moderator here so what do I know!

To critique it, I think the different caliber and magazine sizes are nice, but it may leave out the .380 shooters for now. Hopper sizes are nice and I could see myself using some of the larger sizes.
I'm not sure why magazines have to be saved to memory, but I assume you could just load magazines without putting them in the memory also.
The price is pretty high for what this thing does. I understand it's electronic, but I don't think you will find many buyers at $250. That is slightly offset by the ability to take this to the range. I assume it doesn't weight too much?

AFLoader · Jun 28, 2017

Mags do not have to be saved to memory. They are there for if you are loading a 9 rounder in .45 and then a 33 in 9mm, it is faster to click the PGM button a couple times to get to that mag.

5.5Lbs

Every component will be made and assembled in the US. Chinese parts would bring that down a lot but we'd rather not use them

splattergun · Jun 28, 2017

I don't see dragging it to the range. But I suppose if I had a whole bunch of mags preloaded to take with me to the range I could shoot without wasting precious range time reloading them.

Duvel · Jun 28, 2017

Battery powered? Then sure, I'd take it to the range.

I've got UpLULAs, but after 500 or 600 rounds even that gets tedious.

Duvel · Jun 28, 2017

The unit self orientates the cartridges, or do they have to be put in the hopper a specific way?

tarosean · Jun 28, 2017

great if you have a bunch of friends to show off your latest toy... Kind of worthless if it don't fit in a range bag and run off rechargeable batteries.
I damn sure am not going to hunt for a power source in between stages...
sorry

AFLoader · Jun 29, 2017

Duvel said:
The unit self orientates the cartridges, or do they have to be put in the hopper a specific way?

We have a rail system for loading the ammunition. It can load a 50rd box in 5 seconds. It hasn't yet been patented unlike the loader so I can't post anything on it yet

As for above, it is battery capable, 18v lithium Rigid brand packs, and the final version is a good amount smaller. It will still be the same 5.5lbs but a few inches shorter in both length and width

doubleh · Jun 29, 2017

Using Rigid batteries killed it for me.

ATLDave · Jun 29, 2017

I could see the appeal for folks with arthritic hands or other conditions that make loading magazines very uncomfortable or difficult. I think your market is likely to be very small, though, as most high-volume shooters aren't going to only shoot ammo that they have pre-loaded into mags at home. Certainly any of the high-volume competitions would require owning thousands of dollars of magazines just to get through a single match if you were unwilling to refill them yourself in between stages.

AFLoader · Jun 29, 2017

doubleh said:
Using Rigid batteries killed it for me.

You can walk into any home depot in the country and pick one up. We chose it for the availability. Is there a better option? I'd think the battery wouldn't have been that big of an issue.

Tilos · Jun 29, 2017

Well, I like it...

ArchAngelCD · Jun 29, 2017

It looks fast and easy but I can't spend that much money on a loader. I didn't even buy the UpLULA until it went on sale and that's only a $35 tool at full price.

Good luck I hope you make a lot of money and help shooters too.

Speedo66 · Jun 29, 2017

I've got a mag loader, not battery operated, loads all calibers. Two piece unit, one piece on the end of each arm.

Good luck with your invention!

Varminterror · Jun 29, 2017

I would love to have one for handgun courses. Make it a single drive, multi-station unit and I'd be more interested (meaning I could load multiple mags at the same time, with all of them cycling on the same drive).

At $100-125, I'd be in. At $250, it's a novelty I wouldn't be able to really justify for my courses. I'd even be in for a manual crank version - like a multi station fixed base Lula - for $100, but for $250 and only loading one mag at a time, it isn't functional enough to suit my class needs, and certainly isn't functional enough for me to justify for personal use.

Get it down to $100-125 and make it load multiple mags simultaneously on the same drive and I'd own one.

danez71 · Jun 29, 2017

AFLoader said:
You can walk into any home depot in the country and pick one up. We chose it for the availability. Is there a better option? I'd think the battery wouldn't have been that big of an issue.

I'm at work and didn't watch the vid so keep that in mind....

The problem with cordless drill batteries is those dirty rats change them every so often and the lose their ability to hold a charge and the replacements, if still available, are too expensive which is why most will toss the drill and batteries and buy all new.

AFLoader · Jun 29, 2017

Varminterror said:
I would love to have one for handgun courses. Make it a single drive, multi-station unit and I'd be more interested (meaning I could load multiple mags at the same time, with all of them cycling on the same drive).

At $100-125, I'd be in. At $250, it's a novelty I wouldn't be able to really justify for my courses. I'd even be in for a manual crank version - like a multi station fixed base Lula - for $100, but for $250 and only loading one mag at a time, it isn't functional enough to suit my class needs, and certainly isn't functional enough for me to justify for personal use.

Get it down to $100-125 and make it load multiple mags simultaneously on the same drive and I'd own one.

Every part would have to be made in China for us to ever turn a profit and it'd be a very small one at that

AZAndy · Jun 29, 2017

Varminterror said:
I'd even be in for a manual crank version

Me too! I could use something like that for 9mm mags, especially the double stacks.

Duvel · Jun 29, 2017

danez71 said:
The problem with cordless drill batteries is those dirty rats change them every so often and the lose their ability to hold a charge and the replacements, if still available, are too expensive which is why most will toss the drill and batteries and buy all new.

This.

Seems a user replaceable battery (Amazon, $25) with a trickle charger would be a better bet. Might even cost less.

AFLoader · Jun 29, 2017

Lithium drill batteries last several years, NiCd not so much. And trying to find a generic inexpensive 18v pack with enough Ah to handle something like this is a difficult task, and putting together our own limits availability. The current connector on all the Rigid batteries has been the same for about 8 years

Varminterror · Jun 29, 2017

AFLoader said:
Every part would have to be made in China for us to ever turn a profit and it'd be a very small one at that

I can appreciate this predicament. I've been a product/process/technology development engineer my entire career - sometimes great ideas just aren't profitable.

Make this a multi station simultaneous loader, and you'd get closer, for me. I couldn't come close to $250 for it, but $125-150 MIGHT entice me - I'd have to grab it on a sale to feel good about buying it at that price. At $100-125, I'd pre-order and wait for one - again, if it did 2-4+ mags at a time.

RA40 · Jun 29, 2017

Nice to see an automated variant to the manual loading. The electronic complexity would deter me and the size would be a bit much for each range trip. A hand crank version? I have no complaints with the Uplula for my uses. Small, no battery worries and when it breaks, easily replaced. The mags I don't care for loading are the rotary 10-22's. Not that they are hard, just don't like having the powder crusted fingers from the dirty burning .22LR.

Best wishes on your product!

Tilos · Jun 29, 2017

danez71 said:
I'm at work and didn't watch the vid so keep that in mind....

The problem with cordless drill batteries is those dirty rats change them every so often and the lose their ability to hold a charge and the replacements, if still available, are too expensive which is why most will toss the drill and batteries and buy all new.

Rigid batteries are backwards compatible with tools and chargers, have a free lifetime replacement for batteries issued with a tool, and a 3 year warranty when purchased separately.
So if you buy the 1/2 drill kit you get 2 batteries and a charger with free lifetime replacement for $99...or a single battery/charger combo/3 year warranty for the same $99 :uhoh:

, you decide.
just sayin'

Looking for critique on a new mag loader

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