Important tip about speed loaders

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hso

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Not every speed loader will fit every revolver.

This isn't just caliber or places in the cylinder dependent.

I foolishly started to drop a 686 load into my Dan Wesson and spent the next twenty minutes working to get loose of the jam I'd made. :oops:
 
Got to have the right speed-loader for sure. That said I am surprised at some combinations that do work.

A S&W J-frame 38/357 speed-loader works pretty good with the five shot 38 S&W in the top break revolvers, S&W, Iver Johnson and similar.

A S&K K-frame 38/357 speed-loader works with 38 S&W/38-200 in a Webley Mark IV.

I even 3D printed a new body for a Safariland Comp I for a S&W Model 29/629 speed-loader to make 455 Webley speed-loaders for my Webley Mark VI.
 
Some grips can be problematic also!
I put some aftermarket grips on my Security 6, when I tried to load it with my Safariland the cut wasn't enough to accommodate it.
I felt the resistance and thought "just push till it releases the rounds".
It didn't get that far, I wedged it in there good!
 
Not every speed loader will fit every revolver.

This isn't just caliber or places in the cylinder dependent.

I foolishly started to drop a 686 load into my Dan Wesson and spent the next twenty minutes working to get loose of the jam I'd made. :oops:

Did the packaging say that it would work for both guns? If it didn't that should have been a tip off.
 
I have the HKS speed loader for .45 Colt, their 25-5, and it works very well for my Ruger New Model Blackhawk.

When the speed loader is full, the gun is empty; when the loader is empty, the gun is loaded.

Bob Wright
 
I have the HKS speed loader for .45 Colt, their 25-5, and it works very well for my Ruger New Model Blackhawk.

When the speed loader is full, the gun is empty; when the loader is empty, the gun is loaded.

Bob Wright
Blackhawk speed loaders. You running more than one cylinder for reloads?

Stay safe.
 
Push to load, or does it require a twist to load? In the more common revolvers of the 1980-1990 era, we sometimes had a choice of speed loader type. These days, those that carry a revolver might have a choice. For my money, it would be push in.
 
Something I have recently discovered using speedloaders with my K38 Smith. Probably the same with other revolvers.
Make sure the ammo you are using has a good snug crimp into the bullets cannelure. This is not to retain the bullet, but if there
is an edge of the case that is not rounded into the cannelure, it can and will hang up on the chamber mouth making it more difficult to
smoothly drop the round into the cylinder. Any thing to help make reloading smoother and faster is good.
 
Something I have recently discovered using speedloaders with my K38 Smith. Probably the same with other revolvers.
Make sure the ammo you are using has a good snug crimp into the bullets cannelure. This is not to retain the bullet, but if there
is an edge of the case that is not rounded into the cannelure, it can and will hang up on the chamber mouth making it more difficult to
smoothly drop the round into the cylinder. Any thing to help make reloading smoother and faster is good.

Another thing some do to their revolver is chamfering the chambers. This is helpful for ammo that uses bullet without cannelures. Just enough chamfer to keep the case mouth from catching. Works with speed-loaders or moonclips.
 
Blackhawk speed loaders. You running more than one cylinder for reloads?

Stay safe.

I have some speed loaders left over from my Model 25 S&Ws. When I take off my carry gun, I clear it immediately and place my cartridges in the speed loafer. I know where it is so it is easy to reload when I get dressed. And its easy to keep my cartridges handy so as not to have to find a box or other thing for storing.

Works for me, and has for several years, including the time I carried a .44 Special.

Bob Wright
 
I just wish I had a better speed loader for my King Cobra. HKS K-frame and DS loaders kinda-work, the Pachmayr K-frame loader works better, but none of them work 100%.
 
I bought HKS speedloaders for the new King Cobra that were listed as to be used for that specific revolver and they do NOT fit. I have some older HKS loaders for a 6 shot 357 Dan Wesson which work great. On another note. 357 does not eject really easy and quickly but 38s do and 38s work better in loading also with more room away from the grips. So I just started carrying 38+P+ instead of 357. Alot easier on the ears, easier to load, quicker to unload, and plenty of punch and ballistics to meet every challenge.
 
I have some speed loaders left over from my Model 25 S&Ws. When I take off my carry gun, I clear it immediately and place my cartridges in the speed loafer. I know where it is so it is easy to reload when I get dressed. And its easy to keep my cartridges handy so as not to have to find a box or other thing for storing.

Works for me, and has for several years, including the time I carried a .44 Special.

Bob Wright
Gotcha. I was trying to picture using a speedloader for reloading through a gate.

Stay safe.
 
I have some speed loaders left over from my Model 25 S&Ws. When I take off my carry gun, I clear it immediately and place my cartridges in the speed loafer. I know where it is so it is easy to reload when I get dressed. And its easy to keep my cartridges handy so as not to have to find a box or other thing for storing.

Works for me, and has for several years, including the time I carried a .44 Special.

Bob Wright
Bob,

Here is my Italian Model P clone.

B5843599-EBAF-4ACF-9766-93ACC5B24F69.jpeg

As you can see the cylinder is marked “ACP”. I use a 1911 magazine as a speed loader. Open the gate, loose the empties and thumb loaded rounds from the magazine into the cylinder.

It works great!

Kevin
 
Bob,

Here is my Italian Model P clone.

View attachment 1095325

As you can see the cylinder is marked “ACP”. I use a 1911 magazine as a speed loader. Open the gate, loose the empties and thumb loaded rounds from the magazine into the cylinder.

It works great!

Kevin
Kevin,

Do you have a screw loose?

In your gun, I mean! Looks like those screws are not bottomed out. Handsome Single Action, there.

And, yes, I've heard of men using .45 Automatic magazines for speed loaders in Single Actions. Never tried it myself, as I don't have any magazines on hand to begin with.

Bob Wright
 
Not every speed loader will fit every revolver.

This isn't just caliber or places in the cylinder dependent.

I foolishly started to drop a 686 load into my Dan Wesson and spent the next twenty minutes working to get loose of the jam I'd made. :oops:
The Dan Wesson cylinder is closest in size to the S&W K-frame. Similar to the Colt D-frame.

The L-frame speedloader for the 586/686 L-frame is similar in size to the Colt I-frame (Python) and the Ruger GP-100
 
Close loads no cylinders.
A click or two on the SL gets you from L to Colt but Comp 2s are not interchangeable and there is no Colt Comp 3. Maybe the New Python will change that if enough shooters take an interest.
 
Kevin,

Do you have a screw loose?

In your gun, I mean! Looks like those screws are not bottomed out. Handsome Single Action, there.

And, yes, I've heard of men using .45 Automatic magazines for speed loaders in Single Actions. Never tried it myself, as I don't have any magazines on hand to begin with.

Bob Wright

Pretty funny Bob! The answer is yes and no! The screws in the revolver are shoulder tight in the frame, they are just that short, all of them!

Thank you for the compliment.

I grabbed a few magazines when I thought I wanted to learn about the 1911. Way back when, they were cheap at the gunshops.

Kevin
 
Model 10 HKS speed loaders for Smith K-frame revolvers fit Colt D-frame revolvers and model DS HKS speed loaders made for the D-frame Colt fits K-frame Smiths and, of course, vice versa. I don't think there's a whit's difference dimensionally between the two of them.
 
HKS 22 speedloaders fit my S&W K22s and the .22 Korths. The HKS 10, 10A, and Safarilands for S&W K frames also fit the .357 Korths and MR73s and the HKS L-frame 686 speedloaders work in the GP100 but since I have so many other speedloaders, I have learnt from an experience similiar to HSO's to check the speedloaders and make sure that they are for the right gun before using them.
 
Off topic but I had my first speedloader boo
Boo today. HKS for my colt king cobra with 6 rds of 357 magnum in it unlocked in my front pocket. Got home went to change clothes and emptied pocket to pull out empty speedloader. Never happened before. There was keys or pipe tamper in there so that was my fault. Loader is clean and debris free.
 
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