S&W 686 Good Speedloader

[mrbladedude]

Hey guys. So recently I purchased my very first revolver. A S&W 686 6 shot with a 4 inch barrel. I am very pleased with this revolver. It shoots extremely well. I would like to get a speedloader for it.

I will not be carrying this gun concealed at all. I have a Glock 19 for that. It mainly is a home defense gun and a range/recreational firearm with maybe woods carry occasionally. So the size of the speedloader essentially does not matter.

I have been looking into the Safariland speedloaders. Are these good choices? They have 3 option. The i, ii, iii. Which one do you think will suit my needs?

Also what do they normally cost?

Thanks

 

[340PD]

I have a couple of these, and they are working well for me.
http://www.5starfirearms.com/speed_loaders.html

 

[larry237]

+1 on the 5 Star speedloaders for my 686 Plus. Loads smoothly and seems to retain the rounds when rattling around in a coat pocket.

 

[Steve C]

If you go to Midway you can order HKs or Safariland speed loaders. They have the HKs on sale now for $6.99. There are other loaders that they carry if you want something different. I've used HKs for over 30 years without any problems. Have Safarilands too and they're perhaps a bit quicker in use but not by much. The 5 Star's look pretty with all metal construction but are quite expensive compared to others.

 

[MrBorland]

My opinion? For your use, forget the twist-release type, such as the HKS or 5Star, and get the push-release type, such as Safariland and the Jetloader (my preference). CompIIIs and JetLoaders are spring-loaded and are the fastest. Safariland CompIIs takes more push to release, and don't actively inject the rounds, so it isn't as fast as the CompIII or JL, but they're better to carry around in a pocket. Never saw the need for CompIs unless you need pretty deep concealment. Whichever you choose, lots of practice is the key to smooth reloads.

Since you have a newer 686, I'll offer a piece of advice on reloading technique: Use a strong-hand reload as your default. The crane screw on newer S&Ws is their Achilles heel. It's the only thing from keeping the cylinder assembly from falling out the front of the frame. Newer guns use a screw that has a spring-loaded plunger at the end, and too much force on an unsupported open cylinder can (and likely will) bend the plunger, damage the crane, and send the cylinder onto the floor. I've seen it happen numerous times. For that reason, I recommend using a strong-hand reload, where the cylinder is supported by the weak hand as the strong hand inserts the new rounds. I do weak hand reloads when needed, but my default is strong hand, and I've not had a problem yet, and I certainly don't baby my gun.

Congrats on a fine gun, indeed!

 

[Black Knight]

I have used both HKS and Safariland speedloaders. Both are very high quality in my opinion. You could not go wrong with either. I prefer the HKS but the Safariland II are just as good. Safariland III were designed for competition shooting. As I understand it the large center knob was for better control.

 

[mrbladedude]

My opinion? For your use, forget the twist-release type, such as the HKS or 5Star, and get the push-release type, such as Safariland and the Jetloader (my preference). CompIIIs and JetLoaders are spring-loaded and are the fastest. Safariland CompIIs takes more push to release, and don't actively inject the rounds, so it isn't as fast as the CompIII or JL, but they're better to carry around in a pocket. Never saw the need for CompIs unless you need pretty deep concealment. Whichever you choose, lots of practice is the key to smooth reloads.

Since you have a newer 686, I'll offer a piece of advice on reloading technique: Use a strong-hand reload as your default. The crane screw on newer S&Ws is their Achilles heel. It's the only thing from keeping the cylinder assembly from falling out the front of the frame. Newer guns use a screw that has a spring-loaded plunger at the end, and too much force on an unsupported open cylinder can (and likely will) bend the plunger, damage the crane, and send the cylinder onto the floor. I've seen it happen numerous times. For that reason, I recommend using a strong-hand reload, where the cylinder is supported by the weak hand as the strong hand inserts the new rounds. I do weak hand reloads when needed, but my default is strong hand, and I've not had a problem yet, and I certainly don't baby my gun.

Congrats on a fine gun, indeed!

Thanks for all the replies guys. About the strength issue, I have the 686 - 4. Does that mean it is stronger than the latest ( ? ) - 6 models?

 

[mrbladedude]

Also is $20 a fair price for the Safariland Comp III?

 

[Kymasabe]

5 Star

5 star. period. The rest suck in comparison.

 

[gamestalker]

I have the HKS speed loaders and have been carrying them for years with no problems what so ever. I didn't get mine on sale, but they were like $10 each, so very affordable. I also have Safariland and they are equally well made and reliable.
GS

 

[MrBorland]

The earlier crane screws were one piece and a little stronger. Your -4 likely has the older style. I still recommend a strong hand reload, though.