Understanding Speed Loaders

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One Lung Wonder

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I am confused by this one up on the supplier's board:

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1398612-*NEW*-REVOLVER-SPEED-LOADERS-by-5-STAR-FIREARMS!

I've always regarded the six gun speed loader as a 'high abuse' item kinda like a pistol mag. The run and gun guys pull them, load up - and throw them away without a second thought and then pick them up after the shoot I guess.

Will aluminum stand up to that kind of abuse or am I missing something here? I woulda thunk they would be better off made out of plastic....
 
these are hard anodized aluminum, the same ones used on aircraft, which is extremely solid and can resist to impact and corrosion. Also, as 5-star claims, theirs are also billet, not cast which is structurally stronger and thus more expensive.

One Lung Wonder said:
I am confused by this one up on the supplier's board:

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...EW*-REVOLVER-SPEED-LOADERS-by-5-STAR-FIREARMS!

I've always regarded the six gun speed loader as a 'high abuse' item kinda like a pistol mag. The run and gun guys pull them, load up - and throw them away without a second thought and then pick them up after the shoot I guess.

Will aluminum stand up to that kind of abuse or am I missing something here? I woulda thunk they would be better off made out of plastic....
Click to expand...
 
One Lung Wonder said:
Will aluminum stand up to that kind of abuse or am I missing something here? I woulda thunk they would be better off made out of plastic....
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The plastic ones do fine because they weigh nothing when they hit the ground. The aluminum would probably do better if you often drop your speedloaders while they are full. If you are dropping your empty speedloaders on concrete I would take plastic over aluminum every time because the aluminum is far less ding resistant. Considering the price and how long my Safariland Comp II loaders have lasted, I would take twice as many Comp II's for the same price and be happy with that (I think I paid ~$11 each for the Comp II's a few years ago). Don't let the 'billet' buzzword fool you. All that means is the speedloader was machined from a piece of aluminum bar stock, most likely because they don't have volumes high enough to justify casting or forging the bodies.


Mark
 
mmattockx said:
The plastic ones do fine because they weigh nothing when they hit the ground. The aluminum would probably do better if you often drop your speedloaders while they are full. If you are dropping your empty speedloaders on concrete I would take plastic over aluminum every time because the aluminum is far less ding resistant. Considering the price and how long my Safariland Comp II loaders have lasted, I would take twice as many Comp II's for the same price and be happy with that (I think I paid ~$11 each for the Comp II's a few years ago). Don't let the 'billet' buzzword fool you. All that means is the speedloader was machined from a piece of aluminum bar stock, most likely because they don't have volumes high enough to justify casting or forging the bodies.


Mark
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A machinist can correct me, but billet machined (CNC) is probably cheaper to produce than cast. (and a better product). I would think by the time someone invested in mold forms, casting the product, cleaning up and finishing (inclusive of machining out the chambers). It's cleaner, quicker and better to just put bar stock in the lathe and let 'r run?
 
Nope, you got all the facts down pat. Throw them on gravel or other "hard ground" and even the toughest aluminium will quickly become scuffed and dinged. But as far as functioning goes it'll take a lot more than dropping them on the ground to mess them up. Accept that or not.
 
plinker 777 said:
A machinist can correct me, but billet machined (CNC) is probably cheaper to produce than cast. (and a better product). I would think by the time someone invested in mold forms, casting the product, cleaning up and finishing (inclusive of machining out the chambers). It's cleaner, quicker and better to just put bar stock in the lathe and let 'r run?
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It's strictly a numbers game. If you are producing enough of them the price per piece is cheaper with casting, but that number is usually pretty high due to the tooling costs. If you aren't producing enough volume for casting then using CNC machines is likely the most economical. All you guys that think 'billet' automatically means a better product are eating up the advertising copy. What matters is the material grade and heat treatment condition, not how the part was formed.


Mark
 
I wasn't trying to be a dink or anything - it just seems that those things take a hell of a beating on the range - and the aluminum ones look like precision machined works of art...I'm not sure I would want to beat the hell out of them or the plastic cheap-o brands... suppose I should get some now that I own a DA revolver...
 
i really didnt care for the plastic ones so i ordered some 5-star ones directly from them in Texas.
LOVE THEM!

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The 5 star ones seem to be marketed more for home defense, general range use rather than for run, roll in the mud competition.
 
I ordered the 5 pack with base for range use. Expect they'll get dinged up but they're aluminum so not worried about them.

I don't like shiny anyway.
 
I need to order up that Speedbeez set for my M17. Thanks for the reminder.

The Speedbeez loaders I've seen are NOT going to do well for a drop and run reloading scenario. They are wonderfully made and function like a fine Swiss watch but are rather delicate. Definitely bench use only.

For drop and run events you can't beat the straight push loading of Safariland loaders. The Comp II's are pretty nice but if you can get Comp III's for your gun those are fantastic. They actually shoot the rounds into the chamber under spring pressure.
 
BCRider said:
I need to order up that Speedbeez set for my M17. Thanks for the reminder.

The Speedbeez loaders I've seen are NOT going to do well for a drop and run reloading scenario. They are wonderfully made and function like a fine Swiss watch but are rather delicate. Definitely bench use only.

For drop and run events you can't beat the straight push loading of Safariland loaders. The Comp II's are pretty nice but if you can get Comp III's for your gun those are fantastic. They actually shoot the rounds into the chamber under spring pressure.
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Good point but I have to say for me theJetloaders are better than the Safariland Comp 111's. Both are tough as nails. If you want pretty the aluminum loaders look great but for function I'll stick to the Jetloaders.

Take Care

Bob
 
I just looked at a couple of You Tube vids on the Jetloaders. Nice stuff.

I'd have to try them in my own method. It seems like it suggests that the cylinder needs to be able to turn a little from the action of the Jetloader. My method has me reaching through the frame and holding the cylinder lightly pinched so I'd likely need to alter how I support the gun during reloads.
 
BCRider said:
I just looked at a couple of You Tube vids on the Jetloaders. Nice stuff.

I'd have to try them in my own method. It seems like it suggests that the cylinder needs to be able to turn a little from the action of the Jetloader. My method has me reaching through the frame and holding the cylinder lightly pinched so I'd likely need to alter how I support the gun during reloads.
Click to expand...

They work exactly the same way the Safariland 111's do. I found the exposed springs to help getting a good fast grasp. The cylinder just has to be open. You do your reload the same way I do.

Bob
 
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