Speed Loaders for Rapid Fire

For the few (?) of you that still shoot revolvers for Centerfire: do you use speed loaders when doing rapid fire?
I'm thinking of picking up some Safariland Comp III speed loaders for my Smith model 14. These are really for IDPA/USPSA run and gun but there aren't a lot of choices out there anymore. Seems like they would work, but I do have the Smith factory target grips so I don't know if the loader will clear the grip...

I've tried them but I prefer to load by hand.  I use a blue ammo box and can pick up 3 then 2 rounds at a time and drop them in the cylinder.  Takes a little practice to do 3 but 2 at a time is easy.

- Dave

Speed loaders were required for PPC back in the day when revolvers ruled that sport.  IDPA and USPSA seem to have adopted the moon clip as the way.

You won't have any problem using the speed loader with those Smith grips. You will want to make yourself a 5 shot speed board. During your prep period you can load the board with 60 rounds (12 groups of 5) and be waiting on those slow pokes loading their magazines.

Thanks guys! I was thinking speed loaders because the range I just joined has an active USPSA group. 
I thought I'd try my hand at run-and-gun, too, and see if there is any carry over in skills from Bullseye.
I think of myself as more of a "stand and deliver" kind of guy, so maybe it's just a phase. 
In the meantime I ordered a speed loader to try it out. I'll try improving the by-hand method too.

For BE I use the sks(?) Like Len showed. The safarilands are more prone to premature release if not careful.

LenV wrote:You won't have any problem using the speed loader with those Smith grips. You will want to make yourself a 5 shot speed board. During your prep period you can load the board with 60 rounds (12 groups of 5) and be waiting on those slow pokes loading their magazines.

The board is a great idea, even one set up so you can easily load by hand, but I wouldn't want to waste time during the prep period to fill it.  I try to have my mags or speed loaders filled before the prep period.**  And, yes, I do prefer speed loaders when I shoot my "wheel gun."

**Just one of my opinions, but you should do all the things that can be done, prior to the three minute period.  In the overall "bigger" picture, the "three minutes" should just be a small "formal" piece of your shot process and filled with dry fire and visualization as much as possible.  It should smoothly fit within the rest.  However, it should be personally suited to you.  So if loading mags, etc. during that time is beneficial to you, then by all means, carry on...

I may be wrong (again), but I think you have to load six rounds in the Safariland units, I use the HKS for bullseye matches.

STEVE SAMELAK wrote:I may be wrong (again), but I think you have to load six rounds in the Safariland units, I use the HKS for bullseye matches.

+1 I meant HKS

Ed Hall wrote:

LenV wrote:You won't have any problem using the speed loader with those Smith grips. You will want to make yourself a 5 shot speed board. During your prep period you can load the board with 60 rounds (12 groups of 5) and be waiting on those slow pokes loading their magazines.

The board is a great idea, even one set up so you can easily load by hand, but I wouldn't want to waste time during the prep period to fill it.  I try to have my mags or speed loaders filled before the prep period.**  And, yes, I do prefer speed loaders when I shoot my "wheel gun."

**Just one of my opinions, but you should do all the things that can be done, prior to the three minute period.  In the overall "bigger" picture, the "three minutes" should just be a small "formal" piece of your shot process and filled with dry fire and visualization as much as possible.  It should smoothly fit within the rest.  However, it should be personally suited to you.  So if loading mags, etc. during that time is beneficial to you, then by all means, carry on...

Ok, I will fess up. I'm one of those guys that shoots SF at about the same speed I shoot RF. That means I have about 8 minutes to waste after every SF. I have time enough to name every bullet as I load them into the board That may not work for everyone.

The board is a cool idea. But really for bullseye do you really need the speed of loading that speed loaders provide? I have found I never have a issue getting loaded in time. All I do is lay out two rows of 5 rounds.

I use a setup like Len's. Not that I couldn't get loaded in time, just don't like feeling rushed.

I've also seen new range officers no notice that there are revolvers on the line & not pause long enough after the load command.  This has lead to frustration & panic for some shooters who are timid about announcing that they aren't ready.

YourHuckleberry wrote:Thanks guys! I was thinking speed loaders because the range I just joined has an active USPSA group. 
I thought I'd try my hand at run-and-gun, too, and see if there is any carry over in skills from Bullseye.
I think of myself as more of a "stand and deliver" kind of guy, so maybe it's just a phase. 
In the meantime I ordered a speed loader to try it out. I'll try improving the by-hand method too.

Standing and delivering is the quintessential shooting skill. Accepting that accuracy is now a relative requirement and that there is a much more dynamic target interface is hard for a lot of bullseye shooters. Shooting all "Alphas" isn't the hard part; doing it extremely fast is. The best USPSA shooters are generally shooting 95% or more of the available points. If you're serious about USPSA, I wouldn't invest too heavily in speedloaders aside from giving it a try. I'm a huge fan of "run what you brung" but essentially, the 6 shot gun is functionally obsolete in USPSA Revolver Division. The 8 shot revolver rules there now. I'd give the sport a try and see what you think and if you're still dead set on revolver, think about a S&W 627. There's not a lot of revolver shooters for USPSA (I am one of them) but it's an interesting challenge and generally has its own little crowd. Interestingly, if you want to shoot a 1911, the Single Stack division is the second least popular division.

Addendum: You can purchase one of the loading blocks from Safariland but I never had trouble loading them by hand. Unmodified, the speedloader has plenty of plastic available on the sides to stabalize the round. Simply balance them against your palm and rotate the loader until it "clicks". You'll feel and see if the rounds aren't in straight. In that case, just engage the release and do it again. I can do 6 in about 30 seconds.

I use 2 speed loaders, I was very skittish the first time I shot a revolver but really there's plenty of time. I just reload the speed loaders while everyone is loading mags.

I have used speed loaders, HKS and both regular and comp Safariland.   The comps are probably my favorite. But loaders are just another thing to mess with that I do not need. Really.  How long does it take to have layed out 5 rounds or just loose in a dish, and then plunk 5 rounds into the cylinder?   If you get good at that, you don't need a loader.   And if some one complains, "Frankly my dear,....

I tired speed loaders for DR matches and found that it is easier for me just to load five rounds. I go two at a time so it's really only three movements and if you have them laid out and ready, it's really not rushed.

If you fill only every other row in a ammo box they are fast and easy to grab 2 at a time.  Speed strips might work also.  Don

Jack H wrote:I have used speed loaders, HKS and both regular and comp Safariland.   The comps are probably my favorite. But loaders are just another thing to mess with that I do not need. Really.  How long does it take to have layed out 5 rounds or just loose in a dish, and then plunk 5 rounds into the cylinder?   If you get good at that, you don't need a loader.   And if some one complains, "Frankly my dear,....

I added that into my training with a match recording app. With practice I do it stress free. Even if I fumble one or two rounds I know I have time. I don't lift the firearm till the last "ready on the firing line" anyways, so I have plenty of time. Training with the app also made me learn that I have  more then enough time to shoot single action during rapid fire also.

s1120 wrote: Training with the app also made me learn that I have  more then enough time to shoot single action during rapid fire also.

Single action? Why would you ever do that? I'm even thinking of trying slow fire double action.

rreid wrote:

s1120 wrote: Training with the app also made me learn that I have  more then enough time to shoot single action during rapid fire also.

Single action? Why would you ever do that? I'm even thinking of trying slow fire double action.

While I am not thinking slow fire, I agree with Ralph on that one. A good trigger job and double action is the way to go.

Double action: The ultimate long roll trigger. I don't like roll triggers. I also like 2.5 lb trigger pulls. When I shoot double action it reminds me of shooting a cap gun. Never could hit anything with a cap gun. YMMV

weber1b wrote:

rreid wrote:

s1120 wrote: Training with the app also made me learn that I have  more then enough time to shoot single action during rapid fire also.

Single action? Why would you ever do that? I'm even thinking of trying slow fire double action.

While I am not thinking slow fire, I agree with Ralph on that one. A good trigger job and double action is the way to go.

At this time and my skills, the trigger on the revolver is closer to the trigger on my High Standard when shooting single action. That may change down the road as I shoot CF more, but for now I like it.