sza
02-09-2008, 12:37 AM
One of the major advantages semi-automatic, magazine fed pistols have over revolvers is that they can be reloaded far more quickly than their wheel-bound brethren. This is exacerbated by the fact that revolvers generally have less round capacity than autoloaders.
People who use revolvers in combat or competition are not without solutions to this problem. The available solutions generally come in two varieties: moon clips and speedloaders.
A moon clip is a stamped piece of sheetmetal with clips that retain rimmed cartridges by their rims, or non-rimmed cartridges by their extractor grooves. They are available in a number of configurations, from full moon clips, which retain all of the rounds, to half moon clips, which are used in pairs, to 2-round clips that are used in sets of 3.
Pictured below is a full moon clip holding 8 rounds of .357mag.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Moon_Clips_01.jpg
In addition to speeding reloading, moon clips are generally required when using a rimless cartridge in a revolver, both for retention and proper headspacing. Smith & Wesson actually produced a 9mm revolver that headspaced off the case rim and had a bizarre sheetmetal retainer bolted to the side, but it’s beyond the scope of this article so we’ll let it fade back into obscurity.
When used with a rimmed cartridge, moon clips require the back of the cylinder to be inset to provide a recess for the clip. The photo below shows this recess on my S&W M&P R8 revolver. Note that the outer edge of the cylinder still protrudes. This allows the cartridges to be used without the moon clip, if desired.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Moon_Clips_02.jpg
You can see here how the clip fits into the recess, and also how the rims of the cartridges extend over the non recessed portion of the cylinder.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Moon_Clips_03.jpg
The primary advantages of moon clips is that they are cheap and low profile. On the other hand, they are difficult to load and even more difficult to unload without bending or otherwise damaging the clip. They also generally provide less support for the rounds, so they may be harder to align when reloading. The revolver in this example has chamfered cylinders which greatly ease the alignment of 8 rounds at the same time.
There are multiple speedloader manufacturers in the market. I only have direct experience with HKS and Safariland. Both brands have their strengths and weaknesses.
HKS speedloaders are generally very well made, and the cartridges are released by turning a knob after they are aligned. Below is a photo of an HKS speedloader for a 6-shot S&W .44mag revolver.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/HKS_01.jpg
The cartridges are retained by an aluminum star, and the knob is held in position by a springloaded ball detent.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/HKS_02.jpg
Safariland speedloaders seem far more cheaply manufactured than the HKS ones. There is visible mold flash on all of the ones I own, and the operating parts seem to be made primarily out of plastic (although the retaining star is brass, which is nice) and are wobbly, for lack of a better term.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Safariland_01.jpg
The major advantage of the Safariland design is that the cartridges are spring loaded and release automatically when you press the speedloader into the cylinder. Proponents of this design will say that it requires far less muscle control and will be easier to use in a stressful situation. Opponents say that since the release of the cartridges isn’t manually controlled, if you screw up reloading your revolver you may end up with a bunch of rounds falling on the ground.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Safariland_02.jpg
I’ve never personally had an issue with the cartridges being prematurely released, but I’m hardly high speed or low drag. My primary complaint with the Safariland design is that they are much more difficult to load than the HKS models. You have to put all the cartridges in place, and then flip the whole mess over onto a hard surface so you can press and turn the knob on the back of the speedloader to “arm” the springloaded mechanism.
Of primary concern when selecting your speed loading device is grip clearance. Depending on your grip design, some speedloaders may not clear at all, and others may be kind of clunky to maneuver around the grips, hardly conducive to a fast reload. This is the primary advantage of moon clips over speed loaders--moon clips will generally clear any grips as they are no longer than the cartridges being loaded into the gun.
The following series of photos demonstrates grip clearance with a few revolvers and both HKS and Safariland speedloaders.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/HKS_03.jpg
Hogue rubber monogrip on a S&W 629, HKS speedloader
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Safariland_03.jpg
S&W “Magna” grips on a S&W 36, Safariland speedloader. This combination doesn’t clear enough to load the revolver.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Safariland_04.jpg
Hogue Bantam grip on a S&W 37, Safariland speedloader. This combination allows reloading but is slightly clunky.
People who use revolvers in combat or competition are not without solutions to this problem. The available solutions generally come in two varieties: moon clips and speedloaders.
A moon clip is a stamped piece of sheetmetal with clips that retain rimmed cartridges by their rims, or non-rimmed cartridges by their extractor grooves. They are available in a number of configurations, from full moon clips, which retain all of the rounds, to half moon clips, which are used in pairs, to 2-round clips that are used in sets of 3.
Pictured below is a full moon clip holding 8 rounds of .357mag.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Moon_Clips_01.jpg
In addition to speeding reloading, moon clips are generally required when using a rimless cartridge in a revolver, both for retention and proper headspacing. Smith & Wesson actually produced a 9mm revolver that headspaced off the case rim and had a bizarre sheetmetal retainer bolted to the side, but it’s beyond the scope of this article so we’ll let it fade back into obscurity.
When used with a rimmed cartridge, moon clips require the back of the cylinder to be inset to provide a recess for the clip. The photo below shows this recess on my S&W M&P R8 revolver. Note that the outer edge of the cylinder still protrudes. This allows the cartridges to be used without the moon clip, if desired.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Moon_Clips_02.jpg
You can see here how the clip fits into the recess, and also how the rims of the cartridges extend over the non recessed portion of the cylinder.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Moon_Clips_03.jpg
The primary advantages of moon clips is that they are cheap and low profile. On the other hand, they are difficult to load and even more difficult to unload without bending or otherwise damaging the clip. They also generally provide less support for the rounds, so they may be harder to align when reloading. The revolver in this example has chamfered cylinders which greatly ease the alignment of 8 rounds at the same time.
There are multiple speedloader manufacturers in the market. I only have direct experience with HKS and Safariland. Both brands have their strengths and weaknesses.
HKS speedloaders are generally very well made, and the cartridges are released by turning a knob after they are aligned. Below is a photo of an HKS speedloader for a 6-shot S&W .44mag revolver.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/HKS_01.jpg
The cartridges are retained by an aluminum star, and the knob is held in position by a springloaded ball detent.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/HKS_02.jpg
Safariland speedloaders seem far more cheaply manufactured than the HKS ones. There is visible mold flash on all of the ones I own, and the operating parts seem to be made primarily out of plastic (although the retaining star is brass, which is nice) and are wobbly, for lack of a better term.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Safariland_01.jpg
The major advantage of the Safariland design is that the cartridges are spring loaded and release automatically when you press the speedloader into the cylinder. Proponents of this design will say that it requires far less muscle control and will be easier to use in a stressful situation. Opponents say that since the release of the cartridges isn’t manually controlled, if you screw up reloading your revolver you may end up with a bunch of rounds falling on the ground.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Safariland_02.jpg
I’ve never personally had an issue with the cartridges being prematurely released, but I’m hardly high speed or low drag. My primary complaint with the Safariland design is that they are much more difficult to load than the HKS models. You have to put all the cartridges in place, and then flip the whole mess over onto a hard surface so you can press and turn the knob on the back of the speedloader to “arm” the springloaded mechanism.
Of primary concern when selecting your speed loading device is grip clearance. Depending on your grip design, some speedloaders may not clear at all, and others may be kind of clunky to maneuver around the grips, hardly conducive to a fast reload. This is the primary advantage of moon clips over speed loaders--moon clips will generally clear any grips as they are no longer than the cartridges being loaded into the gun.
The following series of photos demonstrates grip clearance with a few revolvers and both HKS and Safariland speedloaders.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/HKS_03.jpg
Hogue rubber monogrip on a S&W 629, HKS speedloader
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Safariland_03.jpg
S&W “Magna” grips on a S&W 36, Safariland speedloader. This combination doesn’t clear enough to load the revolver.
http://www.offline.org/~burch/guns/speedloaders/Safariland_04.jpg
Hogue Bantam grip on a S&W 37, Safariland speedloader. This combination allows reloading but is slightly clunky.