SL Variant Speedloaders

[TGS]

I received my 2 SL Variant speed-loaders for my K-frame. I know we had some discussion in the revolver reload thread about these, so I wanted to post up a little blurb and video.

The injection of the cartridges is very positive. Note that I have no experience with Safariland speed loaders, only these and HKS. With HKS I always found myself having to jiggle the cartridges fully into the cylinder. Not so with the SL Variant, check out this quick video I took that demonstrates how forceful the SL Variant injects cartridges. I'm holding the SL Variant in my fingers, with it pointing straight up, and the A-Zoom snap caps jump nearly a foot in the air:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD_GIbGkPjw&feature=youtu.be

Note that the trigger for this speed-loader protrudes pretty far from the speed-loader body. I'm wondering how the trigger will hold up to being dropped on concrete, as it seems pretty easy for it to take the brunt of the impact.

Also note that the trigger can be pressed in and turned, which adjusts the angle of the cartridges. I'm not sure if this is a useful feature or not as I would think anything chambered for 6 rounds of .38/.357 would have very similar charge-hole spacing.

Let me know what you guys think.

[Buckshot]

I'm not sure if this is a useful feature or not as I would think anything chambered for 6 rounds of .38/.357 would have very similar charge-hole spacing.

Not really, compare an N frame cylinder to a K frame cylinder.

[ford.304]

Thanks for the video. I'm going to have to get some of those to try.

[TGS]

Don't buy any of these. They suck.

The mechanism of being able to adjust the splay of the rounds is a huge disadvantage. When you go to load, if a round doesn't line up perfectly with the chamber holes then said round(s) will splay from the touching the cylinder, and you're left dicking with the speed loader to get the rounds in the chambers instead of already shooting.

I found this out today while using them on the range with fellow member rsa-otc who tried them out himself as well. He had the same problems, and he's been shooting revolvers in a serious matter for over 40 years.

I'm hugely disappointed in these.

[jlw]

I briefly experimented with a 686+ several years ago along with some SL Variant loaders. I traded the loaders away with the revolver. I'll stick with six shooters and Safariland Comp-III loaders.

[rsa-otc]

To add my observations (2 cents). When TGS was showing me these loaders in the parking lot I was somewhat enthusiastic about their compactness and the indentations in the rim of the loaders. The indentations allow for unsighted alignment with the chambers of the cylinder something the Safarilands Comp III's smooth body lacks. When he showed me the adjustment of the cartridge alignment I really didn't see the need but didn't see the harm.

When I lent TGS my duty rig and he showed me that the flaps on the speedloader poaches could be secured over the SL Variants something you can't do with the CompIII's, my enthusiasm increased.

Then TGS started having problems with his SL Variants and we switched guns (he had a K frame & I was running an L frame at the time) so he could try my CompII's & III's while I gave the Variants a spin. I quickly became under impressed and lost all my enthusiasm. For those of you who have been shooting revolvers for 40 years :p, they reminded me of the original HKS and trying to load full wad cutters. Like the original HKS's they hold the rounds to loosely and unless you hit the chambers just right they proved difficult to load without massive amounts of time consuming fiddling.

At this point I'm sticking with my Safariland Loaders. I will be using a file to cut indentations in the rim of my compIII's to allow for easier unsighted reloading.

In my mind they are not worth the $30 per loader, especially when the CompIII's work better and are available at Midway USA for only $20. :cool:

[FotoTomas]

...snip...For those of you who have been shooting revolvers for 40 years :p, they reminded me of the original HKS and trying to load full wad cutters. Like the original HKS's they hold the rounds to loosely and unless you hit the chambers just right they proved difficult to load without massive amounts of time consuming fiddling. ...snip...

THAT'S why they called them the "HKS 6 Second Speedloader!"

I never got good using them with wadcutters. I ended up loading round nose lead at wadcutter velocities for the PPC reloads. I lost a little cutting margin for line calls but my reload times were cut in half.

Today the 15 or so HKS models I have now all lock up the cartridges better but nothing like my Comp II's.

I would still like to try the SL Varients myself. If you ever want to trade or sell 'em off let me know.

[Chuck Haggard]

Weird. I have never had an issue with my SL Variants in either K or J frame, nor the few I bought for my Colt Cobra.

[FotoTomas]

Now we come to part two...

TGS was willing to part with the Variants in exchange for some of my Comp II's for K frames. The speed loaders arrived today and Like TGS I am very impressed with them so far. They are easy to load up. They eject with authority. In fact I would say "launch" with authority. When playing with them using dummy rounds they are smooth and fast. The adjustment of cartridge angle is also there but for my revolvers at present they fit the cylinder perfect. They fit my Safariland steel clip speed loader holsters as well. Like they were made for them. I am very enthusiastic about the potential for these tools.

Of course it will not be until next week that I can get to the range and try them out for real. I hope to try a few F.A.S.T. runs with the revolver for the first time AND try several different speed loaders in my kit to see how they affect my times. I hope these SL Variants end up being a great asset to my toolbox.

Then again I might well end up like rsa-otc and TGS and find I will have some speed loaders that might not work for me.

Thanks for the trade TGS. Let me/us know how the Comp IIs work for you.

[TGS]

Now we come to part two...

TGS was willing to part with the Variants in exchange for some of my Comp II's for K frames. The speed loaders arrived today and Like TGS I am very impressed with them so far. They are easy to load up. They eject with authority. In fact I would say "launch" with authority. When playing with them using dummy rounds they are smooth and fast. The adjustment of cartridge angle is also there but for my revolvers at present they fit the cylinder perfect. They fit my Safariland steel clip speed loader holsters as well. Like they were made for them. I am very enthusiastic about the potential for these tools.

Of course it will not be until next week that I can get to the range and try them out for real. I hope to try a few F.A.S.T. runs with the revolver for the first time AND try several different speed loaders in my kit to see how they affect my times. I hope these SL Variants end up being a great asset to my toolbox.

Then again I might well end up like rsa-otc and TGS and find I will have some speed loaders that might not work for me.

Thanks for the trade TGS. Let me/us know how the Comp IIs work for you.

I hope they work out well for you. They worked very slick with dummy rounds for me as well, I'm guessing because of the round nose profile. When shooting I only used flat-nose FMJ or JHP's, which I'm guessing is what caused the problem to rear its ugly head. So, if you're only using round nose profiles then I imagine they'll work great while giving a Comp-III like grip/profile yet still fitting in Comp-II pouches, as both you and rsa-otc note.

I'm more than confident the Safarilands will work awesome. I was able to run most of the day using Comp II's and Comp III's without a hitch. Thanks for the trade, buddy! Hopefully we both made out.

[FotoTomas]

The bane of all revolver speed loaders is bullet profile. Round nose is by far the fastest to index. A chamfered cylinder is also fast with most anything. I am seriously considering getting my Combat Magnum trigger tuned up and with chamfered and numbered charge holes, DAO and a chopped hammer.

My primary carry and competition load is 125 grain JHP's at the +P level. Meets the 125 power factor rather easily out of my 4" tube without a lot of recoil.. The dummies I made up were 125 JHP's. The variants worked well with them as they have a rounded profile with out a too severe meplat. I have 500 + 158 grain lead round nose I can load as well but I HATE cleaning out a leaded barrel. Even with my Lewis lead remover. :(

[COF]

If 'you're going to shoot competition with a revolver, shooting anything but RN bullets will slow you down. The round nose and the chamfered cylinder work in concert to speed the insertion of the rounds into the cylinder.

I've got some SL Variant for my Ruger Speed Six but haven't really played with them much. I also have some for my N-frame .45 but they are currently residing in North Carolina with a fellow wheelgunner so I can't really comment on them. I use "Bubberized" Comp III's and Jet loaders for my 686 and they work great.

[TGS]

I'm not shooting competitions, so the only bullets I care about loading quickly in a revolver are flat nose or JHP's.