The Safariland J-frame speedloader WILL NOT work in the Ruger LCR

[Ohio Rusty]

I called both Ruger and Safariland an no seemed to be able to tell me if the Safariland speedloader - J-C7 for the 5 shot J-frame revolver would work in the new Ruger LCR. I finally broke down and acquired one and tried it after it came in the mail. It appears the cylinder of the LCR is smaller in diameter than the J-frame as when you try to get all 5 bullets into the cylinder, the smaller cylinder squeezes them together and doesn't permit the Safariland speedloader to be pushed all the way down to release the boolits

I have the HKS 5 shot speedloader and it drops the bullets in the LCR cylinder just fiine. The boolits have wiggle room in that speedloader. The issue I have with the HKS is it doesn't want to keep the boolits in the speedloader when it is in my pocket. The boolits come out of the speedloader and are loose in my pocket all the time. Speed strips are the obvious answer, and I have one of those ...it would just be nice if Safariland made a smaller speedloader for the LCR. I like that all five in the cylinder at one time for the speed factor.

Now we know the rest of the story ..................

Ohio Rusty ><>

[9.3X62AL]

The issue I have with the HKS is it doesn't want to keep the boolits in the speedloader when it is in my pocket. The boolits come out of the speedloader and are loose in my pocket all the time.

THAT is a surprise to me. I've owned and used the HKS loaders for many years, and even the REALLY "jiggly" units for the N-frames kept the cartridges secure for me. Maybe the containment for 5-shot assemblies is less secure than in 6-shot loaders, but this is well outside my experience. I see a testing sequence with my HKS loaders real soon.

[35remington]

Maybe that's a hint not to keep the speedloaders in your pocket, but I dunno.

If the pistol is being carried in a holster, it would make sense to have a speedloader carrier on the belt right next to it.

If it's not in the holster, accessing it quickly is probably difficult, and probably the speedloader as well.

I use the HKS in preference to the Safariland as the consistency of cartridge release of the Safariland is kind of touchy in my experience. Sometimes you have to wiggle and push the Safariland to let the cartridges go, and the HKS releases them when I want each and every time.

But then I've never carried them in a pants pocket, nor a two inch for extended periods, so I never had to assess how well they held on to cartridges when they've really been bashed about. HKS speedloaders carried in coat pockets have never lost their cartridges when there was nothing else in the pocket with them, in my experience. And even when there was something else in the pocket.

Perhaps too much pressure and shifting when in a pants pocket? In any above the waist garment I've never had it happen either.

[Ohio Rusty]

What I'm going to do is bend that roll pin down slightly that acts as a detent against the spring loaded ball bearing that holds it in place. That should make it a tad tighter against the ball bearing, and not as likely to release and dump the boolits in the pocket. A stronger spring under the ball bearing would be a big help.

Many years ago I had a S&W model 13. The safariland loaders were great in that gun. Never had a loading issue. For CCW, it's kinda hard to have the speedloader on the belt in a pouch if you don't have a jacket on or something to cover it. I usually only carry a cell phone on my belt so nothing else shows.

Ohio Rusty ><>

[EOD3]

No surprise there. For some reason I don't understand, Ruger has avoided making their J-frame revolver compatible with typical J-frame accessories. Their SP 101 J-frame will not fit in a J-frame holster, the grips make it nearly impossible to use plain-old J-frame speed loaders. Kind of the Hughes Industries of the firearms manufacturers...