Speed Loaders/Quick Loaders: Who practices with them?

[Adam Helmer]

All my friends carry various Muzzleloader Speed loaders for ML deer seasons in PA. Last week I asked them how often they practiced USING them on the range and NONE did! OK, I get it...

I have a Possibles bags for .45 Caliber., .50 and .54 caliber for my various muzzleloaders. I have four speed loaders in each bag. some are Pass Through and some are dedicated to a separate powder and bullet chamber. I routinely empty ALL on the range and refill with new components. Who else does the same? If not, you should.
Be Well.
Adam

[fastdadio]

I've carried a couple in my bag for years. Never used them. kuz, every deer I shot with my ML just died. Then there are the times when my deer ran off after being shot, I always wait at least 20 min before I go looking for them. I believe it gives them time to lay down and bleed out instead of chasing them into the next county when they're pumped up on adrenelan.

[NSB]

I carry pre-measured powder charges in my shooting bag, but I’d never consider them “speed loaders” by any means. I shot pistol plate shooting for years and used actual speed loader, a situation where it really was all about speed. In fifty years of hunting with a muzzle loader, and shooting a ton of deer, I’ve never once had the need to actually “speed load” after the first shot. In response to the OP saying “you should”, I don’t agree it’s necessary.

[LAGS]

I like the loading blocks to hold the patched balls and in some cases the Lubed REAL boolits.
With a little practice , you can turn your front stuffer into a virtual machine gun

[megasupermagnum]

Practice for what? To turn a 45 second reload into a 30 second reload?

No, I don't. I carry two guns. Sometimes three.

[sharps4590]

I load from the horn, exclusively. Have had an immense amount of practice in almost 50 years. Never needed a second shot anyway.

[ShooterAZ]

I have a pre-measured 3 banger that I do carry when hunting, but I've never had to use them. Lucky I guess? No, I don't use them at the range either.

[NSB]

Practice for what? To turn a 45 second reload into a 30 second reload?

No, I don't. I carry two guns. Sometimes three.
Great answer! Got me laughing. By cutting that 15 seconds off your reload time the deer’s only a quarter mile away instead of a half mile away when you’re ready to shoot again. Kind of along the line of my thinking.

[Adam Helmer]

I am sorry if I was less than clear in my opening post, I meant to say muzzleloader hunters need to PRACTICE a reload from whatever system they carry. I have needed a follow up shot in the past and my system worked for me. Your results may vary.
Be Well.
Adam

[TurnipEaterDown]

I have had deer I shot w/ centerfires just stand there with me in plain sight after the first shot, and take another from me before beginning to move, even if that's to stagger & fall over.
Had one antelope take a shot at ~250 yd, was working the bolt to load another, watched the blood patch bloom on the side while working the bolt, and then while getting into the trigger, the critter just collapsed.
Had a cow elk take a 250 gr 35 cal GS through the front leg bone, just miss the heart, not move while I put another 1" away (missed the heart again), move about 30 feet and get the rug jerked out as I put a third in the base of the neck.

Would a muzzle loader be able to be reloaded in plain sight of the deer w/o spooking it? Don't know, maybe the hunter is in a blind.

In any event, deer do dumb things at times (particularly right around sunset, and most game I have hunted have been prone to doing stupid things at just about the time you have to stop taking shots due to failing light), and I don't see the harm in being prepared.
I also don't think it's a must, more like preference.

If a person wants to hunt dangerous game (like bigger bears, or the (?) brave that decide to go to Africa) w/ a muzzle loader and can't carry a back up CF like some US states have regs against, it might become more important.

I do generally also abide by the "stay put for 20" philosophy after taking a shot and seeing the deer run off. They will often lie down and expire if the shot wasn't perfect, but close, and you just let em be.
If they are pretty wobbly and bits and fluid spray out but they totter off, then I just usually start the process to climb down and prepare to gut 'em while good and warm...
The gun is usually reloaded though when walking up. I did have a "toaster deer" one time where the darn thing just sprung back up after being pasted and going down at the shot.

[Gtek]

The side hammers have become a when I feel like it feel the need relaxing hopefully enjoyable play day at the range. Since I have been seduced by the inline cult for hunting I have vials with my weighed from volume standard to use before season range run sighting check without loading up my carry speed loaders. The sabot/bullet keeps the powder from falling out, flip cap, dump powder, push sabot. I do not keep my 209's on the loaders, they are in a strip loader in pouch with loaders. I am in the wait a bit club also hoping I placed that .452" 250 correctly and letting the life force pass peacefully, load up on stand and cap up when on ground for go look see. You now have me contemplating whether I should wear my assault vest with speed loaders Velcro attached upper chest and practice blindfolded for full operational readiness in case of possible impending Zulu attack. Sarcasm, don't get your panties bunched!

[charlie b]

When I hunted I used them. I also 'practiced' with them. They are simply a convenient way to carry pre-measured loads. I disliked pouring powder from a measure or flask while in the field, or fumble for various components.

FWIW, if hunting with a flintlock I'd probably just carry a flask and PRB in loading block. I'd use a small flask with powder measure nozzle and use the same powder for the flash pan (yes, I know some consider this dangerous due to sparks left in the chamber).

What was more important to me was the accuracy of the first and second shot. You need to choose to shoot from a clean or fouled bore, then figure out if your second shot will go where the first did. I usually hunted with a clean bore and worked out at the range where a second shot from a fouled bore would go. Never needed one, but, I knew what it would do.

[fastdadio]

Practice for what? To turn a 45 second reload into a 30 second reload?
No, I don't. I carry two guns. Sometimes three.

In these parts, we call that the 'Chicago reload'

[fastdadio]

And with all this talk about speed loading, anybody practice loading on the run? Because when seconds count, and griz or angry injuns is chompin on yer heels....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bflPncephRQ

[Harter66]

I kind of thought there was an under laying reason here for the use of a Minie' ball . :)

I have used assorted field loading methods at the range with a variety of results both fair and poor .
Paper cartridges are my next endeavor if I ever get any more me time to just set down and work things out . In the meantime I think AR will allow me to carry a Dragoon or Walker as a secondary . I have access to a Tower type pistol also ......

This will be my first season to exploit multiple seasons with multiple tags vs 1 by tag only , 1 tag by lottery for the last 50 years .

[Larry Gibson]

When I hunt with my muzzle loader I've come to use speed loaders. I carry 5 of them ready to go which gives me 6 shots. I practice with them also at the range and on "walk abouts". I shoot the 6 rounds then clean the barrel, load the loaders and shoot again. Reloading is a lot faster under pressure also. Works for me and a lot less "possibles" I need to carry when hunting. Figure if I ain't got the critter in 6 shots I might as well go home and clean the rifle....

297870

Six shots at 100 yards.

[Adam Helmer]

Larry,

Thank you for understanding my meaning. In my early days afield with a muzzleloader, I had an Altoids tin of ball and lubed patches and premeasured powder charges in coin wrappers in my possibles bag. The quick loaders I later adopted made reloading easier.
Be Well.
Adam

[waksupi]

I see no use for them. If you miss, the deer will most likely be long gone. If you wounded, a little extra time to let them slow down or stop is good.

[megasupermagnum]

To be fair, I have used speedloaders, but not for speed. Just so I could throw a few shots in my pocket. I can promise you, you will never have a deer stand there inside muzzleloader range while you reload, unless you have some kind of special circumstances, like you just shot one out your front door. A tree stand, no chance. In a ground blind, you can hardly reload the rifle no matter what. In a big permanent box stand, maybe, but I've never seen it. I think it was 3 years ago I shot a nice doe with a rifle out of a big permanent box stand, and the rest stood there, so I then shot another with my pistol. I had no intentions of getting a third, but the second my hand raised up to pour powder, they scattered. In years past, I've shot one, stood there, and the instant they heard me open the shooting bag, they were gone. Deer don't care much about shooting, but once they pinpoint you, it's game over. No chance you will ever reload and get a second shot off. It's hard enough with the 3 seconds to grab the second gun.

[NSB]

I carry “speed loaders” just so I don’t have any more stuff in my pack than I need..it’s heavy enough already. I don’t need a powder flask/container, just a couple of tubes of pre-measured powder, a couple of sabots with bullets, and a small holder for five or six primers. All of what I need fits on one coat pocket. I haven’t run out of “ammo” yet in fifty years. Deer just don’t stand there and let you reload once they know you’re there. For me, it’s all about a finishing shot if needed when I find the deer (that’s only happened once or twice, they are usually expired when found or hit). It’s just convenience of carry, not speed.

[Larry Gibson]

"To be fair, I have used speedloaders, but not for speed. Just so I could throw a few shots in my pocket. I can promise you, you will never have a deer stand there inside muzzleloader range while you reload"

Maybe not deer but I had an elk do it once. Was hunting the ML season on the breaks of the Wehaha river in NE Oregon many years back. Had located a small bunch of elk (Rocky Mountain) moving slowly in front of me on the edge of a bench. Below the bench was a patch of pines and tamaracks. It was cold, well below freezing, with a tuft of fresh snow on the ground. I could move silently so I decided to cut below the elk through the trees to get in front of them. I got just below them, about 100 yards below them and could here them whistling and playing above me. All of a sudden they broke down through the trees right at me. I was between two tree standing still and they didn't see me. They were kicking and squealing having a grand ole time. A big cow was coming right at me (I had a "hair" tag) so I raised my ML and cocked the hammer. She came to a sliding halt about 20 yards from me. I started to shoot her but a nice spike came to a halt about 35 - 40 yards to my left. It was a perfect broadside shot on the spike so I swung on him and put the ball through the rear of the front leg into the heart. He flinched at the shot and just stood there. The cow and a couple others still stood there also but some ran off down the mountain side.

I had caps in a cap hold on a thong around my neck, a 6 ball/patch load block on another thong around my neck and a powder flask with a premeasured spout (90 gr FFFG) in a pocket. A quick pull of the ramrod, blow down the bore, drop 90 gr BP down the bore, grab the short starter out of the pocket, start the ball/patch, ram home the ball (I dropped the ram rod) then cock the hammer and cap the nipple.....swung back up on the spike just as he dropped dead..... Then the cow and others took off. Then the fun was over and the work started......

That's when/why I started looking into speed loaders and use them today......

[waksupi]

"To be fair, I have used speedloaders, but not for speed. Just so I could throw a few shots in my pocket. I can promise you, you will never have a deer stand there inside muzzleloader range while you reload"

Maybe not deer but I had an elk do it once. Was hunting the ML season on the breaks of the Wehaha river in NE Oregon many years back. Had located a small bunch of elk (Rocky Mountain) moving slowly in front of me on the edge of a bench. Below the bench was a patch of pines and tamaracks. It was cold, well below freezing, with a tuft of fresh snow on the ground. I could move silently so I decided to cut below the elk through the trees to get in front of them. I got just below them, about 100 yards below them and could here them whistling and playing above me. All of a sudden they broke down through the trees right at me. I was between two tree standing still and they didn't see me. They were kicking and squealing having a grand ole time. A big cow was coming right at me (I had a "hair" tag) so I raised my ML and cocked the hammer. She came to a sliding halt about 20 yards from me. I started to shoot her but a nice spike came to a halt about 35 - 40 yards to my left. It was a perfect broadside shot on the spike so I swung on him and put the ball through the rear of the front leg into the heart. He flinched at the shot and just stood there. The cow and a couple others still stood there also but some ran off down the mountain side.

I had caps in a cap hold on a thong around my neck, a 6 ball/patch load block on another thong around my neck and a powder flask with a premeasured spout (90 gr FFFG) in a pocket. A quick pull of the ramrod, blow down the bore, drop 90 gr BP down the bore, grab the short starter out of the pocket, start the ball/patch, ram home the ball (I dropped the ram rod) then cock the hammer and cap the nipple.....swung back up on the spike just as he dropped dead..... Then the cow and others took off. Then the fun was over and the work started......

That's when/why I started looking into speed loaders and use them today......

I have observed once you get into a herd of elk, they don't spook easily. Even after a shot, if you use a cow call, you can may times stop the herd, and they may even come back to you.

[725]

What have been referred to as speed loaders are a good way to carry a unitized package for additional shots. Sometimes I use a horn & measure, sometimes I use the speed loaders. Depends on weather, where I hunt, and just what feel like that day. No right or wrong, good or bad, or purest or blast-phemist. :). Go forth and have fun.

[megasupermagnum]

I'm just imagining a Larry Gibson feverishly loading his rifle as a group of elk stand around thinking "does this guy really think he is going to get another shot at us?"

No, great story Larry, and a good example how you can't always predict what animals will do. I'll still take a 5 second draw of my handgun though.

[Fishman]

I'll second Larry's assertion that sometimes, just sometimes, you do get a second chance. Many years ago I was up in a climbing tree stand and three does came into the woods eating acorns about 40 yards away. I pulled up my TC Thunderhawk scoped inline and carefully shot hair right off the brisket of the closest broadside doe. She bucked around and stopped and they all looked around. I slipped out a speedloader from my jacket pocket and loaded the gun with as little movement as I could muster. Then I drew down on the doe that was closest at that point and shot hair off her brisket too. At that point they all departed the area. Later testing showed the rifle to be spot on, so it remains a mystery to me to this day.

I have also on two different occasions missed a deer completely with my bow from a treestand, then nocked a new arrow and killed the deer while it stayed still in its tracks. I've also killed a buck chasing a doe with one arrow, then killed the doe with a second arrow. Obviously this is different than a gun, but I have learned to never intentionally handicap myself on availability of a second shot.

[Larry Gibson]

I'm just imagining a Larry Gibson feverishly loading his rifle as a group of elk stand around thinking "does this guy really think he is going to get another shot at us?"

No, great story Larry, and a good example how you can't always predict what animals will do. I'll still take a 5 second draw of my handgun though.

I would have done that too except it was illegal (at the time) to have a pistol/handgun on you when hunting the special ML season....... That was about the fastest, and most furious, reload I ever did for sure.....

[gunther]

Hunting in eastern KY maked me appreciate a Ruger Old Army. So that's how I reload. A friend has hunted all over the country with a .52 caliber flintlock. His experience has been that a 533476 Minie' rolled between two steel plates to make it fit his gun makes a reload unnessasary. DRT, every time.

[RogerDat]

I have been looking a bit of late at the approaches for paper loaders. Have a few cardboard tubes and a few plastic tube that will hold a measured charge. I never really worked out putting a minnie or round ball in them. Not even sure they all are of the right size for caliber. They just make it a little easier to dump a charge and avoids pouring from directly from flask.

Since I need to sort of figure out how a well lubed minnie is going to avoid leaking lube all over the powder, possibly not an issue but it seems likely in warmer weather or in a pocket. Round ball and patch I would think only paper or ball board would work well.

Whatever I come up with I figure I should practice with it, just so I don't look silly if I load in front of other people. That and as one gets older fingers get less nimble so I can sort of fumble stuff I have done lots of times (yes pill bottle caps I'm talking about you! Spawn of Satan they be) So some practice is especially useful. First though I have to sort of nail down what works. This thread has proved useful.

I never have hunted them but I understand Elk or Moose can decide to seek revenge rather than escape when threatened or caused pain. I would think anything in the weight range of a camping trailer warrants having at least a chance at a second shot just in case it blames me for the painful but not fatal situation.

Not sure I want even the lowly white tail going at me with hooves that can kill a coyote. Reminds me of the 911 call by the guy who hit a deer and tossed it in his car thinking "free meat" then the deer recovered and bit him and slashed with hooves and the guy ends up on 911 asking for an ambulance and someone to kill the damn deer in his car. Recording of that call was pretty funny. He had been hit in the face so ambulance sounded like bambi-lance when he tried to annunciate because the dispatcher couldn't understand him.

[indian joe]

I am sorry if I was less than clear in my opening post, I meant to say muzzleloader hunters need to PRACTICE a reload from whatever system they carry. I have needed a follow up shot in the past and my system worked for me. Your results may vary.
Be Well.
Adam

2 cents from downunder - if you gonna carry a "speedloader" then you should ought to practice with it otherwise when time comes to use it you forgot what to do and it aint a speedloader anymore ?

A couple of our boys went this way sos they could win an interclub skirmish event (team of four shooting five clays on a board each) - I hated it - seemed like cheating to me - I figured I could get five good shots away as quick as they could do eight or ten with the speed loaders - just steady a bit and shoot straight - I got my five (just), we won the match, next year the other clubs were doin speedloaders - I got my five - we lost the match. With a muzleloader on game you get one good shot, make it count.

[indian joe]

I am sorry if I was less than clear in my opening post, I meant to say muzzleloader hunters need to PRACTICE a reload from whatever system they carry. I have needed a follow up shot in the past and my system worked for me. Your results may vary.
Be Well.
Adam

2 cents from downunder - if you gonna carry a "speedloader" then you should ought to practice with it otherwise when time comes to use it you forgot what to do and it aint a speedloader anymore ?

A couple of our boys went this way sos they could win an interclub skirmish event (team of four shooting five clays on a board each) - I hated it - seemed like cheating to me - I figured I could get five good shots away as quick as they could do eight or ten with the speed loaders - just steady a bit and shoot straight - I got my five (just), we won the match, next year the other clubs were doin speedloaders - I got my five - we lost the match. With a muzleloader on game you mostly get one good shot, make it count.