Speedloaders

[Tokarev]

Here's a question from a short time HKS user and a long time Safariland user.
Does anyone use 5 Star aluminum billet speedloaders? How do they compare in function with the former two?

[Thundarstick]

I'm not sure how they compare, but I use the 5 Star for my 327FM GP100 and they work great!

[Txcowboy52]

I have several 5 star speed loaders in various calibers , they work great for me .

[rintinglen]

The only problem I have with the Five Star is that they work backwards from the HKS models. (I have been using HKS for over 40 years now.)
That makes them a little awkward for me, but not a deal breaker. They are more expensive.

All that said, I much prefer Safariland Speedloaders. They are the fastest and the ones I have most experience with.

[Tokarev]

Tthey work backwards from the HKS models.

Oh, that's interesting! I must ask you, what does it mean, because I cannot remember how HKS works: had a few long time ago but sold them very soon, bought Safariland and never looked back.

[megasupermagnum]

I have 5star speedloaders for my Ruger LCR, SP101, and GP100 all in 327 federal. I also have a 5star speedloader for my S&W model 57 in 41 magnum. Most people will compare 5star to HKS, which is a similar function, except 5star releases counter clockwise, HKS releases clockwise. I have an HKS for my GP100 in 357 magnum, and I have to say it is poor by comparison. How anyone likes them is beyond me. You have to fiddle them going into the gun, and fiddle them to release the rounds. I'd rather use speed strips. By comparison, 5star speedloaders are WAY better than HKS, it's not even a close competition.

The only Safariland speedloader I own is also for that GP100 in 357 magnum, a Comp II. They are a great speedloader. They work completely different, as I'm sure you are aware, they are spring loaded so all you do is align it, and push in, and it lets the cartridges fall in. To be perfectly honest I prefer the Safariland over anything else. It is fantastic, super fast. The 5 star is not finicky like the HKS, and it is very trim, which could be a slight bonus. The 5star does not hold cartridges all that tightly like the Safariland, which is why it is not finicky, but that also makes it more difficult to use quickly with wide flat nosed bullets. You then turn the knob counter clockwise, which is fairly easy to do, but under pressure It is harder to do than simply push in like a Safariland. Lastly, it seems that every once in a while you have to jingle the gun to get that last cartridge to release, where the Safariland almost always falls right off.

All in all, I consider the 5star to be the best of the twist knob style speedloaders. They are very trim, very rugged, and are fairly forgiving. I definitely prefer these for a hunting gun. In my case, 5star is one of the only companies that make a speedloader for the 32's. The only other one I know of is called a speedbeez, and that's the most rinky-dink mouse contraption I ever saw. If you can get a Safariland for your gun, in your caliber, I'd go that route. If 5star improved the design to somehow hold the cartridges more securely at the rim like the Safariland, yet shorten the length so they fall out like the Safariland, then I'd say they might be better. I like the idea of the twist knob, but the Safariland is so slick on release, it's hard not to love it. Luckily they are cheap enough, you can try both.

[Green Frog]

I settled on the Safariland Comp 3 speed loaders for my K frame PPC guns and my shooting partner did the same with his L frame. I have had several HKS units for a couple of guns now, notably my Chiefs Specials and my custom K frame 327, but only because I can't get Safariland loaders for them. Notice I said "HKS units" and not "speed loaders". This is because I regard them more as ammunition holders than speed loaders. YMMV.

As far as the aluminum billet loaders now available, in addition to 5 Star, there are some from Lyman Products as well, but they are just aluminum versions of the HKS, IMHO.

Froggie

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I buy them but never seem to use them.

[rintinglen]

Oh, that's interesting! I must ask you, what does it mean, because I cannot remember how HKS works: had a few long time ago but sold them very soon, bought Safariland and never looked back.

5star releases counter clockwise, HKS releases clockwise. Having many years experience with the HKS and turning right to release, turning left is not in my muscle memory. That said, I much prefer Safariland comp I and II's, just push until they pop and drop their load and close the cylinder. Back when I carried a revolver for a living, I could reload my S&W 66 in three seconds pretty consistently using Comp II's.

[Tokarev]

Thanks for explaining! I always felt that a twist release on a revolver speedloader makes no sense, so I went with Safariland comp II but they do not make loaders for my recent acquisitions.

[badguybuster]

I used the 5 Star loaders for my 627 for a number of years. I like them but do find them to be too wide, I wish they were about 1/8" more narrow

[megasupermagnum]

I used the 5 Star loaders for my 627 for a number of years. I like them but do find them to be too wide, I wish they were about 1/8" more narrow

Too wide? Mine are paper thin. Any thinner and I'd be afraid they would break. They are thinner than any other speedloader I'm aware of.

[megasupermagnum]

Thanks for explaining! I always felt that a twist release on a revolver speedloader makes no sense, so I went with Safariland comp II but they do not make loaders for my recent acquisitions.

I like the idea of the twist release from a reliability standpoint. I do stuff that is rough on equipment like digging, hauling wood, riding dirtbike, being outdoors in general. I've not had it happen, but there's no denying the Safariland is more prone to releasing than a twist style. My only real issue with the twist style is that they don't lock the cartridges in solid, so the rounds are slightly loose, and make quickly aligning them that much harder. They are worth trying. If you don't like them, they are easy to sell.