Customer Reviews

HKS Revolver Speedloader with Caliber .38/357

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

First off, I love these in the 6-shot versions. They seat all the way in & does its job well. Great for nightstand...

In the 5-shot version, I read that Ruger LCR with Hogue tamer grips don't work well. I have a Ruger LCR with the Boot grip. There are no issues with the loader getting hung-up on the grip (like the Tamers). The problem is that the 5-shot spacing is not identical to the Ruger. Thus, the further the speedloader is seated, the results are your casings getting wedged in the cylinder. For best results, seat the ammo about 1/3 of the way down -- anything further & you can really get wedged in. To simulate a stress situation, I pushed the loader in deeper... the results were that when I twisted the release knob, the rounds did not drop in the cylinder... & I had to finesse the loader off the wedged rounds. If you force the loader free, a couple rounds could easily come back out & drop (leaving you with a randomly filled cylinder).

While these work well enough for range time, beware of its limitations for CC use or other stressful fire situations. On the plus side, I've become much faster & comfortable with my Bianchi Speedstrips ;)

P.S. If you are looking for Ruger LCR speedloaders, be aware that these are the SAME ones that Ruger currently sells on their own website. I recommend waiting (& hoping) that some manufacturer makes a better fitting loader.

I own a S&W 642 J frame. This speed loader fails to do its job. While the literature states that it fits my weapon, this is entirely false. I have the factory stock grips on the weapon, and the speed loader gets jammed against the grips. It is anything but a speedy load. In fact, it will get you dead. I have unfortunately found that the fiddling with this speed loader to extract it after loading takes substantially longer than simply loading in five shells into the cylinder by hand. I am trying out some Bianchi Speed Strips (also sold here on Amazon) and will rate those soon. But in the meantime, do not expect this speed loader to work with the 642 or any other J frame. It will not, and if you take your safety and that of your family seriously, please do not purchase this product.

A must have for revolver owners. Fit is a bit tight on five shot revolvers and you should consider the size of your grip when purchasing as it can get in the way.

Positive cartridge retention and easy to grip and turn knob.

The small frame 5 shot .38 snubbie is still a very valid option for personal defense. The biggest objection everyone seems to have with them is the small ammunition capacity. The 36-A speed loader fits these little guns and provides a quick reload. A couple of these can greatly enhance the capability of a pocket revolver and simplify carrying spare ammunition.

The HKS 36-A is a well made product. While these loaders are somewhat bulky compared to an automatic magazine, they are much tougher and less prone to failure from breakage or dirt. They are small enough to drop in your pocket and durable enough to stand up to being sat on or dropped. They hold ammunition securely and quickly reload your revolver with the twist of a knob.

If you want your 5 shot snubbie to be a valid weapon system, buy a couple of these and carry them. I own 6 of them. Two of them I have carried for nearly 20 years with numerous trips to the range and they are still like new. If one of mine ever breaks or wears out, I will gladly replace it.

This speedloader has great quality, holds the shells firmly, releases them easily, and works as advertised. Note that it doesn't quite fit perfectly with the Ruger LCR with standard Hogue grips, as the grips get in the way of it lining up perfectly. So you have to load them at an ever-so-slight angle (and can't put any more than the tips of the bullets in the cylinder) rather than loading them all the way in before releasing them. The LCR is super compact (but with relatively wide grips), however, and I don't think you'd have that problem with most revolvers listed as working with it.

Be careful buying this for a S&W J-Frame. I bought one for my 442, and it does not work very well. Not the fault of HKS, it just so happens there's no clearance between the grip and the cylinder of the speed loader, and therefore, when attempting to load, the cartridges bind. It does not work as intended on S&W 442 or 642.

I read in some reviews that the bullets in the speed loader would be tight to push out, but not in my case! They come out really smooth and it's pretty fast too. I'm really pleased with my speed loaders for my Ruger SP-101 .357 5 shot!

I recently bought a Ruger LCR 357 and replaced the Hoag grips with Crimson Trace grips.
I have seen several reviews where people have had trouble using the 36-A with the LCR. While the loader is a little tight, I've been using them to compete without an issue; it just takes a bit of practice. After about 500 rounds you get used to it and it's a non-issue and definitely better than using strips or manual loading.
The only thing better would be moon clips for the LCR but so far no one makes them.

I bought this loader for a S&W 640. It works well. The instructions advise that grips made be a problem so you should know that going in. We used these in law enforcement before weapons like the Glock were available and authorized for carry. The grips on my 640 are factory and they do not allow full insertion of the rounds but with a little practice you can insert and twist the loader to the right and the rounds fall right in. Your practice is well rewarded and allows your smaller J frame model weapon to be quickly loaded and ready. One should constantly practice with a self defense or ccw weapon and practice will make you a believer in this very well made tool. I like mine and would recommend these loaders.

Had to return product c/o it was a 5 shot, made for older model revolvers. Was easily returned, correct speedloader found and ordered.