The inefficiency of a revolver’s reload has always been one of the major downsides of the platform. It’s simply not as quick or as efficient as jamming a magazine into an automatic and letting it rip. With that in mind, the industry has responded in kind with a number of innovative methods to reload and get your revolver running. One of the most efficient and quickest is a speed loader. Today we are looking at the Toyota Camry of speed loaders, the HKS speed loader.
I don’t say it’s the Toyota Camry of speed loaders as an insult. Rather, it’s reliable, common, and fits a wide variety of users. HKS Speed Loaders have been around forever, and they make a wide variety of speed loaders that work with a wide variety of guns. If you have a revolver, HKS likely makes a speed loader for it. They are affordable and effective.
This specific model fits a few different guns, including various Colt small frames, but I’m using it with a Taurus 856 Defender. This review doesn’t necessarily just cover this specific model. The HKS Speed Loaders are basically all the same and function very similarly.
Finding the Right Speed Loader
There are two layers to this section. The first has to deal with HKS and their speed loafers. HKS produces so many it’s often not uncommon for a speed loader to fit a multitude of guns. There are only so many ways to skin a cat. With that said it might be tough to find one for your specific model if that gun is new or uncommon. What will help you the most is the internet.
For example, when I needed a speed loader for the 856, HKS didn’t list compatibility for it. It’s fairly new for a revolver, so that was the issue. Luckily, a quick Google search and a forum post sent me on my way.
Second, you need to decide which type of speed loader you prefer. HKS uses a twist method to hold and release the cartridges. This means the rear turrets twist to unlock. The other method is push to unlock. With these, the user inserts the cartridges into the cylinder and presses down on the turret.
The twist method tends to be very secure and smaller but a bit slower. The Safariland push style is faster, but they tend to be larger as well. Both techniques are plenty valid, but the HKS designs are more common and tend to be the most affordable option.
How the HKS Speed Loaders Work
This particular model holds six rounds. The rear twisting knob unlocks and locks the design. If you twist the knob without any cartridges, you’ll see a few different tabs sliding in and out of place. Those tabs lock over the rims or your cartridge and hold them in place. This allows for easy insertion of the rounds, and it holds them rock steady with excellent retention.
Load them up, lock them down, and now avoid grabbing the handy little turret. It looks tempting, and I’m guilty of using that turret for everything too. The reason we avoid grabbing that turret is to avoid accidentally releasing the cartridges by twisting the tab. It can happen, and it’s good to avoid building that habit in the first place.
When you grab the speed loader and start that six-gun reload, grab it by the base. Then insert cartridges while holding the base. To be honest, while it seems appealing to grab the turret, using the base makes it easier to align the cartridges into the cylinder. After dropping the cartridges into the cylinder, reach rearward and rotate the handle to release the cartridges.
Let the speed loader hit the ground and close the cylinder. We treat the loaders as disposable in a gunfight, so be like Elsa and let it go.
Putting the HKS Speed Loader in Action
How well do these things work? Well, as a new revolver shooter, I wanted to find out. Snap caps work the best for training, but empty cases aren’t too bad for simple training purposes. With a handful of empty cases, my speed loader, and an 856 Defender, I hit the ground running. I practiced slowly at first, then added speed and got faster and faster.
I loaded, twisted, and jammed the empty cases in my gun over and over. What I would usually do is dry fire six times, then go into a reload. This does a great job of replicating a real reload, and I get good dry-fire practice.
After every reload, I let the speed loader hit the ground and rapidly got back on target. I’d then reload the loader, dry fire, rinse, and repeat. I’ve aimed for 25 reloads a day, and the speed loader still functions without issue. The HKS design still locks down on my cartridges with ease and releases them with the twist of a knob.
It can certainly take a beating and still function. While it’s slower than a push design, it’s still fairly fast and easy to engage. One big thing to remember is to keep the cylinder secured while you twist the turret on the HKS Speed Loader. If not, it might rotate with the twist, slowing your reload down even more.
My Revolver Reload
I practiced the basics of the reload using Massad Ayoob’s Stress Fire revolver reload technique. The Stress Fire technique seems to be the best option for me, but I’m experimenting and plan to have an entire article on the different techniques out there.
With the Stress Fire Technique, we use our dominant hand thumb to press the cylinder release and the other hand to push the cylinder out of the gun. Use your dominant thumb to pin the cylinder in place and rotate the revolver so it’s facing straight up. We want to take advantage of gravity to get the empty cases released.
Use the palm of your support hand to pop the ejector rod downward to free the empty cases. With a dirty gun, it might need a good slap, but it usually moves freely and with ease. Ensure your fingers are open, and move your hand so the ejector rod comes up and in between your middle and pointer fingers.
Now rotate the gun downward so the barrel is facing the ground. Your support hand is supporting the weapon. Grab the base of your speed loader and insert the cartridges into the cylinders. Twist the turret to release the cartridges and let go of the speed loader. Close the cylinder with your support hand and re-engage.
A speed loader greatly simplifies the process of reloading a revolver. Even if you don’t carry a six-gun, it’s always wise to be somewhat skilled in their use. The HKS Speed Loaders make it straightforward and affordable to master the revolver reload.
