Any experience with ETS mag Speedloaders?

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • OnTarget

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 29, 2009
    3,154
    WV
    What has been your esperience with the ETS magazine Speedloaders - both for pistols and rifles? Would you recommend the loaders for purchase? All comments appreciated.
     

    Flametamer

    Active Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 6, 2014
    796
    Frederick County
    I have a 9mm pistol model. Got it for free from a chap at the range who was frustrated to death because he could not get it to work. I watched the videos and fiddled around with the thing for an hour or so. With practice and a little lube, I am now happy with it. On a typical range trip I go through 20-30 mags in several handguns and 8 30-rd mags in my Sub 2K. I tend to experience 2-3 failures with the ETS loader, generally an indication that I either forgot to flip it over properly before bearing down on the plunger, or that I need a bit more lube in the feed ramp. Takes loss than 20 seconds to fix, and I've got a full mag again... It can take a pretty firm push to get the rounds moving.

    Pressing against my sternum for that many mags created a bruise and sore spot... I took a 4 x 4 inch bit of 1/4 inch plywood, punched a couple of holes in it for a piece of paracord to go around my neck, and covered it all with pretty duct tape, mostly to create a friction pad to prevent the mag from sliding around when I push on the loader. This rig distributes the force across a wider area and I don't feel sore or bruised afterwards any more.
     

    CATMdude

    I like turtles
    Dec 29, 2012
    998
    Frederick
    I have the rifle loader. It makes loading MP5 mags a breeze. It just slides over the caseheads in the ammo tray and just lift up and row of ten is ready to push in the mag.

    ETA: I tried once to load my PTR91 mags and the .308 didn’t go as easily as 9mm.
     

    OnTarget

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 29, 2009
    3,154
    WV
    I have the rifle loader. It makes loading MP5 mags a breeze. It just slides over the caseheads in the ammo tray and just lift up and row of ten is ready to push in the mag.

    ETA: I tried once to load my PTR91 mags and the .308 didn’t go as easily as 9mm.

    Do the ETS Speedloaders come with the ammo trays or are they bought separately?
     

    CATMdude

    I like turtles
    Dec 29, 2012
    998
    Frederick
    The ammo trays that I was referring to were the ones that my factory ammo came in. The loader did not come with any.
     

    pilot25

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 13, 2016
    1,822
    What has been your esperience with the ETS magazine Speedloaders - both for pistols and rifles? Would you recommend the loaders for purchase? All comments appreciated.

    I have one for 9mm. Its crap. I've watched the videos, used oil, etc....

    Reading others experiences, if you own glock mags it works well. Other manufacturers of 9mm mags its crap.

    I bought one of the first ones. There has been an update to it so it might be better. Don't go by the popular videos on youtube. Watch the average youtube person try the thing. They pay the big names to give good reviews. thefirearmblog is the latest shill for ETS.
     

    smdub

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 14, 2012
    4,644
    MoCo
    The speedloaders that pick up a row at a time from the ammo box don't work with all ammo boxes. I have some where the rounds are packed so close they touch and you can't get the loader in to grab the rims. I've gone back to maglulas. Works with all ammo, including loose handloads or bulk pack, and no bruises. Easy (and low force) enough my kid can load mags.
     

    CATMdude

    I like turtles
    Dec 29, 2012
    998
    Frederick
    I could definitely see where it wouldn’t work for S&B. I’ve only used it with Federal, AE, and Winchester so far.
     

    OnTarget

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 29, 2009
    3,154
    WV
    The speedloaders that pick up a row at a time from the ammo box don't work with all ammo boxes. I have some where the rounds are packed so close they touch and you can't get the loader in to grab the rims. I've gone back to maglulas. Works with all ammo, including loose handloads or bulk pack, and no bruises. Easy (and low force) enough my kid can load mags.

    And then there are the ammo purchases where the rounds are bagged loose.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    They work fine with Cabelas plastic ammo boxes for my reloads. Much quicker to fill up a couple boxes, then pick up rows of 10 when loading mags for a match, between 33rd GLOCK PCC mags and 22rd M&P pistol mags, it works well enough. I used a little dab of chapstick when they were now to help slick them up, but it loosens up over time. I can usually push the first 10-20 in without much trouble, but for the rest, I put pressure on the plunger, then tap the base of the mag on a table and it bumps a couple rounds in each tap.
     

    CATMdude

    I like turtles
    Dec 29, 2012
    998
    Frederick
    14332 reviews. 5 stars on Amazon. The only other speed loaders I see at the range are the free ones the gun manufacturers give away. And I don’t see many of them.

    https://www.amazon.com/Maglula-UpLU...loader+9mm&dpPl=1&dpID=41FvPzwllPL&ref=plSrch



    Maglula is THE mag loader that all others are compared to. No doubt about that. If there’s a Maglula for a mag that I use, I have it. I also have a rifle ETS loader. I use the ETS if it’s convenient to, otherwise I use a Maglula. The one exception is that I tend to load my pistol mags by hand; I’ve never gotten the hang of the pistol loader to the point that I’m faster with it than my thumbs.
     

    MEGARMS

    KnowNothing
    Jun 3, 2012
    3,843
    Carroll County
    I purchased this (9mm) mag loader as I do not have a lot of spare time at matches to be loading magazines. The thing just plain does not work as advertised.

    I have called and emailed back and forth with ETS about it. They had me send photos to them and after looking at them said there is nothing wrong with it. They would gladly replace it, however they want me to pay to ship the defective one back to them. Now, I know it is only $7, however I have already spent $30 on something just plain does not work and they are telling me there is nothing wrong with. I refused to pay return shipping and asked for either a shipping label or for them to just send me a new one. They wont do either. Good thing I bought it on Amazon. I will just drop it off at Kohls and leave them a bad review.
     

    gmharle

    Active Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 29, 2015
    824
    Millers, MD
    I have a 9mm one as well and with a little lube on it it works pretty well with Glock factory and ETS, Sig and HK mags that I have used it to load. That being said, I can no way get it to work with STI mags. It just will not work at all. It does seem to work much more consistently if you load 5 at a time instead of 10. On the big Glock 33 rounders, 10 loads no problem.
     

    kenpo333

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 18, 2012
    3,322
    Salisbury Maryland
    I have a 9mm pistol model. Got it for free from a chap at the range who was frustrated to death because he could not get it to work. I watched the videos and fiddled around with the thing for an hour or so. With practice and a little lube, I am now happy with it. On a typical range trip I go through 20-30 mags in several handguns and 8 30-rd mags in my Sub 2K. I tend to experience 2-3 failures with the ETS loader, generally an indication that I either forgot to flip it over properly before bearing down on the plunger, or that I need a bit more lube in the feed ramp. Takes loss than 20 seconds to fix, and I've got a full mag again... It can take a pretty firm push to get the rounds moving.

    Pressing against my sternum for that many mags created a bruise and sore spot... I took a 4 x 4 inch bit of 1/4 inch plywood, punched a couple of holes in it for a piece of paracord to go around my neck, and covered it all with pretty duct tape, mostly to create a friction pad to prevent the mag from sliding around when I push on the loader. This rig distributes the force across a wider area and I don't feel sore or bruised afterwards any more.

    We go through that many reloads ourselves. I love the maglula for small stuff but the magpump does a great job with the 33 and 41 round mags we run
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,481
    Fairfax, VA
    I've got the rifle loader and it works great for my MP5 mags. I mainly keep my reloads in MTM 50rd boxes for it and it picks them up fine. It also works fine for American factory box inserts like the Federal plastic or Winchester styrofoam that tend to space them out further apart, but I haven't tried them with any of the European ones that are tighter packed. It works great with AR and 7.62x39 AK mags too, but I don't frequently do that since I don't have boxes or blocks to stage the rounds.
     

    python

    Active Member
    Apr 15, 2010
    600
    Buy a Maglula. I've been using one for years and it works great with all of my centerfire pistol mags (single and double stack) in all calibers including 45acp. The ETS won't accommodate all calibers. There's a comparison video on YouTube between the ETS and Maglula. You can decide for yourself.
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,934
    Messages
    7,259,590
    Members
    33,350
    Latest member
    Rotorboater

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom