HKS Series A Speedloader, Model DS-A, Black

As a middle-age woman traveling in increasingly terrifying world it is nice to know that I have an easy way to load my revolver without keeping it loaded in my car. It is simple and functional and makes you feel safe.

Very easy to populate. Very easy to load cylinder of Taurus 856. Knurled knob an absolute necessity.

For reference, I have a Kimber 2" DA/SA. I read there were issues using this speedloader with the factory grips but I wouldn't personally know, I didn't like the factory wood grips so I changed them to Hogue grips right away.When using 357s in this speed loader, the bullets won't go all the way in to the cylinder. When you release the bullets, some bullets might be able to drop free, but more often than not the speedoader and a couple of rounds gets stuck, and you have to finagle the speedloader for a bit before you're able to get it unstuck and drop free.However, if you use 38 spl round instead, you'll find this process a lot easier. The rounds still get stuck after releasing the bullets from the speed loader, however all it takes is a gentle pull to get all of the bullets to drop free. My personal process for this is to hook my middle finger on the knurled part of the twist release after turning the knob and gently pull up with it. It still sometimes gets hard stuck, but not as often.Would I recommend this speed loader for the K6S? No. Not at all. However, it's still getting 5 stars because I'm using it for a gun it was never intended for, and I can see it being useful if you have other revolvers that work with it and want to use it to practice. I also personally use it to quickly unload and "hold" my defensive rounds while I practice dry firing from home, so it's still nice to have.

Fits Taurus 856. Works by having a very tiny ball bearing that the silver handle rotates over to move a small clip to hold the shell rim. Clockwise is unlock, counter clockwise is lock. Unfortunately the precision machined Taurus cylinder is so well balanced that it spins with the slightest pressure, which means to unlock the DS-A to load the cylinder in any type of natural motion you need to hold the cylinder or switch to a left handed grip and immobilize the cylinder with a finger to keep it from spinning when you turn the DS-A handle. Yes, the 856 is very cramped but this easily fits past the cylinder release without rubbing the handle if you insert down from the top rather than up from the handle. It feels a little delicate and doesn't close/lock every time unless you have the bullets plumb or press on the bullets to hold them down, in which case it locks with a satisfying click. I'm not confident this wouldn't come unlocked if in a pocket. The knurled handle feels good if very light weight aluminum, and the main body at first appears to be plastic but is a non-ferrous metal. DS-A is pictured on the right, Safariland on the left. Fits in the same as the Safariland, but if you hold by the cylinder it loads a little bit more easily than the Safariland.

This will not work with Taurus 856 Executive Grade 38 Sp. It appears the special (no pun intended) wood grips are the problem. So, if you have this pistol, this speed loader is NOT a solution. Unless, perhaps, if you replace the stock wood grips.Why the five stars? Well, the product description didn't state it would work with the 856. I based my decision on other reviews that said it worked with the 856. As the basic 856 has different grips, I guess this is why it works there. So, I can't give a bad rating review for a product that didn't advertise as fitting my pistol. If they had advertised it as fitting, it would be a one star review. But the product otherwise works as advertised and seems well made. That's my problem, not the vendor's problem.So...five stars.

Fast and Accurate!

Easy to use and very reliable. All you ever need

If you carry a revolver, be it for work or self defense, then you know that while you may have a time tested and proven weapon, you have limited capacity, and that's why having access to quick reloads is absolutely vital. Speed loaders require a little bit of practice to get exactly right, but once you've put in a bit of range time with them, you'll be reloading faster than you could ever do manually. At the range, using these I can reload faster than my semi-auto shooting friend.These speed loaders are themselves easy to load. Just twist the knob to the open position, drop six rounds in, and twist it back closed. The springs hold the rounds securely until you're ready to drop them into the cylinder. To load the gun, just open the cylinder, hold the cylinder securely with your left hand, use your right hand to drop the speed loader into place, give a quick twist to release the rounds, drop the speed loader, close the cylinder, and you're back in action.This particular speed loader is for .38 special, and .357 magnum, and while designated for the Colt detective special, I've found does just fine for reloading most any 6 shot revolver in the same caliber. I don't carry the Detective Special anymore, but I still use this speed loader for the gun that replaced it.Be it on the range, in self defense, or on the job for those of us in the security industry, if you prefer the simple reliability of revolvers, you need speed loaders. To a revolver shooter not having a speed loader is like a semi-auto shooter not having a spare magazine.