I’m not sure it is possible to spend much time shooting or handloading without running into a product from Battenfeld Technologies, Inc. Popular brands under the Battenfeld banner:
- Caldwell Shooting supplies
- Wheeler Engineering Gunsmithing supplies
- Tipton Gun Cleaning Supplies
- Frankford Arsenal Reloading Tools
- Bog-Pod Shooting Accessories
- Lockdown Vault accessories
- Golden Rod Moisture control
- Hooyman Premium tree saws
- Non-Typical Wildlife Solutions- Hot Zone Electric Fences
So what’s up with the Mag Charger? If there are two things I truly enjoy doing, they would be pulling the pins out of a hand grenades with my teeth and loading high capacity magazines by hand. Yes, that was sarcasm. Loading a magazine or two is no big deal, but when there are a few autoloaders around, each with a few magazines, loading can quickly become tedious and thumb numbing.
My house, shop and carry pistols magazines are unloaded, swapped out and replacements loaded every three months. The regimen may not be necessary, but it is my process and not inconsistent with Wolff Springs FAQ on potential magazine spring fatigue. Three magazines per pistol for a total of nine, most are high capacity. Additionally, I shoot several times each week, usually large quantities of factory and handloaded ammunition, which represents even more magazine stuffing.
Overview of operation
The Mag Charger can load virtually all pistol magazines from 380 Auto single stack to 45 Auto double stack, including the oddly shaped M9/M92 Beretta. The alignment blocks that protrude into the unit’s magazine well rotate eccentrically on their locating pins. Each block has six magazine contact surfaces, each position sets the space between the blocks wider or more narrow. Each block is rotated with light finger pressure until the space between blocks approximates the thickness of the magazine to be loaded; eighty words to describe five seconds of effort.
A magazine is inserted into the Mag Charger until it bottoms, then it is locked in place by turning the magazine lock knob. Magazine length is not of consequence as longer magazines just protrude further out of the Mag Charger.
Above, magazine inserted and locked in place. A round has been inserted in the loading port. All that remains is to grip the unit and squeeze the operating lever until it contacts the cartridge seater and the cartridge seater drives the round up into the magazine. Additional rounds are inserted into the loading port and the operating lever is actuated until the magazine is loaded. That’s it. Exertion is light and the motion is very much like hand priming a case, or using the Frankford Arsenal depriming toolor any number of caulking guns… or label makers. The point is the actuating motion is common and needs little orientation.
Company claims…
Caldwell claims the Mag Charger: is a universal magazine design, works with single and double stack magazines, loads 380 auto, 9mm Luger, 357 Sig, 40 S&W, 10mm Auto, and 45 Auto cartridges. The Mag Charger worked without a hitch with all noted cartridges.
In regard to the claim that the Mag Charger is twice as fast as loading by hand, there are lots of variable in both methods, so this may be a bit subjective. Manually loading a couple of fifteen round 40 S&W magazines routinely, with the typical occasional fumbling and fishing ammo out of a pile took fifty seven seconds. It took thirty five seconds to load the same magazine wit the Mag Charger. Perhaps a better point of comparison, loading nine magazines was easy with the Mag Charger where manually loading three magazines left me with sore thumbs. The more magazines to load, the more significant the Magna Charger’s contribution.
Managing to squeeze in some outdoor range time between snow storms and at single digit temperatures, I used the Mag Charger at the bench all afternoon loading 9mm Luger and 45 Auto magazines while wearing shooting gloves. It served as a useful tool. The Mag Charger has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $47.99, but checking online discount retailers, the typical price is closer to $35… about the price of one double stack centerfire pistol magazine.
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