Caldwell Universal Pistol Loader with Adjustable Magazine Setting

I saw all the mixed reviews, and was unsure about buying it, but when it went on sale for $13, I figured it was worth a shot... and boy am I glad I took the chance! It is extremely effective at loading 10/22 rotary magazines, and it WILL work on extended mags. It can be fussy, but like some others have posted, there are a few tips to make it virtually fool proof:1- For the best results, especially when using lead rounds (like most of us do for plinking,) get some silicone spray lubricant, and give a few quick, even sprays into the hopper. Use a paper towel to distribute it evenly, then let it dry completely before using it the first time. This creates a dry film of silicone that will let the rounds slide around much more freely while reducing the buildup of wax from cheaper rounds. I did the lube after my first time using it, and it makes a HUGE difference.2- As others have mentioned, put the magazine in first. THere is nothing preventing the rounds from sliding into the magwell, which will cause a jam.3- Despite the advertising and manufacturers suggestions, this will absolutely load extended magazines just as well. I have 2 clear 25 round hot lips mags from Butler Creek that load beautifully. The trick is to follow the previous steps, and also make sure that once the mag is loaded in, you give it a little extra pressure into the loader. This little bit extra prevents jams and makes loading smooth as butler....I mean butter.4- Don't overfill the hopper. You are never going to get the feeding line full, and having too many rounds in the hopper can cause some issues getting the rounds to the feeder.5- Be watchful of where the feeding line goes under the plastic shelf in the hopper, as the rim of the cartridge can get hung up. Pay a bit of attention to that, and you'll be fine.This honestly seems like a lot, but once you get the hang of it, it makes loading .22 mags so so so much easier. Believe me, if you can get it for less than $20, it's well worth it, and your thumbs will thank you.p.s. I'll do my best to get a video tutorial added to my review as soon as my father returns my wildcat lol.

Just like every other 10/22 magazine loader I've tried over the last 30 years it's finicky at best and jams frequently. It will load a bx-1 without issue about 10% of the time. The other 90% of the time you're clearing jams, shaking the shot out of it to get few rounds in the chute because the 22lr rims will hang up as they feed in. If you hold it and shake it just right it feeds so so at best. The clutch, that should prevent over loading of the magazine works only every now and then. When it fails, the top rd in the magazine gets dented and when you remove the magazine at this point you have to clear 2 out of position rounds out of the loader before inserting another magazine...It will not work with bx-15 or bx-25 magazines. I didn't expect it to either. I did expect it to load bx-1 10rd rotary mags somewhat effortlessly....I'll keep playing with it, maybe I'll learn a few tricks to make it work better.If you're looking for something to dump lose ammo into, shake a bit, insert a bx-1 then turn the crank 10 times and remove a loaded magazine you will be very disappointed with the Caldwell rotary magazine loader.EDIT: 8/25/2019I gave it another couple of chances, I'm returning it. It' simply does not work well and it's not worth the frustration using it. I can load mags faster by hand....

Once you get the magazine inserted correctly and the ammo adjusted correctly and hold the unit in the optimal orientation, it works slick as can be. There is a note on the side of the unit about loading the first round in the magazine on particular model magazines. These particular magazines are mentioned in the instructions. I found that my BX-25 mags all loaded fine without inserting a first round. However, my BX-25s are all well used and broken in. I only ran into a loading hiccup with some of my newer BX-1 magazines, requiring a first round installation to make loading go smoothly. I just throw a hand full of ammo into the hopper at a time, as overloading the hopper seems to slow the whole process down and shaking the unit around can cause more issues than it helps. There is a jam/mis alignment, shell ejection port on the end. I found that holding the unit in the left-hand, with the optimal right-hand used to twist the nob orientation, with very slight downward tilt toward the nob end of the unit (not too much/not too little), will lead to practically no jams and very smooth function. The unit is a little finicky but with practice it becomes useful, especially with BX-25 magazines. I have only used the unit on factory Ruger magazines.