Requesting some assistance for a project...

S

sfraden

Inactive
I have an issue with my shooting range, I'm not allowed to pre-fill my magazines before going to the range. I fully get why I can't, and agree with them, but its still really inconvenient to have to stop and load my magazines over and over just to enjoy my shooting time. So I made myself a single handed reloading tool on my 3D printer, and it works great! Cheap to produce, and makes loading fast and easy. I have been asked at the range by other members to make them some of these, as everyone seems to like what I have done.

Well, I decided to make a lot of them, and quite honestly, sell them. I am not pitching myself here, nor selling them on these forums. What I need for this project is measurements :) I only own 2 handguns, a EAA Sar B6P and a S&W sd9ve. Obviously my speed loader works great on those , but I really would like to make different versions for different guns. So I turn to you, owners of handguns and ask if you would take a moment and measure your magazine for me and send me the results.

I would greatly appreciate it, so I am going to make an incentive. If you can send me dimensions of 3 or more magazines, I will make and send you a custom hand reloader for one of your choice. Obviously my deal cannot be open-ended, and I am anticipating some decent response, so I will offer this through June 30th, 2016

What I need is:
Name of the handgun, model.
Single or double stack magazine.
Caliber of the ammo. (380, 9mm, etc)
how wide is the magazine when facing you
how wide is the side of the magazine (Note if there is a metal roll-seam, indicate that and add it in to the measurement)
How wide is the opening on the top between the 'lips'

If you are submitting 3 or more different magazines and wish to claim my offer, I will need a shipping address as well.

Here is my email: sfraden@hotmail.com. I prefer you contact me there if you would like to participate....

Steve
 
I wish you luck. I would point out though that the market does already have a number of such devices, and many pistols even come with a simple version of such a device.

If I get a chance when I get home I'll send you some measurements.


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I'm not allowed to pre-fill my magazines before going to the range. I fully get why I can't, and agree with them
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Ummm... This is a new one on me. In my neck of the woods, never heard of it. So... What is the "reason" (you didn't mention) that they give?
 
"I'm curious as to the why as well. "

Kinda sounds like a scam to me. If you have product to sell, just say so.
 
Loading mags at the range is no big deal to me and I do it every time, although I don't know if it is required or not. I load 5rds at a time anyways to conserve ammo and stick with 5shot groups when paper target shooting. I cannot help you with magazine dimensions as I only have 1 Pistol and that is my 1911 single stack. It's mags are easy to load even to full capacity.

Have you heard of the uplula magazine loader? Sounds like it could be very similar to your device. I would be interested in seeing your loading device
 
The ranges around here want to inspect all ammo brought in, so I can see how there would be issues with having magazines preloaded. I generally bring a few friends though, which means I get to reload less magazines. In Virginia they didn't seem to care, as long as the ammo was safe for range use.
 
I have heard of ranges with that rule. I suppose they think it is some extra layer of safety so that someone can't just pop a loaded mag in at the loading bench and then sweep people turning around with a loaded pistol.

I can send along the measurements of the mags I have, but, OP you need to know that you are competing with the UpLula, which can be had for around $30, and loads pretty much every double-stack mag around with absolute ease. For someone with, say, three different types of pistol, you are going to have to sell them for less than $10 a piece to be price competitive, and even then you will have to overcome the idea of people carrying several brand-specific reloading devices of yours versus one UpLula. And several brands of pistols include simple mag loaders in their packaging, too, so you aren't going to get those sales.

I hate to rain on your parade, but this doesn't look like a money maker to me.
 
OK, I'll answer everyone :)

Several ranges by where I live, All of them are different in their rules. One does not allow handloaded ammo, so I can't go there at all. Another does not allow certain types of military ammo, and all of them do not allow steel core ammo. When you go into the range you have to have all the ammo you bring in 'checked in' where upon they flash a magnet sensor over all of it to make sure its all copper/lead and no steel.

I asked one time why this mattered and was told it had to do with the interior backstop and the damage that steel does vs lead. Of course the other reason for no loaded mags is safety; no loaded weapons allowed inside until your actually on the range.

Now as for what I make, it is certainly NOT an UPLA system. I have one of those and actually do not like it very much, but it DOES work. Just too much involved with using it. What I have done is created a simple slip over loader, based on others designs, that presses down the round allowing the next round to be slipped in with zero force, saves me a lot of time and really easy on my fingers. I have gone through many iterations of the device and finally have gotten it to the point where its nearly foolproof. I added in a thumb-hole so you can lower and raise the entire thing in one hand without having to rest the base on a table, thus my other hand simply feeds in the rounds and I have a 16 rnd mag filled in about 25 seconds.

Its most certainly not going to win any awards or anything, but it does work and most important: It costs me about $1 to make one. I merely plan to sell them for $4.99. Since I see people on Ebay and Amazon selling inferior items like what I made for upward of $12, and their selling over a thousand of them to date, I think I can certainly be very competitive with them.

This is all the reason I need measurements from different magazines; I certainly cant go out and buy one of each gun :P Most double stack mags have similar dimensions, but there are a few that are so different it requires a different build.

Well, that's my plan, and I'm sticking to it :)
 
You have thought of this of course, but having a custom loader for each weapon system is not practical. The UPlula, while not perfect, works well enough for a lot of different mags.

NO desire to rain on your parade, but the simple fact FOR ME is if I have one loader for six weapons, that works reasonably well, that beats six loaders for six weapons that work perfectly.

Perfect is the enemy of the good enough and all that.

Waiting to see how this works out !!!
 
"You have thought of this of course, but having a custom loader for each weapon system is not practical. The UPlula, while not perfect, works well enough for a lot of different mags.

NO desire to rain on your parade, but the simple fact FOR ME is if I have one loader for six weapons, that works reasonably well, that beats six loaders for six weapons that work perfectly.

Perfect is the enemy of the good enough and all that.

Waiting to see how this works out !!! "

Frankly, people like you are simply not my target market. Your absolutely right with your viewpoint. People that have more than 2 guns usually are avid enthusiasts and tend to have/want better quality accessories. I figure that people I find on forums like these fit that category and might be willing to send me measurements, but not actually buy what I want to sell; which is why I'm not marketing here :)
 
If you can market them for $5 you might get somewhere. I will get you the measurements on the pistols I own before the long weekend is over. (Can't jump right on it because I am in a wedding today for a young friend.)
 
Sfraden,

I wish you the best!

Gun people are an odd mix of the hopelessly traditional and the rabid modernists.

And just so you are aware, this whole magazine thing is just a fad. If you need more than six shots, you are in the wrong end of the discussion.
 
It costs me about $1 to make one. I merely plan to sell them for $4.99.
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I mean to rain on your parade.
Is that your material cost alone? Are you omitting other costs like electricity for your printer and depreciation of the machine and components?
Your time?(if it is just for fun time may not be necessary)
Is that $4.99 shipped?

I'll PM with the guns I have available to measure and you let me know wht you don;t have yet.
 
What kind of material are you printing that has enough strength to hold up. I prototype a lot of plastic parts out of various materials, and maybe it's just that our printers aren't the latest and greatest, but I don't really know of any 3D printed material that's strong enough to withstand any type of use.

I'm not criticizing at all, I'm honestly curious what you're using.


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Is that your material cost alone? Are you omitting other costs like electricity for your printer and depreciation of the machine and components?
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Yes and no. Literal material cost is like $.45, The rest of the cost is electric.

Your time?(if it is just for fun time may not be necessary)
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My time is everything else :)

Is that $4.99 shipped?
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My first sales is up on Ebay now, I am experimenting with $1 flat rate shipping fee and see how that goes.
 
What kind of material are you printing that has enough strength to hold up. I prototype a lot of plastic parts out of various materials, and maybe it's just that our printers aren't the latest and greatest, but I don't really know of any 3D printed material that's strong enough to withstand any type of use.
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I use both PLA and ABS. The PLA is easier to work with and makes a resulting harder item. The ABS is much harder to work with, but also makes a very strong item, if your machine can do it perfectly.

Most of the problem of strength of the part is a matter of design. With the proper bit of engineering thrown into the design, it can hold up very well in the long run. I use .2 layer height, 90% reticular infill, 3 layer solid walls (top and bottom), 100% extrusion rate at 40% speed. I went through a LOT of failed designs in my prototyping before coming up with this one :)
 
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