Best Ruger 10/22 Speed Loaders: Top 3 Expert Picks

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By Dennis Howard •  7 min read

The Ruger 10/22 is one of the most popular rimfire rifles among shooters. As a first rifle or as the platform for a dedicated competitive shooting rifle, the uses of the Ruger 10/22 are wide and varied. One problem for many shooters is keeping magazines loaded as avid shooters burn through 22 caliber ammunition rapidly. A good speed loader can be worth every penny it costs.

Finding the right speed loader for your Ruger 10/22 depends greatly on the style of shooting you prefer. A specialized speed loader is required if you typically only use the 5 round rotary magazines in your 10/22. If you routinely shoot larger capacity magazines, your thumb will certainly appreciate a speed loader designed for higher capacity magazines.

There are several high-quality speed loaders available for the Ruger 10/22. Here is our list of the most popular and best Ruger 10/22 speed loaders currently available.

SPEED LOADER DETAILS
  • Works with high-capacity magazines as well as with standard 5 shot rotary magazines .
  • Easy to use design makes filling standard and extended magazines almost effortless .
  • Small and relatively compact these speed loaders fit neatly into most range bags with little added weight .
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  • Works well right out of the box if you follow the instructions closely .
  • Works well with factory magazines and with Ruger 25-round extended magazines .
  • Economically priced. Well worth the cost.
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  • Virtually no feed issues with the Maglula speed loader .
  • Relieves the pressure on your thumbs .
  • Works well on rotary mags or extended magazines.
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Champion Traps and Targets Magazine Loader

Champion Traps and Targets Magazine Loader

Champion products are not as well-known as some others in the Ruger 10/22 aftermarket accessories industry. However, the Champion entry into the Ruger 10.22 speed loader market is remarkable and fast becoming a favorite among Ruger 10/22 shooters. 

The Champion Ruger 10/22 speed loaders are packed with features that make this a top pick on our list of Ruger 10/22 speed loaders. You won’t find much lacking when you consider the Champion speed loader for your range bag.

The Champion speed loader for the Ruger 10/22 gets good reviews from users. In general, the advantages of the Champion speed loader most often mentioned include:

Some users did express some problems. The main issues reported as disadvantages of the Champion Ruger 10/22 are:

Overall, the Champion speed loader gets on our list for Ruger 10/22 speed loaders for several reasons. The design of the feed ramps is great. The ability to load both factory rotary magazines and high-capacity aftermarket magazines is a big plus. With a Champion speed loader, you never need to carry different speed loaders for different magazines.

  • Works with high-capacity magazines as well as with standard 5 shot rotary magazines .
  • Easy to use design makes filling standard and extended magazines almost effortless .
  • Small and relatively compact these speed loaders fit neatly into most range bags with little added weight .
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Caldwell 22LR Rimfire Rotary Magazine Loader

Loader

The Caldwell rimfire rotary magazine loader seems to be a “love it or hate it” piece of equipment. The reviews for this speed loader are either highly rated or at the bottom of the scale.  Overall, we like Caldwell shooting accessories and have many in our range kits and on our bench. We have found the Caldwell tools and accessories to be reliable and affordable.

Looking at the features and options afforded by the Caldwell 22LR Rimfire Rotary Magazine Loader attests to what we have found to be true. Caldwell builds good equipment that usually works reliably at an affordable cost.

AS we said earlier, shooters seem to have a love-it-or-hate-it relationship with these speed loaders. Based on shooters comments online, the most common remarks include:

On the other end of the spectrum, the negative comments fall into these categories.

Overall, judging from the user comments, we feel that those who have had a bad experience with the Caldwell 22LR loader didn’t follow the directions. Many positive comments start with acknowledging that you must follow the instructions closely for the Caldwell speed loader to operate efficiently.

  • Works well right out of the box if you follow the instructions closely .
  • Works well with factory magazines and with Ruger 25-round extended magazines .
  • Economically priced. Well worth the cost.
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Maglula – Magazine Speed Loader for the Ruger 10/22

Size can be an issue for some people who want to regularly minimize the gear they carry to the shooting range. The Maglula speed loader for Ruger 10/22 magazines is the answer to minimizing the size and weight of the gear you carry. Maglula speed loaders for the Ruger 10/22 rifle could be the smallest and lightest weight speed loaders on the market.

Maglula has been developing and selling speed loaders for many years. Their experience in the speed loading field has gained a reputation for quality among shooters. I carry several caliber-specific Maglula speed loaders regularly and have always found them easy to use.

Looking at comments from users of the Maglula Ruger 10/22 rimfire speed loader is consistently positive about the features, use, and efficiency. Most shooters mention these advantages and positives of the Maglula Ruger 10/22 reloader.

Overall, we didn’t find any comments or remarks that would be classified as a disadvantage of the Maglula Ruger 10/22 speed loaders. Users are overwhelmingly positive about the quality of the construction, the ease of use, and the affordability of these speed loaders for the Ruger 10/22

  • Virtually no feed issues with the Maglula speed loader .
  • Relieves the pressure on your thumbs .
  • Works well on rotary mags or extended magazines.
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Our Choice of the Best Ruger 10/22 Speed Loaders Is

Our go-to speed loader for Ruger 10/22 magazines is the Caldwell rotary speed loader. Two factors influence our choice. The first is the capability to load both factory rotary magazines and extended magazines. Loading 5 round magazines is not a particular problem until you need to reload 5 or 10 rapidly to keep up with avid shooters on the practice range.

Secondly, Caldwell’s reputation for excellence and dependability must figure into our decision. We use a lot of Caldwell aftermarket parts and accessories and have been generally pleased with the results.


The Ruger 10/22 and Speed Loaders

The unique design of the Ruger 10/22 feed system and its revolutionary rotary magazine have prevented many companies from producing a dependable speed loader for this rifle. The speed loaders we have put on our list represent what we feel to be the most reliable and best-built speed loaders on the market.

Whichever speed loader you choose to pair with your Ruger 10/22, remember that the goal is to shoot safely and have fun. Reliving yourself of sore thumbs and tedious reloads is nice but should not be priorities when shooting.

Dennis Howard

A life long hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman, after surviving a devastating tornado in his home town, he saw the effects on people's lives as they struggled to cope. He built his first bugout bag a few weeks later and has been a dedicated prepper/survivalist since that time. After a career as a fireman, Dennis opened a retail store (FFL approved) catering to the military, law enforcement, and like-minded individuals. The store built their own AR platforms. Furthermore, Dennis was also an NRA instructor in both long gun and handgun as well as a certified range safety officer. Read his full interview here.