Magazine Loaders
We all know a magazine loader can simplify the task of loading a magazine. This can be especially true with Glock 44 magazines.
The OEM Glock 44 magazine has rather effective load assist tabs, however, the load assist tabs are oftened removed to increase the capacity (e.g., cut-down follower and/or magazine extension). A magazine loader can be very beneficial in this situation.
The ProMag Industries Glock 44 18-round magazine has load assist tabs, however, they're small. This combined with the ProMag magazine's double-stack design and stout spring make a magazine loader even more beneficial.
There are two basic styles of magazine loader ...
One style wraps around the magazine (i.e., wrap-around style) and leverages the load assist tabs. This is very effective with the ProMag magazine. However, obviously, this style of magazine loader doesn't work with a magazine without load assist tabs.
The "hood style" magazine loader slips over the magazine and a post in the top of the hood depresses the top-most round. Some GlockTalk community members have expressed concern with this style of magazine loader denting .22 LR rounds, especially with the ProMag magazine. The OEM Glock 44 magazine spring and Walther springs are less stout. This may ease concerns. The hood style magazine loaders have proven effective with the OEM Glock 44 magazine.
The
maglula UpLULA is a popular magazine loader, however, the UpLULA doesn't support the OEM Glock 44 magazine nor ProMag Industries Glock 44 18-round magazine at this time (September 2020).
spectrumadvmfg (eBay)
spectrumadvmfg (eBay) offers a 3D-printed Glock 44 magazine loader,
Initial Evaluation
OEM Glock 44 Magazine
Note: The spectrumadvmfg magazine loader was designed to be used with the OEM Glock 44 magazine ... assumingly
with its load assist tabs. This evaluation was conducted with the load assist tabs removed. Of course, a magazine loader is most beneficial in the absence of load assist tabs.
The spectrumadvmfg is a "hood style" magazine loader (i.e., a hood slips over the magazine and a post in the top of the hood depresses the top-most round).
There's a considerable amount of "slop" from side to side. This
may be due to the absence of the load assist tabs. The post seems to catch on one side of the magazine "mouth" more so than the other. Of course, if the post is positioned directly over the last round, the magazine loader works fine. There is a little slop from front to back, however, the post doesn't seem to catch on the mouth of the magazine.
ETA: This evaluation was conducted with an "Alex Alex" cut-down follower. In loading the first round, the post in the top of the hood presses down on the rear of the follower. This cants the front of the cut-down follower up and it catches on the front of the magazine. This issue is likely specific to the cut-down follower and is remedied my manually loading the first round.
The spectrumadvmfg magazine loader was able to successfully load all 15 rounds in an "Alex Alex" Glock 44 magazine. In short, the magazine loader works as designed.
ProMag Industries Glock 44 18-Round Magazine
Note: The spectrumadvmfg magazine loader was
not specifically designed to be used with the ProMag Industries Glock 44 18-round magazine.
The spectrumadvmfg magazine loader with the ProMag Industries Glock 44 18-round magazine exhibits similar slop and challenges from side-to-side. However, unlike the OEM Glock 44 magazine, the slop from front to back seems more apt to catch on the (back of the) mouth of the magazine.
The spectrumadvmfg magazine loader starts to struggle around round eight. The ProMag magazine spring is stout. The spectrumadvmfg magazine loader simply doesn't seem up to the task. This is likely not specific to the spectrumadvmfg magazine loader, but rather hood style magazine loaders in general.
A magazine loader that takes advantage of the ProMag magazine load assist tabs may be a better choice. Alternatively, GlockTalk community members are evaluating the OEM Glock 44 magazine spring and Walther 15+1 spring in the ProMag magazine. This shorter and light-gauge spring may make the spectrumadvmfg magazine loader viable with the ProMag magazine, respectively.
Mr. 380 EZ Products
ProMag Industries Glock 44 18-Round Magazine Loader
This is a wrap-around style magazine loader. More so than most other magazines (G44 or otherwise), the way in which the ProMag magazine is loaded is crucial. There's a fair amount of friction between the magazine loader and the magazine. The follower / load assist tabs don't relax between rounds as well as in the absence of a magazine loader. The key is to load rounds as if you didn't have a magazine loader (or load assist tabs) and use the magazine loader to assist in depressing the load assist tabs, rather than solely using the magazine loader to depress the load assist tabs to the point you can easily slip in the next round. At that point, you've likely depressed the load assist tabs too far. The magazine loader must allow the follower / load assist tabs to relax between rounds in order to maintain pressure on the previous round(s).
ViperR (DIY)
And make sure to check out the
ViperR Glock 44 Magazine Loader (DIY modified OEM Glock 9 mm / .40 S&W magazine loader).
Note: The author has found the ViperR Glock 44 magazine loader to be very effective with an OEM Glock 44 magazine (with and without the load assist tabs).
