Question re: military 5.56, bandoliers, and...

[Mike Irwin]

the magazine loading keys.

I bought some of the Radway Green ammo from AIM a few weeks ago, and it came with a bunch of bandoliers and new stripper clips.

As I clipped the ammo and dropped it into the bandoliers, it dawned on me... There's no place on the bandolier for the magazine loading key.

Any of you military types know if the loading keys are included with the bandoliers?

I seem to vaguely recall that the magazine pouches for the M-14 had a little slot where the loading key was to be stored.

Is that the same for the military .223 pouches?

[cheygriz]

Never used Radway, but the American GI surplus I've used always had the magazine adapter key safety pinned to the cloth of the bandolier.:confused:

[HorseSoldier]

Never used Radway Green 5.56mm or seen their bandoliers, but USGI speed loaders are packed in one of the pockets on the bandolier along with 30 rounds in cardboard and on stripper clips (plenty of room since the USGI 5.56mm bandoliers are set up to take 30 round magazines after you pull the white thread). One speed loader per bandolier.

[hoytinak]

Yep, just loaded a couple mags today on stripper clips. There is suppossed to be one speed loader per bandoier. Our's (military issue) isn't clipped on it's just tucked in one of the pockets with the 30 rounds.

[Mike Irwin]

OK, you all call the loading keys "speed loaders"?

Interesting.

Thanks, Hoyt, I really wondered where the device was supposed to go.

I think, though, that I like the safety pin idea. I'm going to take the three bandoliers I've loaded so far and safety pin a loading key to each one.

I picked up a couple dozen clips and half a dozen or so loading keys a few months ago.