CARTRIDGE LOADING DEVICE

Abstract

A device for loading cartridge ammunition into magazines for firearms. The device comprises a base at a first end of a rear slot for engaging with a magazine feed. At least one guide rail located within the rear slot is adapted to locate the cartridge substantially in a loading orientation such that cartridges are presented to be loaded into a magazine feed when it the feed is engaged by the base.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for loading cartridge ammunition into magazines for firearms.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Firearm magazines are typically loaded by inserting cartridges manually, one at a time into a magazine feed. This is typically time consuming and sometimes a misfeed occurs, especially under stressful conditions.

An object of the invention is to provide a device to facilitate and accelerate the feeding of cartridge ammunition into magazine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for loading cartridge ammunition into a magazine, the device comprising: a rear slot for receiving an end of a cartridge, a base at a first end of the slot for engaging with a magazine feed, and at least one guide rail within the rear slot which in use engages with a rim of the cartridge, characterised in that the at least one guide rail is adapted to locate the cartridge substantially in a loading orientation so that, when the magazine feed is engaged by the base, the cartridge is presented to be loaded into the magazine feed and resiliently deformable clips are provided at an upper end and at a lower end of the guide rail, and at a lower end of a front slot.

The rear slot may receive individual ends of a plurality of cartridges, whose rims may be engaged by the at least one guide rail in use, which may be located in the loading orientation by the at least one guide rail, and which may be presented to be loaded into the magazine feed when the magazine feed is engaged by the base.

In some embodiments, the rear slot and the at least one guide rail may be adapted to locate the cartridge or cartridges in the loading orientation, either independently or in conjunction with one another.

In use, a stack of cartridges may be held by the device with their rear ends located within the rear slot, the at least one guide rail may retain the cartridges within the rear slot, the device may engage the feed of a magazine to be loaded, and the cartridges may be pushed or otherwise displaced along the length of the slot and guide rail into the feed. In this way, the device may facilitate the loading of magazines with cartridge ammunition.

The loading orientation may be with respect to the base. Preferably, the loading orientation is the orientation at which a magazine feed engaged by the base presents cartridges for extraction by a firearm.

Ammunition cartridges typically comprise a radially extending rim (or flange) at their rear ends (the purpose of which is to facilitate the extraction of cartridges from a firearm by the extractor of the firearm). On some cartridges (known as rimmed cartridges) the rim has a greater diameter than the remainder of the cartridge and extends directly from the base of the cylindrical propellant casing, other cartridges (known as rimless, semi-rimmed, rebated rim, or belted cartridges) comprise a rim which may have a diameter equal to, slightly greater than, or less than, that of the cylindrical propellant casing, but define a circumferential radially indented extractor groove between around the base of the cartridge, between the rim and the remainder of the cartridge.

It is understood that where the at least one guide rails is described as engaging with the rim or a cartridge, it may be understood as engaging with the extractor groove (one side of which is defined by the rim of the cartridge).

The device may be used and/or configured to load a variety of different magazines. Individual embodiments of the device may be dimensioned or otherwise configured to engage with, and/or be used to load a specific type of magazine, a selection of magazines, or any appropriately dimensioned magazine. Other embodiments may be adjustable so as to engage with, and/or be used to load a greater variety of magazines.

These magazines may be detachable magazines, integral magazines, box magazines, casket magazines, drum magazines, saddle-drum magazines, and/or pan magazines.

A magazine feed (or magazine mouth) is the aperture through which cartridges are loaded into a magazine, it is typically also the aperture through which cartridges are removed from the magazine, or from which cartridges are extracted by a firearm.

The feed is typically defined by a pair of feed lips which define the longitudinal sides of the (typically substantially rectangular) feed.

The end or ends of the one or more cartridges received by the rear slot may be the rear ends of the cartridges. The cartridge ends may be insert-able into, retained within, displaceable within or along, and/or displaceable out of the rear slot. In preferred embodiments, the ends of the cartridges may be displaceable lengthways into and/or out of one or both of the ends of the rear slot (which may be open) and may be displaceable along the length of the slot but may not be displaceable depth-wise out of the slot.

In embodiments wherein the rear slot and guide rail receive, engage with the rims of, and locate in the loading orientation a plurality of cartridges, the rear slot and/or the guide rail may retain the cartridges substantially parallel to one another and may thereby prevent the cartridges from becoming substantially displaced from the loading orientation whilst being delivered from the slot.

The loading orientation is the angular arrangement in three dimensions substantially within which one or more cartridges are held by the device (by rear slot and guide rail thereof) and may be defined with reference to the base of the device. In use cartridges may be delivered from the rear slot and the device into feed of a magazine engaged by the device.

Cartridges within the loading orientation are preferably at the same angle with respect to magazine feed as cartridges in the extraction position of an at least partially loaded magazine whose feed is engaged by the base. The extraction position of a magazine being the position where a cartridge is presented for extraction into the chamber of a firearm.

The cartridge that in the extraction position of a magazine is the most recently loaded cartridges and is located at the feed of the magazine (in a typical detachable box magazine these cartridges are held between one or both of the feed lips of a magazine and either the follower or another cartridge). This is the orientation in which cartridges are loaded into a magazine. The cartridge in this extraction position may have same orientation as any other cartridges within magazine, or may not, depending upon the shape or curvature of the magazine.

The orientation at which a magazine is engaged by the base, and/or the angle at which a magazine is held when engaged by the base may be fixed, or may be limited to a selection or range of angles.

The at least one guide rail may locate the plurality of cartridges (whose ends are retained therein) in the loading orientation, in conjunction with the rear slot, and/or in conjunction with one or more other components of the device (such as an optional forward slot). The at least one guide rail (and/or the rear slot or any other components of the device) may provide sufficient friction to retain cartridges in the loading orientation when they are inserted therein, or are manually reoriented thereto. In some embodiments, the cartridges may be held substantially in the loading orientation by friction between the at least one guide rail and the rims and/or the extractor grooves (which are at least partially defined by the rims) of the one or more cartridges.

The rear slot, and/or the at least one guide rail may restrict the range of angles at which cartridges whose ends are received therein may be held. The rear slot (and optionally other components) may be dimensioned so as to restrict cartridges whose ends are received therein to lie with their longitudinal axes substantially within a plane orthogonal to the width of the slot.

The device may comprise components (such as clips at one or more ends of the rear and/or front slots) which may restrict the angles at which cartridges displaced to the first end and/or the distal second end of the rear slot (for example, by gravity, by a user, or by other cartridges within the slot) may be held. For example, the device may comprise retaining elements which may prevent the longitudinal axes of cartridges whose ends are received by the rear slot from being displaced out of a rectangular plane, one edge of which is defined by longitudinal axis of the rear slot.

In some embodiments cartridges whose rear ends are received by the rear slot may be retained in the loading orientation by other cartridges. For example, the side walls of the rear slot (and/or other components such as the at least one guide rail, or an optional front slot) may retain the cartridge within a plane orthogonal to the width of the slot, and adjacent cartridges in the loading orientation may restrict the cartridge to the loading orientation.

A plurality of cartridges may form a stack of parallel cartridges, the cartridge at one or both of ends of which may be retained in the loading orientation may retaining elements at one of ends of the slot, and the remaining cartridges may be displaced into and/or retained in the loading orientation by being pressed into the end cartridges (for example by gravity, or by a user). In some situations, the entire length of the slot may be filled with the ends of cartridges which form a stack of cartridges, one or both end cartridges of which are retained in the loading orientation by retaining means, such that the remainder of the cartridges are maintained parallel to each other in the loading orientation.

The guide rail and/or the rear slot may retain the cartridges parallel to each other, and/or in the loading orientation by engaging with the rims of the cartridges whose ends are retained by the rear slot. The guide rail may restrict the available orientation of the ends of the cartridges within the rear slots, for example in some embodiments the at least one guide rail may contact the forward faces of the rims and may thereby hold the rear faces of the rims (the rear faces of the cartridges) against an interior wall of the slot (for example the wall of the slot opposite its longitudinal opening). This may prevent the cartridge from being rotated within the rear slot, and may retain the cartridges parallel to each other in the loading orientation.

The guide rail may also retain the cartridges within the slot and/or may prevent depth-wise displacement of the cartridges (and/or the rims thereof) into and/or out of the slot.

The ends of cartridges received by the rear slot may be received such that the rims of the cartridges (located at their rear ends) are located within the rear slot. The front or bullet ends of the cartridges may extend forwards from the rear slot, these ends may be enclosed within another component of the device (such as an optional front slot) or may be unconstrained. In the loading orientation the cartridges may extends forwards from the rear slot and their longitudinal axes may be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rear slot

The cartridges whose rear ends are received by the rear slot may be free to move within and/or along length of the rear slot. In preferred embodiments, the rear slot and/or the at least one guide rail may retain cartridges in the loading orientation as they are displaced along the length of the rear slot.

The rear slot may be an elongate groove and may have open ends which may be arranged for the receipt of cartridge ends therein, or the removal of cartridge ends therefrom

The base may engage with the feed of the magazine such that cartridges may be displaced from the rear slot into the magazine. In some embodiments, the base may engage with the feed of a magazine such that cartridges may be slid out of the first end of the slot (which may be an open end of the slot) into the feed of the magazine, preferably when the base has engaged the feed of the magazine, cartridges cannot be displaced out of the first end of the rear slot without being displaced into the magazine.

The base may engage the feed of the magazine such that the open first end of the rear slot is at the rear end of the feed of the magazine, and the longitudinal opening of the slot faces forwards along the length of the feed of the magazine (such that cartridges with their rear ends in the plot are in the correct orientation to be loaded into the magazine).

For example, the base may engage the magazine such that the open first end of the slot is located adjacent to and/or directly above the rear end of the feed of the magazine, such that a cartridge may pass out of the open end of the slot into the magazine. The base may engage with the magazine such that the longitudinal opening of the slot is facing forwards along the magazine.

The base may engage the magazine such that the rear slot is normal to the feed of the magazine (such that cartridges with their rear ends in the slot, which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the slot, will be parallel to the feed of the magazine).

The base may engage with the magazine by fitting onto, fitting partially around, partially enclosing, and/or entirely enclosing the feed of the magazine, the top of the magazine, and/or other parts of the magazine which surround the feed (for example, the feed lips of the magazine). The base may releasably connect to the magazine.

The base may comprise a socket into which the magazine may be inserted. The socket may be—or may have the shape or dimensions of—a magazine well which may correspond to the magazine.

The base may releasably connect to the magazine, for example, the base may be dimensioned to form an interference fit between the device and a magazine with which the base has engaged. In some embodiments, the base may comprise a magazine release catch mechanism, which may operate in and/or have the same design as the magazine release catch of a firearm. For example, the base may comprise a spring-loaded detest which may engage with an aperture or indent in the magazine when the base engages with the magazine.

The base may comprise an indent, notch, slot, aperture, or recess for receiving a portion of the magazine. This portion may be, or may comprise the top of, the feed of, and/or the feed lips of the magazine. Alternatively, or additionally, the base may fit partially or entirely into the feed of the magazine.

The base may comprise an aperture, passage, chute, slot, or notch dimensioned and arranged to allow passage of a cartridge therethrough. The aperture, passage, slot, or notch may allow access to the feed of a magazine with which the base is engaged, and may allow cartridges to be inserted therethrough into the feed. Preferably, aperture, passage, slot, or notch may be dimensioned so as to allow cartridges to pass therethrough with their longitudinal axis perpendicular to their direction of travel (such that they can be loaded into a magazine feed parallel to the aperture. In use, the aperture, passage, slot, or notch may fit over and/or conform substantially to the shape of the feed of a magazine with which the base is engaged. The aperture, passage, or slot may define a chute which in use may guide cartridges which are inserted therethrough (in the correct orientation) into the feed of a magazine engaged by the base.

The aperture, passage, chute, slot, or notch may be located at the end of and/or along a portion of the length of the rear slot, this may allow a cartridge to be displaced along and/or out of the end of the rear slot. In preferred embodiments, the rear slot extends into and along a wall of the aperture, passage, slot, or notch, such that in use the open first end of the rear slot is at the rear end of the feed of the feed of a magazine engaged by the slot.

The device may define a pathway, track or channel within which cartridges may be held, along which cartridges may be displaced, and from the end of which cartridges may be displaced into the feed of a magazine. This pathway, track or channel may be located adjacent to, and along the length of the rear slot. The pathway, track or channel may comprise an empty space dimensioned receive a stack of parallel cartridges with their rear ends located within the rear slot. The passageway may extend through, and/or may be partially defined by the optional aperture, passage, chute, slot, or notch in the base. The pathway, track, or channel may be located between the rear slot and a front slot which may receive the front ends of the cartridges whose rear ends are within the rear slot, the front and rear slots may be straight and parallel so as to define a linear pathway, track, or channel. The pathway, track, or channel may be parallel to the direction in which cartridges are loaded into a magazine (the direction of the spring comprised by the magazine).

The base may be dimensioned and/or shaped such that it will only engage with a magazine (or only engage to the extent that cartridges may be displaced into the magazine) if the base is correctly located and/or oriented with respect to the magazine (for example, with the rear slot at the rear of the magazine, such that cartridges loaded therefrom will be pointing in the correct direction). The base may be keyed such that it will only engage with the magazine in such an arrangement. The base may comprise a key which may only fit into the magazine when the device is in the correct location and/or arrangement with respect to the magazine.

The rear slot may be an elongate groove which may be substantially cuboid and may comprise only a single longitudinal opening. The width of the longitudinal opening may be equal to the width of the slot, or may be narrower than the width of the slot. In some embodiments, the width of the longitudinal opening of the slot may be equal to, or slightly greater than the diameter of the body of the cartridges.

In embodiments where the width of slot is greater than the width of the longitudinal opening the additional width may accommodate the guide rails and/or the rims of the cartridges.

The rear slot may have one or two open ends which may be at the upper end and/or the base end of the device. In use cartridges may be inserted into the rear slot, and/or displaced out of the rear slot through one or both of the open ends. In some embodiments, clips (for example, clips comprised by the guide rails) may prevent cartridges from being unintendedly displaced out of one or both of the ends of the rear slot. In other embodiments one or both of the rear slots may comprise means to close them, for example removable insert-able plugs, or displaceable end covers or flaps.

The rear slot may be straight, may extend from and/or be normal to the base of the device. In some embodiments, the longitudinal axis of the rear slot is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of cartridges in the loading orientation.

In some embodiments, the device comprises a front slot which may receive second ends of the cartridges whose first ends are received by the rear slot. The front slot may receive the front (bullet) ends of the cartridges.

The front slot may be parallel, and may face towards the opening of the rear slot. The front slot may be an elongate groove and may comprise only a single longitudinal opening. The width of the longitudinal opening of the front slot may be substantially equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the neck of the cartridges.

The front and rear cartridges may define a track or pathway within which cartridges may be held and/or along which cartridges may be displaced. The track may have entirely, or partially open sides intermediate the front and rear cartridges, and may extend through an aperture in the base of the device, the track may be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of cartridges in the loading orientation.

The device may comprise a pair of guide rails for engaging with the rims of the cartridges, which may be parallel to each other. The guide rail(s) may engage and/or interlock with the extractor grooves defined by the rims of the cartridges. The guide rail(s) may extend along the length of the rear slot.

Cartridges may be free to slide along the rail(s) or may be held in position along the rails unless manually displaced, for example by friction between the cartridges and the walls of the rear slot, the optional front slot, and/or the guide rail.

The one or more guide rails may comprise one or more clips at one or both of their ends which may retain cartridges on the rails and/or within the front and/or rear slot.

These clips may comprise one or more flexible and/or resiliently deformable protrusions which may extend width-wise within the rear slot.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the Figures, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a device for loading cartridge ammunition into a magazine containing fifteen cartridges;

FIG. 2 is an overall view of an upper end of the device containing a single cartridge; and

FIG. 3 is an end view of the base of the device containing at least one cartridge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Referring to the figures generally there is shown an embodiment of a device 100 for loading cartridge ammunition into a magazine. The device 100 comprises: a base 110 for engaging with a magazine (not shown) and the feed thereof; and a shaft within which cartridges 200 are held and along which cartridges 200 are displaced.

In use, the base 110 engages with a magazine, and cartridges 200 are displaced from the shaft into feed of the magazine.

The body of the device 100 comprises the base 110 and forward and rear column portions 122, 132 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, from the base 110 to the upper end of the device 100 from the base. A notch is defined between the column portions 122, 132. The notch is generally cuboid and is bordered by the forward column portion 132 on a forward face, by the base 110 on a lower face and by the rear column portion 122 on a rear face. The side and upper faces of the notch being open.

The device 100 is herein described as if the base 110 is at the lower end of the device 100, with shaft along which cartridges pass being vertical. It will be appreciated that in use the device may be reoriented such that for example, the upper end is actually below the base 110, and/or the longitudinal axis of the shaft (and of any components parallel thereto) is no longer vertical.

Cartridges 200 held by the device within the shaft 100 are held parallel to each other, with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the vertical longitudinal axes of the shaft. The forward and rear of the device 100 corresponding to the forward and rear ends of cartridges 200 held therein.

The base comprises a vertical aperture 112 formed therethrough, the aperture being dimensioned to allow the passage of a forward pointing cartridge 200 with a horizontal longitudinal axis. The aperture connects the notch to a socket 114 formed in the lower end of the base 110.

The device comprises front and rear slots 120, 130 which receive the front and rear ends of cartridges 200 held by the device 100 respectively. The front and rear slots 120, 130 are elongate open-ended grooves with vertical longitudinal axes.

The forward slot 130 extends from the upper end of the device 100, along the forward wall of the notch (in the rear face of the forward column portion 132 of the body of the device 100) into the aperture 112 in the base 110, along the forward face of the interior of the aperture 112 and to the socket 114 in the base 110.

The rear slot 120 extends from the upper end of the device 100, along the rear wall of the notch (in the forward face of the rear column portion 122 of the body of the device 100) into the aperture 112 in the base 110, along the rear face of the interior of the aperture 112 and to the socket 114 in the base 110.

The front and rear slots 130, 120 are parallel to each other and have rearward facing and forward facing longitudinal openings respectively; the longitudinal openings of the front and rear slots 130, 120 face towards each other, so as to allow cartridges to be held with their opposite ends in the two slots.

The width of the opening of the front slot 130 is narrower (width-wise) than that of the rear slot 120 as it is dimensioned to receive the narrower front (bullet) ends of cartridges 200—in the illustrated embodiment the width of the opening of the front slot 130 is equal to the width of the neck 210 of a cartridge 200.

The width of the opening of the rear slot 120 is wider than that of the front slot as it is dimensioned to receive the wider rear ends of cartridges 200—in the illustrated embodiment, the width of the opening of the rear slot 120 is equal to that of the body 220 of the cartridge (the cylindrical propellant carrying chamber). In use rear slot 120 receives the rear end of the cartridge 200 including a portion of the body 220, the rim 230, and the extractor groove 240.

The width of the interior of rear slot 120 is greater than that of the opening of the rear slot, allowing it to accommodate a pair of guide rails, in addition to the rear of cartridges 200. In alternative unillustrated embodiments, this greater width may also accommodate cartridge rims 230 which have greater diameters than their associated bodies 220, such as in rimmed or semi-rimmed cartridges 200, or may accommodate belts on belted cartridges 200 which have greater diameters than the remainders of the bodies 220 of the belted cartridges 200.

The shaft of the device 100 extends vertically through the device 100 from its upper end to the socket 114 formed in the base 110. The shaft is defined between the forward and rear slots 130, 120 which define the forward and rear sides of the shaft. The length of the shaft extends from the top of the notch, to the bottom of the shaft, and through the aperture 112 in the base 110. The aperture 112 defines and surrounds the lower-most end of the shaft.

The shaft is dimensioned to allow forward pointing cartridges 200 with their longitudinal axes horizontal, their front ends in the front slot 130, and their rear ends in their rear slots 120 to be located within the shaft at any point along its length.

In use cartridges 200 may inserted into the shaft (preferably by inserting their ends into the open ends of the front and rear slots 130, 120 at the upper end of the device 100), may be displaced along the length of the shaft (while maintaining the cartridges 200 substantially horizontal and with their front and rear ends in the front and rear slots 130, 120), and may be displaced out of the lower end of the shaft into the socket 114, or a magazine there engaged (by displacing the ends of the cartridge 200 out of the lower open ends of the front and rear slots 130, 120 which open into the socket 114).

The base 110 comprises a socket 114 formed in its lower end dimensioned to receive the upper end of a magazine. The socket 114 has the dimensions of a firearm magazine well, so as to securely receive the upper end of a magazine and to locate the feed of the magazine for cartridges 200 to be fed thereinto.

An aperture 112, is formed in the upper face of the socket 114 and is arranged such that it is located above the feed of a magazine inserted into the socket 114, and that cartridges pushed through the aperture 112 along the front and rear slots 120, 130 will be delivered into the feed of magazine, and hence loaded thereinto.

The socket 114 is dimensioned to only receive a magazine in the correct direction, and comprises a key 116 which obstructs a magazine from being inserted in the wrong orientation.

In the illustrated embodiment, the socket 114 is dimensioned to receive the upper end of a STANAG (Trade Mark) magazine, and the slots 120, 130, the guide rails 140, the shaft and the aperture 112 are dimensioned to hold and allow passage of 5.56×45 mm NATO cartridges 200.

The key 116 of the illustrated socket 114 is a narrower portion of the socket which in use receives a narrower portion of a STANAG (Trade Mark) magazine which runs along the rear ends of the magazine (sometimes known as an alignment rib). This prevents the magazine being inserted front to back.

The magazine comprises a pair of guide rails 140 which extend parallel to each other within and along the length of the rear slot 120. In use, the guide rails 140 interlock with and are located within the extractor groove 240 of the cartridges 200 which is defined by the rims 230 of the cartridges. The cartridges prevent the rims 230 from being displaced depth-wise out of the rear slot, thereby preventing the cartridges from being displaced out of the rear slot 120 except when they are slid out of the open ends of the rear slot 120.

In some variations of the illustrated embodiment, the guide rails may brace the rims 230 and rear ends of the cartridges against the planar rear wall of the rear slot thereby holding the cartridges in a horizontal orientation as is required for loading into a magazine.

Friction between the guide rails 140 and the cartridges 200 prevent the cartridges 200 from sliding freely along the length of the rear slot, and the geometry of the guide rails prevent the cartridges 200 from twisting with respect to the device 100. This allows the cartridges 200 to maintain their horizontal loading orientation, and position along the length of the slot, without for example being displaced therefrom by gravity (this is illustrated in FIG. 2 which shows a single cartridge being supported in the horizontal orientation at the top of the rear slot 120 without a stack of cartridges underneath it).

The device further comprises three sets of resiliently deformable clips 150 at the upper end of the guide rails, at the lower end of the guide rails, and at the lower end of the front slot 130.

The clips 150 at the upper and lower ends of the guide rails 140 retain cartridges 200 within the rear slot 120 and on the guide rails 140, unless the cartridges are forced passed the clips 150 by a user. The resiliently deformable clips 150 comprising inwardly (width-wise with respect to the rear slot 120) extending protrusions such that the separation of the clips 150 at the upper end of the guide rails is less than the diameter of the cartridges 200 at the extractor groove 240.

The clips 150 at the lower end of the front slot prevent the forward end of any of the cartridges 200 being inadvertently displaced out of the aperture 112 at the end of the slots 120, 130 and into the socket 114. A cartridge 200 supported by the clips 150 at the lower ends of each of the slots 120, 130 will be in the loading orientation (with its longitudinal axis horizontal) such that if it displaced downwards it will be displaced through the clips 150 into the socket 114, and the feed of any magazine inserted therein.

In use, a plurality of cartridges 200 (up to fifteen—half of the capacity of typical thirty round rifle magazine) are held and stacked parallel to each other within the shaft of the device 100. These cartridges are accessible through the sides of the notch. A user may insert an unloaded, or partially loaded magazine into the socket 114, and a user may then press downwards on the stacked cartridges 200, pushing them down the shaft, along the slots 120, 130, through the aperture 112 and into the feed of the engaged magazine, until all the cartridges 200 have been loaded or the magazine is full.

The device further comprises a width-wise aperture 118 defined by a loop forward of and adjacent to the base 110, for receipt of a carabineer clip. The device is dimensioned and shaped to be held in a single hand, and comprises a non-slip matt-black finish. The device is generally ruggedized, waterproof, and designed for outdoor use in a variety of temperatures and ambient conditions.

The invention has been described by way of example only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the embodiment described above without departing from the scope of the invention.

COMPONENTS

• Device 100
• Base 110
• Aperture 112
• Socket 114
• Key 116
• Carabineer Aperture 118
• Rear Slot 120
• Rear Column 122
• Front Slot 130
• Front Column 132
• Guide Rails 140
• Clips 150
• Cartridge 200
• Neck 210
• Body 220
• Rim 230
• Extractor Groove 240

Claims

1. A device for loading cartridge ammunition into a magazine, the device comprising:

a rear slot for receiving an end of a cartridge,

a base at a first end of the rear slot for engaging with a magazine feed, and

at least one guide rail within the rear slot which in use engages with a rim of the cartridge,

characterised in that the at least one guide rail is adapted to locate the cartridge substantially in a loading orientation such that when the magazine feed is engaged by the base, the cartridge is presented to be loaded into the magazine feed and resiliently deformable clips are provided at an upper end and at a lower end of the guide rail, and at a lower end of a front slot.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the rear slot receives a plurality of cartridges, and the at least one guide rail engages with rims of the plurality of cartridges and locates the cartridges in the loading orientation such that the cartridges are presented to be loaded into the magazine feed.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the loading orientation is an orientation at which the magazine feed engaged by the base presents cartridges for extraction by a firearm.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the rear slot is for receiving the rear ends of one or more cartridges.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the base releasably connects to a magazine which comprises the magazine feed.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein in use the base encloses the feed of the magazine.

7. A device according to claim 1 wherein the base comprises a socket for receiving a magazine which comprises the magazine feed.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein the base is dimensioned such that it only engages with the magazine feed in a specific orientation.

9. A device according to claim 1 wherein the base comprises an aperture through which cartridges may be displaced from the rear slot into the magazine feed engaged by the base.

10. A device according to claim 1 wherein a longitudinal axis of the rear slot is normal to the base.

11. A device according to claim 1 wherein the rear slot is arranged such that in use it extends from a rear end of the magazine feed engaged by the base.

12. A device according to claim 1 wherein the rear slot has open ends through which rear ends of cartridges may be slid into and out of the rear slot.

13. A device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one guide rail engages with an extractor groove of the cartridge.

14. A device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one guide rail comprises two guide rails.

15. A device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one guide rail extends along a length of the rear slot.

16. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a clip at a first end of the rear slot for preventing cartridges sliding freely out of an end of the rear slot.

17. A device according to claim 16 further comprising a clip at a second end of the rear slot opposite the first end of the rear slot for preventing cartridges sliding freely out of the end of the rear slot.

18. A device according to claim 16 wherein the clip is comprised by the at least one guide rail.

19. A device according to claim 16 wherein the clip is resiliently deformable.

20. A device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one guide rail prevents cartridges from being displaced depth-wise out of the rear slot.

21. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a front slot for receiving front ends of the cartridges whose rear ends are received by the rear slot.

22. A device according to claim 21 wherein the front slot is parallel to the rear slot.

23. A device according to claim 21 wherein a longitudinal opening of the front slot is opposite a longitudinal opening of the rear slot.