The UpLULA Universal Pistol Magazine Loader from Butler Creek is not a new product. In fact, this product has been around for some time. But I still felt compelled to discuss this awesome product since it is a must-have product on every trip to the range.

Butler Creek, an innovative sporting goods manufacturer, offers a wide variety of product including scope covers ( the Flip-Open covers are incredible ), firearm and binocular slings, Ruger 10/22 accessories and magazine loaders. Butler-Creek is part of Bushnell (other Bushnell companies include Bolle, Serengeti, Final Approach, Tasco, Uncle Mike’s, Hoppe’s, Stoney Point, Simmons, and Millet) based in Overland Park, KS.

Now, on to the UpLULA Pistol Loader. I have thought a lot about how to describe this product. Other sites also attempt to put into words how the UpLULA has become so popular and basically indispensable to anyone loading magazines. So, how does this thing work? More importantly, how does it help? I will definitely describe it a little differently than most…okay, A LOT different! The UpLULA loader to me is an artificial finger, in most cases really a thumb. The most uncomfortable and tiring part of loading magazines is holding the spring on the magazine down to insert the bullet. Although doing this a time or two is not too bad, loading magazines multiple times does takes its toll. This is where the UpLULA earns its keep!

The way the UpLULA works is by squeezing the handle and holding it over the magazine. When you do this, an extended tab depresses the magazine for you and all you do is basically lay the bullet into the magazine. Once the bullet is in place, let out the handle, move it up over the bullet you just loaded and squeeze again. It does require both hands and takes some time to get the hang of it, but I can assure you it wont be long before it is second nature. After you get comfortable using it, loading magazines will be quick and easy. Most estimate once you get used to it, you can load a bullet a second. That might be a tad fast, but nonetheless it is going to make it quick.

Butler Creek does provide a good video of the UpLULA in action. You can check it out here, http://www.butler-creek.com/products/lula_pistol_loader.html.

You can find the product on our site here...http://www.gungearusa.com/Products-MAGAZINE_LOADERS.html

Thanks for checking this review out and please always feel free to offer our comments and personal observations.

Rory Tipton | Gun Gear USA

rtipton@gungearusa.com

Hogue Grips are likely best known for their Molded Rubber Grips product line. Hogue developed a revolutionary line of soft, rubber grips for pistols and rifles that places them as the leader in this category. Hogue grips make a perfect addition to your weapon for a custom, comfortable and recoil-absorbing grip. Hogue grips are soft and very comfortable in your grip, but not spongy feeling.

Hogue offers well over 100 molded rubber grips for a huge variety of guns. Although the most popular color available is black, there are several models available in desert tan, OD green and now pink! For a relatively low price, changing grips on your gun may very well be the most affordable custom option available.

I recently added a set of Hogue grips (Hogue Model # 66000) to my Taurus .357 Magnum revolver. As you can see, it transformed it from a traditional style revolver to a more tactical look. As for feel and performance…wow! The gun really fits in my hand like a well-designed glove. My fingers follow the grooves perfectly and even feel like they are ‘inside’ the gun. Hard to explain, but it is very different than the feel of wood grips or even a solid panel grip.

Now for the performance evaluation and whether it provides any relief from recoil. I personally do not feel that the .357 Magnum produces a violent or terribly uncomfortable recoil. However, my wife and kids consistently pass on shooting it when we are at the range! After installing the Hogue grips, they agreed that it significantly reduced the felt recoil and the gun was much more pleasurable to shoot.

I think the Hogue grips are an awesome addition to my .357 and have really enjoyed them since I installed them, which by the way is accurately detailed in the instructions Hogue provides. I do plan on trying some on other pistols I own, in Molded Rubber as well as some of the other materials Hogue offers grips in (see below).

In addition to the Molded Rubber Grips, Hogue also has an amazing line of other products. Including…

     Wood Grips

Aluminum Grips

Scrimshaw grips

            

Rifle and Shotgun stocks

Replacement Grip screws

New this year from Hogue are…

Hogue slings & swivels

 and knives designed by Allen Elishewitz

Most of these products are on my list for review and will be featured here soon. Thanks for reading and please contact me for more details on anything featured here.

Rory Tipton | Gun Gear USA

rtipton@gungearusa.com