This invention utilizes a conventional type cartridge orienting device for orienting cartridges with their longitudinal axes aligned generally parallel with one another. The present invention includes a hollow receptacle having a cartridge accepting device. This accepting device includes a stop wall to allow only one oriented cartridge to drop into the accepting device at a time. A rotatable cam is provided within the accepting device. Upon rotation of the rotatable cam, cartridges are grasped and moved away from the accepting device and transported by the rotatable cam upon further rotation thereof to the receiving end of a conventional magazine. The cartridge is then forced into the magazine when the rotatable cam is further rotated.

A method for orienting and stacking primers one on top of another in a vertical upright position inside of a tubular receptacle. An apparatus with a slotted hopper and a gate to orient and stack primers in a removable tubular receptacle one on top of another in a vertical fashion. The apparatus can include a vibrator to facilitate orientation of the primers in the hopper and to speed passage of the primers through the apparatus. The apparatus may further include a handle to allow it to be held in one hand. In an alternative embodiment, the tubular receptacle is not removable from the gate. Another embodiment has a smooth hopper and a tubular receptacle to receive and stack primers one on top of another. An alternative embodiment of the apparatus has a removable gate and a removable receptacle to accommodate different sized primers.

A method and an apparatus for orienting and loading a plurality of unoriented rim-fire cartridges into a magazine are provided. An orienter apparatus employs gravity to orient rim-fire cartridges by hanging a plurality of cartridges from a number of parallel rails. The orienter is repositioned to a second or vertical configuration so that gravity can be used to feed the columns of oriented cartridges through a chute. The orienter operatively engages with a loader which employs a camming mechanism to move cartridges one at a time into a magazine. The cartridges are placed in a first angular relationship with respect to the magazine opening and are moved through the opening while changing the angular relationship of the cartridge with the magazine opening.

A device and method for loading components into holders used in cartridge case reloading machinery is disclosed. The loading device includes a tray that receives and orients reloading components such as primers. The tray includes a strip receptacle which receives and positions a component holder while components are oriented by the tray and moved into position into receptacles in the component holder. The components are forced into the component holder by manual pressure, a roller, or a lever actuated bar. After the components are pressed into the component holder, the holder may be removed from the loading device and used in reloading machinery.

A speed-loading device comprising a container having an interior chamber and a discharge opening leading from the chamber to the exterior of the container. The container has a storage section in the chamber for storing cartridges in side-by-side relationship and an orienting section in the chamber between the opening and the storage section. The container can be oriented so that the cartridges in the chamber can fall by gravity from the storage section through the orienting section and out through the discharge opening. A removable blocking member blocks the flow of cartridges out through the discharge opening. The orienting section rotates the cartridges as they fall through the orienting section toward the discharge opening so that the cartridges fall end first through the discharge opening.