Magazine loader

A method for loading a batch of rimmed cartridges into a tubular rifle magazine, the method comprising:

• placing a plurality of unordered cartridges in a hopper cavity defined by a hopper cavity of a body of a magazine loader;
• shaking the magazine loader, wherein, upon shaking of the magazine loader, a plurality of unordered cartridges enter a three-sided channel that opens into the hopper cavity, the cartridges being guided toward a tip first orientation and aligned side-by-side in a first row in the three-sided channel as a first group of the cartridges aligned side-by-side in the first row in the three-sided channel;
• tipping the magazine loader so that cartridges in a second group fall out of the three-sided channel and into the hopper cavity;
• and
• urging a gate toward a non-obstructing position and allowing the cartridges in the first group to flow through a feed passageway defined by the body of the magazine loader and into the tubular rifle magazine.

A magazine loader for loading a batch of rimmed cartridges into a tubular rifle magazine, the magazine loader comprising:

• a body comprising a hopper portion and a tubular magazine receiving portion with a circular aperture for receiving the tubular rifle magazine, the body defining a feed passageway extending between the hopper and the circular aperture of the tubular magazine receiving portion, the body defining, along the feed passageway, a first cartridge orienting portion, a second cartridge orienting portion adjacent to the first cartridge orienting portion, a third cartridge orienting portion adjacent to the second cartridge orienting portion, and a fourth cartridge orienting portion adjacent to the third cartridge orienting portion;
• the hopper portion defining a hopper cavity sized to receive an unordered batch of cartridges, the hopper cavity opening into a three-sided channel of the feed passageway, the body having a pair of opposing shoulders extending along a portion of the channel keeping rimmed ends of the cartridges oriented in the channel, wherein the body at the channel defines the first cartridge orienting portion, wherein when a plurality of unordered cartridges enter the three-sided channel the cartridges are guided toward a tip first orientation and aligned side-by-side in a first row in the three-sided channel;
• the three sided channel extending into a second cartridge orienting passageway at the second cartridge orienting portion of the body, the pair of opposing shoulders extending into the second cartridge orienting passageway, whereby the plurality of cartridges in the side-by-side ordered first row enter the second cartridge orienting passageway, each cartridge oriented in a rimmed ends forward and inclined side-by-side row;
• the second cartridge orienting passageway extending into a third cartridge orienting passageway defined by the third cartridge orienting portion of the body, wherein the plurality of cartridges in the rimmed end forward inclined side-by-side row are rotated to a rimmed end to tip row;
• the magazine loader further comprising an adjustable cartridge quantity selector at a bottom of the hopper being slidingly supported by the bottom and covering a covered portion of the upper opening of the three-sided channel.