A new guy here with more questions than answers. First let me say that I think my short stout hands will always hold me back on the quad load thing BUT being a good American I am willing to throw a little money at the problem!!! The AP 4x4 is coming slowly but is definitely doable and an old RAM 6 round quad two type loader is actually starting to work also. My only quad 4 style is not doing as well BUT no name calling since I am sure most of it, though not all, is my fault. Grabbing from these seem more awkward than the upright shell configuration but they do also allow grabbing for a singles load stack style.
Of the quad systems being advertised there are the ones that stack the shells as doubles on their side in addition to the ones talked about here, which stand them up vertically as two pairs. The one big nod I can see going to the horizontal loaders is security. These look like they would retain the shells much more securely during vigorous activity and the shell would be a lot less exposed to being banged into props, going to prone or etc. The vertical stacks look to be the best for practical handling so I am going to order a pair of the AP QL-8s to play with, based on that. My other thought, some one just recently suggested that I spend as more time practicing with the 4x4 than with quads. He said being good with both would pay off regularly, do you guys agree or disagree? Will the singles load become a dead skill now? HMMM, just thoughts from a confused mind.