Clip (firearms)

An M1 Garand en bloc clip (left) compared to an SKS stripper clip (right)

A clip is a device that is used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit for insertion into the magazine or cylinder of a firearm. This speeds up the process by loading the firearm with multiple rounds simultaneously, rather than individually, as with loose rounds of ammunition. There are several types, most made of inexpensive stamped sheet metal, generally they are intended to be disposable, but they are more often retained and reused.[citation needed]