mag changes and field courses

[Field]

sometimes i seem to goof myself up on field courses when doing reloads because i will start moving and attempt a reload at the same time, do most of you generally have it down to you quiccckkly reload and THEN start moving? this is something ive noticed because most of the time i will do static reloads ok but when theres movement also required i will goof a higher percentage of the time.

[Dan Hefta]

Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more and in time you will not have any issues with reloads.

[Chris iliff]

The really good shooters are nailing that reload in the first step. I know that a one step reload is the goal I am after. You can't do both, move and reload, efficiently. Better to get that reload done in the first step and then blast to the next position.

[benos]

The really good shooters are nailing that reload in the first step. I know that a one step reload is the goal I am after. You can't do both, move and reload, efficiently. Better to get that reload done in the first step and then blast to the next position.

Yes.

My goal was to have the mag seated before the first step was compleated.

be

[38supPat]

I've been playing around a bit with this and found you are almost always better off to do a static reload and then move if it means the gun will be up and ready to shoot before the next position than to fight the reload through the movement because you wanted to get moving early and end up with the gun not ready by the next position. Obviously this is taking it to an extreme. Put another way, it is faster on a stage to have a good entry rather than a fast exit.

Odd coincidence that this months TGO drill is about movement and reloads...

[BoyGlock]

The really good shooters are nailing that reload in the first step. I know that a one step reload is the goal I am after. You can't do both, move and reload, efficiently. Better to get that reload done in the first step and then blast to the next position.

what if the reload and the step(s) were made subconsciously, is it possible to do both at the same time, at least in the 1st 2 steps?

Or, is it better to perform the reload in conscious state of mind?

[jkatz44]

sometimes i seem to goof myself up on field courses when doing reloads because i will start moving and attempt a reload at the same time, do most of you generally have it down to you quiccckkly reload and THEN start moving? this is something ive noticed because most of the time i will do static reloads ok but when theres movement also required i will goof a higher percentage of the time.

I have seen your videos and noticed something. When you do a reload, you do not index your index finger on the mag. This could be slowing you down too.

[Field]

I have seen your videos and noticed something. When you do a reload, you do not index your index finger on the mag. This could be slowing you down too.

yeah sometimes i just wont line the damn mag up properly with the well, i am inconsistent

[shooter_rob]

I have been shooting USPSA for 12 years and still feel that I do better if I stick the reload then explode to the next possition. I may not be completely static when I do it, but I am not moving much until I seat the mag. Now that I am shooting single stack I think it is even more important to make a good smooth consistant reload then explode.

[Field]

reload then explode.

well said

[calishootr]

back in the day when everyone had skinny guns with no comps or dots, I strived to hit a running reload before i got step number 2, yeah i have tossed a few mags over my shoulder, who hasnt??? hehehe as for reload then move/explode??? i dunno, i understandthe nothing is moving thus makes for a 'easier' reload, but in stages where its only 1 or 2 steps??? your losing time, as they say, anytime your not shooting, RELOAD!!! not such a big deal now with the advent ofthe open guns, butthe single stackers are reloadin fools, for me, if its 2 steps or 40 yrs sprint, im doin it on the move

[eric nielsen]

not trying to be contrary - i put this on the clock & use it only for the same kind of situation: opportunity to blast out of a position, medium or long run 90* to the left, next position requires stopping to shoot.

i find that moving left with no mag change, i normally cross over heavily with my outside foot to take the first step - not a good plan for making a mag change. also that i don't have a crazy fast entry coming in from the right unless there's 3-5 yard open target. adding a mag change i can either do a slower exit and a slightly faster entry, or a much faster exit and slightly slower entry. clock says i should go option B, especially loading a big stick off the belt.

some of that is because i like a lot of arm movement to exit left and to scoop a new mag but not seat it retains that arm swing.

hmmm, reading the above i probably am now banned from every idpa match for the rest of time.

[tgford58]

Thanks. A topic currently near and dear to my heart. I'm new to USPSA shooting coming from LR Rifle training and a solid PPC Bullseye background. My biggest transition problem has been the speed required between stations in a stage. You have to admit there is a bunch going on during a stage. I shoot all skinny guns so my initial competitions I obsessed about mag change 'places'. Going beyond that now with several matches under my belt I am more confident on what I need to do in a stage so the mag changes 'places' are no longer a driving mental focus. I add that part to develop the theme that mags and their use have a central place in my thinking.

Now back to the topic at hand - Watching lots of film - mine and others - I noticed a pretty consistent theme. I leave the each station quickly while reaching for a mag and immediately slow down while inserting it. In some unsettling cases I am almost at a walk coming to the next position. Every good shooter that I have watched moves much slower out of the gate and almost invariably seats the mag before the first foot fall - then explodes to the next position. I equate that to my focus - being the single minded creatures that we are we can choose to place our focus on executing the mag change OR we can choose to focus on the transition in positions. Failure comes with trying to split that focus between the two activities. Starting to move, falling toward the first step allows the subconsciouos to drive the activity of getting a foot under ourself to stop the fall while the consious mind handles the more delicate task of inserting a new mag. Then we can shift our attention back to transition between shooting positions.

Sorry for the length of the post.

[Dancin Dan]

For me I start my reload as soon as the last shot breaks and I start to move. I will usually be seating the mag as my foot hits the ground on the first step.

[38supPat]

For me I start my reload as soon as the last shot breaks and I start to move. I will usually be seating the mag as my foot hits the ground on the first step.

I would alter that statement to say "I start my reload as soon as I call the last shot"

Too many times I have started the reload as the shot breaks and ended up with a clean miss....

[Field]

sometimes do to my grip or whatnot i will have a slow reload because my thumb is too slow to hit the mag release. the chain gets broke

[tgford58]

I had that problem, mostly because I had to shift my hand too much to hit the release. I put on a Wilson Extended and added VZ Grips with a thumb cut. It cured the speed to release issue. Now if I could find something to cure the brain dead issue.

[mildot1]

I think that the subconcious has a lot to do with it!

I ran a course a while back that required you to start with a loaded gun shoot an array, then run to a barrel that you had placed a mag on and perform a reload from thte barrel mag.

I had the gun loaded from the belt by the second step, got to the barrel and grabbed the mag and tried to cram it up the one in the gun Dumped it and kept going but the time sucked.

You have to think on some of these stages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mildot1

[TWHaz]

sometimes i seem to goof myself up on field courses when doing reloads because i will start moving and attempt a reload at the same time, do most of you generally have it down to you quiccckkly reload and THEN start moving? this is something ive noticed because most of the time i will do static reloads ok but when theres movement also required i will goof a higher percentage of the time.

I used to do the run while reloading method because I could not seat a mag before I took the first step. After lots of practice I can do it when I have to move a short distance. If I have to move more than 5 steps or so I do this;

For (me) it is better on the timer.