Quickest way to reload a wheelgun

[GlockCanMan]

I know everyone has their own preference on how to reload, but how do the majority of you do your reloads...switch the gun to your weak hand, eject with weak hand while the strong hand grabs the moon clip and reload, or leave the gun in your strong hand and then eject and reload with the weak hand?

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I use the strong hand to reload. I am not fast but I am getting faster I think if you practice you will find what works for you. I started using the strong hand and it just feels right to me. Thanks, Eric

[AzShooter]

It doesn't matter which way you do it as long as you do it the same every time. Biggest thing you need to do is practice every night to get good at it. Make up a bunch of dummy rounds with no primers so that you can load up all your speedloaders or moons at one time and then run through them all for practice. Doesn't hurt to do 15 minutes a night. An hour is better if you really want to get good.

Make sure they are smooth reloads. Take out all the extra body movement. Stand up straight. Eject the cases hard and fast and put your loaded cases in with force so they don't hold up.

Good luck.

[MrBorland]

I use a strong hand reload with speedloaders, but weak hand reload with moonclips.

Tom

[Bubber]

I use the weak hand method for both Speedloaders and moonclips. To get faster you have to see what you are doing and cut put all unneeded movement. Get a Video of what you are doing. And as Azshooter says, practice alot after you decide what is needed. later rdd

[vrmn1]

The fastest reload is another gun. LOL

Which way feels comfortable to you.

I have tried both and can do both equally as well or poorly. LOL

Either way practice practice practice. When you get tired of practicing you ain't good enough so practice more. I don't mean that to be a smart butt or put down your skills. I mean it to say NOBODY is good enough. We all need practice. It is also very perishable meaning it goes away bloody fast if you stop practicing.

[RevolverJockey]

This topic has been talked about before of course, but one thing I never saw when I was answering this question for myself was just how many variables come into play. These are jut MY opinion:

1) Grip and release - if you want aggressively checkered grips and a Hogue release, you will have trouble doing a strong hand reload.

2) Hand and frame size - if you have small hands and a N frame, you might have trouble controlled the revolver during a strong hand reload. I have played around with a few of Austin's L frames and fine it is very comfortable, with my 5" 610, I feel like the muzzle is all over the place - nothing is slower than a DQ.

3) Equipment configuration - things like if the hammer spur is there, grip material and contour, amount of cylinder chamfer and cylinder tightness, and if the yoke is ball detented change how I would want to reload.

This is not to say that if I were to get a new wheelie, I would completely change up everything and none of that practice would carry over, just that if I was brand new and handed a revolver for the first time, 3 different configurations would likely result in my thinking three different methods would be faster. In my humble opinion, I think if you had the revolver for it, the strong hand reload has a very small intrinsic advantage, but for me with my revolver it also opens the door for a higher failure rate. The last time this was polled, it was something like 55/45, but I can't seem to find the thread to link it. It is just a matter of preference.

Lee

Edited January 9, 2011 by Mitch_Rapp.45

[Intel6]

I always used the strong-hand method when using speed loaders but when I started using moon clips I decided to try the weak-hand method.

What I found was that at that time I was about the same time wise but on the strong hand reload I would sometimes not get my re grip right and have to waste time re adjusting my grip. It didn't happen all the time but for me it was enough so I use the weak hand reload because I keep my grip solid and it worked for me.

My suggestion is to try both and see what works good for you.

Neal in AZ

[Carmoney]

Six of one, half-dozen of the other.

[steel1212]

Get a timer. Try both. Check Timer.

[Team Amish 1]

I used to switch hands to reload but always had problems with establishing a good grip after the reload. It took a while to learn throwing/squeezing/boogering the moonclips in with my weak hand but it was really worth it - for me. Now the grip stays the same and the reloads are smooth and (somewhat) quick.

I say try both and pick what feels good.

[lugnut]

Strong hand reloads for me with speed loaders. The "regrip" issue is better than dealing with rounds spewed all over the place with a weak hand reload. lol Speed is good but consistency is just as important.

[Forrest Halley]

This topic has been talked about before of course, but one thing I never saw when I was answering this question for myself was just how many variables come into play. These are jut MY opinion:

1) Grip and release - if you want aggressively checkered grips and a Hogue release, you will have trouble doing a strong hand reload.

2) Hand and frame size - if you have small hands and a N frame, you might have trouble controlled the revolver during a strong hand reload. I have played around with a few of Austin's L frames and fine it is very comfortable, with my 5" 610, I feel like the muzzle is all over the place - nothing is slower than a DQ.

3) Equipment configuration - things like if the hammer spur is there, grip material and contour, amount of cylinder chamfer and cylinder tightness, and if the yoke is ball detented change how I would want to reload.

I always enjoy an opinion that is based in easily tracked logic. You have hit the nail on the head hard.

Since this thread came out I have been bouncing around back and forth in practice with both of my 625's and I find the five inch seems to like the weak handed reload, while the four is lightning quick and bobble free to strong hand reload. A closer inspection of chamfer has revealed the four inch to be more aggressively bevelled even on the star, where as the five inch is not so aggressively bevelled and has minimal star chamferring. There is a more generous chamber in the four inch as well. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE EXTRACTOR CHAMFER. I use the Miculek grips which appear to accomodate both styles of reloading equally well.

After shooting a steel match recently I have to wonder if the reloading styles don't both have a specific advantage in the various disciplines. For example the static nature of steel shooting would lead me to believe the breaking of the grip to be less warranted for the reload, however the mobile nature of USPSA lends well to the swap reload. Personally, I have trouble with the weak hand reload on the move, mostly keeping the cylinder out and from spinning. The fact that one hand is doing all the work is also a bit bothersome as it seems inefficient. The grip does stay constant which is very key to accuracy especially when the margin of error is slim. Best bet is to be familiar with both much like strong and weak hand shooting and concede the usefulness of both.

[Matt Griffin]

I do it myyyyyyyyy waaaaaaaay!

Seriously though there isn't much difference in the methods, you just need to practice them correctly. I've got a video of a 1.37, and I just did a 1.35 (with dummy clip in gun, for the picky) messing around but without the camera. It's all about getting everything moving as fast as possible as soon as possible.

H.

[steel1212]

Cough bs cough i wanna see it :-)

[Bubber]

Cough bs cough i wanna see it :-)

Cough, I saw it on video, cough. At a match in Rio Salado there was a stage where you had to shoot through a port at a numer of targets, all steel. Gene Marshal shot through the port, came out of the port, reloaded and them back through the port with a hit on steel. The time from shot to shot on the timer was 1.49. He was using speedloaders. The RO could not believe the timer and Gene did again to show that it could be done. For those old enough to remember Tim Copperstone was the RO. Cough, it's true, cough. later rdd

[lugnut]

That is freakin insane!

[steel1212]

Cough bs cough i wanna see it :-)

Cough, I saw it on video, cough. At a match in Rio Salado there was a stage where you had to shoot through a port at a numer of targets, all steel. Gene Marshal shot through the port, came out of the port, reloaded and them back through the port with a hit on steel. The time from shot to shot on the timer was 1.49. He was using speedloaders. The RO could not believe the timer and Gene did again to show that it could be done. For those old enough to remember Tim Copperstone was the RO. Cough, it's true, cough. later rdd

Oh I don't doubt Matt's abilities, he shoots at some of the same clubs as me, I'm just poking fun at him and I REALLY want to see it

Edited January 10, 2011 by steel1212

[arizonaguide]

Great thread.

[Matt Griffin]

Cough bs cough i wanna see it :-)

Cough, I saw it on video, cough. At a match in Rio Salado there was a stage where you had to shoot through a port at a numer of targets, all steel. Gene Marshal shot through the port, came out of the port, reloaded and them back through the port with a hit on steel. The time from shot to shot on the timer was 1.49. He was using speedloaders. The RO could not believe the timer and Gene did again to show that it could be done. For those old enough to remember Tim Copperstone was the RO. Cough, it's true, cough. later rdd

Oh I don't doubt Matt's abilities, he shoots at some of the same clubs as me, I'm just poking fun at him and I REALLY want to see it

Ah, the Doubting Corey. I'll break out the ol' camera, just for you. That 1.35 doesn't exactly happen often, though. 1.5x I can do with some consistency, anything lower is planets aligning.

H.

[pskys2]

When you first pick up a Revolver how do you naturally, without thinking, open the cylinder and load it?

That's what started me on which method I use. It just seems natural.

Though learn to use both methods, they both have their merits and challenges.

There are fantastic competitors using both methods and I think mindset and confidence reign over technique in gauging effectiveness in this area.

[Matt Griffin]

When you first pick up a Revolver how do you naturally, without thinking, open the cylinder and load it?

That's what started me on which method I use. It just seems natural.

Though learn to use both methods, they both have their merits and challenges.

There are fantastic competitors using both methods and I think mindset and confidence reign over technique in gauging effectiveness in this area.

Excellent, excellent advice. I'm sure that must be why I reload the way I do, it's how I always opened the cylinder before I was a competition shooter. Great observation.

H.

[RePete]

Six of one, half-dozen of the other.

Agreed.

I use strong hand, but tried weak hand and found it uncomfortable/awkward.

I've shot at matches with Jerry Miculek and he uses strong hand, but I've seen vids of him using weak hand and he's almost as fast.

Use whatever is comfortable for you.

[GlennRasch]

The best way is your way and Practice......Practice......Practice...... to the wheel gun.

[M1911]

I use strong hand, but I'm so slow SO's usually take a nap during my reloads.