SS mag change

[bangclang]

Howdy Im having a problem with mag changes while moving to my left .Im a right handed shooter and am worried about the 180 line.I have done some drills at home with the par timer going and Im almost faster doing a standing mag change and then hauling the mail.Compared too doing a awkward run and stumble. Would like to know if I am missing something or what you guys do.Thanks in advance.

[AlexOsensei]

u have to change at the first step..

not while running.

Seeklander drill's stepping reload.

[bangclang]

Searching but haven't found it yet.

[Corey]

Try to get the reload done within a step (two at most) then turn to run. You rotate your torso as well to be facing straight down range while your lower body moves to the left. Worst case scenario (safe but slow) is do a standing reload then run. Its all about practice. Set up a video camera on your left side and do a ton of reloads while moving to it. Then watch the video and see if you broke the 180 or not. Its even better to have a buddy watch you to make sure you are keeping the muzzle down range. It will come eventually.

[bangclang]

I just tried some one step reloads. Slower maybe I dont know,but alot more comfortable than doing it on the run n stumble.

[benos]

You definitely do not want to be reloading while you are moving. The goal is to have the mag seated before the first foot touches the ground.

be

[bangclang]

That's for the advise,I will be working hard on it. My problem is my feet want to move before my hands, part of being a noob I guess. If you look at my video posted under 4 th match you will see what I mean. Thanks again.

[Sin-ster]

Two things to throw out there...

1) You are probably still suffering from a semi (or fully) conscious focus on being safe. Knowing that moving to your left while reloading has the potential for a safety infraction and DQ, you end up being overly careful, overly focused and trying overly hard to be safe. Chances are that you're further from breaking the 180 under those conditions than you are doing a standing reload. When you practice at home, no such risk exists and you can execute them flawlessly.

This is good; it breeds good habits and a safe shooting environment. Eventually, you'll get used to what I like to call "running with a loaded gun", and all sorts of previously odd or stressful movements will begin to come more naturally to you. Just takes repetition-- in live fire practice and matches, most specifically.

2) Some folks will have quicker first steps and quicker feet than others. That's physiological fact. Picture your portly neighbor's track start compared to Usain Bolt. The World Record holder is probably 2.5 loooooooong strides off the line before our rotund example has even planted his first foot.

Conduct the reload as early as possible, for sure-- but don't get hung up on "one step, two steps, no steps" etc. What you'll end up doing is wasting time on the movement itself, as opposed to picking up extra time on your reload and being ready to shoot earlier.

Getting faster in this area is all about hand speed. In my experience, your hands seem to want to slow down when your feet come into the equation. (I STILL suffer from the same problem you report to some degree, and it's basically the entire focus of my dry fire at present...)

Also, be aware that as you go through more mags and start reaching around/behind yourself for fresh ones, reloading while moving is going to become even more challenging. It's in those cases where you might actually want to "ease into" your first step so the whole of the equation (gun, hands, mags on belt) aren't bouncing all over the place as you try to put them all together. Or better yet-- work on that hand speed so that the mag is out and up near the well before your feet really get going!

Edited September 7, 2012 by Sin-ster

[Torogi]

+1 on Mike Seeklanders Book.

His system is very nice that he separated Microdrills and Macrodrills.

Microdrills are very specific skill set. Like reload, draw, and to a more difficult position such as reload while swinging, or maybe draw facing downrange or different positions.

Macrodrills are combination of those specific skill sets and put into 1 fluid drill.

My experience with reload before the first step was difficult at first. Your hand should be very very fast.

When moving right to left, with very small movement, you have to finish the reload very quick. If you have to run, what I do, after calling the shot on the last target, i drop the mag while my hand reaches for a fresh mag and start running. I will complete the reload as my weak hand assumes the grip before engaging the next target. If its left to right, I have to reload very quick and be done by my first step because reloading while running to right (and im right handed) is more difficult for me. I favor going from right to left if its an option in a stage.

Again, for reloads, there is no shortcut. practice, practice. I have dreams doing it.

[bangclang]

Thankyou for all the replies!! I had a muzzle warning in my first match so I have been "gun shy" when moving to the left. I have been practicing as much as i can, but I drive truck and am only home a couple nights a week, and weekends.I have tried to do a Rob Leatham,draw and 3 mag changes in 4the sec.not there yet but I can doit in 5.Even got it on video. Started working on a one step mc while moving to left. Trying toget hips turning feet moving and keep shoulders on the 180. Anyone to have a vid of a good one step mc? Thanks.

[gb32]

You're accomplishing two things at the same time. Moving to your left/reloading the gun. Here's what I do(assuming a decent distance to travel to the next position): drop my hips to bend my knees in preparation to explode out of the position while simultaneously ejecting the mag out of the gun as I'm bring the reload to the gun. As I pause the mag at the gun my lead foot should be off the ground causing my weight to shift in my direction of travel. Take off as I'm inserting the magazine and do whatever I need to do in regards to entering the next position. You're accomplishing the perilous part of the RL while remaining relatively still and also getting a better/more explosive exit out of the position. Once you get the mag to the pause point on your gun it's about impossible to miss the RL. You're also "hiding" the RL time by doing it while you exit.

For me, dropping my hips or drop stepping is my trigger to execute a planned RL. Since I mainly shoot SSTK, this happens almost everytime I leave a position.

GB

Edited September 9, 2012 by gb32

[alma]

Perhaps this is a bad example but if I have a long enough distance between positions I will modify my normal reload to keep the gun pointed a bit more down range than normal. This link should demonstrate at around 18 seconds. Please forgive the long delays between engaging each target array. Someone thought it would be a great idea to draw cards to decide which targets in a stage were shoot versus no-shoot targets. It wasn't a legal stage and it was designed to mess with the shooters head but you can't be too hard on the guys who put all of the work in to make regular local club matches happen.

Aside from the delay in trying to remember if the red heads are shoot or no-shoot your feedback would be welcomed.

Regards,

Alma

[Vincerama]

As a fellow newb, what I do is probably a standing reload. My scores suck, but I really focus on safety, and I feel I have to do this until it no longer feels like I have to. I tried speeding up, but got a few RO warnings about trigger discipline (I ran 2 feet from one shooting box to the next and my finger was probably no fully clear of the guard). And some "watch the 180s" so I slowed back down because I'd rather do a match slower with worse scoress than DQ or feel bad from all the warnings. Once the safety becomes ingrained, I'll pick up the pace.

So when I go left (or right) I start the reload immediately before moving and probably finish before I start moving too, I'm not really sure because I am just focusing on keeping my finger out of the guard. The rest of my reloading movements are already pretty muscle-memorized, which then helps me focus on the trigger discipline. When that becomes auto-muscle-memory, then I'll start thinking about getting some speed.

So my newb advice to you is to keep up with the safety until it becomes second nature, then work on the speed IF the speed MIGHT compromise safety. Obviously practice reloading, drawing and aquiring targets as fast as you can, but be careful when foot movement is involved.

And again, this is fellow newbie advice so take it as such.

[bangclang]

Thankyou again for the replies. I think I have it figured out. When moving right to left I can get it done in about a step. If I have to go backwards at a 45°time angle, going to my left I basically do it static then get the gun up and down range . Then I can haul a.. and not miss the box,witch also just happened . Thanks again.

[Max It]

You definitely do not want to be reloading while you are moving. The goal is to have the mag seated before the first foot touches the ground.

be

HI Ya, I dont want to seem any more ignorant than usual; however the only question that is bad/dumb is the one that isnt spoken;

since when cant i reload on the move?

Our Steel Madness doesnt really qualify as a rule laden match so no one has ever DQ'd this. What do you say?

[a.roberts]

You definitely do not want to be reloading while you are moving. The goal is to have the mag seated before the first foot touches the ground.

be

HI Ya, I dont want to seem any more ignorant than usual; however the only question that is bad/dumb is the one that isnt spoken;

since when cant i reload on the move?

Our Steel Madness doesnt really qualify as a rule laden match so no one has ever DQ'd this. What do you say?

You can, but it's like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time.

[Torogi]

You definitely do not want to be reloading while you are moving. The goal is to have the mag seated before the first foot touches the ground.

be

since when cant i reload on the move?

Our Steel Madness doesnt really qualify as a rule laden match so no one has ever DQ'd this. What do you say?

What Benos was saying is a set skill. It is not a rule. I am currently working on it too. Finish the reload before the first step. Doesn't always happen, need more practice.

[grapemeister]

Trying to reload while moving to the left (right handed person) slows you down and isn’t worth the risk of breaking the 180. It seems slow to do what might be considered a standing reload but it’s really not. If you take off early, and find yourself already on the move before the reload is complete, wait until you come into position and are facing downrange before completing the reload. Eric Grauffel does the same thing quite frequently. Pull up some video on YouTube or Britinusa. There is a video at Britinusa of

Eric doing it on stage 13 of the 2012 IPSC Nationals.

I also think it’s better to get the reload out of the way as soon as possible while moving to the right so you’ll have your arms free to help propel your body, and so the gun is up and ready to shoot as your coming into the next position.

Peace Out