Inserting Moonclips: Right Hand vs Left Hand

[Cy Soto]

Yesterday (and for the first time ever) I shot a revolver in a match. I used my Model 610 in IDPA ESR. Since I was using equipment which I borrowed from a friend the previous day, I didn't get a chance to do any dry fire practice. I assumed that positioning my moonclips on my left side (opposite the gun since I am a right handed shooter) and inserting them with my left hand would allow me the quickest reloads. My reasoning was that I could maintain the grip on the gun and not have to reacquire it after every reload.

Today I have been watching some videos of right-handed revolver shooters and it seems as though nearly all of them (including Jerry Miculak) use their right hand to insert the moonclips into the firearm.

Why is it that using the right hand to guide the moonclips into the cylinder faster than using the left hand?

Edited September 10, 2012 by Cy Soto

[GOF]

I shoot a lot of revolver. Have been for over 40 years. I'm right handed and use the old FBI reload system. At the last shot the first movement is to hit the cylinder release. Simultaneously with that, the left hand comes under the gun and the two middle fingers slap the cylinder out and go completely through the frame to assume total control of the gun. The left hand thumb slams the ejector rod to clear the fired cases while my dominant (right hand) is digging a new load from my belt and slapping it into the gun. The left palm then comes up to close the cylinder and 'hands find hands' to reacquire the two hand shooting grip.

The weak hand reload, IMHO, is slower because it requires the left hand (for a right handed shooter like me who is still holding onto the grip) to hit the ejector rod to clear empty cases and then move to the belt to grab a new load. The takes more time on the clock than just using the FBI 'thumb on the ejector rod'. In addition, if you don't have the revolver fully canted outward, it's possible... when the gun is gripped in the shooting hand... for the cylinder to slide a bit back into the frame and impede the insertion of a fresh load. With the FBI method, the weak hand has the cylinder fully exposed and that problem doesn't exist.

The same FBI reload has proven... to me... to be faster with either SSR speedloaders or ESR moon clips. The movements are the same. YMMV

[RevolverJockey]

I feel reloading strong hand feels less rushed but isn't any faster for me. I pick up my moon clips with my finger tips and it seems to be a better position for the strong hand reload. Losing the grip is a drawback of the strong hand reload, but I have always felt like I wasn't rushing as much. I know it is a bad habit but I keep 6 clips for the weak hand and 2 for a strog hand and often use both within a stage sometimes.

Lee

Edited September 10, 2012 by Mitch_Rapp.45

[underlug]

Yesterday (and for the first time ever) I shot a revolver in a match. I used my Model 610 in IDPA ESR. Since I was using equipment which I borrowed from a friend the previous day, I didn't get a chance to do any dry fire practice. I assumed that positioning my moonclips on my left side (opposite the gun since I am a right handed shooter) and inserting them with my left hand would allow me the quickest reloads. My reasoning was that I could maintain the grip on the gun and not have to reacquire it after every reload.

Today I have been watching some videos of right-handed revolver shooters and it seems as though nearly all of them (including Jerry Miculak) use their right hand to insert the moonclips into the firearm.

Why is it that using the right hand to guide the moonclips into the cylinder faster than using the left hand?

Put yourself on the clock and see what is faster and more consistent for you.

As stated before, being able to use either reload is a plus. With the situations we are put into I have switched to a right hand reload to keep my barrel more in the direction it should be.

Edited September 10, 2012 by underlug

[jester121]

I use a weak hand reload because I'm making this up as I go along.

I took a revolver class this summer from a Bob Houzenga who teaches the Mas Ayoob Stressfire reload (often linked on Youtube) and tried that out a few times. I can see a lot of benefits in a self defense situation of course, but for competition honestly, when starting out I was more worried about dropping the gun and getting DQed. I hit the cylinder release with my right thumb while pressing the cylinder out with my index finger and pointing the barrel up. Left palm ejects (have scars to prove it) and as the right hand is rotating the gun so the barrel points down, left is groping for a moon clip, shoving it in. Eyes are back up focusing on the target while the left hand closes the cylinder as the sights come into view and the left hand rejoins the grip.

This is how I imagine everything works when I'm visualizing reloads. In practice there's occasional fumbling, and a lot more cursing. I know there's a lot of wasted motion because I don't practice as hard as I should. I'm working on starting the trigger pull as the sight is approaching the target, instead of waiting and treating it like two separate steps.

Never clocked it to see what's faster.

[Brian B]

I know how you feel, I shoot a 610 with moonclips and a Speed E Rack using my weak hand.

I think it all belongs to the concept of dexterity, you will see that most of the strong hand reloaders have very large hands. (see Jerry Michuluk's mitts).

The wise observations from Massad Ayube regarding slapping the ejector rod with your hand instead of the thumb and burning the fingers confirmed the choice of the weak hand reload for myself:

I think it is a personal choice either way works best. I practice dry firing where I pull the trigger once change moon clips, pull the trigger once, change moon clips ... until my whole rack is empty. I move to a new shooting position each time. I set up a cof in my bedroom and let the moonclips fall on the carpet. I try to get as smooth as possible.

Have fun!

[Carmoney]

Ayoob is an old buddy of mine from the days when I lived and competed in New Hampshire. His Stressfire revolver reload method is meant for real-world encounters, but it adds an extra step that is not desirable for competitive shooting. It is especially not good for guns that use moonclips, which pop out easily with little chance of hang-ups.

There are a number of top revolver shooters who keep the gun in the strong hand and reload with the weak hand. When he was campaigning the wheel, Dan Carden had one of the fastest reloads in the game, and he always tossed the moonclip in with his weak hand.

I can reload either way, but find the weak hand reload preferable for two reasons: (1) when the gun stays in the strong hand, you tend to keep much better control of the muzzle direction, and (2) it translates better to your auto-pistol reloading technique.

[Dragon11]

I have always been at odds with the revolver reload. The choice between left handed or strong handed. I like the strong handed reload. But when I practice it I find the gun rotates away from me, or slips, when rolling my fingers through the window to grab the cylinder and eject the rounds with my thumb. On the weak handed relaod I like the strength of ejecting the rounds with the palm of my left hand, but find the cylinder isn't always stable when inserting the new rounds into the cylinder with my left hand.

I have never seen anybody do it, but I eject the rounds with the palm of my left hand. While dropping the gun down I roll my fingers through and hold the gun and cylinder open with my left hand. I then pick up the new moon clip with my right and and insert it into the cylinder. Its a cross between a left handed reload and a right handed reload. It gives me the extra power with ejecting the moon clip and the stability when inserting the new one. I know its odd, I understand that, but it seems to work for me. Thats my two cents.

[Tom Freeman]

I load with my weak hand. More consistent for me.

[seanc]

You will be faster at the one you believe is faster and practice doing...

[GOF]

I have always been at odds with the revolver reload. The choice between left handed or strong handed. I like the strong handed reload. But when I practice it I find the gun rotates away from me, or slips, when rolling my fingers through the window to grab the cylinder and eject the rounds with my thumb. On the weak handed relaod I like the strength of ejecting the rounds with the palm of my left hand, but find the cylinder isn't always stable when inserting the new rounds into the cylinder with my left hand.

I have never seen anybody do it, but I eject the rounds with the palm of my left hand. While dropping the gun down I roll my fingers through and hold the gun and cylinder open with my left hand. I then pick up the new moon clip with my right and and insert it into the cylinder. Its a cross between a left handed reload and a right handed reload. It gives me the extra power with ejecting the moon clip and the stability when inserting the new one. I know its odd, I understand that, but it seems to work for me. Thats my two cents.

This is just me, but when executing a reload where the gun is held in my strong (right hand) I sometimes find ejected cases stacking up on the thumb of the right hand holding the gun. With the gun in my left hand (held by two fingers through the frame) there is nothing for the fired (.38 Spl) cases to hang up on. And, while I'm punching that ejector rod with my left thumb, my right hand (which is my most dexterious) is free to grab a speedloader.

For those shooting .45 ACP moon clips, the cases are shorter, so may not hit the right hand holding the gun. But, with .38/speedloader guns, I find the old FBI style reload to work best. YMMV.

[pskys2]

Especially for a new Revolver Competitor I always ask them to simply pick up the Revo and load a Moon Clip, nothing fancy just load and holster.

Unless they have some kind of weird gymnastics involved, the way you just picked up and loaded the gun is the method to use.

As you get experience you can start experimenting and see what actually is faster for you. But I'm convinced that the way you start is the way to go.

As for the differences between the two major styles, well it's Chevy vs Ford, not much actual difference it's just what seems to fit you best.

[Matt Griffin]

Especially for a new Revolver Competitor I always ask them to simply pick up the Revo and load a Moon Clip, nothing fancy just load and holster.

Unless they have some kind of weird gymnastics involved, the way you just picked up and loaded the gun is the method to use.

As you get experience you can start experimenting and see what actually is faster for you. But I'm convinced that the way you start is the way to go.

As for the differences between the two major styles, well it's Chevy vs Ford, not much actual difference it's just what seems to fit you best.

Good advice, that's how I developed my reload style, it's the same way I always opened a cylinder before I started competing on the clock.

[Biloxi23]

I have a 625PC revolver, but do not shoot a revolver in competition. In 1982 when I started in law enforcement we were tayght teh FBI method and inserted the speedloaders with the strong hand, and ejected the spent rounds with the off hand. The reason we were given at the time by an NRA Master Instructor was that grabbing the speed loader and inserting the rounds in teh cylinder was a fine motor skill. Most training recognized that under stress, fine motor skills are most affected, thus the shooter was better off using their strong hand to accomplish fine motor skills. It made sense at the time, but I am not sure that it would apply to a competitive shooter that practices and practices reloads with either hand, especially if the shooter was experienced enough to deal with the stress of the match. So bottom line, I tend to believe it is whatever the shooter has practiced and has developed his skills in. But what the hell do I know, I'm a C shooter.

[snertley]

A: strong hand reload

B: weak hand reload

Answer: C: all of the above.

Starting off shooting Revo, choose one and learn it well. Once you have A or B down, than you can start with the other. In a perfect world you would do A or B in a given COF. Which ever one works the best is the one you use a the moment.

When I started shooting Revo I did the Strong hand reload and then after about 2 years I started doing weakhand reloads and I do find myself doing both in a given COF and don't even realize it till I am done shooting. One or the other works great but both are even better IMO. Good luck.

[No.343]

I am blessed with being right minded. I agree that we should learn both methods of reloading. I haven't learned to load with my right hand, but I have learned how to load as a right handed shooter inserting moonclips with my left hand. I actually used that in a match that had an eight shot weak hand requirement.

[TonyT]

I shoot a lot of revolver. Have been for over 40 years. I'm right handed and use the old FBI reload system. At the last shot the first movement is to hit the cylinder release. Simultaneously with that, the left hand comes under the gun and the two middle fingers slap the cylinder out and go completely through the frame to assume total control of the gun. The left hand thumb slams the ejector rod to clear the fired cases while my dominant (right hand) is digging a new load from my belt and slapping it into the gun. The left palm then comes up to close the cylinder and 'hands find hands' to reacquire the two hand shooting grip.

The weak hand reload, IMHO, is slower because it requires the left hand (for a right handed shooter like me who is still holding onto the grip) to hit the ejector rod to clear empty cases and then move to the belt to grab a new load. The takes more time on the clock than just using the FBI 'thumb on the ejector rod'. In addition, if you don't have the revolver fully canted outward, it's possible... when the gun is gripped in the shooting hand... for the cylinder to slide a bit back into the frame and impede the insertion of a fresh load. With the FBI method, the weak hand has the cylinder fully exposed and that problem doesn't exist.

The same FBI reload has proven... to me... to be faster with either SSR speedloaders or ESR moon clips. The movements are the same. YMMV

That isthe way I do it. I am a right handed shoter and attempted to reload with my left hand but it always felt clumsy to me.

[RevolverJockey]

I am convinced there is something to the type of moonclip holder you have and where along your fingers you grab the clip. Because I use a clip server I almost have to grab the clip with my fingertips. No problem leading weak hand but I feel much more coordinated loading strong hand. Again, it isn't faster, just doesn't feel as rushed. I need to take a few short videos and explain what I am talking about.

Lee

[8ring]

Cy:

Welcome to wheelgun shooting. I've used both methods with my SW 625 and eventually settled on reloading with the left hand. The primary reason was that I did not have to re-establish an indexed grip with my right hand after every reload. I found that slight variations in re-gripping the gun with the right hand after every reload caused more significant accuracy issues, usually on the horizontal plane. By getting a good indexed grip on the revolver when the buzzer went off and maintaining that grip, I shot better. Or at least I believe I did. YMMV.

Chris

[in625shooter]

There isn't a right or wrong way just what YOU are most smooth/fastest with. Smooth is fast! I started carring revolvers in the USAF in the mid 1980's. Changing hands was what they taught and it works for me very well. later I dabbled with keeping the gun in my strong hand and reloading it with my weak. I tried several times but was never as smooth so I keep doing it as the USAF taught me. One thing I like is I am able to secure the clynder so it doesn't move while lining up my moon clips or speed loaders on my 686's. The burnt hand thing has never been an issue with me and I have shot a ton of 357 revolvers. It does get warm but everyone is a little different and thats OK!

[JFlowers]

For my 625 I load with my weak hand. I find that since I am not breaking my grip I have better control over the gun. I use my trigger finger to hold the cylinder open and stable. But I have found that for my speedloader driven ICORE Classic gun, I have to swap hands.

[Norther]

For my 625 I load with my weak hand. I find that since I am not breaking my grip I have better control over the gun. I use my trigger finger to hold the cylinder open and stable.

This. I use a clip server too.

[buckaroo45]

Trouble with the hands forces me to go slow with the weak hand. So slow that I was getting blisters from holding on too long and had to resort to golf gloves and weak hand. Couldn't feel the next clip on the moon server so now I use the fat man North Mountain so I can see what I'm doing. No more burns but now the RO uses an eggtimer.

[jester121]

so now I use the fat man North Mountain

That's Full Figured, sir.

[Ty Hamby]

I copied the fastet lefty ever, Matt Griffin. So strong hand it is for me.

Sorry you can now have your thread back.