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Reloading without thinking about reloading


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When I practice my reloads, especially using the drill in Steve Anderson's first book, I notice something. At the moment my off hand snatches the mag from my belt I will think one of two things: "Fast reload" or "Back on target".

Whenever I think the former, I manage to bobble the reload to comedic levels. Funny how hard it is putting a box in a hole designed for that box. Whenever I think the latter, the mag slides in effortlessly and the sights reappear on target. I don't consciously remember the reload.

My best stages at matches were those when I don't remember even reloading. Sometimes I can't remember where the magazines are to pick them up.

Funny, that.

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"Don't think, just do"

Same thing happens when I practice my draw. If I think about the draw, I will get hung up in my holster, get a bad grip, etc. If I just draw the gun but concentrate on something else...bam...fast draw with a good grip.

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  • 2 months later...

It's getting your brain out of the way and allowing your subconcious to take control.

+1 I can not stand at the 25 yard line and shoot static worth a darn, but give me multiple targets and add some movement to turn off my brain and I can make really great shots and groups. Kudos to the guys that can do both. Guess I need to think about not thinking, lol.

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When I practice my reloads, especially using the drill in Steve Anderson's first book, I notice something. At the moment my off hand snatches the mag from my belt I will think one of two things: "Fast reload" or "Back on target".

Whenever I think the former, I manage to bobble the reload to comedic levels. Funny how hard it is putting a box in a hole designed for that box. Whenever I think the latter, the mag slides in effortlessly and the sights reappear on target. I don't consciously remember the reload.

My best stages at matches were those when I don't remember even reloading. Sometimes I can't remember where the magazines are to pick them up.

Funny, that.

i need to try this...i know i can make a really fast reload because i've done it but it doesn't always work out like that

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I'm not sure who suggested this but a number of years ago someone told me to put a cushion on the floor and just stand watching the tv and practice reloads. Don't look at your hands, look at the tv. Keep looking at the tv and doing reloads. Then do some more. And when you got tired of doing that, do it some more until you were dreaming of doing reloads. Then do some more...

I won't say it's made me that much better a shooter but I don't really think about reloads any more. Except when I'm dreaming...

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^this^

I had a match where I fumbled two reloads, really threw my stage plan off and shot both stages like crap. I will admit I didn't practice my reloads before this because I hadn't messed up in a match. After that match I started practicing reloads 15 minutes a day every other day for a couple weeks, now I add about 5 minutes of reloads onto the end of my dry firing.

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  • 7 months later...

Probably my fastest reload this year happened at our USPSA match last weekend. The MD said "nice reload" when I holstered the gun and I had to ask him which hand I used. I've been messing around with strong vs weak hand techniques and honestly had no idea which I used. Neither did he, so I guess it was quick!

Edit: I was shooting revolver, that statement wouldn't make much sense otherwise.

Edited by Alaskan454
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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm not sure who suggested this but a number of years ago someone told me to put a cushion on the floor and just stand watching the tv and practice reloads. Don't look at your hands, look at the tv. Keep looking at the tv and doing reloads. Then do some more. And when you got tired of doing that, do it some more until you were dreaming of doing reloads. Then do some more...

I won't say it's made me that much better a shooter but I don't really think about reloads any more. Except when I'm dreaming...

I find I get better results if I watch the magazine into the mag well.

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It's nice to have the kinesthetic down to the point where you don't have to look, but it helps to see what you're doing.

I tried a reload at this weekend's match when I was standing with a briefcase squeezed between my knees. The position was so weird and my kinesthetic so off that I flubbed it royally.

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