Reloading while shooting at a target on the 180 degree plain

[Nalle2491]

Does anyone have any suggestions for reloading when you’re shooting at a target that’s close to or on the 180 degree plain. 

 

Most of the the time I would never reload at this point but I missed the point where I should have and ran out of ammo. What would be the proper way to reload this?

[Mcfoto]

I’ve had this happen. Stop and pivot away from the target, reload, and re-engage the target. Time sucker, yes, which is why it should be avoided.

[BillGarlandJr]

Assuming you're a right handed shooter.....if you're shooting at a target close to the 180 on your left you're going to have to turn your body, or somehow orient the gun so the muzzle does not point uprange, and thus break the 180 as you execute your reload. If you're shooting at a target to your right, then just hit the reload as long as your technique doesn't incorporate some gun movement that would cause the muzzle to break the 180. As to some prescribed technique for doing reloads in these situations, I'm not aware of one other than to make sure the muzzle doesn't pass 180 degrees. Its not a bad thing to mess around with some in dryfire.

[MemphisMechanic]

Pretty much what they said. Twist at the hips to get your torso downrange, load, rotate back.

[tanks]

Yep. Just twist the hips, finish reload and then continue. You can even take a crossover side step while doing that and keep on going. As a lefty I had to learn to do this as most movement seems to be left to right as designed by lefty hating stage designers . It was even mentioned to me by one of the ROs at Nationals that he was getting prepared to DQ me until I twisted my hips.

Edited August 2, 2018 by tanks

[IHAVEGAS]

"Danger Danger Will Robinson"

 

When a new r.o. sees you start that reload they will get nervous, they will also lose sight of the gun if you keep the muzzle safe by twisting your wrist and do not change your foot position. 

 

After getting hosed with a bad dq call at a local match I learned to make sure the r.o. does not lose sight of the gun and I now exaggerate pointing the gun downrange.  

[MemphisMechanic]

If you’re doing this while moving? The safest option is to drop the magazine and draw your reload, do your running, then turn your torso toward the downrange targets as you arrive... and insert the mag as you begin to set up in position.

 

This is particularly useful in situations where you have to ‘retreat’ uprange and also execute a load. 

 

Just throwing that tip out there for the newer guys because I didn’t know it was an option for my first couple of years. It’s very time-efficient and much less likely to go wrong than trying to load in an awkward position, run, and stay well inside the 180 at the same time.

 

Edited August 2, 2018 by MemphisMechanic