Julie Goloski's Reload Technique

[Chuck D]

I was watching a few of Julie Goloski's videos on her web site tonight (goofing off when I should have been working) and noticed that she hits the mag release button with her WEAK hand instead of shifting her grip and hitting it with her STRONG hand when performing a reload. She's incredibly smooth and her reloads seem as fast if not faster than would be expected using the traditional method. Having switched over to a Glock myself for Production...I'm wondering if this technique would help lessen "slide bite" due to the fact that once you get the proper shooting grip...using Julie's reload technique...you wouldn't have to readjust your grip.

Does anyone else use this technique and has it worked well for you?

[michaels]

I find myself having to do it sometimes...If I'm using my 1911's I always do the shift, but when I'm doing the glock thing, sometimes I use my weak hand thumb...I find myself doing that type of reload when I'm playing IDPA, I need to keep the mag, so on the reload, weak hand thumb hits the button, rest of the hand scoops up the mag on it's fall out and then the reload continues...

My wife uses a G34 in USPSA only and she has to use the weak hand thumb to reload, if she trys to shift her grip and use her stong hand thumb, it takes her forever to get it done and she can not seem to get her grip back aftwards...

I discovered just this weekend during a match while on the qualifier stage that my strong hand thumb didn't want to work anymore and during the rest of the match I had to weak thumb it...old medical problem...but I didn't let it stop me, it just helped with the long line of excuses for why I did so bad....

michaels

[benos]

Chuck,

My caution would be that while that technique may be more consistent, especially in the beginning, technically, it's slower than the "flip the gun to hit the mag release" method. Since you're not doing it, it'll take you quite a while to learn it. Then later, if you decide you don't want to give up anything on the reload, you'll have to unlearn it.

The Great One can't reach the mag button (on any pistol) without flipping/rotating the gun slightly during the reload. And you'd never know he did that if you watched him reload. He's pretty quick, and obviously fairly consistent as well.

As soon as you call the shot (before the reload) the weak hand needs to be heading toward the new mag. (That's the time loss with the "weak hand release" technique.) By the time it gets back with the new mag, the strong hand has ejected the mag and resumed the correct grip. That's the "you have to practice it forever" technique.

be

[dirtypool40]

BENOS is a hard act to follow and makes all the points I was thinking of.

When I looked for time suckage in my reloads, the left hand was where I found most of it. It's funny but I used to have a huge magwell, a button and mags up front, and once I got that left hand moving with a purpose, I gave up all the other stuff....and got faster.

TJ and The Burner are also no slouch at loads and in the class I took with each of them, they both "flipped" the gun, and neither used a button.

[Turtle]

BENOS is a hard act to follow and makes all the points I was thinking of.

Far be it from me to try to one up BENOS, but I'd like to add the following point:

I also believe in flipping the gun and using the strong thumb to hit the mag release. An added benefit is that you're constantly training yourself to readjust your grip. This will bleed over from the reload to the draw for those times you get a less than perfect grip on the gun out of the holster. You'll be readjusting and not even realizing it, because it has become second nature. That also leads to faster draws because your not "worried" about getting a perfect grip, just an acceptable grip.

Regards,

Todd

[mcoliver]

Doesn't Jojo Vidanes do the same thing? I guess if it works for you and do your part, it can be just as effective.

[diehli]

Doesn't Jojo Vidanes do the same thing?  I guess if it works for you and do your part, it can be just as effective.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No... he has an extended mag button that he makes by welding on some additional metal and then turning it down in a lathe. He uses his strong (right) hand thumb.

[George]

The same is true with the reload on an AR. The biggest time burner is in getting that weak hand onto a mag and back. The strong hand should also be occupied with something else during the mag grab and that's why mag release activation is best left to the gun gripping hand as outlined by better folk than me. It's just faster this way because it's more efficient. Parallel processes are faster than serial processes every time when the distance to be travelled is equal.

More slight drift here: The Mag Cinch and the Redi-Mag on an AR skew this situation and I feel they are not optimum setups for a parallel process to be applied. Besides, I can reload from the belt as fast, or faster than most folks can with the cinch and Redi-Mag on AR's. The prone arguement doesn't wash unless you are stuck in a sling and can't unlock an arm.

Back to pistol. I've got no real bigtime chops with a pistol (an OK B shooter), but I can say this for sure, when you are capable of hitting the old mag on it's way out with the new mag on it's way in, then you are probably fast here. If I absolutely nail one, I can actually see the old mag just gliding past the new one being inserted with the barest of clearance. It's awesome when it happens. Wish I could do it on demand. That's what thousands and thousands of reps are all about ;-)

Brian is a hard act to follow fer' sure, but he also makes it a little easier to follow along at all and I appreciate that very much :-)

[bmadsen]

I reload a bit different than most people. I hit the mag release with my strong hand middle finger reaching all the way around the front strap and up to the mag release. This technique has always come natural to me, but I haven’t met anyone else who do it this way.

Are there any SHMFMRH (strong hand middle finger mag release hitters) out there?

[tewlman]

I reload a bit different than most people. I hit the mag release with my strong hand middle finger reaching all the way around the front strap and up to the mag release. This technique has always come natural to me, but I haven’t met anyone else who do it this way.

Are there any SHMFMRH (strong hand middle finger mag release hitters) out there?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

NHOAODTB

(never heard of anyone doing that before)

[XRe]

NHOAODTB

(never heard of anyone doing that before)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

HHFLFWITOWIP

(he has freakishly long fingers which is the only way it's possible....)

[chuckbradley]

My son Ryan had the pleasure of shooting with Julie at the Area 5. After the match he told me "Julie does her reloads just like me" I am sure Julie does this for the same reason my son does. The size of the hand. Of course I told Ryan and Austin when they were younger to do it this way for safety. I didnt want 13 year old kids flipping the gun in their hand.

I am glad Brian added that Robbie does a flip when reloading. When I first started IPSC i tried to find a way to make the gun so I could hit the button without changing my grip. I finally accepted the fact I had to do the flip and never looked back. While talking to shooters everyday in my business I see the same thing in the new guys, all trying to find a way to reload without the flip or changing the grip. I try to tell them to accept it and move on. Bit if they are hardheaded like me they will have to come to that realization on their own.

Their is one exception that I know of. Matt Burkett. I was shooting with him once and I asked him how he did it. He held his hand up to mine and wow, what a big hand and long fingers. His fingers were a good inch past mine.

Another reason to do the flip is so the trigger finger isnt in the trigger guard during the reload. If you dont change the grip chances are you will leave your finger in the trigger guard and will, at some point have an AD.

[Schutzenmeister]

I have to agree that getting the weak hand to the new mag is critical in a quick reload. I was fortunate enough to get a really good photo of Lisa Munson back at the 2003 Limited Nationals in Bend. Notice that the old magazine hasen't quite cleared the magwell and Lisa's weak hand is already pulling the new magazine out of the holder ... all while on the move.

One note on Lisa's technique ... She uses the "Lisa Munson Rule of Thumb" ... Basically, since she cannot reach around the grip from her thumb to her middle finger, she's had a left-hand grip and mag release put on her SV. Thus, she uses her trigger finger to release the mag ... Take a close look at the photo. It saves her time from having to release the old mag with her weak hand as she simply cannot reach a right handed release with her right thumb no matter what she does (per Lisa.)

Just another example of how to "skin the cat."

[tewlman]

i have a HK USP with the ambidextrous mag release. i dont shoot it often, but find that when i do i tend to use my trigger finger to drop the mag. That is really not a bad idea to use the lefty grip for the same effect.

conversly, I know that i have to flip the gun slightly to do a mag change, but hardly even notice it. after lots of practice it just seems natural.

[MarkS_A18138]

I put right hand mag release on Shea's open gun and she loves it. She makes sweat reload's now! Oh and I bought it from Chuck!!!!!

[Flexmoney]

It is also important to get on the mag button as soon as possible.

If your mag isn't clearing the gun easily by the time you are getting the replacement on it's way, chances are that the mag button isn't being poked soon enough.

Use a timer.

[BritinUSA]

I was fortunate enough to get a really good photo of Lisa Munson back at the 2003 Limited Nationals in Bend. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a great picture !

[moverfive]

Merle Eddington was the one that used the weak hand mag release......at least at one time he did.

[zhunter]

YEP, great pic!!

I am lucky, I can reach the Mag-release button without adjusting my grip. But, I have other issues, like being new and needing to shoot more.

[vincent]

This is something that helped me. As you practice moving your left hand earlier and faster, you will eventually be driving the fresh magazine to the magwell while the empty magazine is still falling out. It takes a bit of nerve to just keep coming with the fresh magazine. Your brain will be yelling at you that you are going to jam them together in the magwell. In my practice it pretty much never happens so just keep going and let gravity do it's job. If it starts to be a problem then you are probably not getting on the mag release button fast enough. I found as my reload practice progressed I had to re-balance these speeds a couple times to keep improving the reload.

Edited October 5, 2005 by vincent

[scooterj]

I reload a bit different than most people. I hit the mag release with my strong hand middle finger reaching all the way around the front strap and up to the mag release. This technique has always come natural to me, but I haven’t met anyone else who do it this way.

Are there any SHMFMRH (strong hand middle finger mag release hitters) out there?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

gmshooter uses this method you are not alone

[George]

When you get close to hitting the outgoing because you are indeed fast, a need to look at accelerating the outgoing mag is sometimes in order. This is where the flick comes in. Done right, the flick sometimes happens as part of the mag release grip shift function. The gun movement should be used as an accelerant if possible. If the flick ain't gettin' it out fast enough, then base weights can help fix it.

I find I have to Armor all my Glock mags and use a flick to get them outa' da' way fast enough.

Anyone remember the JJ Racazza video of him catching the outgoing mag after the new one was seated when it wasn't base weighted, but being unable to when it was base weighted. That is some real speed.

[zhunter]

well, to address the weight issue:

Gravity has the same effect on all objects, no matter what the weight of said object might me. A constant pull of 32 ft/second.

Now, not to be a smart azz, but the mag release button should be hit while the gun is still in the upright position, this makes for less friction on the exiting mag. I think you should only use a weighted mag for the purpose of somehow improving your shooting, not releasing a mag. ( a little graphite powder might help a bit here too! )

But, feel free to call me a dumb azz, you won't be the first!

[George]

The weight helps when used with an accelerant flick. The way I empty a mag well involves something similar to launching a jailai ball. Any extra weight from rounds, or a base pad weight help with the pitch out move. Extra mass really does accelerate faster when accelerated with the flick.

On it's own, you are correct about 32/ft/sec squared. With a catalytic application of force and timing, it flies outa' there on the fast track with some added V.

Edited October 5, 2005 by George

[vincent]

For me the flick is only used as a last resort as the extra motion slows down the reload and can be hard to do consistently. Solidly pressing the mag release button when the gun is pretty much vertical seems like the fastest and most consistent way to get the mags out fast.

When I shoot my Glock I also have to remember to not overgrip the gun since that can bind up the mag in the frame and slow things down. Although I don't like an extended button on a 2011 gun, I like the large frame mag release on the small frame Glocks. It is easier for me to hit consistently. The stock catch is so small that I don't always get enough purchase when I'm really going for it. It does work well for its intended purpose though and won't release a mag if the gun is placed down on a hard surface.