Ambi reloads?

[Makicjf]

After my Pendulum dryfire last night, I was doing reload practice.  The IRC is less only 6 weeks out and I've only been back on Revo's for a month, so I feel some pressure.  In classic Jason fashion, I decided to try something new with no time and a bit of pressure.   I've always strong hand reloaded, using my index finger to eject.  The sticking points for me have always been:

1) Random partial ejection

2)  Spontaneous poor strong hand (re)placement  (2-10 times)

3) the twister machinations require while reloading and running to the left

A weak hand reload actually resolves all three of these issues.

 

I run the par time at 1.8 for strong hand.  I was surprised how I was able to nearly  meet the time with weak hand  from the inception .   No grip issue, no ejection issue and no crazy legs chicken dance moving left.  However, when the clip heads towards the charge holes, I actually loose sight of the target .  Strong hand, I can see the "11:00 o'clock" hole and that is what I throw at.  What do you weak handers aim for?

I'm setting up a classic/6 shot major speedloader gun ( a 6 inch half lug GP100!) for after the IRC and next year, and I think weak hand might be the best with speedloaders.  I'd like the option of both.   What are the weak hand reload high points to practice?

Jason

 

[Fishbreath]

1 hour ago, Makicjf said:

What do you weak handers aim for?

 

1 o'clock or so—in between the two holes closest to the forcing cone. I don't generally need to look it all the way in, with RN bullets going into 9mm chambers.

 

I also reload fairly high compared to most people I see, with my right upper arm basically parallel with the ground, so I can look over my hand a bit more.

[mikeAZ]

I was always told.."Ya got to see dirt" on the reload

[MikeBurgess]

I had to think about this, I think I look at the center of the star, honestly never thought about it much. For me its eyes on the reload till the rounds start falling into the cylinder then its eyes on the target while closing and re-establishing grip. 

 

I have found I need to change how I do reloads between speed loaders and moon clips.  The issue is either the cylinder or new ammo or both need to be able to rotate so the rounds will enter the chambers. 

With moon clips my right index finger pushes the cylinder open and remains in contact with the cylinder while either dropping the moonclip onto the cylinder for most reloads or driving them in with my index finger when doing a reload while moving a up range, either allowing the moon to rotate to match the cylinder

With a speed loader I need to make sure my index finger is off the cylinder to allow it to rotate to align with the speed loader that need to hold on to.

 

[Makicjf]

43 minutes ago, Fishbreath said:

 

1 o'clock or so—in between the two holes closest to the forcing cone. I don't generally need to look it all the way in, with RN bullets going into 9mm chambers.

 

I also reload fairly high compared to most people I see, with my right upper arm basically parallel with the ground, so I can look over my hand a bit more.

I think the "1:00 O'clock" makes sense for me.  It is actually the mirror of the 11:00 O'clock charge hole I look at when I'm strong handing.

 

21 minutes ago, MikeBurgess said:

With moon clips my right index finger pushes the cylinder open and remains in contact with the cylinder while either dropping the moonclip onto the cylinder for most reloads or driving them in with my index finger when doing a reload while moving a up range, either allowing the moon to rotate to match the cylinder

   I open the cylinder with my weak hand middle and ring finger, trapping the cylinder and the revolver  between those two fingers and my thumb.  Serendipity ALWAYS puts my thumb in the flute for the 11:00 O'clock charge whole.  I have a tactile and visual reference which I point my index finger at as I throw the clip.  If I don't try to hard , it works.    The challenge for me weak hand, is exactly what you  allude to:  the cylinder is free wheeling.   I'll work on creating contact with my index finger to stop the free radical rotation.

  Controlling the cylinder and flip flopping my visual reference should help a ton.   

Thanks guys!

Jason

Edited September 15, 2022 by Makicjf

[testosterone]

i'd say 4 of the 8 best revolver shooters in past and recent all did a strong hand, Poggie, Miculek, Wolfe, and Griffin(lefty) all did a strong hand.   Olhasso, Mcginty, and Lentz all do a weak hand.   Walsh seemed to be able to situationally and transparently just do one or the other in real time with equal deftness.

Josh did a weak hand speedloader reload as fast as anyone with a moonclip and I believe that particularly with speedloaders the weakhand is better because you can launch them at extraction, so there is fewer hangs.   Josh also shortened things so the extraction stroke was shorter than factory.

 

The moral I think is either works if you practice and current best says a 2 second reload regardless will make you a gm and win nationals, so there is that.

 

3 hours ago, Makicjf said:

from the inception

 

Don't discount that you are paying particularly closer attention even though its novel vs your other method that you might be paying relatively less attention to execution of.  #1 and 2 should not be happening if you have achieved a level of mastery(imo) with a stronghand.   I am probably wrong but consideration maybe...

 

1 hour ago, Makicjf said:

cylinder is free wheeling.

 

As mike mentioned, the way to resolve is trigger finger pushes it open and stays firm holding it open.   This technique can be hard on guns(not that it matters) dave and josh hammer there guns snapping them open and slamming them shut... 

 

3 hours ago, Makicjf said:

What are the weak hand reload high points to practice?

 

full send on the ejection, especially with the no-moon gun...

[Fishbreath]

4 minutes ago, testosterone said:

full send on the ejection, especially with the no-moon gun...

 

This for sure—I'm usually looking for moon clips 6-8 feet behind where I started the reload.

[Makicjf]

44 minutes ago, testosterone said:

i'd say 4 of the 8 best revolver shooters in past and recent all did a strong hand, Poggie, Miculek, Wolfe, and Griffin(lefty) all did a strong hand.   Olhasso, Mcginty, and Lentz all do a weak hand.   Walsh seemed to be able to situationally and transparently just do one or the other in real time with equal deftness.

Josh did a weak hand speedloader reload as fast as anyone with a moonclip and I believe that particularly with speedloaders the weakhand is better because you can launch them at extraction, so there is fewer hangs.   Josh also shortened things so the extraction stroke was shorter than factory.

 

The moral I think is either works if you practice and current best says a 2 second reload regardless will make you a gm and win nationals, so there is that.

 

 

Don't discount that you are paying particularly closer attention even though its novel vs your other method that you might be paying relatively less attention to execution of.  #1 and 2 should not be happening if you have achieved a level of mastery(imo) with a stronghand.   I am probably wrong but consideration maybe...

 

 

As mike mentioned, the way to resolve is trigger finger pushes it open and stays firm holding it open.   This technique can be hard on guns(not that it matters) dave and josh hammer there guns snapping them open and slamming them shut... 

 

 

full send on the ejection, especially with the no-moon gun...

Thanks for the insights.

I agree that the issues of the clip laying on top of the cylinder and poor grip should not be happening 

Upon reflection, these issues, just like missing grip on a draw, invariably occur when I'm trying to "go fast".  The result is as predictable as thinking about shooting: I screw it up .

Perhaps working on relaxed focus is a goal.

Thanks again.

Jason

 

 

[testosterone]

1 hour ago, Makicjf said:

Thanks for the insights.

lol you are welcome, i don't know if they rise to level of insights but just some thoughts and observations from the years...

 

1 hour ago, Makicjf said:

trying to "go fast"

 

Steve Anderson says alot about this, he has some three word phrase that is something like "push/try/go fast" or something like is when things break down.   This is necessary in practice,  we have to push/try/go fast  to move the needle to a new baseline in performance so you can don't push/try when it matters, it just happens.

 

Stoeger says same thing differently, re practice, push/try, go fast and fix it, be interested in everything that is happening and notice it, its not going through the motions, its putting your attention in a different part of the process or your hands or arms or fingers, where exactly are your eyes looking, etc..., break it down to the micro steps and refine, do reps on the individual steps vs the entire chain over and over, and when its time to shoot for score, we do what we know how to do and nothing more.

 

In this vane, have spoken with jerry several times and he relates same idea in a different way, the punchline of which is something like "if you can see it all happen, that is your personal best.  If you are *trying* to make it happen, then you outside your skill level, just let it happen in it own time" re: doing a performance,   He relates match performance to a stage performance/showmanship, ie..you have an audience that paid to see you do it right the first time.