Reloading On The Move Is Better Than Standing

[HSMITH]

I have noticed from my match performances that if the reload is done moving from one position to another or even just during a longer target transition that it is smoother and faster than a standing reload. With the thought that this might be happening I took it to dry fire, and I can really nail a reload on the move or on a long transition. It is faster and smoother on average than I can produce on a standing reload one out of four times.

My SWAG is that this is because on the move there is more to think about and less available brain power for me to screw up my own reload, and on a standing reload I focus more closely on the action and it gets out of synch somehow.

Anyone have any input on what might be happening? Anyone else notice the same thing?

I really wouldn't put much effort into this but classifiers for me are far weaker than field course performances, and I would like to be more consistent.

[rwmagnus]

HSMITH...welcome to BE.com.

My take is you need to do both well. Reloading on the move is usually the more efficient thing to do. Many of the better shooters seem to actually get the reload done very early in the transition to movement then have the gun up and on target when they arrive in the new position. Try to plan your stages to avoid standing reloads.

This is an area (reloading) where dryfiring can really make a huge difference.

[LPatterson]

I have noticed from my match performances that if the reload is done moving from one position to another or even just during a longer target transition that it is smoother and faster than a standing reload. With the thought that this might be happening I took it to dry fire, and I can really nail a reload on the move or on a long transition. It is faster and smoother on average than I can produce on a standing reload one out of four times.

My SWAG is that this is because on the move there is more to think about and less available brain power for me to screw up my own reload, and on a standing reload I focus more closely on the action and it gets out of synch somehow.

Anyone have any input on what might be happening? Anyone else notice the same thing?

I really wouldn't put much effort into this but classifiers for me are far weaker than field course performances, and I would like to be more consistent.

Why do you think your moving reload is smoother & faster than a standing reload? First it is almost always easier to do 1 thing at a time than it is to do 2. When doing a stationary reload, you can concentrate complete focus into seeing the magazine into the gun. When moving part of your focus is on where you are moving to & part on getting the magazine into the gun. I have noticed in clips of top GM's that most completed their reload in the first step or 2 of movement instead of moving and then trying to reload. Consider that most people can not run without moving their arms in a pumping motion so you have 1 hand going for a new magazine while the other is trying to drop the old magazine then they have to try to meet without slowing down the forward motion of the run.

Classifiers are more difficult because you are thinking too much about all the things you can do to screw them up. A classifier is just another course of fire that should be shot with the same intensity as any other course of fire, if you worry that you might screw it up then you probably will. Think only positive thoughts.

[HSMITH]

I think they are faster when moving or transitioning because the timer tells me they are, probably .3 seconds on average over a standing reload. I think they are smoother becuase they feel better.

As far as thinking about bad things, I have done that one time, and the result was just about what you would expect - a train wreck. On the last 8 or 10 classifiers I have had no negative thoughts at all from LAMR to the last shot. I do rehearse the course and things like that but nothing negative.

[Jake Di Vita]

It's all in your head. Moving or stationary reloads require the exact same motor skills, if one is consistently faster than the other you are either A: not consistent in your ability to reload, B: Have a problem with your technique, or C: You try.

[Crusher]

Any time you can "kill 2 birds with one stone" go for it (i.e. scoot-n-reload or scoot-n shoot well you get the idea) it's all about efficiency, which is why there is a stage run time savings for being able to reload "on the move (within the first step or two).

On some stages (depending on division/magazine capacity stage design) a static reload is necessary. To practice one type of reload and forsake the other limits what you can have available in your tool kit of skills thereby limiting personal performance

[HSMITH]

Thanks Jake, that post makes me think. I am sure it is in my head somehow, it really is the same event taking place whether I am moving or not. I am relatively new to the sport and not as consistent as I would like to be, hence the post. Your offering of possible causes 'item C: you try', man that cuts pretty deep. I really need to look at what is happening when the reload hits the dunny. My 'trying too hard' has negatively affected more than one athletic pursiut of mine, nearly destroyed my golf game before I got it under control....

'Just let it happen' was a huge key to being able to play something resembling golf again, it sure can't hurt my shooting.

Thank you all for the advise!!!

[Radical Precision Designs]

Reloading is always done on the move, whether standing still or walking: always during a transition between targets.

The duration of that transition is the issue here. Obviously there is more lapsed time during an actual walk than in standing transitions, within which to "absorb" the needed reload time.

You must develop a target acquisition routine that is consistent and "economic" in motion/locomotion used. Part of your "practiced" strategy must include the specific "hiatus" interjected for the mag drop and mag inserted as part of the fluid motion during target acquisition.

Once you master this, you won't even remember what you did after the fact: it will be very fluid. Provided your equipment "cooperates" with you.

[caspian38]

I really wouldn't put much effort into this but classifiers for me are far weaker than field course performances, and I would like to be more consistent.

I sort of have the same problem ... at least with the classifiers ... for me its all mental. you might try shooting classifiers a bit slower and focus on getting a clean run... for me when I'm standing still I place to much importance on the mag change. I ruin classifiers by missing or shooting white targets not because my mag change slow or fast.

I went from 2nd to 4th in my last match on a classifier! I was shooting 110 % instead of 90%

best of luck

C38

[HSMITH]

Thanks C38. I have done at least a couple thousand standing reloads since this topic was posted and it has helped a lot. I shoot good points, have since I started really, but on the classifiers I was trying to minimize the non-shooting time in reloads and position changes etc. Getting in a hurry when I was not shooting, trying to force things to get back to the shooting as soon as possible, was the mode I was in. I have shot a couple classifier-ish stages and one classifer since, and points are still there but speed in the non-shooting areas is better. Confidence is responsible for the change IMO, KNOWING I can nail a reload for example. Match speed reloads are down by about a half second, every little bit helps. I shot my best classifer ever early this month!!

I have nearly gotten my full speed flat out reload to 'just happen' in practice, another couple hundred thousand reloads and it will be solid. In the match I back it down slightly where I know that I can hit the change 95% of the time. I probably should back it down a little more for 100% reliability.......

My personality is aggressive, I do everything at 100-125%. Backing off is hard to do.