I am trying to convert to off hand reload.

[vrmn1]

I can do it just as fast as I can strong hand reload but doing it without thinking about it is where I am bumping into a wall. If I plan it out I can do it but if something goes wrong and I go on auto pilot thats when I go back to strong hand.

Recently the MD at our weekly fun match has said I was breaking 180 as I brought the gun back down. I don't think so but I think this way I am less likely to do it.

[HighVelocity]

I'd have somebody film me shooting to see if I was really breaking 180 before I changed my whole game based on what one MD says.

[underlug]

I'd have somebody film me shooting to see if I was really breaking 180 before I changed my whole game based on what one MD says.

Unfortunately, I have seen a few "warnings", but never calls from some non-revolver ROs who don't understand the procedure, most on strong hand reloaders

I reload weak hand myself. I tried to change a month before the IRC one time. I thought it was going well. I also tried to shoot out of my strong side eye. By the third stage, I was back to normal.

Maybe your body is telling you something

[Bubber]

I can do it just as fast as I can strong hand reload but doing it without thinking about it is where I am bumping into a wall. If I plan it out I can do it but if something goes wrong and I go on auto pilot thats when I go back to strong hand.

Recently the MD at our weekly fun match has said I was breaking 180 as I brought the gun back down. I don't think so but I think this way I am less likely to do it.

vrmn1, It is going to take a lot of repetition to change a habit.. and reloading is a learned habit. #1.. If possible do as Highvelocity suggests and have someone video tape your reloads. If you do wish to change over do the reload slow and methodical. Do everything perfect... that way no bad habits creep into the reload. Look the load into the cylinders and reload mid to chest high. This allows you to see all that is going on. Make up some dummies and infuriate your family by locking yourself in your room and do 15 minutes a night reloading drills. good luck , keep us posted. later rdd

[Michael Carlin]

This resort to the former technique under pressure is very common even among world class athletes. The Australian "Old Way New Way" DVD is an excellent introduction to a technique to overcome this.

What it does is replace the technique you used to use with the new technique. To do this first you must articulate what it feels like and what "land marks" there are in the old way. Then you analyze the new way. Then you do a old way stating exactly what and how you do it. Then you do a new way stating exactly how and why you have changed this. This is repeated 5 times.

A coach ensures that you are on track in the identification of the new technique's specifics and over a few days of doing both and telling your subconscious why you are changing when you correct yourself you will replace the old way with the new way, at the subconscious level. Then reverting should become are thing of the past.

Edited February 6, 2008 by Michael Carlin

[Carmoney]

vrmn1, I made this transition myself after reloading the "old" way for many years, and had very little trouble making the change--about two or three matches and I pretty much had made the switch. My son Sam did the same thing, although he took a little longer to de-program from his old technique, and for a long time he reverted back now and then. I think one thing to consider is that the revolver reload is really not an auto-pilot thing that just happens on its own like it becomes with a bottom-feeder--you really need to stop, watch, and think about what you're doing. You have to momentarily disengage from the stage and really pay attention to the reload, and have a strong visual focus on the moonclip go into the cylinder. Then switch back to the task at hand in completing the next part of the stage.

My own experience is a little different than Bubber's--I don't reload at mid-chest level. My best and fastest reloads are done when the open cylinder is right down there at belt level next to the spare moonclip. I watch my hand grab the moon and I watch it go into the gun, and ideally I don't want the moon traveling any further than necessary. The better I watch the whole process with my eyes, the faster the reload. (Sounds like some of that crazy BE zen shit, doesn't it?, but danged if it doesn't work!)

[vrmn1]

My own experience is a little different than Bubber's--I don't reload at mid-chest level. My best and fastest reloads are done when the open cylinder is right down there at belt level next to the spare moonclip. I watch my hand grab the moon and I watch it go into the gun, and ideally I don't want the moon traveling any further than necessary. The better I watch the whole process with my eyes, the faster the reload. (Sounds like some of that crazy BE zen shit, doesn't it?, but danged if it doesn't work!)

This is the way I reload, at the waste watching everything. And I can do it just as fast as the old way. The retraining the brain to do it this way is just taking some time.

I have been doing all my dryfire drills this way.

I have several moon clips of dummy rounds made up to practice with. It is just taking a little time.

I do see a lot of improvement.

[spook]

My own experience is a little different than Bubber's--I don't reload at mid-chest level. My best and fastest reloads are done when the open cylinder is right down there at belt level next to the spare moonclip. I watch my hand grab the moon and I watch it go into the gun, and ideally I don't want the moon traveling any further than necessary. The better I watch the whole process with my eyes, the faster the reload. (Sounds like some of that crazy BE zen shit, doesn't it?, but danged if it doesn't work!)

I had my fastest reloads like that as well. Work for both ways of reloading I would say. The sooner you have the new clip in the gun, the better. And that comes down to having the clip as close to the empty cylinder as possible.

[Carmoney]

You know, vrmn1, don't be afraid to switch back to the old way if it seems to be your "natural" tendency. Cliff switched to the off-hand reload for awhile, even shot and won an Area match that way, then switched back to the strong-hand technique. Either way can work very well.

It's not a bad thing to be able to do either technique on demand. At the Sunflower Classic a few years ago, I had a bunch of moons fall off my belt on a long, full-out running stage (this was back in the dark days before the dawn of the North Mountain Moonclip Carrier) and coming into the last array I knew I would have to use my last "suicide" moonclip I keep behind the gun on the right side. So I made a conscious decision to transfer the gun and reach with the strong hand, and heck it went just fine.

[revoman]

I too reload weak hand and converted years ago when I got my first moon clip revolver. To say one is better than the other would be a good argument as the great one Jerry Miculek reloads strong hand and it is not any slower than the rest of us. I say use what is best and most comfortable for you then just practice.

[cliffwalsh]

I would tell a new shooter to learn to load off hand. I think it is faster.

I was just talking to Luke last night about changing. Luke can reload faster than me and it chaps my a$$. If he every learns how to shoot faster, I may have to move to another state to be champ.... maybe somewhere up north??

[Tom E]

With a weak hand reload it's easier to keep track of where the muzzle is pointed.

[Keith]

I would tell a new shooter to learn to load off hand. I think it is faster.

I was just talking to Luke last night about changing. Luke can reload faster than me and it chaps my a$$. If he every learns how to shoot faster, I may have to move to another state to be champ.... maybe somewhere up north??

Canada's not a state.

[vrmn1]

A year and a half ago when I shot my first USPSA match it never crossed my mind to load weak hand. Before then I had shot a couple of steel challenge matches with a Smith 19 and speed loaders. Maybe I was influenced by Jerry but loading strong hand just seemed natural. I knew other reloaded weak hand but I never thought about it.

Then I realized a lot of folks did it that way and so I tried it a few times and it didn't work so I stayed with strong hand. A few months ago I tried it again and something clicked and I could do it just as well but I had to make up my mind to do load that way. I figured I would keep it simple and stay with strong hand. So after being warned a few times about the muzzle I figured I would just go ahead and convert. If I can do it boths ways just as well it can't hurt.

[vrmn1]

I would tell a new shooter to learn to load off hand. I think it is faster.

I was just talking to Luke last night about changing. Luke can reload faster than me and it chaps my a$$. If he every learns how to shoot faster, I may have to move to another state to be champ.... maybe somewhere up north??

2 words.

BRING IT!

[vrmn1]

I would tell a new shooter to learn to load off hand. I think it is faster.

I was just talking to Luke last night about changing. Luke can reload faster than me and it chaps my a$$. If he every learns how to shoot faster, I may have to move to another state to be champ.... maybe somewhere up north??

Canada's not a state.

This was meant for me in Georgia.

[Carmoney]

With a weak hand reload it's easier to keep track of where the muzzle is pointed.

I do agree with this. In the past couple years I have seen two revolver shooters DQ'd at major matches for breaking the 180 (one vertical, one horizontal) during the reload.

[professor]

I would tell a new shooter to learn to load off hand. I think it is faster.

I was just talking to Luke last night about changing. Luke can reload faster than me and it chaps my a$$. If he every learns how to shoot faster, I may have to move to another state to be champ.... maybe somewhere up north??

Canada's not a state.

This was meant for me in Georgia.

GEORGIA is "up north"????!!!!

I thought you had to at least get above the Mason-Dixon line to be considered a "*&^$&&*()^$ northener". So that would mean Pennsylvania and above, like when some of you fine folks venture up to the Summer Blast.

[vrmn1]

I would tell a new shooter to learn to load off hand. I think it is faster.

I was just talking to Luke last night about changing. Luke can reload faster than me and it chaps my a$$. If he every learns how to shoot faster, I may have to move to another state to be champ.... maybe somewhere up north??

Canada's not a state.

This was meant for me in Georgia.

GEORGIA is "up north"????!!!!

I thought you had to at least get above the Mason-Dixon line to be considered a "*&^$&&*()^$ northener". So that would mean Pennsylvania and above, like when some of you fine folks venture up to the Summer Blast.

Well north of him.

[pskys2]

With a weak hand reload it's easier to keep track of where the muzzle is pointed.

I do agree with this. In the past couple years I have seen two revolver shooters DQ'd at major matches for breaking the 180 (one vertical, one horizontal) during the reload.

In pushing real hard in dry fire practice I've even had the gun slip loose in my hand. Security is one of the big positives in not switching hands. I just figured if I tried to be like Mike, in the heat of competition I'd slap the end of the barrel instead of the ejection rod and get DQ'd for sweeping myself.

In a perfect world you'd not switch hands on field courses and switch hands on stand and shoots.

[revchuck]

I would tell a new shooter to learn to load off hand. I think it is faster.

I was just talking to Luke last night about changing. Luke can reload faster than me and it chaps my a$$. If he every learns how to shoot faster, I may have to move to another state to be champ.... maybe somewhere up north??

Canada's not a state.

This was meant for me in Georgia.

GEORGIA is "up north"????!!!!

Well, duh! It's north of I-10. Q.E.D.

Edited February 6, 2008 by revchuck

[cliffwalsh]

I would tell a new shooter to learn to load off hand. I think it is faster.

I was just talking to Luke last night about changing. Luke can reload faster than me and it chaps my a$$. If he every learns how to shoot faster, I may have to move to another state to be champ.... maybe somewhere up north??

Canada's not a state.

This was meant for me in Georgia.

They have revo shooters in Georgia???

[whizz]

Ahhhgg... I really envy you guys that can relaod weak hand. It is unfortunately not an option for us southpaws. I friggin have to swap hands. Annoying! If my left eye was not dominant I would seriously consider starting to shoot right handed.

[mwx40x40]

I would tell a new shooter to learn to load off hand. I think it is faster.

I was just talking to Luke last night about changing. Luke can reload faster than me and it chaps my a$$. If he every learns how to shoot faster, I may have to move to another state to be champ.... maybe somewhere up north??

Canada's not a state.

This was meant for me in Georgia.

They have revo shooters in Georgia???

Just a few

[nashvillebill]

Doesn't section 10.5.3.6 in the new rule book keep us safe from DQ during reload?