Proper way to reload a singlestack ?

[el pres]

I've been working with the singlestack and have been wondering what the proper technique to

insert a mag with speed is ?? So far I have been meeting the very top edge of the rear of the mag

with the rear portion of the mag well, straightning out, and in we go ...

[mike cyrwus]

thats how I do it; there is such a narrow margin of error if youre not aligned sideways, that I slightly rock it in, from front to back.

ever so slightly. Everything else, I try to align and and square up.

The bad thing about it is you can strip the top round partially out of the mag if it catches on the front part of the mag opening.

[scooterj]

Just like any other semi-auto, index finger on the front of the mag and point.

[zhunter]

Just like any other semi-auto, index finger on the front of the mag and point.

Bingo

I do think the hand position on the magazine is more important as it is a tighter fit than a widebody reload. Consistency is the is the key.

[el pres]

Just like any other semi-auto, index finger on the front of the mag and point.

Bingo

I do think the hand position on the magazine is more important as it is a tighter fit than a widebody reload. Consistency is the is the key.

That much we can figure out !! I'm specifcally refering to the meet up point, like Mike said, I'm just wondering

since the opening is so small, do you practice to shoot straight in or do you have an idex point, a reference to meet

before the entry ???

[Duane Thomas]

The bad thing about it is you can strip the top round partially out of the mag if it catches on the front part of the mag opening.

Place your finger on the tip of the top bullet in the magazine. Not only will that give you the ability to "point" the magazine into the well, but it will ensure that cartridge doesn't get stripped out of the mag.

[baa]

It's really important when reloading, especially with a single stack, to look at the magazine well prior to seating the mag. Looking it in, along with a good index on the magazine, will give you smooth and consistent reloads (= fast.)

[Duane Thomas]

I'm just wondering

since the opening is so small, do you practice to shoot straight in or do you have an idex point, a reference to meet

before the entry ???

I place the tip of my index finger on the front center of the well. One thing which will help you get a straight shot into the mag well, without the "binding because the well and mag aren't 100 percent aligned" effect is, as you're ingraining the angle at which you'll aways turn the gun, think of it as pointing the butt of the gun, and thus the mag well, straight at your mag pouch (since you're running a single stack I'm assuming the mags are behind your hip). This will align the mag well perfectly for insertion of the magazine, with no binding, every time.

Another tip: don't get so hung up on speed. Where people get screwed up during mag changes is that they become so focused on speed they stop executing some of the fundamentals. Get your finger along the front of the magazine. Turn the gun so its butt points straight at the mag pouch. Look at the mag well. See that it looks as it should when you know it's perfectly aligned. Take that split instant to FEEL your index finger touch the front/center of the mag well. Spend all the time it takes to do all of that perfectly - and you'll find you turn in some smokin' fast speedloads.

[GentlemanJim]

Very good answers

I was just going to say....frequently

Jim

[MichiganShootist]

One thing not mentioned thus far... is the importance on seating the mag. all the way into the gun. Especially if there is a round in the chamber!

Five or so years back I shot on Friday and followed TGO around PASA at the SSC on Saturday. He did a reload in the rain on the run and the mag fell out of the gun when he fired the next round because the mag. wasn't seated all the way. He did a warp speed reload and continued through the COF.

Robbie was shaking his head after the stage and said " I really didn't get it all the way in-- or home" (or something very close to that)... His wife Kippie was shooting in the same squad and said for everyone to hear... "Boy I know all about that tendency". The super squad was on their knees laughing their butts off about that come back.

BTW-- Robbie still won that stage.

Edited December 10, 2008 by MichiganShootist

[zhunter]

I don't have an index point, but lots of dry fire practice

[Duane Thomas]

The way to avoid the "mag drops out because it's not fully seated" thing, I have found, is that, in contrast to what most people do which is drop the gun during the speedload, raise the gun during the load, then after aligning the mag and getting the top of the mag into the well, draw the gun down onto the magazine while simultaneously driving the hand up. It's almost a clapping motion.

This has multiple advantages. For one, it's gives you much more positive and forceful mag seating. For two, it really helps to minimize body movement during the load. Hell, you don't even have to move your eyes. Just consciously put the mag well where the front sight was a moment before. (Well, at least along the eye-target line where the front sight just was. It will be a bit closer to your body.)

[ChuckS]

---snip--- draw the gun down onto the magazine while simultaneously driving the hand up. ---snip---

Duane,

I sort of wish I had heard this 10 years ago.

Thanks,

Chuck

[Flexmoney]

You could'a, Chuck.

Barnhart's videos show meeting the mag at the magwell, then moving them both together. It puts the shooter in a position to press the gun out from the "high-ready"...giving the shooter the same (consistent) presentation to the target they always use (coming into a position, draw, reload...all the same presentation). I've brought it up on the forum a number of times.

On the single-stack, Brian talks about where he looks (visual cue) when loading a single-stack. I forget where he said he looks. He obviously gave it some consideration and thought. Worth a search.

[ChuckS]

You could'a, Chuck.

Barnhart's videos show meeting the mag at the magwell, then moving them both together. It puts the shooter in a position to press the gun out from the "high-ready"...giving the shooter the same (consistent) presentation to the target they always use (coming into a position, draw, reload...all the same presentation). I've brought it up on the forum a number of times.

On the single-stack, Brian talks about where he looks (visual cue) when loading a single-stack. I forget where he said he looks. He obviously gave it some consideration and thought. Worth a search.

Moving both is the one part I missed. I have been shown by a GM who really likes cinnamon rolls that having the gun high where you just have to roll it back vertical to be on the target is the way to go. Moving the gun down with the mag going up and simultaneously rolling back to the target is the ticket! I may be able to get my SS reloads under 5 seconds now

Later,

Chuck

[Flexmoney]

I may be able to get my SS reloads under 5 seconds now

Chuck, I have full faith that...if you keep your nose to the grind-stone...you will be able to do those in half that time.

----------------

On gun height during the reload...

I am all for keeping the gun up high, where we can see it. I'm not sold on the really high reload that some prefer. Instead of the magwell up in front of the eyes, I'd go with more of the front sight in front of the eyes (front sight being the highest point of the gun). That puts the magwell at about chin level at it's upper limit. Reloading while moving, probably drops the gun down a wee bit more.

We need to be able to (peripherally) see the target...or where we are heading while moving, IMO.

And here is a link to a video tutorial that I put up that covers some of the step-by-step points:<clickity>

[mike cyrwus]

I think this thread is drifting into a "How do I do a speed reload", as opposed to "what are the subtle nuances about reloading ss mags"

-Plenty of threads on the former on the board.

[ChuckS]

I think this thread is drifting into a "How do I do a speed reload", as opposed to "what are the subtle nuances about reloading ss mags"

-Plenty of threads on the former on the board.

Yeah, Flex. Please stay on subject...

[Aristotle]

There's not much difference with my single stack reloads except that I seem to grip my gun a little more firm to keep from a slightly less ideal reload from bobbling my gun around.

I make sure I get a good grab and place the pad of my hand and index finger along the front of the magazine, and concentrate more on my index finger position and the grip on my gun than where the mag contacts the inside of my magwell. Because I am faster when I am going off of "feel" than "visual queue". My focus is to try to get my sight snapped back to target focus. If I have to "see" the mag hit my my magwell, I feel I am giving up some time.

I'm dropping the gun lower on reloads on the move, to the chest and chin area because I feel I can transition to different shooting positions faster with the gun slightly lower than obscuring my vision completely.

dryfire:

live fire:

Edited December 11, 2008 by Aristotle

[Matt Cheely]

The extra bit you need to smoothly reload a skinny gun as opposed to a wide body is:

A. hitting the smaller hole, and B. getting the angle of the mag right on.

[38supPat]

I give myself just a bit more 'pause' as I index the mag to the gun...it probably doesn't take that long, but I give myself a moment to make sure it is aligned before driving it home. There is not a lot of forgiveness on a SS mag hole, especially a stock hole with no mag well. I'd rather pause and get it in than stand there fumbling with it.

[Singlestack]

I give myself just a bit more 'pause' as I index the mag to the gun...it probably doesn't take that long, but I give myself a moment to make sure it is aligned before driving it home. There is not a lot of forgiveness on a SS mag hole, especially a stock hole with no mag well. I'd rather pause and get it in than stand there fumbling with it.

I was just about to say the same thing.

[Duane Thomas]

Duane,

I sort of wish I had heard this 10 years ago.

Thanks,

Chuck

Yer welcome!

I wish I'd heard it ten years before I did.

[Duane Thomas]

I think this thread is drifting into a "How do I do a speed reload", as opposed to "what are the subtle nuances about reloading ss mags"

Speedloading a skinny gun is really not all that different from doing the same thing on a wide body, with the exception that the required level of execution is higher. With a huge mag funnel and a magazine with a tiny little taper top, you can just kind of "heel" the mag into place without using the pointer finger by throwing it in the general direction of the funnel and it'll go in - most of the time. What the skinny gun teaches you is that it's really not all that much slower to execute every part of the reload with perfect technique - and you get much more consistency.

[Ron Ankeny]

I give myself just a bit more 'pause' as I index the mag to the gun...it probably doesn't take that long, but I give myself a moment to make sure it is aligned before driving it home.

Me too. I got decent at SS reloads about the time I decided to be able to break 2 seconds for the draw, shoot, reload, shoot thingy. The key is the time it takes you to get to the mag, out of the pouch, and to the gun. A .1 second pause at the gun to get it right is not a big expense in terms of time.