Reloads

[dajarrel]

How do you guys and gals perform reloads? Do you hold the gun in your strong hand and reload with your weak hand, or hold the gun in your weak had and reload with your strong. I prefer to hold the gun in my weak hand and reload with my strong hand, it seems to give me fair control of the cylinder during the reload.

Your methods?

Dennis

[uscbigdawg]

Hi Dennis,

I'm in agreement with you.

Upon last shot, I release the cylinder with the strong hand and push the cylinder out with the middle finger of the strong hand.

Then, grasp the entire gun, in front of the cylinder with the weak hand, and thumb the push bar thingy (technical term) with my weak thumb (gun is now muzzle up) and simultaneously reaching for the moon clip.

Next, turn gun upright, drop the moon clip in, thumb the cylinder closed with the weak hand, reacquire the grip and go.

Now you know why I don't like shooting revolver. There was an article in Front Sight a year ago (+/-) where it compared various reloading techniques. Check it out. When in doubt, do what Jerry, Vic or Rudy does.

Rich

[Bucky]

When I used to shoot PPC with a Colt, I would keep the gun in the strong hand. As I pulled back on the cylinder release, my hand would move up the frame and I'd stick my trigger finger through the frame, pushing the cylinder outward and holding it in place while reloading. I find it a tad more difficult to do this with an S&W because of the push to open cylinder latch.

[sensei]

hi all,

after the last shot, keeping all the time the revo with the strong hand, i push the latch with the first finger of the weak hand, and at the same time i push out the cylinder with the trigger-finger of the strong hand,

at this point to push away the spent brasses (moonclip), i "kick" with the palm of the weak hand and after this, with the weak hand i take the new clip from my holder (California Comp), and i complete the reload.

After i put the new clip in the cylinder, closing the revo i am engaging the next target, ready to shot.

I tried to reload changing the hand (reloading with the strong hand), but is too much difficoult for me, because i am worried that the "changing-hand" to keep the revolver, can cause the loosing of this.

[AFDavis11]

I find the strong hand reload as you describe (and what Jerry seems to prefer most of the time) to be best because as he says. "you have both hands working at the same time" one is grabbing ammo and one is clearing rounds. I will occasionally reload left handed. i.e. push the release with my thumb, push cylinder out with my left index finger, slam the ejection rod with the center of my left palm (a very powerful ejection compared to my injured left thumb doing it in a right hand reload) and reload with ammo with my left hand. I usually only do this motion if the moonclip is sitting very far over on the left side of my gunbelt and I think it will take me a fraction of a second longer for my right hand to get to it. I also keep the gun level with the ground when I do it this way. Sometimes I will reload this way also if my RO is being difficult about the typical barrel position of a revolver when you reload which is straight up. This ofcourse technically is breaking the 180, and you are disqualified. So if I get a warning about it I will revert the reload so the revolver always points straight down range, and not even slightly upward. I know you want to clear upburnt powder, but I don't want to be disqualified either.

[Bucky]

Are you talking about Jerry Miculek? Eveytime I've watched him, it appears that he switches the gun to the weak hand when reloading.

[spook]

I keep the gun in my strong hand and get the clip with the weak hand.

[TMC]

The Jerry method, which works well for me

upon last shot release cylinder with strong hand thumb while transferring gun to weak hand, weak hand cradles gun under trigger guard while fingers push cylinder out and thumb ejects rounds, while this is going on stong hand grabs new rounds as weak hand positions gun with cylinder straight up and down and stroong hand drops rounds into cylinder. The dropping is important becasue gravity and the rounds loose in the air will help them find the center of the hole and drop in nicely. weak hand thumb closes cylinder and rolls under as strong had grasps grip and the gun is brought back up on target.

[Bubber]

Dennis, FWIW. I reload the same method as Spook. I have used Jet Loaders for many years. After the reload is hit, the speed loader is cleared I use my weak hand palm to sweep the cylinder closed by a simple roll. I also use the same method with the moonclips, just need more practice.

[George D]

I have always used the Miculek method because it has both hands working. I can see an advantage to keeping the strong hand grip in place so I might experiment with that technique as well. Why not try both and settle on which ever feels comfortable for you.

[xcount]

I have used revolvers for a number of years and, until a couple years ago, always reloaded with the strong hand. That is, as previously described, I cradled the gun in the weak hand, ejected spent cases with the weak hand thumb, and retrieved & inserted ammo with the strong hand.

Looking back, I had reasons for doing so at the time. My first experience with revolver reloads was with duty gear which included a 12 round loop cartridge holder worn immediately in front of the holster. Not much choice there. This was followed by duty gear using speedloaders at the same location. Again, not much choice.

When I got into Action Pistol I just did what I had been doing for 15 years.

But all these guns were either K or L frames. When I bought a N frame I discovered it was a tad big for me to feel comfortable with the weak hand cradle. I always felt like I didn't have as much control of the N frame as I did with the smaller frames.

So I tried reloading with the weak hand. I have no idea how fast this is but I've had folks comment about how quickly it gets done.

One thing I did learn about this style is that it is important to immobilize the cylinder with the trigger finger while inserting the reload.

Just what works for me, for what it's worth.

[Chuck D]

I switch hands. Transfer gun to weak hand to unload it...insert moonclip/speedloader with the strong hand.

Just seems more natural for me.

[scotty]

All of you are obviously right handed. I use the method described by TMC, but being a lefty it involves first switching the gun to my weak (right) hand. This would probably change to something similar to spook's method if only I had a revolver that swings out on the proper (right) side.

[AFDavis11]

Yes, Bucky you are correct. I describe both methods in my post. When I say "I reload with the right hand" I am describing which hand puts the bullets into the gun. That is the way Jerry recommends. He holds the gun in his weak hand, and that is why I do it also. I practiced and timed myself for a month or so and found that method just slightly faster and just slightly more reliable. I do notice with the 625 though that holding the gun in the strong hand is pretty sweet too. I will be practicing alot this year as long as I can get a decent trigger pull working on my gun.

[Boom-Boom]

The switch hand reload is great if you have both hands on the gun to start out with, but what if you were shooting strong hand only, weak hand only, or grabbing an unloaded gun off a table and having to load it. In most situations, I do the switch hand reload, but in other situations that require my weak hand to do something else, I keep the gun in the strong hand to reduce the amount of motion both hands are doing.

You may not always have the opportunity or ability to switch hands so learn a couple different techniques, practice them, and work them into your shooting style.

[Ron Ankeny]

I use the dammit get in there method. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

[spook]

LOL, that's just about as effective as my ultrafast "clip-dropping"-method (on the floor that is...). Using two clips for a reload always puts a warm smile on my face. The hysterical laughter of my shooting buddies helps, really.

[underlug]

I use the Bubber method. I shoot until the gun is empty then I yell "Bubber, what do I do now?"

[Rockwell]

Sometimes I will reload this way also if my RO is being difficult about the typical barrel position of a revolver when you reload which is straight up. This ofcourse technically is breaking the 180, and you are disqualified. So if I get a warning about it I will revert the reload so the revolver always points straight down range, and not even slightly upward

I have been practicing this method, and I really like it but I have had the same concern about being disqualified. Have you ever been warned or DQ'ed when pointing the gun straight down toward your feet while inserting the new moon clip? This seems the only way that I can get the clip to fall in the cylinder consistently. Maybe I am just too paranoid!?!?

[AFDavis11]

No I haven't. I think this is partly because of my technique of whipping the gun up a little too far and using gravity as a guide to when the gun is pointed downward. Also I think an RO has much more issue with the barrel pointed upward when he can see it break 180 than when it is pointed down. He can't really see the exact barrel position from where he is standing. Just my opinion.

[Bubber]

Rock, I was warned once since I have been shooting. The RO was standing right behind me. I don't have the cylinder pointing straight down but close. I don't know what the RO saw or what he could see. I just thanked him and said I would watch. I did not change anything and it never happened again.