Revolver Reloads With A Moon Clip

[MichiganShootist]

I only started shooting revolver in IDPA and USPSA after many years of shooting bottom feeders... so to me it seemed perfectly normal to reload weak handed rather than pass my 625 back and forth so that I could put in the moon clip with my right hand.

So I as a right handed shooter put my reload in with my left hand.... using a moon clip or a speed loader.

I think is method becomming more and more popular. A good shooting friend noted that Jerry Miculak uses his strong hand and he bet me that the vast majority of good shooters do to.

I don't buy that..... If you are an USPSA B or higher Revolver shooter--- or an IDPA Expert or higher----

How do you do your reloads and why?

Edited December 14, 2009 by MichiganShootist

[Bill Nesbitt]

USPSA B and IDPA Master. I use my weak (left) hand to insert the moon clip or speedloader unless I am doing a tac load. Then I use my right hand so I can handle the unused ammo better.

[Waltermitty]

This is another one of those whatever works best for you deals. I reload both ways depending on circumstances on the course of fire.

For accuracy at long(er) ranges I will keep my grip on the gun with my strong hand because the disaster factor is lower. Up close I am faster loading with my strong hand and will choose that.

Strong hand reloading competence is useful if you have to run up range and need to reload on the way, and movement left to right naturally favors holding the open revolver in the left hand.

On a "Lefty's Revenge" style course the opposite is true.

While I inadvertently got an "A" card before a major match a couple of years ago, shooters of several styles beat me regularly. I would put the speeds of my reloads up against just about anybody. While you do need a reload that you can do consistently, indexing on targets and trigger control will be much more important than which hand you use to put bullets in your gun.

[John Z Sr]

USPSA "A" in revolver and IDPA expert in ESR. I move gun to weak hand and insert moonclips with my strong (right) hand. I've tried it the other way, but I seem to bump the cylinder closed with my left hand before the moonclip is in and that does not help the reload speed at all. Try it both ways and see what works for you.

[TMC]

I do it Jerry style, gun in weak hand, clip in strong. No USPSA revolver classificatin but an ICORE Master.

Just the throw a monkey in your wrench look at the top overall finishers 2009 IRC Results Rich, Neil, myself (Todd Crow) and Pat reload like Jerry. David, John, Mark, Vic and Gene are strong had reloaders. I believe there is no best way only the one you practice and are comfortable with.

Edited to include Mikes info on David O. Thanks Mike!

Edited December 14, 2009 by TMC

[Carmoney]

Dan Carden's a GM, and he holds the moonclips with the weak hand. I'm a Master, and I also load with the weak hand. Remember Spook? He's one of the top revolver guys in the world, and he does it that way too.

Among the better competition revolver shooters, I think it's probably very close to 50/50 right now.

[Carmoney]

I'm not sure about David, I haven't shot with him before.

He loads holding the moonclip weak-handed.

[nashvillebill]

USPSA-A

IDPA-MA (ESR and SSR)

I believe strong hand style has a greater speed potential (JM's world record run being the obvious example), but in general match conditions both styles can be executed fast and reliable with lots of practice. I started loading strong hand, changed to weak hand style. I was always concerned about over flipping the muzzle or loosing my hold at some point in the swap while at "full speed" which for me means "half brain" unfortunately. I do revert to strong hand for RWR in SSR and sometimes ESR RWR.

[open17]

USPSA (barely) B.

Tried it both ways, ended up doing it weak-hand. I don't have very big hands or long fingers. When I tried to

do a strong hand reload, the fingers of the weak hand would JUST get a grip through the frame opening.

Didn't feel secure at all. I do think the strong hand reload has the potential to be faster if you can do it safely.

[BadShot]

I load my moonclips using my strong hand. If I was starting from scratch, I'd use my weak hand. Mostly for 180 degree issues. Speedwise, I'd say they are pretty much a wash...

Skip

[Bwana Six-Gun]

USPSA B Class

ICORE B Class

I do the weak-hand reload and have since I started, just because I thought that was the way Jerry did it. I saw a clip of him setting his world record of six reload six and he was so fast, that I thought he was using his left hand. I figured it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me. I have since learned that I just did not watch close enough, but now I have become so accoustomed to weak-hand that I am all thumbs trying to do it strong hand. When I am at a local match and someone asks me which is best, I tell them what Walter Mitty said earlier. Try them both and see which is the most comfortable. I have seen real speed with both techniques.

My $.02.

[hopalong]

I'm just a beginner at this game, but if I had been doing it very long I would teach myself both styles and use what ever I was most confident with regularly. The other I would use as the need arises.........................................but what do I know, I'm just a beginner.

Oh and I forgot to add.

I started using the "jerry" meathod because he does hold the world record, and is the multiple World and US champion ect. ect. ect.

Hopalong

Edited December 15, 2009 by hopalong

[chemepharmd]

I agree with the comments above. It seems to me that the "strong hand" reload has the potential to be slightly faster. However, I am much more consistent when using my weak hand to perform the reload, therefore I reload with my weak hand most of the time.

[Lentz]

USPSA B, ICORE Master,IDPA SSR Master-ESR Master.

I do the weak handed reload i prefer this over the strong handed reload because if i would ever shoot a bottom feeder my muscle memory would be the same. Also if something would happen i have a greater chance of dropping the gun.

[Gregg K]

I'm just a beginner at this game, but if I had been doing it very long I would teach myself both styles and use what ever I was most confident with regularly. The other I would use as the need arises.........................................but what do I know, I'm just a beginner.

Hopalong

Lightening will strike you for telling such tall tales.

[S&WIowegan]

I'm just a crummy C-class shooter but I've been competing in IPSC matches with revo for 20 years. I started reloading moonclips in a 625 with my strong hand. After a year or two, I taught myself to do the reload weak hand because it is quicker for me. Also, I feel more confident about the "muzzle issue". I know Jerry does it fastest strong hand and if you watch him closely he often breaks the 180. I've heard him be warned by ROs but not DQed. On the other hand, ordinary shooters sometimes get a REAL hard time by ROs on the 180.

However, when shooting IDPA SSR, I reload with speedloaders with my strong hand.

Bob.

A16841.

[Carmoney]

I'm just a beginner at this game, but if I had been doing it very long I would teach myself both styles and use what ever I was most confident with regularly. The other I would use as the need arises.........................................but what do I know, I'm just a beginner.

Hopalong

C'mon, Sam, I ran the "beginner" gag 3 or 4 years ago, that's my bit. What's next--you gonna start posting pictures of Michael Jackson wearing a glove every time Tom Mainus gets mentioned on here, or what???

[snertley]

USPSA Revo "B". I started with doing strong hand reloads then started doing weak hand reloads about a month before the '08 Nats. I am able to do both and find myself doing both in a given stage without even thinking about it.

[Carmoney]

I know Jerry does it fastest strong hand and if you watch him closely he often breaks the 180.

Yes, and he is not alone. Many (definitely not all, but many!) of the guys who flip the gun back and forth between their hands and load with the strong hand will occasionally break the 180. Although it may be debatable whether a revolver muzzle barely breaking the 180 plane when the gun is empty and cylinder open is actually a real safety hazard....but there's no question it does violate the rule.

[cas]

The swinging muzzle and 180º issue is why I learned weak hand after a lifetime of "traditional" strong hand. But what I really like is that I maintain my shooting grip throughout the reload.

[Waltermitty]

I'm just a beginner at this game, but if I had been doing it very long I would teach myself both styles and use what ever I was most confident with regularly. The other I would use as the need arises.........................................but what do I know, I'm just a beginner.

Hopalong

Lightening will strike you for telling such tall tales.

Have you seen Hoppy? Lightning struck, a hailstorm followed, then a plague of locusts ate his hair.

Edited December 15, 2009 by Waltermitty

[Buzzstroker]

Have you seen Hoppy? Lightning stuck, a hailstorm followed, then a plague of locusts ate his hair.

And then the next thing you know, Hoppy will be engaged.

[MichiganShootist]

Yes, and he is not alone. Many (definitely not all, but many!) of the guys who flip the gun back and forth between their hands and load with the strong hand will occasionally break the 180. Although it may be debatable whether a revolver muzzle barely breaking the 180 plane when the gun is empty and cylinder open is actually a real safety hazard....but there's no question it does violate the rule.

You're right about that Mike.

Ask Gary Cutitta how it works ...... he was DQed from the Summer Blast and MI regional both in the same year for the reload breaking the 180.

It's my guess that the strong hand reloads are a carry over from the time when wheel guns were loaded bullet at a time or with stripper clips.... both of those methods took far more hand co-ordination so people used their strong hand.

Edited December 15, 2009 by MichiganShootist

[hopalong]

Buzz, since you mentioned it........................................

See the "What I like" forums

Hop

[Carmoney]

You're right about that Mike.

Ask Gary Cutitta how it works ...... he was DQed from the Summer Blast and MI regional both in the same year for the reload breaking the 180.

Yeah, I was there when that happened at the Summer Blast. I remember the stage pretty clearly, and Gary was facing almost straight left across the bay. I was behind and to the right where I couldn't see the muzzle, but I remember several ROs called "stop" at the same time. Facing and moving to the left seems to be the most common scenario for this type of 180 issue.

Somebody taped my targets prematurely on that stage, so I had to run the dang thing twice after Gary's DQ. You can bet I was careful, knowing everybody was watching very closely!