Mechanics of a fast reload

[jeep45238]

Figured this would be well suited to go here.

Mechanics of doing a fast mag change - with a pistol that utilizes a proper mag release (read by the trigger, not the heel), with a user who's body build will not let their thumb easily reach the mag release from a firing grip.

First, the proof that I'm not cheating - my thumb can't get to the mag release

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Pistol%20Reloading/Photo32.jpg

1)http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Pistol%20Reloading/Photo33.jpg stoppage

2)http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Pistol%20Reloading/Photo34.jpgWhat's going on? We can't just assume that the gun went empty, it could be a multiude of reasons why the slide locked back - failure to feed, empty mag, double feed? Well, we tilt the pistol up to see the feed ramp, which allows us to see the chamber, and top of the feed ramp. Looks like we have a hungry pistol and no ammo in the mag!

3)http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Pistol%20Reloading/Photo36.jpg
We use the index finger on the support hand to rotate the gun in our weapon hand, by pulling with the side of the index finger against the trigger guard. When our finger can get to the mag release, push it in. It's value added here if you're running a mag with a base plate, rip it out of the frame. If your mags 90% of the time drop out of the gun, get your hand moving to your belt.

4)http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Pistol%20Reloading/Photo37.jpg
Index your hand onto your spare mag, and pull it out - we've got a hungry pistol!

5)http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Pistol%20Reloading/Photo39.jpg
Mid-step - my index finger is on the nose of the bullet on the mag, and it's base in my palm. The heel of the grip has rotated to face the incoming magazine, and the gun is still high so I can see what's going on down range.

6)http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Pistol%20Reloading/Photo41.jpg
Slow down right HERE and look at your gun to make sure that you've got the mag going into the gun - then keep running it. Notice how my index finger is on the frontstrap of the frame, which allows me to guide the single stack mag into the hole that's barely larger than the mag.

[jeep45238]

7)http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Pistol%20Reloading/Photo43.jpg
We're back to running this thing - pushing the mag in HARD and making sure it's seated. The last thing in the world you want right now is to pansy around with the mag and not get it seated - causing no ammunition to leave the mag when you release the slide. That has the potential to also let the mag hit the ground, making your speed reload very, very, very slow - and possibly deadly depending on your environment. On all of my Kahr pistols, slamming the mag will actually drop the slide, feeding the gun and letting me skip a step. If this doesn't work for you, start using the slide stop instead of sling-shotting the slide. When things start to mate together, you'll probably be able to do it just fine as long as there's some bit of a gap between the frame and the basepad on the mag.

8)http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Pistol%20Reloading/Photo44.jpg
Gotta get this thing fed! We've got a fresh mag in the gun, the slide didn't drop when we slammed it home. On my way to getting my support hand back into the supporting role, my thumb passes the slide stop. Push it down.

9)http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Pistol%20Reloading/Photo45.jpg
Our hungy hungry hippo is now fed.



It takes some practice, and you will goober up - but practice, practice, practice, and you'll be surprised how quick you can get.

[JodyH]

You need to get the gun up higher into your line of sight.
Keep your head up and keep scanning for threats while reloading.
I'm also a fan of gross motor skills and consistency of my manipulations
I like to bring the gun in a little tighter on reloads (usually around 12" or so away from my chin).
Once you are reloaded you press the pistol straight back out like you would on a draw stroke (consistency of manipulations).
I also prefer the hand over the top of the slide rack rather than using the slide-release.
One gross motor skill that covers tap/rack malfunction clearances and reloads (consistency of manipulations).

[jeep45238]

Jody - I'm trying to watch a frickin camera screen and take pictures of myself within a limited field of view. I don't have somebody else to take pictures or video of myself and take snap shots. Taking pictures with something located at waist level pointed up and focusing on the pistol is not the easiest thing in the world, especially when you have 3 seconds to get back into position and on the next step after you click "ok" on the computer. Besides, you should be focusing on the HANDS and the gun/magazine/hand movements if you have to look at static pictures to figure out a fast reload.

Why focus on a gross movement and make that your default training step? Guys rip off the top cover of belt fed guns, line up the belt just fine, slam the lid shut, and run the handle without thinking things through - muscle memory.

If we're empty, why slow ourselves down for something? We looked into the gun, and know it's empty, so why use a remedial based action to load the thing? If we see a round still there, we know something else is going on, and treat it that way.

[ripley16]

The only major difference in technique that I practice when reloading Is that I dismiss the two handed grip after the reload and revert to one handed grip. This allows me to shoot a split second quicker.

I'm not a firm believer in the necessity of the combat reload in civilian circles, military and LE circumstances maybe, but civilians have little need to reload in the same manner IMHO, but I can do it.

[JodyH]

Jody - I'm trying to watch a frickin camera screen and take pictures of myself within a limited field of view. I don't have somebody else to take pictures or video of myself and take snap shots.

If we're empty, why slow ourselves down for something? We looked into the gun, and know it's empty, so why use a remedial based action to load the thing? If we see a round still there, we know something else is going on, and treat it that way.
If you aren't capable of demonstrating a technique properly with pictures, then don't get pissy when someone calls you on your improper technique.
Either show it correctly or prepare for critiques.
I see a picture of an incorrect technique, I'm going to point it out.

Why would you look into the gun to check it's status?
Tilting the gun up to look at the chamber is a needless wasted action.
You should instead work on your immediate action drills rather than something that requires visual diagnostics.
Your visual diagnostic method fails under low light or no light conditions.
Under stress people also develop tunnel vision, instructing a technique that requires you to look at the gun is setting people up to take their focus off of the threat which can get them killed.
Non-diagnostic gun handling via immediate action drills allows the shooter to maintain situational awareness.

If the slide remains back after your immediate action drill (tap/rack) then you know that one of two things has happened, you're either out of ammo or you have a type 3 malfunction.
When you go to remove the magazine is when you know whether it's simply a reload (the mag falls out) or a type 3 (the mag is stuck).
None of that requires so much as a glance at the gun.

Why the overhand rack rather than using the slide release?
First, gross motor skills are more positive under stress.
It's much easier to grab the slide with your entire hand than it is to hit that small slide release if your fingers are covered in blood and you've taken an incoming round to a few of your fingers or thumb (in a gunfight the hands and forearms are one of the most often hit body parts because people tend to focus on the threat and shoot towards that focus)
Second, I've seen a lot of shooters get in a hurry and drop the slide prior to fully seating the magazine resulting in an empty chamber.

[jeep45238]

Why would you look into the gun to check it's status?

Set your gun up for a double feed and try your tap-rack-bang.

Betting on a mag to drop free is just asking for serious issues.

[oldtex]

......

We looked into the gun, and know it's empty, ........

Just a question, Jeep. How would you confirm that the gun is empty in low-light conditions?

[JodyH]

Set your gun up for a double feed and try your tap-rack-bang.

Betting on a mag to drop free is just asking for serious issues.
I not only set up type 3's, I set them up and run them two handed, strong hand only and weak hand only.

I had one on the clock at the last IPSC match (extractor chipped), took me 3.5 seconds to clear and get off the next shot.
That 3.5 sec. time includes:
The initial tap/rack.
The rip/rack/rack/rack (Glocks don't require the slide to be locked back) to clear the type 3.
Reload from my mag carrier.
The shot on the popper.

Turn out the lights and let me know how your visual diagnostic technique works for you.

If the slide remains back after your immediate action drill (tap/rack) then you know that one of two things has happened, you're either out of ammo or you have a type 3 malfunction.
When you go to remove the magazine is when you know whether it's simply a reload (the mag falls out or pulls out easily) or a type 3 (the mag is stuck).
None of that requires so much as a glance at the gun.

btw: I don't bet on the mag to fall free, I always go to rip the empty magazine out. Sometimes it's already falling and I let it drop, other times it needs a tug. Either way, my default reload starts with an attempt to assist the mag out of the gun.

[Shawn Dodson]

You're in darkness. You're under attack. You press the trigger and your gun doesn't fire. You reflexively Tap, Roll & Rack.

I use nondiagnostic stoppage clearance techniques (tap, roll & rack as well as tap, roll & rack, slide lock, magazine drop, cycle, cycle, cycle, seat, roll & rack) and this method integrates well with all my manipulation techniques. No thinking required. Just do it.

Clearing stoppages (depleted magazine (combat reload), unseated magazine, failure to feed, failure to fire, failure to extract, failure to eject):

1. Misfire
2. Finger off trigger
3. Tap, roll & rack
4. Recover/Assess: Reengage?
5. Misfire
6. Finger off trigger
7. Jettison "depleted" magazine
8. Obtain fresh magazine from carrier
9. Insert fresh magazine (if magazine inserts, go to step 10)

a. If fresh magazine cannot be inserted
b. Put fresh magazine between ring and pinky fingers
c. Retract and lock slide
d. Forcibly remove and discard “depleted” magazine
e. Roll & rack, rack, rack
f. Retrieve fresh magazine from ring & pinky fingers and insert
10. Seat magazine, roll & rack
11. Recover/Assess: Reengage?

Steps 1-4 clear unseated magazine, failure to feed, failure to fire and failure to eject (in most cases) and can be accomplished in about a second.

If steps 1-4 fail to get the gun running then you immediately perform a Combat Reload, steps 5-9 and 10-11, because you're more likely to have shot the gun dry than to suffer a doublefeed.

If you cannot insert the fresh magazine because the "depleted" magazine did not jettison, steps 9a-9f clear a doublefeed, which jams the magazine in place. When the doublefeed is cleared, you continue on and complete your Combat Reload (steps 10-11).

You simply progress through the procedure until you get the gun back up and running. The key to quickness is to minimize the number of decisions you have to make. Examining the gun to diagnose the stoppage (and disengaging the slide lock) require additional decision-making (OODA loop - you have to observe, then orient, then decide, then act). Whereas using a progressive series of steps and simply moving on to the next step when necessary cuts down on the number of decision that need to be made.

Attempting to diagnose the problem to decide what technique to apply adds time. If the slide is not in battery the problem could be a depleted magazine, an in-line stovepipe or a doublefeed. In low light or no light you might not be able to quickly diagnose the exact problem and the technique you apply may be the wrong one.

This is why I "retract and release." Manually releasing the slide lock adds complexity. For example, if the slide automatically goes into battery (unexpected situation) when you seat the magazine you'll pause to make a decision: do I drive on, do I disengage the slide lock or do I rack the slide? In addition if you don't detect that the slide automatically went into battery when you seated the magazine it might slow you down as you encounter an unexpected situation - something about the slide lock doesn't feel right but the slide is in battery. But if you simply "seat, roll & rack" there's no decision making or unexpected situations. You just do it as a conditioned reflex and drive on.

I operate the slide lock to engage it for unloading and for clearing a doublefeed only.

I operate the slide using the overhand method. In addition I never load my pistols with the slide locked open - the slide is always in battery when I seat a magazine except for a combat reload. The practice conditions me to the extra effort required to positively seat the magazine after clearing a doublefeed, or when performing a tactical reload.

Tap:
Briskly strike magazine baseplate with heel of support hand.

Roll & Rack:
Grasp slide using overhand method. Roll pistol in direction of ejection port and simultaneously retract and release slide.

The purpose of rolling the pistol is to use centrifugal force and gravity to help clear the action.

Retract the slide forcefully, like you’re trying to rip it off the frame. (You can also push forward with your firing hand at the same time.) When the slide reaches its rear most travel it will slip out the grasp of your support hand and go into battery.