How long to reload a revolver?
- Thread starter cheezhed
- Start date
From last shot fired to first shot after reload during competition I average about 2 to 2.5 seconds with a Smith 625 (moon clip gun). This is based on review of the timer during several stages of an IDPA match. I shoot at the upper end of Sharpshooter level. Masters are quite a bit faster.
For the average person / average shooter, . . . it is considerably longer than it takes to reload almost any semi-auto.
Speedloaders are the ticket, . . . but only unless you are willing to spend literally hours of practice, . . . most folks I know are in the 10 to 15 second cagtegory, . . . using speedloaders.
I've used speed strips and speed loaders, . . . that's one of the reasons I carry a 1911.
May God bless,
Dwight
Speedloaders are the ticket, . . . but only unless you are willing to spend literally hours of practice, . . . most folks I know are in the 10 to 15 second cagtegory, . . . using speedloaders.
I've used speed strips and speed loaders, . . . that's one of the reasons I carry a 1911.
May God bless,
Dwight
I've used revolvers for years, and although I'm not the fastest gun on the line, our qualification is fairly rigid. Six rounds standing, six rounds kneeling, mandatory reload while kneeling - 25 seconds. I've done it with speed loaders, speed strips, and single cartridges. Speed loaders are faster, but it can be done with single cartridges without running in to the stop buzzer.
Yep and the machine Jerry M. can get 12 rounds off with a reload in under 3 seconds. Practice practice and practice some more. If you get a chance look into ICORE shooting www.icore.org. The matches will give you plenty of reloading practice along with trigger time.
Realistically, with a revolver using moonclips, under 2 seconds; speedloaders maybe a hair faster, and without speedloaders stretches that out to maybe 6 or 7 seconds, if you can load 2 at a time from loops. Most people don't realize this, but one of the worst 5 spree killings in history was carried out using a hunting knife and a double-action revolver, in a restaurant in Columbia, with 30 dead. Technology is not nearly as important as having a plan and the desire to carry it out.
Well this isn't really human IMO but you won't see it done any faster...
Somewhere sub second I'm guessing
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lLk1v5bSFPw
Somewhere sub second I'm guessing
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lLk1v5bSFPw
Realistically, good competitive revolver shooters, under match conditions, can reload with spring-loaded CompIII or Jetloader speedloaders in about 3 seconds even. That's the time from the shot before to the shot after the reload. And those shots hit their mark, too, i.e. in the A- or down zero- zone. Very good competitive wheelgunners can do this in under 3. Anything under 2.5seconds (with good shots before & after) is wicked fast. A moonclip would likely take about half a second off that. In contrast, twist-type speedloaders like the HKS probably add about a second or more.
Below is a vid of me and a 2.75 second speedloader reload, which is right around my norm. FWIW, I'm a Master level SSR shooter. If you're just starting out with your reloads, focus more on getting the movements down smoothly and getting good hits before & after, then start thinking about speed.
If speed is your gig, the right gear is important, but the real secret is a metric boatload of practice at home with dummy rounds. Moonclips, for instance, ain't gonna get you there on their own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNFerCV3W4Y
Below is a vid of me and a 2.75 second speedloader reload, which is right around my norm. FWIW, I'm a Master level SSR shooter. If you're just starting out with your reloads, focus more on getting the movements down smoothly and getting good hits before & after, then start thinking about speed.
If speed is your gig, the right gear is important, but the real secret is a metric boatload of practice at home with dummy rounds. Moonclips, for instance, ain't gonna get you there on their own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNFerCV3W4Y
Thanks
Most people don't realize this, but one of the worst 5 spree killings in history was carried out using a hunting knife and a double-action revolver, in a restaurant in Columbia, with 30 dead.
Can you give me the time frame and location of this event please.
Thanks for the info. I was in a discussion with a non shooter over school shootings and his take was that the body count would be lower if magazine fed firearms were banned and if we were to have handguns they should be revolvers because of the length of time of the reload the cops could get there before to many shots were fired.
There was no way I could convince him that that was the dumbest thing I have ever heard as I can reload my revolver in less than 5 seconds and could go through 50 rounds in less than 2 minutes if I wanted to. The point I wanted to make was that the high fatality rate was due to ease of entrance to a gun free zone and the inability for anyone to defend themselves or others.
Most people don't realize this, but one of the worst 5 spree killings in history was carried out using a hunting knife and a double-action revolver, in a restaurant in Columbia, with 30 dead.
Can you give me the time frame and location of this event please.
Thanks for the info. I was in a discussion with a non shooter over school shootings and his take was that the body count would be lower if magazine fed firearms were banned and if we were to have handguns they should be revolvers because of the length of time of the reload the cops could get there before to many shots were fired.
There was no way I could convince him that that was the dumbest thing I have ever heard as I can reload my revolver in less than 5 seconds and could go through 50 rounds in less than 2 minutes if I wanted to. The point I wanted to make was that the high fatality rate was due to ease of entrance to a gun free zone and the inability for anyone to defend themselves or others.
"Can you give me the time frame and location of this event please.
Thanks for the info. I was in a discussion with a non shooter over school shootings and his take was that the body count would be lower if magazine fed firearms were banned and if we were to have handguns they should be revolvers because of the length of time of the reload the cops could get there before to many shots were fired."
You can google "Pozzetto restaurant massacre" for plenty of info on this one; it happened Dec. 4, 1986, when Campo Delgado walked into a restaurant in Bogota with a hunting knife and a Llama DA revolver in a briefcase, he sat down, had a nice meal, and then started killing people. Before this started, he had already killed one of his students and her mother, another 6 in his building and he killed another 20 in the restaurant. If only ONE of those people had had a weapon and the intent to use it, they could have ended it right there.
Thanks for the info. I was in a discussion with a non shooter over school shootings and his take was that the body count would be lower if magazine fed firearms were banned and if we were to have handguns they should be revolvers because of the length of time of the reload the cops could get there before to many shots were fired."
You can google "Pozzetto restaurant massacre" for plenty of info on this one; it happened Dec. 4, 1986, when Campo Delgado walked into a restaurant in Bogota with a hunting knife and a Llama DA revolver in a briefcase, he sat down, had a nice meal, and then started killing people. Before this started, he had already killed one of his students and her mother, another 6 in his building and he killed another 20 in the restaurant. If only ONE of those people had had a weapon and the intent to use it, they could have ended it right there.
Dwight55 wrote:
I find that very hard to believe. Even accounting for removing empty brass that doesn't drop free of their chambers, most people I know...even those who are unpracticed in reloading a revolver, can reload with a speed-loader from a jacket pocket in less than 10 seconds.
I find that very hard to believe. Even accounting for removing empty brass that doesn't drop free of their chambers, most people I know...even those who are unpracticed in reloading a revolver, can reload with a speed-loader from a jacket pocket in less than 10 seconds.
How long is an individual issue.
I have never been a speed freak when reloading comes.
Tatical awareness is more important to me.
Plus being able to reload without looking. It will either be dark or you will want to keep your eye on the "target".
Mt prefered way to carry extra ammo is a Bianchi Speed strip. It lies flat in the pocket or in a Simply Rugged pouch.
Now down to the issue if you need more than 5,6,7,or even 8 rounds.
I don't remember where or when I herd of the New York Reload but it is a back up gun ready to go.
So if you are packing a .357 3 inch 686 with 158 gr loads in the chambers then a possible BUG would be a 640 with 158 gr. LHP with .38s in a speed strip for both.
I also like the option of passing my bug to someone else if need be. I can not figure out a better way to watch my six.
I have never been a speed freak when reloading comes.
Tatical awareness is more important to me.
Plus being able to reload without looking. It will either be dark or you will want to keep your eye on the "target".
Mt prefered way to carry extra ammo is a Bianchi Speed strip. It lies flat in the pocket or in a Simply Rugged pouch.
Now down to the issue if you need more than 5,6,7,or even 8 rounds.
I don't remember where or when I herd of the New York Reload but it is a back up gun ready to go.
So if you are packing a .357 3 inch 686 with 158 gr loads in the chambers then a possible BUG would be a 640 with 158 gr. LHP with .38s in a speed strip for both.
I also like the option of passing my bug to someone else if need be. I can not figure out a better way to watch my six.
jason_iowa
New member
I'm about half a second slower on a revolver then I am with an auto. If I practiced more I'm sure I could do it about the same.