Revolver Reload Procedure

F

FM451

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Just finished reading Massad Ayoob's book "Stressfire". Had an interesting chapter regarding revolver reload procedure. I'm familiar with the FBI reload, where the gun is held in the left hand, middle two fingers around the cylinder, outer fingers on the frame, thumb on the ejector rod. The U.S. Army had a similar method for reloading a wheelgun (Field Manual 23-35), though the gun doesn't appear to be held the same way. Ayoob's Stressfire method has the ejector rod between the first 2 fingers, thumb around the cylinder, fingers around the frame. Just curious, if anyone has trained on the Stressfire revolver reload method, how this compares with the FBI/Army reload method regarding speed, handling, use of speedloaders, etc.

Any other revolver reload methods that have worked well?

Thanks,
 
Either Way, really - - -

- - - Can work quite well.

I got my law enforcement handgun training back in the olden days, when ALL non-military police trained with revolvers. Also, almost the ONLY universally accepted police competition was some variation of the PPC (Police Pistol Course.) There was a lot of discussion of the most rapid method of reloading.

The general consensus was that you used middle and ring fingers of left hand to press cylinder open. You then either kept left fingers through the frame and operated ejector rod with left thumb while right hand sought more ammo, OR held revolver in right hand while striking ejector rod with heel of left hand. You ended up holding revolver in left hand, second two fingers through frame, with left palm cupped below cylinder, to catch any fumbled cartridges. The left thumb rotated cylinder to position chambers for loading. The method taught by Ayoob is a minor variation of this method, just different enough so he can claim "Originality." Either method works well with loose ammo or speedloaders.

Only major departure from this of which I am aware was illustrated in a Guns Magazine article on shooting the El Presidente drill, in the late 1970s. There was a sequence of photos showing a Swiss IPSC shooter using a Model 19 and speedloaders. He kept revolver in right hand and operated speedloader with left. Super fast, he was.

Best,
Johnny
 
My cylinder won't move sideways! Which finger do I flip the loading gate open with? :confused:
 
Been using his method for years

since I first saw it in his book. I like the superior power for extraction that you get from the palm strike, vs. just using your thumb. I've been seeing some area competition shooters using the reload Guest described from the magazine article. I'm wondering if this might unecessarily stress the yoke/crane because it's not supported in the weak hand when you strike the ejector. Secondly, alingment of a speedloader is probably better finessed by your more dextrous hand. It's not quite as easy as inserting a much larger magazine into a much larger mag-well.
 
Re. Slapping the ejector rod.
A huge part of me wants to lump that into the same catagory as flipping the cylinder closed. Looks good in hollywood, but the fudge factor of a bent ejector rod is too high for my tastes. I'll stick with the thumb method.

PF,
Shouldn't matter. If six 240 gr or 255 gr don't stop em they're packing Kryponite :D
 
i also started back when we all carried wheelguns on duty and i shot PPC for a few years...so IMHO

i tried both methods, loader in left and right hands, to find which was faster:
1. loading with the "off-hand" allows you to maintain your shooting grip on the grips but doesn't work with colts or the dan wessons. it also is slower with longer arms because they cramp into your body.

2. loading with the "strong-hand" gives a straighter shot at the cylinder with the speedloader and allows more room for longer arms. it also allows you to more easily index your speedloader with the cylinder in the dark (without looking down, finger-meets-finger) the downside is that there is more gun handling during the process

either way, i have always used the non-gripping hand to slap the ejector rod and have never had a bent rod (even using the skinny colt rods) . that is how we were taught in the academy, it's a street survival skill (like not catching your empties) it's better to risk a bent rod and an empty cylinder than incomplete ejection with a stuck case (or worst, a case under the star).
 
Here's my method. It requires some dexterity, but works REALLY well for me.

I let the revolver (all Smith & Wesson, all the time) "ride back" in my right hand to where I can reach the latch with my thumb.

While pushing the latch in, I push the cylinder open with my index finger, with my thumb braced on the hammer. The "bird" finger goes around the trigger guard. This locks the gun in nicely for the subsequent maneuvers.

While I'm doing this with my right hand, my left hand is freeing up a speedloader.

When I have the cylinder open, I roll the gun so the muzzle is pointing up.

As my left hand comes around, I smack the ejector rod smartly with either the pad of my thumb or the heel of my hand, depending on which model gun I'm shooting.

Then I roll the gun forward, splay my third and pinky fingers out to give the speedloader clearance, drop in the rounds, and bring my left hand up to close the cylinder.

When I have the cylinder closed, I grasp the gun momentarily in my left hand, reposition my right hand to shooting grip, and then slide my left hand down over my right hand for a two-handed grip.

It took a lot of training to get used to this method, but it is by FAR the fastest I have ever used. When I was really trained in it I could go last shot reload first shot in about 3 to 5 seconds (that was timed by a friend).

I used that method in an IDPA match some months ago, and the range instructor said he had never seen anything quite like it.
 
RAE, in the Ayoob method, your left hand is encircling the body of the cylinder with the gun's muzzle pointed straight up. The ejection rod is braced for over half its length by the yoke and interior of the cylinder. You hand delivers the force straight down, not at an awkward angle. FWIW, the only time I've seen a bent rod, it was from dropping the gun with the cylinder open.:eek:
 
You guys are spoiled. Try reloading as a lefty. Here's how I do it:

1. Let the gun fall forward slightly in your left hand.

2. Grab outside of the frame of gun with the right hand.

3. Bring forefinger up and push cylinder release with this finger.

4. As the forefinger is applying pressure to the cylinder release, reach around with thumb of left hand and push cylinder out.

5. Release gun with right hand, retrieve speedloader/cartridges.

6. Tip gun up and push ejector rod with heel of right hand to eject spent casings.

7. Tip gun back down with left hand, turn gun towords body (with muzzle still pointed down), reach around with right hand and load cylinder while holding cylinder in place with forefinger in place with forefinger of left hand.

8. In one fluid motion, close cylinder and lock in place with middle three fingers of right hand and then bring right hand into support position for two-handed grip.

Now, the tough part - do all this while humming the theme from "Shaft".
 
Rock Jock,

I am a lefty, but I shoot out of the right hand. That's why I use my left hand to handle the speedloader.

Got into a fight with the same IDPA guy over that. He wanted me to wear my speedloader pouch on my right side.

I looked at him like he was an idiot, and then showed him my reloading method.

He was suitably impressed. :)
 
Mike,

I have done limited practice with my weak hand, and probably should do more. I think the hardest part would not be coming up with a good grip and stance, but rather would be getting good sight alignment with your non-dominant eye.

I don't want to lean my head over to focus with my left eye. What do you suggest?
 
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