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Favorite wheel gun reload technique??

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  • Red

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    Hi all,

    Been watching countless YouTube vids and reading articles on the most efficient way to reload your revolver with a speed loader.

    There are some good options out there. Some a bit too mall ninja type, some with sound movement under stress.

    Wanna have a couple in muscle memory bank just for fun. Revolvers are by far my slowest and most cumbersome platforms for me, but the challenge is always fun.

    Any named techniques or linked fav videos?
     

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    indy1919a4

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    wildrider666

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    R/H Grip: Thumb presses cyclinder release
    L/H cradles frame from bottom and middle two fingers push cyclinder through frame and stabilize it between thumb.
    L/H takes control and turns muzzle STRAIGHT UP (cases may begin to drop out), Palm of R/H slaps down ejector rod then grabs speed loader as L/H rotates muzzle down (135°+-).
    R/H Speed loader cartridges are inserted (even in blackout it's like sliding them into you palm) and released (twist or push) and loader swept away by R/H. Moon clips can be a 2, 3, 5 or 6 rounds requiring additinal handling/dexterity.
    L/H thumb closes cyclinder as R/H resumes grip while moving to threat or ready position.

    For L/H grip: everything is similar except the preference on releasing the cyclinder latch and the R/H thumb pushes the cyclinder through the frame holding it with help of fingers. R/H fingers close cyclinder.

    Same emptying steps for loose rounds: I index two at a time and rotate cyclinder with thumb chamber to be loaded are at 10 to 12 clock position. Reloading strips vary in distance betweem cartridges and flexibility but normally you can insert and strip two at a time.

    Never ever was I a fan of using the L/H thumb to "pump" the ejector rod. Fine motor skill, weaker movement and short stroke/trap case potential.

    FWIW: on SAA, an empty cyclinder is useless. I pop out an empty then insert a fresh round before rotating the cyclinder. Eliminates having to index each chamber twice and you can shoot if needed. We count-em going out right? Count-em going in and you won't waste time or readiness.
     

    Jeb21

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    I like Wildrider's technique for the DA revolver. The only concern is that I have seen guys injure their right hand slapping a the ejector rod with the softer web of their hand if you hit the rod too vigorously. The ejector rod can puncture the skin. This is especially a concern when using hot magnum loads that are more likely to expand and be difficult to extract. Similarly, if the gun chambers are dirty, like towards the end of a match, the cases may not extract as easily. So if you use the right hand to slap the rod, make sure you use the tougher heel of your hand.

    I activate the extractor rod with my left thumb. I normally shoot 38 specials, so the rounds come out easily with a full length ejector rod. With a snubie I just figure that some of the rounds are going to fail to come out from the shorter ejector rod so I will use my right hand to dislodge any straggling cases.
     
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    ChrisC

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    The best revolver reload is the one that never happened... shoot til empty, throw the gun at the bad guy (steel is better than aluminum), then run away very fast.

    but if you must stick around to reload, whatever technique you choose, always maintain situational awareness. practice reloads without looking. I myself prefer full length ejector and support thumb method.
     

    MAXman

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    New York reload, two loaded airwieghts are less weight than most metallic wonder nines.

    Seriously though, I use the same technique as wildrider but I use weak hand thumb on the ejector. Usually I just push it 2-4 times while I go for the reload, I don’t have a reason like Jeb21 though. It’s just a bad habit.
     

    Jeb21

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    What Maxman is not telling y'all is that he shoots both airweights at the same time, John Woo style :)
     

    Red

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    Thanks for the also the info gents. Learning a lot about revolvers in this thread.

    I don’t think I’d ever be proficient enough for daily Ccw purposes, but as a camp companion, a 357 loaded with some Lehigh hot loads and a few speed loaders would keeping me feeling warm and fuzzy in the bag.
     

    wildrider666

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    I like Wildrider's technique for the DA revolver. The only concern is that I have seen guys injure their right hand slapping a the ejector rod with the softer web of their hand if you hit the rod too vigorously. The ejector rod can puncture the skin. This is especially a concern when using hot magnum loads that are more likely to expand and be difficult to extract. Similarly, if the gun chambers are dirty, like towards the end of a match, the cases may not extract as easily. So if you use the right hand to slap the rod, make sure you use the tougher heel of your hand.

    I activate the extractor rod with my left thumb. I normally shoot 38 specials, so the rounds come out easily with a full length ejector rod. With a snubie I just figure that some of the rounds are going to fail to come out from the shorter ejector rod so I will use my right hand to dislodge any straggling cases.

    To prevent "Stuck cases" is the reason why the ejector rod is slapped down. Its a bit stronger than thumbing it and short stroking a binding case. A R/H person would have very tiny hands for the crane pivot to extractor rod distance extend to the thumb/forefinger web. L/H folks would naturally tuck the thumb against the side of the palm to prevent hitting the hammer/frame. I've trained hundreds of LE men/women, L & R handed shooters; when the revolver was the duty sidearm: never saw a single injury. Your slapping the rod not trying to drive a nail into oak bare handed. Lol.

    A lot of guru's teach he thumb pump. How many times do they/you pump it? Until all case clear right, Slap is one and done, it not only drives the rod: the energy/impact also moves the revolver further assisting ejection. You don't get that energy/impact with the thumb no matter how strong a person is.

    People often just say "use what works for you". The problem with that is it restricts your training in different techniques: in which you could develope proficiency.
     

    Az-Vic

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    I shot IPSC and action pistol for over 20 years, constantly trying to keep up with the latest auto pistol tech stuff, finally dropped auto pistol shooting and took up revolver shooting in 1991, figuring hey, what can you do to a revolver, everyone has six shots, seemed a no brainer? Boy was I wrong, but I stuck with revolver shooting. Shot many major ICORE matches, national and international as well as shooting in state and local action pistol matches, but shooting against mostly auto pistols, revolvers outside of ICORE are scarce at most pistol matches.
    Ive literally performed many thousands of reloads with a revolver, so I have a good handle on what works, at least for me. Im a lefty, so my technique differs obviously, for how a right handed shooter would attack it. With revolver in hand, at last shot, as I pull the gun down towards my center line, my left thumb operates the cylinder latch , right thumb pushes the cylinder out, then supports the underside of the top strap, while pinky finger and ring finger index on side of trigger guard holding it secure, middle finger is resting alongside the crane at ejector rod location and holding end of the face of cylinder. As soon as revolver is secure in right hand, left hand moves to belt for speed loader. This is one fluid operation as revolver is tilted up to let gravity help while I use index finger to push the ejector rod and dump empties. As soon as cylinder is clear of empties, tilt revolver down to again let gravity be your friend, reload, push cylinder back into frame with ring finger and middle finger of right hand, all while transferring revolver to my left hand, and assume firing grip as revolver is coming up to eye level. I know, I read what I typed...…… it's really easier than it sounds.
     
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    MAXman

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    What Maxman is not telling y'all is that he shoots both airweights at the same time, John Woo style :)

    No no, from the hip: Dillinger style.

    I’m not saying thumb the ejector vs slapping it, I’m just saying I do. I also use crimson trace and I carry the j frame in a bianchi 9r when I can. Plenty will tell you that both are wrong.

    Red you’d be surprised, with the proper rig and a good revolver course you’ll be above the level of common criminals pretty quick.
     

    Az-Vic

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    If I was a right handed shooter, I'd watch a youtube video of a Jerry Miculek reload about a thousand times and commit it to memory. He is without a doubt the finest revolver shooter on the planet, pretty hard to argue his technique, if there was one better, he would be using it. I was squadded with him back at the 1994 IRC, great guy and simply amazing to watch shoot, reload and handle a revolver.
     

    wildrider666

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    Jerry Mculek is a Pro and probably the fastest revolver guy alive. His fast time that include reloads are done primarily with revolvers stock and modified to use "moon clips" so you dropin and extract six cases as a single unit (you can get different round capacity clips). No twisting knob, push release or sweep away of the speedloader device. Moon clips were primarily used for holding rimless cases like 45APC in proper headspace and allow extraction in a revolver.

    Where the problem on the street occures is if you fire a few and want to top off, you remove good ammo with the empties and if you need it later; you have to index the rounds or play clickity clickity bang. This is a good example of competition stuff not being well suited for the real world. The U.S. military dropped moon clip revolvers (had 45APC ammo commonality) and went back to rimmed (38 Spl replaced the 38 Long Colt) revolvers in addition to the 1911s. Those 38 Spl revolvers continued in limited use well into the 80s when all sidearms were replaced with the Beretta 92F.
     

    Az-Vic

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    I could never imagine any scenario "on the street", gawd I hate that term, where a guy would be worried about "topping off" a six shot revolver. Regardless; a reload is a reload, the guy was asking about a good technique for learning one, I described how I do it, and suggested he watch some videos of how other guys perform the movement for a smooth, fast reload. I wouldn't worry myself over speed strips, or picking out four empties just to save two rounds. To many inject way to much minutia and confusion into a simple procedure. Learn one good reload technique that works for you, when the time comes you need more than six shots, which I can't imagine?, perform the reload you have imprinted in your hard drive and your good to go. I carry a S&W M19 2 1/2" revolver, no speed loaders, and feel quite confident that Im well armed, always feeling, maybe mistakenly so , that if by the slimmest of chances I'll ever really need it that , I have four extra rounds available in the cylinder.
     

    Jeb21

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    I could never imagine any scenario "on the street", gawd I hate that term, where a guy would be worried about "topping off" a six shot revolver. Regardless; a reload is a reload, the guy was asking about a good technique for learning one, I described how I do it, and suggested he watch some videos of how other guys perform the movement for a smooth, fast reload. I wouldn't worry myself over speed strips, or picking out four empties just to save two rounds. To many inject way to much minutia and confusion into a simple procedure. Learn one good reload technique that works for you, when the time comes you need more than six shots, which I can't imagine?, perform the reload you have imprinted in your hard drive and your good to go. I carry a S&W M19 2 1/2" revolver, no speed loaders, and feel quite confident that Im well armed, always feeling, maybe mistakenly so , that if by the slimmest of chances I'll ever really need it that , I have four extra rounds available in the cylinder.

    You are probably right with these two caveats: Bad guys sometimes run in packs and really bad guys use cars as weapons of mass destruction.
     

    MAXman

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    I could never imagine any scenario "on the street", gawd I hate that term, where a guy would be worried about "topping off" a six shot revolver. Regardless; a reload is a reload, the guy was asking about a good technique for learning one, I described how I do it, and suggested he watch some videos of how other guys perform the movement for a smooth, fast reload. I wouldn't worry myself over speed strips, or picking out four empties just to save two rounds. To many inject way to much minutia and confusion into a simple procedure. Learn one good reload technique that works for you, when the time comes you need more than six shots, which I can't imagine?, perform the reload you have imprinted in your hard drive and your good to go. I carry a S&W M19 2 1/2" revolver, no speed loaders, and feel quite confident that Im well armed, always feeling, maybe mistakenly so , that if by the slimmest of chances I'll ever really need it that , I have four extra rounds available in the cylinder.

    I’m inclined to agree, but keep in mind wildrider is coming from a LEO background with revolvers. I can easily think of scenarios there where one may want to top off but not dump unused rounds.
    I read once on the internet(so you know it’s true), a gentlemen who carried a j frame in a rural community. He said it wasn’t unheard of for him to have to dispatch snakes or other critters. For that reason he carried a speed strip, to easily top off. Something that may easily transfer to camping/hiking.
    Personally, I can’t see myself living through more than 6 rounds with a pack of bad guys(especially if they’re armed with vehicles), but I usually carry a speed strip and a speed loader because I already own them, they’re easy to carry, and hell you never know.
     
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