How do you do your emergency/slide lock reloads?

[Danny]

As a police officer I've always been trained to do the "workspace" reload: gun is angled/pointed at approximately 10 or 11 oclock, slightly in front of your head with palm facing in towards your face. I recently started IDPA and the ROs don't like the muzzle breaking 90 degrees/barrel higher than parallel to the ground, so now I'm having to retrain years of muscle memory for the game. Now I bring the gun in close and simply tilt it slightly, keeping the barrel parallel to the ground.

What's the general consesnus for emergency reload procedures?

[Kyle Reese]

Similar workspace reload. I wouldn't retrain myself to satisfy some Fuddy Duddy RO, though, especially if it might cause you to flub a reload when it really counts.


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[Le Français]

My reload is like the one you were trained to use. I find that it allows for a better view of what's happening down range as compared to the other technique you mentioned.

[Danny]

Similar workspace reload. I wouldn't retrain myself to satisfy some Fuddy Duddy RO, though.


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That's the problem, though... I wanna play the game! Do you think this is just specific to this particular club?

[Danny]

My reload is like the one you described. I find that it allows for a better view of what's happening down range as compared to the other technique you mentioned.

I'm assuming the reload you do is like the second one, not the "workspace" reload?

[Le Français]

That's the problem, though... I wanna play the game! Do you think this is just specific to this particular club?
You could shoot USPSA instead. No issues with reloads there, in my experience.

[Kyle Reese]

That's the problem, though... I wanna play the game! Do you think this is just specific to this particular club?

It might be. Come shoot a KSTG match and you won't have that problem. [emoji3]


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[Danny]

You could shoot USPSA instead. No issues with reloads there, in my experience.

Fisrt USPSA match is this Saturday!

[Le Français]

Fisrt USPSA match is this Saturday!
Have fun!

[rob_s]

I've gone both ways on this. and dealt with it in different ways.

initially I was trained, and used, a more muzzle-flat reload which satisfied most SOs. As things moved forward I started tipping the gun more and more, and got more and more comments from SOs/ROs. I have found the objections to be range-specific more so than game-specific, but it's fashionable to shit on IDPA these days, and most people lack any relevant volume of experience outside a single club or match and extrapolate their experience there across the entire game.

Now I just do my thing and let them keep telling me to stop doing it until they threaten to DQ me, at which point I comply. I then treat it as a training event wherein an external/abnormal condition has caused me to modify my preferred method of doing something, and fortunately my subconscious competence with manipulations is high enough to leave me brain-space to think about the reload when I need to.

something else, clubs that know you are less likely to bitch about you. In other words, over time you prove that you're safe, or too fast for them to call you in the act, and it becomes a non-issue.

I generally don't understand the level of whining these kinds of calls elicit from the timmy crowd, but maybe that's because of the way I deal with it.

[olstyn]

I have found the objections to be range-specific more so than game-specific

I'd go even farther and say that this type of selective rules enforcement/understanding is RO/SO-specific, although of course there may be localized collections of "bad" ones. I had a single RO at a USPSA match (out of 9 stages that day) question whether it was legal for me to use an IWB holster in the game. I was like "well, I've shot 7 stages before yours, and nobody else had a problem; are we ok here?" Thankfully, the "lead" RO on the stage knew that it was legal, and overruled the other person, even though he obviously didn't like it. It's funny how sometimes people who are charged with enforcing rules don't even know said rules. :p

[rob_s]

Oh, without a doubt. At my first USPSA match in years they told me I couldn't shoot from a concealment garment (in my car, an untucked t-shirt). But what I was more speaking to was range-specific rules. My "home range" is local-government owned/run and the facility SOs (vs those that are part of the game) have fits if muzzles point higher than the berm. I believe it's a facility rule.

[StraitR]

That's the problem, though... I wanna play the game! Do you think this is just specific to this particular club?

I think it's been covered well here already, but I wanted to add that my local club is the same in terms of indexing the muzzle when reloading. I was told that it couldn't point above the berm, and while I don't care for the rule, I understand why it's in place. To comply, I have to focus on not bringing the gun up so high that I can't keep it level. I don't practice the type of horizontal indexed gun reloads they like to see, but rather take a few moments to remember where I'm at, and what I'm doing when I step up to to shoot a stage. All in all, it's just another thing to remember when setting up to shoot a stage/string. That, and I practice reloads regularly, so the 15ish max reps I get at an IDPA match is insignificant compared to the number of normal reload reps in the month.

In the end, IDPA isn't the great "defensive shooting" training ground that they make it out to be, anyway. A single example is shooting from behind barrels where you're not required to be below the top of the barrel (i.e. trying to actively seek and shoot from cover), but merely have 100% of your lower body behind it and lean out to shoot around an imaginary column. I can say with 100% certainty, there is nothing technical that I've learned shooting IDPA that has made it's way into my defensive shooting skill or mindset. It provides reps, helps identify areas to work on (WHO, SHO, shooting movers, shooting on the move), and it's a source of reference data points to track progress (classifiers, common drills), otherwise, it's a game. That said, I tend to enjoy myself and always look forward to the next match.

Just make the best of it, and have a good time.

[StraitR]

I'd go even farther and say that this type of selective rules enforcement/understanding is RO/SO-specific, although of course there may be localized collections of "bad" ones. I had a single RO at a USPSA match (out of 9 stages that day) question whether it was legal for me to use an IWB holster in the game. I was like "well, I've shot 7 stages before yours, and nobody else had a problem; are we ok here?" Thankfully, the "lead" RO on the stage knew that it was legal, and overruled the other person, even though he obviously didn't like it. It's funny how sometimes people who are charged with enforcing rules don't even know said rules. :p

Funny thing, people that have never been in a position of authority have a tendency to get real creative when given their first taste. I've found this to be universal, reaching far past the confines of RO's/SO's at my shooting club.

[SLG]

"How do you do your emergency/slide lock reloads?"

As quickly as possible? :-)

I generally do a higher than 90 reload, and have never been called on it at any IDPA nationals I've shot, or at any local club, but admittedly, my IDPA experience is pretty limited. IPSC doesn't allow the muzzle over 90 either, so most top USPSA (and of course, IPSC) competitors have learned to reload with the muzzle pointed down range, and the magwel canted/rotated back to the proper angle for a fast reload. It works just fine, and is certainly still a "workspace" reload. The wrist is at a bit of a disadvantage, but I don't think that's too big a deal for most people.

[ST911]

As a police officer I've always been trained to do the "workspace" reload: gun is angled/pointed at approximately 10 or 11 oclock, slightly in front of your head with palm facing in towards your face.

That's my method.


I recently started IDPA and the ROs don't like the muzzle breaking 90 degrees/barrel higher than parallel to the ground, so now I'm having to retrain years of muscle memory for the game. Now I bring the gun in close and simply tilt it slightly, keeping the barrel parallel to the ground. What's the general consesnus for emergency reload procedures?

My IDPA and USPSA clubs don't care as long as you don't break the 180. Other ranges I've shot at have had range-specific rules about keeping the muzzle pointed below the berm. That's their prerogative.

[Wheeler]

As a police officer I've always been trained to do the "workspace" reload: gun is angled/pointed at approximately 10 or 11 oclock, slightly in front of your head with palm facing in towards your face. I recently started IDPA and the ROs don't like the muzzle breaking 90 degrees/barrel higher than parallel to the ground, so now I'm having to retrain years of muscle memory for the game. Now I bring the gun in close and simply tilt it slightly, keeping the barrel parallel to the ground.

What's the general consesnus for emergency reload procedures?

They must go nuts with revolver shooters...

[BigT]

"How do you do your emergency/slide lock reloads?"

As quickly as possible? :-)

I generally do a higher than 90 reload, and have never been called on it at any IDPA nationals I've shot, or at any local club, but admittedly, my IDPA experience is pretty limited. IPSC doesn't allow the muzzle over 90 either, so most top USPSA (and of course, IPSC) competitors have learned to reload with the muzzle pointed down range, and the magwel canted/rotated back to the proper angle for a fast reload. It works just fine, and is certainly still a "workspace" reload. The wrist is at a bit of a disadvantage, but I don't think that's too big a deal for most people.

This. I shoot lots of IPSC and used to shoot lots of IDPA. Have build a reload technique that keeps RO's happy and don't think I lose a thing. Gun comes into workspace mag well points at tie mag pouch muzzle just stays flattish

[David S.]

With SLG. Reload faster. ;)

[Surf]

We teach as a default more of a "palm up" reload that happens within the "workspace" just below line of sight. The palm up keeps the muzzle oriented more in the downrange direction as opposed to more of a muzzle upwards position where you see shooter's muzzle upward in the 10-12 o'clock positions (right hander). We have found through practical live fire experience that lesser trained individuals often muzzle one another in reloads when using barricades or cover when shooting with a partner(s) and this has zero to do with rules of competition.

As a shooter skill develops and they become more "muzzle aware" at the subconscious level or level of unconscious competence, they will adapt to a default muzzle orientation to whatever they choose that works best for them as a single shooter, but will conduct reloads where the muzzle is in the appropriate position for the given scenario.