Reloads during drills

[holmes168]

When doing either live fire or dry fire drills- do you do your reloads from a slide lock position? I know that the FAST drill specifically states a slide lock reload, but I don’t believe Four Aces does.

Do you only perform a slide lock reload WHEN the drill specifies to perform a slide lock reload?

Thanks- this could definitely impact how I’ve been doing some drills, so I appreciate the help.

[GJM]

When doing either live fire or dry fire drills- do you do your reloads from a slide lock position? I know that the FAST drill specifically states a slide lock reload, but I don’t believe Four Aces does.

Do you only perform a slide lock reload WHEN the drill specifies to perform a slide lock reload?

Thanks- this could definitely impact how I’ve been doing some drills, so I appreciate the help.

Know how to do both with every pistol you compete with or carry. If you are a USPSA shooter, a slide lock reload is generally encountered because of you making a mistake. I do 80 percent slide forward reloads in practice, but that is based on my assessment of priorities, and others reasonably may feel differently.

[Clobbersaurus]

I do it a little diffrently. I only train slide lock reloads when IPSC season ends. I do them fairly intensively though as I’m chasing the F.A.S.T. in the off season and usually using a non competition gun.

The training I do in the off season seems to keep me sharp enough for the rare slide lock reload that I encounter in my matches. In match video review, I don’t see any speed issues with them so I am okay with my strategy.

[Clusterfrack]

You want to know immediately and subconsciously when your gun goes to slidelock, and respond with a reload. You should be able to feel it, and not rely on sight or the trigger. That requires practice.

When I set up drills and mini-stages, sometimes I’ll shoot to slidelock. Every time, I reload right away. Even if I’m going to unload.

[Clobbersaurus]

I can’t remember a time in a match when I shot to slide lock that I didn’t know it was about to happen. It’s happened in courses, but I really can’t ever remembering it happening at a match.

As GJM pointed out above, it usually only happens if I messed up something, or due to the stage design, I purposely shot to slidelock, or if I had some sort of equipment issue. I NEVER put partial mags back in my mag pouches out of convience, just for that last reason, and I witness hole check all mags before they go in the pouches/gun.

[BN]

I NEVER put partial mags back in my mag pouches out of convience, just for that last reason, and I witness hole check all mags before they go in the pouches/gun.

I see people put partially loaded mags back in their mag pouches and it drives me nuts. And then I laugh when they pull them out in the middle of a match. :)

[Clusterfrack]

A few more thoughts about reloads in competition:

Typically in Production, I’ll shoot 8-10 rounds before a reload. Of course sometimes I dump a mag after 2 rounds, but usually I try to plan a reload when I have 3 or fewer rounds left.

A makeup and a miss on steel can easily put me at slidelock.

But, counting shots is a bad idea.

So, slidelock happens occasionally. It’s not a surprise because it’s just another part of shooting.

The really important thing is to stay on plan when it happens. Make reloads as if it hadn’t happened. Otherwise, it will cascade into complete buggery.

[GJM]

Gaming specific. I agree counting shots is a bad idea, especially with the 140mm mags I compete with. However, what I do count, is extra shots, and based on my stage plan, that can cause an extra reload while moving, to avoid a standing reload.

[nwhpfan]

When doing either live fire or dry fire drills- do you do your reloads from a slide lock position? I know that the FAST drill specifically states a slide lock reload, but I don’t believe Four Aces does.

Do you only perform a slide lock reload WHEN the drill specifies to perform a slide lock reload?

Thanks- this could definitely impact how I’ve been doing some drills, so I appreciate the help.

No...

Well kind of...sometimes

I carry a gun for self defense and it was my route into competitive shooting but I do 90% of my reload practice from slide forward. Putting two holes in a piece of cardboard is a fun game and when I used to play it regularly my practice was focused on the game.

However....I do a bit of slide lock reload practice. My method was a stage finger and bumping it home...which I felt was the best way to partner my gaming training bias.

When I'm training on the range and running drills I don't always know when a slide lock is coming so when it happens I treat it like a real emergency and try to reload as fast as I can and make a shot..... So sometimes I'll be doing a drill that is two here or whatever and I got to slide lock. Even though the drill is done, I'll reload and shoot one again. I like to see what my time is on a "true surprise/emergency" reload.

I also like the idea of "never wasting a rep."

If you're a gamer, it's a good idea to practice slide locks a little because they'll happen. Some arrays are 9 shots with steel and if you take extra shots you'll go to slide lock.

[03RN]

I train 100% with slide lock reloads.

I'm not a uspsa contender.

If I try to game it and load before I need to I generally rack the slide anyways and cuss my self for being a retard.

If I'm done shooting for the moment a tactical reload is fine, while I'm looking for better cover and assessing the situation. I retain the magazine and if I only have one pouch I put it there, or in the farthest pouch from centerline.

[Peally]

I don't really practice them, they just kinda happen naturally when the gun locks open. Gun auto-forwards so it's not really any different than any other reload other than being out of bullets.

[That Guy]

When doing either live fire or dry fire drills- do you do your reloads from a slide lock position?

For me, this is very drill and situation dependent. My dry fire reload practice is pretty minimal and tends to be all tactical loads all the time, since that is for me the most difficult type of reload to do well. (Screwed it up twice this match season! Go me!) Live fire, a lot depends on what the ground is like. Lots of mud or snow, if I dump a magazine in there I can expect that to be the last time said magazine will work before I get a chance to clean it. Dry sand, no worries dumping empty magazines on the ground. Sometimes the ground / weather conditions even force me to change the drills I do, so I don't run out of magazines in the middle of practice. (My gear tends to change according to the weather, too. With inclement weather I'm more likely to opt for the tactical gear, since it's open carry and thus allows me to stay snug in my warm and waterproof clothing.)

[1Rangemaster]

Semi-retired here; some IDPA, Steel Challenge-shot a GSSF match this weekend(no reloads under time; did a “tac load” between each string.
To the OP: dry practice slide lock loads primarily, with a few “speed”(slide forward) loads. Live fire: primarily slide lock, but again a few speed loads. I recall Hackathorns comment:”Usually over in a few rounds, or shoot to slidelock.” Different perspectives, different emphasis; GJM competes regularly, so a speed load makes sense for him, it seems. Claude Werner didn’t find many(any?) empty loads in his studies, but if I had to start with one:slide lock. Then “speed”, then “tactical”(or mag save-whatever).
What is your priority?(rhetorical)