Week 334: Surprise Reloads

Week 334: Surprise Reloads

Results may be posted until September 16th, 2019.

Designed by: DocGKR
Range: 7 yards
Target: 8" circle
Start position: Concealed
Rounds fired: 75

This week we'll work on determining how much time is added to our reload when we don't plan for it at a specific point during a string of fire.

First, establish a baseline. Draw and fire 1 round at the 8" circle, reload, and fire two more rounds at the 8" circle. Record the time for the reload (time between first and second shot). If you missed any of the three shots, repeat until you get a clean run.

Next, randomly load a total of 24 rounds into five magazines (or 23 if you've got a round in your chamber already). Make sure there are at least two rounds in each magazine.

Next, you'll work on the surprise reloads. On the buzzer you will draw and fire exactly three rounds. If at any point your gun runs dry, reload it and finish the three shots. If the pistol goes dry after the three rounds are fired, simply reload it and reholster without firing any additional shots. You should get eight reps of the 3-shot drill.

Load your 5 mags up again randomly with 24 rounds and repeat the eight 3-shot reps again. Then do it all over a third time. You should get a total of 24 3-shot draws. The number of times you'll reload "on the clock" will vary depending on how your magazines are loaded. But you should get somewhere in the vicinity of 10 "surprise" reloads.

Each time you reload within the 3-shot string (as opposed to after firing all three), record the time it took you to perform the reload. Find the average of time of those reloads.

Note: you can cheat by purposely setting up your magazines to go empty at known times... in which case you might as well not do the drill.

Please report the following when you post your results in this thread:

Start position (concealed, retention holster, open/range holster, ready position)
Time for the first "planned" reload
Average time for the "unplanned" reloads
Number of hits (out of 72) on the 8" circle
Anything you noticed

Training with firearms is an inherently dangerous activity. Be sure to follow all safety protocols when using firearms or practicing these drills. These drills are provided for information purposes only. Use at your own risk.

5" m&p 2.0 with dawsons
jmck aiwb 2.5 w/ phlster tuckstrut
jmck mag pouch
polo for concealment
8" steel for a target

base reload time - 2.74

average unplanned reload time - 2.73

hits - 70/75 (67/72)

First 24 -
1. 2.39 1.52 draw
2. 4.65 1.57 draw 2.67 reload
3. 4.85 1.55 draw 2.9 reload
4. 2.44 1.58 draw 1 miss
5. 4.86 1.59 draw 2.65 reload
6. 2.54 1.54 draw ran dry on last round
7. 2.48 1.53 draw
8. 2.40 1.48 draw

Second 24 -
1. 2.41 1.37 draw 1 miss
2. 4.57 1.51 draw 2.64 reload
3. 2.53 1.51 draw ran dry on last round
4. 2.34 1.59 draw ran dry on last round
5. 2.25 1.47 draw
6. 2.27 1.45 draw
7. 4.59 1.45 draw 2.76 reload
8. 2.31 1.48 draw

Third 24 -
1. 11.44 3.70 draw - absolute failure (didn't manage ammo so gun started empty then i randomly hit the mag button and dropped a loaded mag and picked it up off the ground to finish)
2. 4.89 1.59 draw 2.77 reload
3. 2.29 1.46 draw
4. 2.54 1.68 draw 1 miss ran dry on last round
5. 2.33 1.42 draw 1 miss
6. 4.82 1.60 draw 2.75 reload ran dry on last round
7. 2.42 didn't record draw 1 miss
8. 2.34 1.52 draw

My base reload was slow as molasses. I blame a lack of dry practice and eye sprinting for the slow time, which allowed my surprise reloads to average better. I also have reverted to using my weak hand thumb to hit the lever, even though I have historically used the pre-load with strong hand thumb method whenever applicable for my entire shooting career. I think the lack of dry practice coupled with what I had been doing reload wise dry was speed reload related and playing with a p09 for a bit(can't reach with strong hand so I use my weak hand on that pistol) for that. Either way, no big deal as I rarely carry a reload anymore. I would've liked more reloads than the 7 I got. My random loading only resulted in 7 reloads, and I ran dry 5 times after the last round. This was a fun challenge and I dig the nature of @DocGKR dotw's and the thought that go into his drills. Reps to build skill are better than tests all day and I really need the reps now days since I don't currently devote the same time to shooting as previous.