Do you feel like your problem is the magwell alignment, or your ability to consistently index the magazine in your left hand?
Do you feel like your problem is the magwell alignment, or your ability to consistently index the magazine in your left hand?
JV,
My apologies if the terms im using are incorrect. Usually when i reference indexing the magazine i am speaking of putting my index finger onto the leading edge of the magazine as i extract it from my pouch.
I very rarely have any issues doing this and when i do it is usually because i failed to properly clear my cover garment.
My biggest source of inconsistency is exactly what you just mentioned, ie cramming the mag into the magwell. Im finding that im hitting the sides of the gun more often than not or there is some edge on the magazine contacting an area where its hanging up as i insert it into the gun.
I recently added a grip plug and that definitely helped but it hasnt solved the issue.
Besides all of this, any other areas you see where you think i might be able to speed up?
Magsz,
First, your reloads are pretty freaking good, likely better than a very high percentage of shooters.
That being said my only suggestion would be to try to work more fluidly. You seem to be breaking your reload in to a series of singular movements and those breaks are going to cost you time. It's not mag in then slide forward then press out, it's maginslideforwardpressout.
There's several vids on you tube of Todd or Ernest reloading, compare them to your vids and you'll see what I mean.
Other than that, it's all about reps, doit enough and you'll bang that mag well more consistently.
Since I also suffer from the same problem with the 19 (hitting the sides), I'll let some of our seasoned instructors comment. This is one of those opportunities for me to stay in my lane.Originally Posted by Magsz
How often do you switch between your M&P and Glock? Do you have a lot more training with one over the other?
I'm not an instructor, but would recommend you shelve the M&P and train exclusively with the G19, as it's your carry gun.
All I know is that I know nothing. - Socrates
Y'know, Mr Verdi, you're right on the money with your assessments and ive been told the same exact thing from one of my best friends that is an LE trainer down here for a large agency.
I lack fluidity and im not sure why. Its something ive been aware of for a long time but its something i seem to have ingrained into my muscle memory that im having a heck of a hard time breaking.
I think ive trained myself to be this way as when i first started shooting everyone commented on how "smooth" i was yet also at the same time, how incredibly slow i was. I never tried to actively speed up until the end of 2010 as i still firmly believe im learning the fundamentals. I think speed is bullshit if you cannot make your hits but thats just me.
Over the years i think ive tried to accelerate where i can and slow down where i need to. This in turn leads to a bit of a herky jerky appearance to alot of my motions.
Any thoughts on how i can break this?
I bought my first handgun in 2008 and it was an M&P. I have exclusively shot M&P's since then. Not to derail the thread too much but i hate owning guns that collect dust. The G19 fascinated me as i believed it was "good enough" for all of my needs, ie a competition gun, a training gun and also a CCW gun. So far, beyond the fact that i shoot it like shit and im running into training issues with certain things i have dedicated myself to it completely and will give it at least six months or 10k rounds before i determine whether or not its going to work for me.
So, to answer your question, im 100% on the G19 and havent shot the M&P's since i bought the G19 earlier this year.
I DOUBT im so ingrained with the M&P and that my muscle memory is THAT good that im running into issues with the grip angle on the G19 throwing me off that much. Who knows, stranger things have happened.
JV, if you've solved the problem or are working on it id like to hear what you're doing!
Last edited by Magsz; 06-05-2011 at 09:30 PM.
It's Rich
I wouldn't sweat the gun, I don't think the difference between an M&P and the G19 is at all the issue. If the G19 does everything you need it to do, it's hard to argue with your choice, stick with it.
As for your form... As with anything else that proves a stumbling block, go back to the basicsof the skill. Don't try to diagnose or refine your reloads while shooting drills, or match stages, there's just too much going on.
Go back to some simple reload drills, 2 rounds in your mags, not too much distance so your getting solid hits. Start slow and focus on form. Gun goes to slide lock, hands move together, pistol to reload spot as off hand retrieves and indexes fresh mag. Firmly inserted as you start your press out while dropping slide, grip and finish press out.
Again slow and fluid until it feels right then start to build speed. You'll feel the rough spots as you push it and can diagnose those.
Just like the draw stroke there are no numbers, no steps, just a continuously flowing process that ends with a bullet striking the target.
Great suggestions Rich, thank you.
Im going to work on that this week at the range.
I think my press outs could use some critique in this vein too as they're pretty awful. Ive got what i call the stuttering press out.
I learned that not all grip plugs are created equal. The best one, IMO, is the GlockMeister. It has a rounded curve where it meets the factory magwell, most square it off. It also fully covers the half moon cutout, some leave a slight lip exposed.
When playing around with the different mags, I noticed that I don't miss it as much with Glock 17 mags. I try to orient the magazines, in my hand, the same way every time; the only difference should be less meat/hand near the top of my magazine. I didn't narrow it down further.
I fully paint the right side bottom edge of the magwell, I use orange paint. Some have suggested a barber pole type paint layout, some use green, but I've found just painting it brings my attention to it sufficiently. IME, variations were more about personal preferences.
Another tip passed along, but didn't work out for me, is to try and put the flat side of the mag against the flat side of the magwell .... rather than trying to do a rocking motion of back-to-front or front-to-back. I don't do any of that, I just go straight in the magwell.
Last edited by JV_; 06-06-2011 at 07:55 AM.
Magz,
As many have already said, your reloads are already very good, especially considering that those were all surprise reloads. Like Rich mentioned smoothing everything out will definitely help your overall reload speed. I find that the best way to do this is to do a lot of dry fire reloads, and, at first, your dry fire should be slow to create consistency before adding speed.
There are two really critical points of the reload: 1. getting a good grip on the mag in the pouch, and 2. inserting the mag in the gun. Everything else can be done as fast as you can move you arms/fingers. If you are having trouble indexing the mag with the mag well, then you need to slow down right before the mag goes in the gun. Don't pause, the mag should never stop moving, but just slow down enough to ensure that the mag doesn't hit the mag well.
The only other things I see are technique dependent; you aren't doing a press out after the reload and you're using your weak hand thumb to hit the slide release. Changing both of these will speed up your reload, but you may choose not to do them for other reasons.
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