Rounds forward or rounds backward in Mag placement

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Looking at a silly ad for a two round mag holder, I saw one with one mag with rounds forward and the other with rounds backward. I've actually seen this at matches with beginners. They cited the ads and picture. Then, I was chatting with an officer that I know and saw he had the rounds facing backward.

I did that instinctively until a class. But I'm interested. The officer was taught and thought that the rounds back was ergonomically easier and instinctive using a full grip of the entire hand on the body of the mag. I was taught that with rounds forward you can check first round seating and it guides insertion better.

So - for my curiousity for those in the know:

How did the dichotomy in views of placement develop?

Is there any real empirical research on errors and speed?

Have competitors examined this - perhaps anecdotally? Are there real world incidents were position A or B led to better or worse outcomes?

[Lomshek]

Rounds forward is (for me) quicker and smoother and the same is true for the more serious competitors I see (I'm a small match director).

I don't know about checking the first round or making seating easier. It's just a less awkward wrist angle with bullets forward.

[Maple Syrup Actual]

I do pistol reloads better if I have my index finger indexed on the front of the mag. Rounds forward.

[joshs]

I can only answer the third question, but IME competitive shooters, especially at higher levels, almost universally use rounds forward for pistol mags. Rounds forward takes advantage of the already existing ability of pointing at something with the index finger. I don't see a difference in the "fullness" of grip that rounds backwards would offer, at least with a mag pouch that is well designed for a rounds forward grip. For rifle mags (AR), I started with rounds forward because that's what I did with a pistol mag, but switched to rounds to the rear (at least for belt-mounted mags) because of the more secure grip it offers with larger mags.

[MVS]

There is one popular intsructor/personality who teaches rounds backward. Most others teach rounds forward or toward the centerline.

[Lon]

There is one popular intsructor/personality who teaches rounds backward. Most others teach rounds forward or toward the centerline.

Who? I'm curious because I have never seen anyone reload quicker with the bullets facing rearward when the mags are left of the centerline. Especially newer shooters under stress.

Discounting horizontal mags on a duty belt, I carry my spares with the bullets facing my centerline (in the front) if they are left of the centerline. When I was shootng limited class, I would generally have one mag to the right of the centerline. The bullets in that mag faced away from the centerline towards my pistol.

[psalms144.1]

I'm a bullets-forward guy, I find that it allows the most efficient, effective reload. I've attended training where the school taught bullets rear, with a full-fist grab of the magazine (thumb to the rear, rotating the magazine 180 degrees on the draw to align with the magwell). The logic there was that such a grip put the magazine in your hand in the best way to use it as a roll of quarters to punch someone if they closed while you reloaded.

Like I said, I'm still a bullets forward guy...

[Odin Bravo One]

I always place rounds pointed towards the front centerline of my body.

Unless I have a partial that has been placed back into a mag pouch, in which case, I place them backwards..........until partials are the only ones left, in which case, back to rounds forward.

I don't see where ammunition management to this degree is terribly applicable to domestic LE or the armed citizen, and don't know why anyone would choose to store magazines in any other way than rounds to centerline.

[orionz06]

When everyone who hates everyone in this little world I think people should take note on the things they all agree on. Bullets forward is one of them, except for one guy.

[JV_]

Who?

Pincus.

Hey guys.. just got back form a road trip and saw this thread.. Waht Kor posted covers why I use the bullets back... it is not wrong by any stretch and I now find it quite entertaining when I am on a range and someone tells me that my mags are backwards.... At any rate, it is mechanically more efficient , but somewhat controversial because it goes against dogma, there is no other legitimate reason not to try it if you are a new shooter.... if you've been carrying bullets front forever, there is no significant reason to change.


As for the thumbs uncrosssed (layered), by crossing your thumbs at any point, you are keeping one thumb from touching the gun (and most likely a part of that thumb's hand), which lowers the overall surface area that you have touching the gun to control recoil, etc.... it has nothing to do with stance.


Thanks for watching, and discussing, the DVDs, by the way....

-RJP