Tactical Reload is it time to revisit the technique

[JustOneGun]

How many civilians are carrying more than one reload? For a civilian I get shoving a mag into a pocket if it's easier, but the vast majority of us are only going to have that partial left so it's not going to get us killed in da streetz if it's put in the pouch.


Edited to add: If you only have one reload, is putting a partial into a pocket a mistake? If I run the gun to slidelock at that point I think I want the reload to be where it always is, not in my pocket.

Absolutely a good way of doing it if you only carry one reload.

[Jim Watson]

As a mere competitive shooter, I cannot speak to combat tactics, but I have certainly seen the results of focus and practice on a technique.

Early days of IDPA, the Tactical Reload was emphasized and the Reload with (Magazine) Retention was deprecated. If a Tac Load was specified, the RWR was not allowed. So I practiced the Tac Load, both in a hurry for the match timer and as an administrative reload when practicing something else.

Then the RWR was legitimized by making it equal to the Tac Load as a "Chamber Loaded Reload". I thought about the RWR as less fumble prone and therefore preferable in most cases. But did I practice it enough to drive the Tac Load out of my reflexes? Nope. Even though the Tac Load was no longer required, I still defaulted to the moves I worked to learn. Now the Chamber Loaded Reload is no longer required in any situation, but it is convenient in some Courses of Fire. So I still do a Tac Load.

Now, what about actually USING the ammo you saved with some form of CLR?
Under IDPA rules, it takes a really contrived CoF to push you into digging that partial magazine out of pocket, pouch or waistband. I have had to do it at major matches only twice in 20 years and very seldom in local matches striving for novel challenges.
So what about case studies of actual gunfights? Is there a recorded account of somebody stowing a partial magazine and having to go back to it under fire?

[Soggy]

As a mere competitive shooter, I cannot speak to combat tactics, but I have certainly seen the results of focus and practice on a technique.

Early days of IDPA, the Tactical Reload was emphasized and the Reload with (Magazine) Retention was deprecated. If a Tac Load was specified, the RWR was not allowed. So I practiced the Tac Load, both in a hurry for the match timer and as an administrative reload when practicing something else.

Then the RWR was legitimized by making it equal to the Tac Load as a "Chamber Loaded Reload". I thought about the RWR as less fumble prone and therefore preferable in most cases. But did I practice it enough to drive the Tac Load out of my reflexes? Nope. Even though the Tac Load was no longer required, I still defaulted to the moves I worked to learn. Now the Chamber Loaded Reload is no longer required in any situation, but it is convenient in some Courses of Fire. So I still do a Tac Load.

Now, what about actually USING the ammo you saved with some form of CLR?
Under IDPA rules, it takes a really contrived CoF to push you into digging that partial magazine out of pocket, pouch or waistband. I have had to do it at major matches only twice in 20 years and very seldom in local matches striving for novel challenges.
So what about case studies of actual gunfights? Is there a recorded account of somebody stowing a partial magazine and having to go back to it under fire?

I think your definition of "tac reload" is the opposite of what the thread defines it as (see first post). But that is very interesting about 'training scars' if you will.

Regarding anyone ever needing the partially spent mag: BBI knows about one case where it was used, but had no impact. So no fights decided with the more complicated, slower, technique.

[Jim Watson]

I think your definition of "tac reload" is the opposite of what the thread defines it as (see first post). But that is very interesting about 'training scars' if you will.

.

No.
The original IDPA mandated Tactical Reload was as described in post #1.

[Soggy]

No.
The original IDPA mandated Tactical Reload was as described in post #1.

Sorry about that. What is a Reload with (Magazine) Retention then?

[octagon]

Sorry about that. What is a Reload with (Magazine) Retention then?

Remove magazine and secure same on body or in magazine pouch
Grasp full magazine and insert it in gun.

[Soggy]

Remove magazine and secure same on body or in magazine pouch
Grasp full magazine and insert it in gun.

Thank you.

[Jim Watson]

Sorry about that. What is a Reload with (Magazine) Retention then?

1. Shift support hand to below gun.
2. Eject partial magazine into support hand.
3. Stow partial magazine in mag pouch, pants or vest pocket (but not breast pocket) or waistband.
4. Draw full magazine and reload.
5. Regain shooting grip with support hand
6. Shoot.

It is less fumble prone than the book Tac Load because you only have one magazine in hand at a time. It leaves the gun unloaded somewhat longer than a PERFECT Tac Load, which was why early IDPA tacticians disapproved of it.

The first major match I ran into a mandatory Tac Load, I blew it completely and actually put the partial magazine back in the gun. The SO just went kind of googly-eyed and did not penalize me. But I felt embarrassed and practiced a lot.

I even worked on a real Tac Load for the revolver. The IDPA rule book of the day just sloughed it off with "Eject the contents of the cylinder and dump the whole mess in a pocket, then reload." But I wanted to be able to get the live rounds back and worked on methods to keep loaded and empty .38s separate.

[Soggy]

1. Shift support hand to below gun.
2. Eject partial magazine into support hand.
3. Stow partial magazine in mag pouch, pants or vest pocket (but not breast pocket) or waistband.
4. Draw full magazine and reload.
5. Regain shooting grip with support hand
6. Shoot.

It is less fumble prone than the book Tac Load because you only have one magazine in hand at a time. It leaves the gun unloaded somewhat longer than a PERFECT Tac Load, which was why early IDPA tacticians disapproved of it.

The first major match I ran into a mandatory Tac Load, I blew it completely and actually put the partial magazine back in the gun. The SO just went kind of googly-eyed and did not penalize me. But I felt embarrassed and practiced a lot.

I even worked on a real Tac Load for the revolver. The IDPA rule book of the day just sloughed it off with "Eject the contents of the cylinder and dump the whole mess in a pocket, then reload." But I wanted to be able to get the live rounds back and worked on methods to keep loaded and empty .38s separate.

Thank you for explaining that. I hope we can all agree that the RWR will get you killed in the streets, and the Tac load is better than that.

Your experience performing the Tac load incorrectly under pressure, even after practice, is very interesting. That is a another data point that tells me that just letting the mag hit the floor is a better bet*.

(*for me - others can and will draw different conclusions)

[jetfire]

Thank you for explaining that. I hope we can all agree that the RWR will get you killed in the streets, and the Tac load is better than that.

Your experience performing the Tac load incorrectly under pressure, even after practice, is very interesting. That is a another data point that tells me that just letting the mag hit the floor is a better bet*.

(*for me - others can and will draw different conclusions)

On the timer, an IDPA style Reload with Retention (eject/catch partial mag, stow, grab full mag, insert) is usually faster than the traditional Tactical Reload, where you bring the full magazine up to the gun and make the exchange there. I've done both types of reload in competition and real world environments, and generally speaking am of the opinion that if I have the time to fiddle fart around with partial magazines, I have the time to pick a partial up off the ground.