Revolver Reloading Hand Preference

[03RN]

Im a recent convert to revolvers. Maybe 2 1/2 years of edc and training. I adopted the fbi method pretty intuitively. Ive tried keeping the gun in my right hand for reloads and even after a couple weeks of trying I still reverted back to switching back to switching hand when any stress was introduced.

SA revolvers are the same. After that click i roll it into my left hand to shuck the shells and reload.

One of the reasons Ive tried to switch is because carrying a speed loader at 11 oclock just makes so much sense. Ive recently been carrying a jox carrier there and grabbing it with my right hand. Not ideal but its not bad.

[Bruce Cartwright]

It makes sense in the strictly speed sense to use the left hand for a speed loader, though as you said, it may be difficult for some of us to switch this late in the game. The why part of not changing for me is that I dont use speed loaders exclusively, neither in defensive consideration or as field/utility guns, besides also using single action revolvers quite a bit. The majority of DA revolver shooting i do is with 22 RF, which dont do as well with speed loaders. It works well right handed for loading loose rounds, or from a cartridge belt, speed strip or speed loaders with the same hand. My right hand I call the smart hand, the left hand the dumb hand. I may be able to train the dumb one to do some smart tricks, but its not a naturally occurring event and requires more thought and practice.

Thanks for the excellent post that started this.

Malamute:

You bring up a great point. If I was ever in a situation where I didn't have access to speed loaders but had access to a revolver, I would shift the gun to my support (Left) hand and reload individual cartridges with my dominant hand. Likewise, if I carried a single action revolver, I would do the same thing. Up until a couple of years ago, I had never fired a Colt Single Action Army (since remedied that error) and I found it very intuitive to switch hands, eject the empties and reload individual cartridges with my dominant hand.

By the way, you have a great screen name. Our family pet was a female Malamute. My family are big fans of those gentle beasts.

Bruce

[FNFAN]

I always keep the gun in a firing grip and load new rounds with the off hand. I skipped over the dump-pouch era, preferring to use belt loops and then went to speedloaders.

[AzShooter]

You do what you practice and for the past 40 years I've been loading with my weak hand and speed loaders. It's hard to change for me but I've tried the strong hand and found my reloads are seconds faster with the weak hand load. If you ever get a chance to watch Jerry Michulec reload he used strong hand. In one of his videos it shows him firing 6 shots reloading with a moon clip and firing 6 more in under 4 seconds.

[FrankB]

I’m sort of ambidextrous. I write, shave, and shoot long guns left-handed. I bat, throw, golf, and shoot pistols right-handed, although I can shoot pistols just as well lefty. I keep speed strips on my left side, using a Tuffy belt pouch. I keep my revolvers in my right hand, and load left-handed. There are some things that I can’t begin to imagine doing left-handed, like playing guitar.

[DDTSGM]

I always keep the gun in a firing grip and load new rounds with the off hand. I skipped over the dump-pouch era, preferring to use belt loops and then went to speedloaders.

As a lefty, the problem with that is that your shooting hand, in a shooting grip, is in the way of the cylinder. Here is the way I reload lefty:

Last round is fired, support (right) hand relaxes and moves so the thumb (right) comes over/around hammer and depresses cylinder latch;

At the same time the index finger finger of the support (right) hand is pressing against the cylinder and pushing it into its open position;

As the cylinder opens, the support (right) hand comes off the revolver and the thumb goes into the open area vacated by the cylinder;

The strong (left) hand is still gripping the revolver as the thumb of the support (right) hand is fully inserted between the frame and the yoke, pressing the yoke to ensure the cylinder is fully rotated out. In this position the front of the revolver's frame is in the 'v' between the thumb and index finger of the support hand, the index finger is indexed over the ejector rod;

The strong (left) hand comes away from the grip, going to the ammunition source, as the support hand rotates the revolver vertical and the ejector rod is fully depressed, ejecting the spent rounds;

Once the rounds are ejected, the ejector rod is released as the support (right) hand rotates the revolver barrel down, with the base of the grip indexed about sternum height. In this position the thumb and index finger of the support (right) hand can grasp the cylinder to keep it from rotating, the thumb can also be used to rotate the cylinder;

As the strong (left) hand finishes manipulating the ammunition/loading device, a shooting grip is acquired, the support (right) hand closes the cylinder, and reacquires a twot hand grip as the revolver is brought back to either the ready or the firing position.

[Malamute]

Malamute:

You bring up a great point. If I was ever in a situation where I didn't have access to speed loaders but had access to a revolver, I would shift the gun to my support (Left) hand and reload individual cartridges with my dominant hand. Likewise, if I carried a single action revolver, I would do the same thing. Up until a couple of years ago, I had never fired a Colt Single Action Army (since remedied that error) and I found it very intuitive to switch hands, eject the empties and reload individual cartridges with my dominant hand.

By the way, you have a great screen name. Our family pet was a female Malamute. My family are big fans of those gentle beasts.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce, Ive been blessed with 6 Malamutes since 1990. All have been absolutely awesome creatures in their own unique, quirky ways. Most have been rescue or pound dogs.

I began shooting with a single action 22 as a wee pup, theyve always figured into my general usage. Things I learned on them worked pretty well with DAs and loose rounds.

[Spartan1980]

I reload with my support hand. I slap the ejector rod when I get the cylinder open on the way to the speedloader or moonclip. I don't have to reestablish my grip (strong hand) and reacquiring support from the support hand seems to be a "shorter trip to the grip" and there's just a lot less movement involved overall. I have 10 thumbs so I need all the help I can get and weakhand loads are faster for me. Both methods have their advantages, Jerry Miculek loads strong hand so there's that...

[Bucky]

You do what you practice and for the past 40 years I've been loading with my weak hand and speed loaders. It's hard to change for me but I've tried the strong hand and found my reloads are seconds faster with the weak hand load. If you ever get a chance to watch Jerry Michulec reload he used strong hand. In one of his videos it shows him firing 6 shots reloading with a moon clip and firing 6 more in under 4 seconds.

Under 3 seconds.

Worth a minute of your time to see.

[03RN]

Im always tempted to get a moon clipped gun after watching him.