Revolver 4-Reload-4 Qualification Testing

[nate89]

A friend of mine recently made a lateral move to a new department in Utah. He is issued a Glock 45 with a Trijicon red dot, but would like to carry a Ruger LCR38 as a back-up gun. He said that, according to his new department's policy, he must qualify on the full daytime qualification with any gun he wants to use as a back up. He's a pretty squared away shooter (I've been to a number of classes and matches with him, as well as practice sessions), and passing the qual with any semi-auto would be a chip shot for him. However, the Utah POST qual includes three strings of 4-Reload-4 with a par time of 10 seconds. Once again, very easy with a semi auto, fairly sporty with a revolver, especially a snub. Each is shot at a difference distance (3, 5, and 7 yards).

I already had a practice session scheduled with another friend who is a fellow revolver degenerate, so we decided to give the 4-reload-4 a try as part of our practice. What was supposed to be a quick test ended up turning into a larger part of our practice session, because we kept learning things while attempting to shoot it. I was able to pass the time standard with good hits with both a 432 and 442 smith using speed strips, and here were a few lessons:

-take the time needed to fully eject the cases right the first time. Any speed gained by short-changing the ejection is lost many times over when 1-2 empties stay in the gun
-especially with speed strips, be deliberate and not frantic-the time standard is very possible, but gets very difficult when you make mistakes
-I usually am not firing 4 rounds rapidly at a single target when practicing with snubs. It was a very good opportunity to verify your grip is good both off the draw and the reload. 4 rounds is enough to really move the gun around in your hand if you didn't get a good grip, something that draws and 1-2 rounds only can mask
-the grips you choose absolutely make a difference in clearing a cover garment, getting a good grip, recoil control, reloads, etc. No free lunch, make sure the grips you are using are doing what you want them to do or change for others that do


Anyway, eventually I want to shoot the entire qual, which I am confident that I can pass, to see if I can clean it with 100% hits and under time. Hope this is useful/interesting to someone.

442-1 and 148 wadcutters:
https://youtu.be/ZyYA2ymiZ5g

432PD and 110 grain FMJ-Flat Points
https://youtu.be/iyD5GYT_U8o

[BN]

Thanks for posting that. My wife is a lefty so we were breaking the reload down so she can duplicate it.

That course looks a little sporty for a snubbie. SpeedBeez makes a speed loader for the 38 LCR but it doesn't look like HKS does. I have shot and passed Ohio's with a snubbie several times but it is only 25 rounds and easier.

[psalms144.1]

Nate - I just posted something similar over on the semiauto forum. My state's LE Academy requires retirees to shoot the same qual with pistol or revolver. The pistol portion is a sleeper. The revolver not so much. The academy's course of fire is:

3 Yards: Load with 5
- Draw and fire 3 rounds in 5 seconds
- From low ready, fire 2 rounds, conduct emergency reload, fire 2 additional rounds in 10 seconds
- From low ready, fire 3 rounds in 3 seconds

5 Yards: Load with 5
- Draw and fire 5 rounds STRONG HAND ONLY, conduct two-hand reload, and fire 5 rounds SUPPORT HAND ONLY in 17 seconds

7 Yards: Load with 5
- Take one step to cover, fire 5 rounds, conduct emergency reload, fire 5 additional rounds in 20 seconds

The scoring target is pretty generous, but the Academy mandates 100% to pass - all hits within the designated zones and all shots within time. And they use turning targets, so there's no "fudging" on the times. I can shoot this with a full size revolver, but I'm WAY off the times with my LCR. You're dead on that the SHOOTING part of this has to be quick and accurate, the more time you have for the reloads, the less stressful it'll be.

Haven't even thought about speed strips - you're doing good work there! I need to get out and practice (a LOT) more with my LCR...

[BN]

https://post.utah.gov/wp-content/upl...nformation.pdf

https://shop.actiontarget.com/conten...ard-target.asp

[MENTION=11894]nate89[/MENTION] Is this the Course and target?

[nate89]

https://post.utah.gov/wp-content/upl...nformation.pdf

https://shop.actiontarget.com/conten...ard-target.asp

[MENTION=11894]nate89[/MENTION] Is this the Course and target?

Yes, that is the correct course and target.

[nate89]

That does seem to be a similar situation-passable with a snub but challenging, especially with the 100% standard and the turning targets. Most people I see shoot par times do worse with the turning targets as well. I'll go check your post in the other section, your posted qual is much shorter and faster to try, I'll have to give it a try.

Nate - I just posted something similar over on the semiauto forum. My state's LE Academy requires retirees to shoot the same qual with pistol or revolver. The pistol portion is a sleeper. The revolver not so much. The academy's course of fire is:

3 Yards: Load with 5
- Draw and fire 3 rounds in 5 seconds
- From low ready, fire 2 rounds, conduct emergency reload, fire 2 additional rounds in 10 seconds
- From low ready, fire 3 rounds in 3 seconds

5 Yards: Load with 5
- Draw and fire 5 rounds STRONG HAND ONLY, conduct two-hand reload, and fire 5 rounds SUPPORT HAND ONLY in 17 seconds

7 Yards: Load with 5
- Take one step to cover, fire 5 rounds, conduct emergency reload, fire 5 additional rounds in 20 seconds

The scoring target is pretty generous, but the Academy mandates 100% to pass - all hits within the designated zones and all shots within time. And they use turning targets, so there's no "fudging" on the times. I can shoot this with a full size revolver, but I'm WAY off the times with my LCR. You're dead on that the SHOOTING part of this has to be quick and accurate, the more time you have for the reloads, the less stressful it'll be.

Haven't even thought about speed strips - you're doing good work there! I need to get out and practice (a LOT) more with my LCR...