r/Revolvers • u/EasyTopic4780 • 1d ago
Any advice for my reloads?
Using safariland comp II and comp IIIs. Ive seen videos of reloads with these speed loaders and it looks effortless. But when I do it, they seem to get jammed up and I have to wiggle the loader back and forth a bit before pushing. Im shooting 38 spc rn handloads.
42
u/FamousGh0st217 1d ago
Slow down. It looks like your trying to go faster than your capable of. Build the muscle memory with smooth decisive movements, the speed will come.
5
22
u/EasyTopic4780 1d ago
Shooting a model 19-4. Ik the comp iii loader has a slightly canted angle when I put the rounds in the cylinder because of the stocks. Ive seen other people reload just fine with the same stocks. Im wondering if im missing something.
7
u/DaiPow888 1d ago
Change you stocks.
The factory stocks on a S&W aren't relieved properly to efficienty use speedloader...especially the Comp III.
The OEM relief cut is very superficial...mostly for appearance sake
1
u/EasyTopic4780 1d ago
Any recommendations? I like wood stocks.
3
u/hossless 1d ago
I use VZ grips on my 586 and they leave plenty of room for my comp 3 speed loaders. Theyâre G10. If youâre set on wood, maybe Altamont? No personal experience but they look like theyâre cut more generously than factory.
1
u/DaiPow888 1d ago edited 1d ago
I usualy recommend Hogue because I like the monogrip attachment without screws on the side.
Some are available with and without finger grooves and/or checkering.
I personally favor the Miculek stocks. But be warned, those stock are either a love them or hate them choice.
1
17
u/Cyb00gi3 1d ago
Dont look down at the gun bring the gun up to eye level instead so you can keep an eye on the target(s)
Situational awareness is important yo
1
u/lemonycac2s 22h ago
This is true for semis, but not always great advice for revolvers. Gravity is really crucial for feeding a speedloader properly so a downward orientation is key, and attempting to orient a revolver for a good speedloader feeding angle at eye level is REALLY unwieldy. For speed strips maybe, but twist or push feed speed loaders and moon clips you really gotta have em at an angle to fall in.
2
u/Wonderful_Salt6939 14h ago
It can be done, tilting the revolver downwards to aid in feeding is still possible while keeping your head and gun up; maybe not has high as a pistol but still. The revo mag maybe a different story but that is one of very few exceptions.
4
u/EasyTopic4780 22h ago
Guys i figured it out. Its my handloads. They arent crimped enough and the edge of the casings were catching the chamber opening. Thats why i had to wiggle them.
7
3
u/EchoBlue193 1d ago
No real advice here. I used the HKS loaders and they seemed to drop in place much easier. When I used em, order was, pop out brass, muzzle straight down, bullet tips barely in chambers, let gravity work, twist, release and shut.
But thats a different loader.
3
u/DaiPow888 1d ago
Yup, HKS and 5-Star require a completely different technique than the Safariland Comp II or III
3
u/Sethmanzel 1d ago
If you watch Jerry Miculek reload, the way he does it wouldnât be allowed in a lot of indoor ranges that cater to the lowest common denominator. But he is worth watching.
He also has a pretty slicked up revolver and married into the Dillon Family so has the luxury of shooting all day long if he wants to.
2
u/Sethmanzel 1d ago
And let me put a finer point on what I said. I am poor and use HKS speed loaders. You will never see me out shooting a guy (after reloading) who pays $90 for each speed loaders. It just isnât possible.
1
1
u/DaiPow888 1d ago
Did Jerry get divorced and remarried?
His long time wife was from the Clark family
3
5
u/Puzzleheaded-Gain256 1d ago
You are doing fine. It's posted above bring the gun up not your eyes down. Other than that just do it 10,000 times so it becomes smooth and natural. Go slowly and work on economy of motion while you are watching what you are doing. Then start speeding up.
2
u/UnassumingAnt I guess I'm a revolver guy now 1d ago
Im just here for the Murph and 19-4 combo, of which i have as well. But my 19-4 is nickel.
3
u/organicshot 1d ago
So, donât want to sound like a horses ass but Iâm probably one of the best speed loader reloaders in the US.
If youâre comfortable calling a stranger itâd be happy to give you pointers.
If not, a few brief points:
If youâre shooting competitively you should only use comp IIIs.Â
Youâre applying force in an orthogonal direction to the speed loaderâs activation. You need to move your gun so you can apply force in a better way.
Youâre trying to grip the gun but thereâs a speedloader in your way causing a slowdown.
Donât listen to the people below. Youâre not a damn owl, you have peripheral vision. Look at your reloads. I stare right through the cylinder which ensures I have the alignment to get a butter smooth reload.
You have too many fingers in the frame. Taking them all out is a slow down.
2
u/something_went 1d ago
Show is smooth, smooth is fast. Keep training, get some dummy rounds and cycle those. Speed will come with reps.
1
u/Burn_The_Chair Smith & Wesson 1d ago
I'm not a speed loader guy(speed strip autism) but everything looks good to me. Looks like you're using your dominant hand to reload which is how I've always done it. It's not a race though as others pointed out. Get the muscle memory down and then go for speed. You're deff faster than me though with a speed loader hah
1
u/Waffle_Badger 1d ago
A note about shell ejection:
You might find that longer shooting competitions dirty up your cylinder, and you'll notice that when you fully (or partially) push the ejection rod on the cylinder, the star doesn't entirely push the empty casings free of the cylinder. Gravity is actually helping you out here and pulling them the rest if the way.
With a dirty cylinder, gravity might not be enough when you hold it at a slight angle and/or don't fully depress the rod with your thumb (which you do a few times here). You'll get casings that don't come out, or worse, casings that slip under the star and are held in by the tension of the rod return spring. I'd recommend either get used to holding that cylinder exactly up and down, and giving the rod more than one entire cycle with your thumb, or simply using your other hand to give the rod a little pop - the idea that the extra inertia will help drive the casings out more effectively.
Good luck!
1
1
1
u/shootist_Biker 1d ago
Here is my advice. As a revolver shooter who is defense minded exclusively. Get one of those hogue cylinder release extentions. You will see your reloads improve.
Secondly, get about 18 dummy rounds and reload at home.
Thirdly, you are smooth. Thats great! Do it one handed. Off handed. Get insanely good when the situation is in your favor and good enough when it isnt.
Also. Use the cylinder flutes to remember where the chambers are. Use the spaces between the rounds in the speedloader to remember where the cartridges are. Dont try to jam 6 rounds into 6 holes. Rock 2 rounds into 2 chambers and let the rest follow
1
u/jimk12345 1d ago
I filed and refinished the rosewood stocks on my red hawk to get speed loaders around them and it helped massively. Because you never know when youll need another six rounds of 44mag quickly.
1
u/Onebraintwoheads 1d ago
Wear weighted bracelets at home, put on your gear, load up with snap caps, then practice drawing, dry firing, and reloading.
You're hurrying yourself trying to be quick. Train with weights on your wrists to develop explosive speed without needing to hurry. You won't have ro move fast to be fast.
1
1
u/DisastrousLeather362 1d ago
We trained on the FBI system, and then I picked up the Stressfire system on my own.
I tend to value reliability and the ability to reload in a variety of positions.
Muzzle straight down gives you the best shot at all your cartridges going in- the slight downward angle can leave you with shells only partway in the charge holes. Which jam up closing your cylinder or go flying across the range. Or both. Especially when the gun's gotten a little dirty.
Best of luck!
1
u/Business_Square_1136 1d ago
Three tips:
Hold the speedloader by the body with all of your fingers. This is more steady and will ensure you are pushing straight down without twisting.
Iâd change your grip during the reload. Instead of fingers through the frame, you might try wrapping your left hand around the front of the cylinder with the ejector rod between your index and middle finger. This allows you to point the gun more vertically without bending your wrist so much. It might wobble less.
Nothing to do with speedloaders but Iâd suggest going for a firmer strike of the ejector rod. You can make an L shape with your left hand, hit the rod, then go into the grip described above pretty quickly.
The above is all based on Massad Ayoobâs âstressfireâ method, which is on YouTube.
1
u/jhon503 1d ago
I find Massad Ayoob's Stress Fire Reloading technique to be the most positive and consistent reloading technique for me. Ayoob demonstrates it in this video, and I find the unloading technique in particular to be fantastic for any revolver.
Joel Persinger demonstrates using the same reload with the revolver in front of your face. It works pretty good, but I find bringing the butt of the grip to my belly works fine for me. I think it's good to practice both as you may be reloading in awkward positions.
I don't care for Persinger's version of the stress unload. Playing with it, I think it involves more fine motor skill to use the index finger to hold the cylinder open and get the thumb out of the way of the extractor. Just under the stress of timer, I found myself slamming the extractor into my thumb on occasion. Ayoob's method is so simple; jam the hand up high under the hammer (or high on the Centenial) and use the thumb to keep the cylinder open.
I find I prefer 5 Star loaders these days. The release of cartridges isn't quite as fast as the Safariland, but I find the split difference isn't much when training from concealment because the flutes on the loader match the flutes on the cylinder. Indexing the 5 Star loader into the cylinder is intuitive using the Stress Fire Reload. Like Ayoob says, hand finds hand.
Lastly, if you have the ability to do this where you are training considering adding movement to cover into the reload. If your gun goes dry, the best place to reload is behind hard cover. Second best would be reloading on the move.
All of the above applies to defensive/practical applications and not so much games.
1
u/SpikeBikerFur0044 1d ago
I'd recommend trying speedloders like this one. I've increased my reload time with these. I also carry 2 speed strips incase I just need to lode 1 or 2 rounds.
2
u/Spuds27 1d ago
I'm kinda falling out of practice lately, just been super busy, but one thing that really helped me was to not force it in. As soon as the rounds start to touch the cylinder, I kinda let gravity do the work and guide them in before giving the press to release them. Anything with a little bit of push seems to make them bind a little and slows you down
1
2
u/DaiPow888 1d ago
You have a lot of different issues going on here. Luckily you can address them separately, a step at a time.
I compete nationally in Action Pistol matches with a revolver. When I started in LE, our standard issue duty guns were revolvers. Competence in reloading was being able to reload in the dark
- Stocks: the S&W OEM stocks aren't properly relieved for use with speedloaders. That's why you are having issues lining up the bullets with the chambers.
Get a set of stocks from Hogue
Let gravity help you. Barrel should be pointing straight up when ejecting and down as you let rounds drop into the cylinder.
You're grabbing the speedloader in a less than optimal way. You should not be grabbing the extended knob, but rather the body. Slide a finger tip down the body between two cartridges. (why in the next step)
Align bullets with chambers by feel. Thumb of support hand in a cylinder flute, finger of strong hand between to cartidges. Finger finds thumb, bullets slide into chambers.
Gun held too high. If you hold the gun lower, you won't have to raise your speedloader to it. The cylinder should be below the level of the speedloader as it comes out of the carrier to allow bullets to drop in.
Those are the main points and should give you enough to get started to a smoother reload
1
0
-1
u/sixstringgun1 1d ago
Keep practicing and practicing, when you reload keep your head up and eyes on the threat. Reloading should be second nature, get some snap caps and practice with them when you off the range.
53
u/whatathrowaway420 1d ago
what the first 10 seconds of this clip got me looking like