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Skill Set: The Reactive Reload
by Vince O'Neill
(Originally published in the July 10, 2008 issue of the Wire, it's time to refresh the art of the speedy reload!)
It has been said that "Survival is a total waste of human resources," meaning that in the course of a fatal force encounter, one should focus on winning the fight instead of merely surviving. But first things first! In order to win-to prevail--one must continue to exist, and, then, keep on existing! That's why we train. And so it is when we consider handgun handling skills: when you're slide locks back; when you're "outside the loop and behind the curve," your chances for continued existence start to degrade - rapidly. Of course, there's going to be a reaction (alarm) should you run out of ammo. So, how do we restore our ammunition supply and get back into the fight, and win? That's what this particular wire is all about.
Once you touch a "dead" trigger (no trigger reset), it's time to conduct a reactive reload. "Reactive" because you're reacting to the situation and the condition of your auto-loading pistol (ALP). There are several simultaneous movements involved and they come in clusters. The first cluster involves unloading and readying the pistol for a reload: Simultaneously, lift the front sight up slightly to place the grip at right angles to the ground (gravity works best without friction). This movement also helps to visually differentiate between a malfunction (tap-rack-resume) and a slide-lock. Lifting the front sight also enables the officer to stretch access the magazine release with greater alacrity, especially for those with short thumbs. But, for purposes of this discussion, we're dealing with a slide-lock, reactive reload.
When the trigger goes dead -- doesn't reset -- tip the muzzle up to get access to magazine release button and look to see if slide is back.
Tip the front sight upward, thumb the magazine release, jettison the magazine; re-grip the pistol (re-establish thumb over the safety on a 1911). Think of the magazine release as the springboard to the magazine pouch. Move quickly! Your support hand should already be ripping away at the flap of the magazine pouch, as the outside edge of the magazine well comes into view while drawing the pistol toward the pressure point, slide tilted outboard.
The pressure point? Yes, the pressure point is that spot in your upper anatomy where subtle resistance can be felt in the upper axillary area (junction between the pectoral, latissimus dorsi and the upper inside portion of the bicep/tricep area) as the pistol is drawn toward the face. As a reference, the arm should look like a backward check mark extending from the body insuring an "Eyes, Muzzle, Target," index on the threat. In other words, keep your muzzle aligned with your eyes on the threat as the magazine well is positioned to accept a fully charged magazine. Small movements take less time! The second cluster of movements focuses on the reload.
Open flap on magazine pouch by grasping the front edge of the flap and pulling to the rear.
Magazine pouches look nice and neat, but aren't very practical, e.g., we do not have flaps on holsters anymore. Do we? That said: grab the flap at the front with support side digits; thumb "welded" to the ridge of the index finger. Rip the magazine flap to the rear. As the flap clears the magazine floor plate, extend the thumb. Get under the flap. Now, hold the flap "open" with the thumb nail. Next, as if in one motion, place the palm of the hand atop the floor plate; flex your wrist forward and extend your index finger downward simultaneously placing the thumb between the magazine tube and underside portion of the pouch. The tip of the thumb should point rearward; the index finger extends toward the bottom-front of the pouch. Firmly grasp the magazine between middle, ring, little finger, and thumb.
Rapidly remove the magazine from the magazine pouch by vigorously lifting your support side elbow straight up. This movement places the magazine nearly level with the magazine well of the ALP. A quarter turn of the wrist-inboard, orients the top round of the magazine with the broached area of the pistol grip, within inches of the mag well.
Magazine index looks like this: last three fingers are wrapped around the magazine tube with the index finger running up the front of the magazine -- to feel for a 'long' round and to 'index' the magazine with the magazine well.
All too often magazine pouches cover way too much of the magazine, thus promoting poor index. Therefore, if you have this problem, once the flap is out of the way, pull the magazine out of the pouch just a little, release, re-grip, then present the magazine squarely indexed. "Choking up" on the tube minimizes fumbling. Whatever the case, take enough time to index the magazine. Fumbling takes too much time; and too much time consumed in any kind of reload can be deadly.
As you move the magazine to the magazine well, the index finger should be indexed enough so as to touch and/or "block" the first round in the tube. (Officers with smallish hands may have difficulty with this.) For any number of reasons, the top round may have shifted past the follower and magazine lips thereby possibly delaying the reload. But there's no time to waste! If the top round is already fifty percent down-loaded, then manually eject it. If it's only hanging out just a little, just push it back with your index finger before seating the magazine. When magazines are properly indexed, "Murphy Maladies" can be felt, long before they're seen.
There are two speeds at work in this magazine exchange: Getting the magazine out of the pouch should be as fast as possible - under control, then, slow down; "put the air brakes on," just before inserting and seating. Speed is great, but smoothness and accuracy is essential.
The gun is brought back to the 'pressure point' where we can (1) look past gun at threat, (2) do a guided delivery of the loaded magazine into the well.
Highlighting the inside of the outside edge (right side for right-handers) of the magazine well with a silver Sharpie, or correction fluid gives the officer a visual reference which helps build proprioception during training sessions. Aside from muscle memory, "painting" the edge can, and will make a difference in low-light operations. White correction fluid (aka, white-out) is more durable than a silver-tipped Sharpie, but it tends to be a little messier for some folks. In any case, as the magazine moves toward the magazine well, look for the highlighted edge. Remember: Eyes' Muzzle Target! See the magazine well in 3-D. Our eyes work better with 3-D images. Look for the highlight! Once the top round is inserted into the magazine well, eyes back on target, seat the magazine firmly, work the slide, re-establish a proper two-hand grip, glide up the escalator toward the threat, find the trigger, verify the sights; refill the prescription as needed.
The rule of Eyes, Muzzle, Target, is very important. When the ALP is properly indexed onto the target the eyes should be on target, too. Keep your eyes down range. Movement via peripheral vision can be easily sensed provided eyes remain on the danger area. Turn the gun inboard, grasp the slide at the rear grooves, take the slack out of the recoil sling and open the support hand, letting the slide go home.
Look through the pistol. When the eyes are diverted downward (gun below the nipples), there is little chance of picking up movement unless, of course, the assailant's shadow happens to disturb your gaze while looking down at your pistol, reloading. Bottom line: Losing visual access increases the chance of being exposed, charged or flanked.
That said: the less one has to move the gun the less time consumed. Eyes, Muzzle, Target: It's faster! Getting back into action is matter of maintaining contact with the floor plate; pivot the thumb toward the face; keep your support hand still for the moment; turn the pistol inboard (into your support hand); grasp the slide -- overhand; take the slack out of the recoil spring, open the support hand returning the slide to battery; and resume . . .
The late, great Ray Chapman once said: "Economy of motion is simply the total elimination of excess movement. Smooth is fast. Fast is smooth." He was so right.