[TheOtherOne]

I hear everyone talk about how they have 10+1 (or 9+1) or whatever and this is probably a dumb question... but what's the proper way to load that extra round?

Fill the magazine, put it in the gun, rack the slide and then drop the magazine out and add another bullet to the mag? That's the only way I can think of doing it but I've always been told that you shouldn't unneccesarily handle the gun after it's loaded... simply put it in the holster and don't take it back out unless it's either to be used or unloaded.

[JiminCA]

Put one round in a mag. Load it. If the mag comes out empty there's only one place the round can be. Then insert a full mag. Press check (just to be double anal) and you're on your way.

[J Miller]

Rule #1(or it should be) ALL GUNS ARE LOADED! ALWAYS!

Your method of loading the extra round is what I did when I had autos.
If I was carying the gun in a holster, such as match shooting I would holster the gun after it was loaded, then pop the mag out and top it off. This is pretty easy with 1911's. I can't speak for all of them.

As for handeling loaded guns. See above. ALL my guns are loaded ALWAYS.
Even those that arn't. Ah, yes even those that arn't. Even the Blackhawk sitting beside the computer as I type this is loaded. I handle them, a lot. Follow the rules. Remember keep finger off the trigger. And watch the muzzel.

[Blackhawk]

It's a frequent requirement.

I insert a loaded mag, rack the slide and ride it closed, then top off the mag.

Of course, nothing ever touches the trigger during these steps.

[DonGlock26]

Insert a loaded magazine, rack the slide, holster the pistol, remove mag only, top off mag, & insert mag. This way the loaded weapon does not leave the holster during the mag change,so the trigger stays covered . It's called the administrative reload.

[Sven]

DonGlock26 has it right, as far as I'm aware, that's the way to do it. In the holster.

[Ewok_Guy]

Theres always one in the pipe, so I just insert a full mag.
Don's way wont work with some holsters, as they tend to cover up the mag release button. It's also slower and by no means "safer". :scrutiny: It's all about the operator.

[10-Ring]

I too use the "insert mag, rack the slide, release mag, top off mag & re-insert mag" method.

[HSMITH]

I insert the mag, rack slide and make the weapon safe. Release mag, put weapon down/in holster/in box/whatever and top off mag. Take weapon in hand, insert mag fully, check mag seating. Make weapon safe (should still be that way) and holster/whatever. My holsters ALL cover the mag release. I would not feel comfortable with jamming a mag in while holstered anyway. I want to feel the mag seat with my hands not my pants.

[Edward429451]

Yeah, I agree. Its a muscle memory thing about seating the mag while holding the weapon in your hands. Not being a contortionist and trying to do it unnaturally in the holster. Bad training IMO, but do what works for you.

Eez Gon. Eez not safe. (4 rules) If you're worried bout too much handleing of it, perhaps you should set it down for good until you're better versed and more confident. No slam, just my opinion.

[WonderNine]

Rule #1(or it should be) ALL GUNS ARE LOADED! ALWAYS!

Your method of loading the extra round is what I did when I had autos.
If I was carying the gun in a holster, such as match shooting I would holster the gun after it was loaded, then pop the mag out and top it off. This is pretty easy with 1911's. I can't speak for all of them.

As for handeling loaded guns. See above. ALL my guns are loaded ALWAYS.
Even those that arn't. Ah, yes even those that arn't. Even the Blackhawk sitting beside the computer as I type this is loaded. I handle them, a lot. Follow the rules. Remember keep finger off the trigger. And watch the muzzel.

Thank you Captain Safety! My pants are loaded right now too, I better hurry up here.

Anyways....if you're going to carry the gun with one in the chamber the method with 1911's and Browning Hi-Powers is to insert a mag that has some ammo in it, rack the slide to chamber a round, then put the gun on safe, remove the magazine, top off the magazine, and then insert the full magazine into the gun.

The reason to go through this proceedure with the 1911's and HP's is because their extractor is fixed and it not spring loaded so if you try to insert a round directly into the chamber and then close the slide the extractor will have to go around the rim of the bullet which can cause wear on your extractor and may cause other problems.

There are certain guns like Beretta 92's in which you can insert a round directly into the chamber and then close the slide without any ill effects, because the extractor is spring loaded.

[another okie]

In competition and when preparing to leave the house I put a mag in, rack the slide, remove the mag, put a full mag, all while keeping finger off the trigger and pointing gun in a safe direction.

This method requires you to own one more mag than the "top off" method" does.

[cool45auto]

Seems like I read in some gun mag that the way you guys are describing it is the best way. It said if you drop one in the barrel and hit the slide release it forces the extractor to pop over the lip of the shell instead of the shell sliding up under the extractor like its supposed to, therefore not putting any undue stress on the extractor itself. Not to mention not being too safe.

[WonderNine]

Seems like I read in some gun mag that the way you guys are describing it is the best way. It said if you drop one in the barrel and hit the slide release it forces the extractor to pop over the lip of the shell instead of the shell sliding up under the extractor like its supposed to, therefore not putting any undue stress on the extractor itself. Not to mention not being too safe.

Safety is not an issue at all in this circumstance. Damaging your extractor is.

[chevrofreak]

hehehehe double anal


seriously though, listen to these guys, they know what they're talking about

[Kahr carrier]

Yup always use the Mag to chamber the round, I use a full mag ,chamber a round pop the mag out then top it of then reinsert it into the gun.

[WESHOOT2]

'Social' loading:

1) Rack slide, hold open using slide stop.
2) Insert magazine with ammo.
3) Release slide stop.
4) Remove magazine and discard..
5) Check chamber for loaded round.
6) Insert fully loaded magazine.
7) Holster.


'Play' loading:

Disregard step 5.

[TheOtherOne]

If you're worried bout too much handleing of it, perhaps you should set it down for good until you're better versed and more confident. No slam, just my opinion.

I'm not worried about handling it too much in that I'll accidentally fire it... I was perfectly comfortable with how I was doing it but I just hate being accused of unsafe gun handling so I was curious as to the norm.

Also, this leads me to ask what's the normal way to completely unload an auto? Drop the mag out and then open the slide to eject the chambered round OR do you open and lock the slide to eject the round and then drop the mag out?

[Edward429451]

I always drop the mag first, then eject the chambered round.



I was perfectly comfortable with how I was doing it but I just hate being accused of unsafe gun handling so I was curious as to the norm.

Ahhh, Blissninny paranoia. Their problem, not yours! I get that from people from time to time too, even cops. The way I see it, Their ignorance & fear does not translate into any responsibility for me to handle my weapon so it suits them. They are not gun people so dont even know the differing safety aspects/features of different arms, all they see is the gun. Being a gun person, I do have the responsibility of not deviating from known established safety procedures with a gun in my hand, and playing Twister while loading up and topping off is not one of them!

[DMK]

4) Remove magazine and discard.. Weshoot2, you must go through a lot of magazines! :what:

[Greybeard]

What Edward said to unload.

When loading semiautos here:
(1) Insert full magazine.
(2) Chamber round, press check and holster semiauto.
(3) Give love pat to 5-shot "aways" revolver and go. :)

[M1911]

Personally, I insert the magazine, chamber a round, apply safety, then holster. With the gun holstered, remove the magazine, top off, and re-insert magazine. Pull on the magazine base plate to ensure that it is fully inserted.

It is really quite easy to swap out the magazine with the gun in the holster.

[riverdog]

If you intend to carry a full mag with one chambered, practice shooting that way to make sure your gun functions okay. Sometimes topping the mag can cause too much pressure on that first round and it may act squirrelly. I don't top off mags.

[WESHOOT2]

Actually, I keep a stainless mag just for loading the first round.
But that's ALL I use it for.
No mix-up, hence the 'discard' remark.

[firestar]

hehehehe double anal :D

What about triple anal? Haha! How would that work? You could load that one round and then holster your gun and lock the gun up in a safe with just the butt sticking out and then insert a fully loaded mag into the gun using a robotic arm from behind bullet proof glass.:rolleyes: Are we really this worried? I have a basic idea of what makes my gun fire, I am not totaly in awe of it, I don't scratch my head and poke it with a stick and then scream like a monkey when it goes off.

Its real simple, always point it in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger until you want it to go bang.

[firestar]

riverdog
Wrote:
"If you intend to carry a full mag with one chambered, practice shooting that way to make sure your gun functions okay. Sometimes topping the mag can cause too much pressure on that first round and it may act squirrelly. I don't top off mags."

Good point. Some of my guns don't feed right if I load fullcapcity + 1. My Star Firestar M-43 messes up if I do this. Most guns are able to function with full capcity + 1 but it pays to check.

[Al Thompson]

I witnessed the result of what happens when someone screwed up the "drop magazine, clear chamber" method of clearing a 1911 by racking the slide to clear the chamber, then drop magazine. Next to last step in the mix up was to pull the trigger to lower the hammer. Last step was a loud boom resulting in one WIA.

I always rack the slide twice and teach it also.

[curt]

I insert my backup mag cycle the slide to load the chamber (don't use slide stop), remove backup mag and insert carry mag loaded to full capacity, do press check and holster or put away. I like to leave my 2nd mag downloaded one to make tactical mag changes easier on a closed slide.

Keep in mind that when that slide goes forward it will fire (hopefully it won't) that way if one day your firing pin is broken or stuck and you have a slam fire no blood will be spilled...until your wife gets ahold of you.

[BHP9]

There is a problem that no one mentioned here.

If you constantly feed the same round from the magazine to the chamber as many people do. They often unload the gun when putting it away in the safe and then load it again when they carry it. When one does this the bullet soon becomes loose in the case and can actually fall out or be pushed back down into the case when chambering it.

To complicate matters in guns like the 1911 that operate off of a fixed non-pivoting extractor it is not recommended that you drop a round directly into the chamber but feed it from the magazine. But if you do this too often you destroy the round that you are constantly chambering by loosening it up within its case.

[Al Thompson]

Absolutely true. Good point and another reason to shoot up your carry ammo periodically.

[DonGlock26]

BHP9 brings up a good point. If the same round is chambered over and over, the rim gets chewed up by the extractor. This can cause double-feed jams. I was taught to check my carry ammo by field stripping my pistol, put each carry round into the barrel chamber to make sure it will not hang-up due to a burr. Also, check all the primers, even factory ammo can have a backward primer. I thought it was good training.

Stay Safe,

Don

[Blackhawk]

Also, this leads me to ask what's the normal way to completely unload an auto? Drop the mag out and then open the slide to eject the chambered round OR do you open and lock the slide to eject the round and then drop the mag out?1. Drop mag
2. Rack slide with gun butt more or less up to ensure round falls out
3. Hold slide back and visually check that the chamber's empty
4. Lock slide open if the gun has a slide lock you can manually operate.

[curt]

There is a problem that no one mentioned here.

Yes i agree, although i've never seen it on any of my guns.

The only time my carry gun gets unloaded is when i'm at the range, i remove my carry ammo from the mags, reload my carry mags with range ammo and shoot. After cleaning i reload the mags hopefully mixing the previous first round somewhere further down and chamber etc, periodically i shoot up my carry ammo and reload with fresh.

I'm sure it might be more of a problem for those who are required to continously unload and reload their weapon.

[Bobarino]

oddly enough i can put 11 rounds in 4 of the 5 mags for my HK .40-C. however, you can't put the mag all the way into the gun with 11 rounds in it. it just won't seat as there is no more room to compress the bullets down any further. so i just lock open the slide, insert a magazine with 11 rounds in it, hit the slide release and decock. and no i didn't modify the magazines in any way. one of them though, won't hold that 11th round. no big deal though, i just use that one for the range.

Bobby

[WESHOOT2]

I have read that my method of cycling the slide (using slide stop) to chamber the first cartridge is not tactically correct; cycle slide by hand.

No.

[spankaveli]

i was actually thinking about this before i read the thread a couple days ago.


why not..
1) lock slide back
2) insert bullet into barrel
3) release slide lock
4) insert mag into gun

[Tamara]

why not..
1) lock slide back
2) insert bullet into barrel
3) release slide lock
4) insert mag into gun

Because the gun was designed so that rounds would have their rims slide up behind the extractor. When you drop the slide on a chambered round, the extractor slams into the rear of the cartridge's rim and "hops" over it. This can cause chipped or broken extractors and with some designs, all it takes is a small chip in the extractor "hook" to induce erratic behavior.

[Navy joe]

For carry right now I use 17rd mags and just drop a full mag in, chamber a round and be done with it. I see no great need for 17+1 over 16+1, plus there is zero chance of having a feed problem from the fully stuffed mag. If I have a gun that is topped off I use a barney mag like Weshoot does, that way the gun never leaves my hand. I suppose that revolver shooters love threads like this.

[Handy]

Spanks method is bad for Browning type actions, but other straight line designs cycle by poping the extractor over the case rim.

So if you are loading a Beretta, P-38, P7, PPK, etc., chamber loading is fine and decreases wear on your carry ammo. No reason to drop the slide, though. Easing it down is easier on the gun and prevents the remote possibility of a slam fire.

Tilt barrel guns need to be mag loaded due to their controlled round feeding.

[MJRW]

I only have 2 full magazines at any time except for at the range. However, I always have at least three magazines for my semi-autos (one for the gun, one for carry, and a spare in case one breaks and I have to send it to the manufacturer). I use the third magazine to put the round in then drop the magazine and put in a full magazine. It then goes into a holster as a holstered gun in my safe or in my house is a loaded gun. Cased guns are always put away unloaded. Guns in neither a case nor a holster are still quite an enigma to me.

[OF]

If I'm starting with an empty mag (rare) I will usually load one round in the mag, stick that in the gun and drop the slide, remove the mag and then fill it up. That way I only have to manhandle that 10th round in there once and not twice.

I'm a pansy, I know...but it's haaaaaard :)

- Gabe

[JohnKSa]

I generally under load my double-column mags by two. So, I just stick an extra round in the mag, insert the mag, chamber the round & go.

For single column mags I use the insert mag, chamber round, remove & top off mag, reinsert mag & go.

Because I carry DA/SA guns, I either put the safety on for the loading operation or decock immediately after loading the chamber. Safety comes off before holstering.

For unloading, I drop the mag, rack the slide twice & then visually inspect the chamber.

BTW, my Ruger P89DC manual specifically OKs single loading by locking the slide back, dropping a shell in the chamber and then punching the slide release. As does my Beretta 92 manual. I don't ever use this feature...

[Tamara]

So if you are loading a Beretta, P-38, P7, PPK, etc., chamber loading is fine and decreases wear on your carry ammo. No reason to drop the slide, though. Easing it down is easier on the gun and prevents the remote possibility of a slam fire.

Handy makes a very good point, there. I didn't even really stop to think about that; yes, on tilting-barrel short-recoil guns, it's a bad thing, on other designs, less so...

[WESHOOT2]

Why I remove the magazine: I check my magazine to ensure (repeat; ensure) that all rounds it carries are correctly aligned.

If you DON'T check your gun it may "Mr. Murphy" your a$$; bad.

Anal = better chance of survival.

[caz223]

I usually have at least two or three magazines- a ten rounder, and 2 standard capacity.
I load the ten rounder into the gun, slide already against slide stop, then pull the slide back as far as it goes, releasing the slide-not using the slide stop.
(Press check, if you must.) I don't.
Engage safety.
Load standard capacity magazine.
Re-check safety and holster pistol.
Put spare mag with nine rounds in my mag pouch-standard mag on left, 9 rounder on right.
Proceed.