[Cosmoline]

I've always been in the habit of using my left, non-dominant hand to pick up and put in speedloaders. I don't like letting go of the grip with my dominant right hand, so I generally just leave it be. But the approved way of using speedloaders seems to be to eject the brass with the left hand while reaching for the loader with the right, then holding the revolver with the frame in the left hand while putting the new rounds in.

Is there a problem or advantage to either one, or is it a matter of preference?

[bill larry]

I always try and use my right hand with speedloaders, the reason being you should be using your left hand (finger or fingers inside the trigger guard) to rotate the gun barrel up while ejecting the cases with your left thumb on the ejector rod. Just a good habit to get into, IMO.

YMMV.

[Ultima-Ratio]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7DpCellB_UQ

Jerry uses his right hand

[Feanaro]

I used to reload with my right hand. In theory, it is faster because you are ejecting the cases as you reach for your reload.

But I recently converted to a left hand method. You maintain control of the revolver and do not have to readjust your grip. I've also found it to be faster, in the end. Goes something like this (http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=13275055) except that I keep the revolver higher up.

[Cosmoline]

Jerry uses his right hand

How can you tell? LOL It's just a blur

My issue is similar to Feanaro's. I find it takes too much time to readjust my right hand grip afterwards. So ultimately it saves me time to just leave it be so when I raise it up everything is lined up. This is esp. true if I'm using Hogue monos with that sticky substance that makes it hard to slide into place, or if I'm using a small revolver where it's sometimes hard to manipulate. I also don't like the feeling of bouncing the wheelgun back and forth between my hands.

Plus, I figure I've been doing it "wrong" for so many years if it ever comes down to it IRL I'll still revert to doing it that way. I've also been converting from the twist type speedloaders to the Safariland push type. It's just a matter of pushing them in and letting the plastic drop.

[Feanaro]

Jerry is a freak of nature. I wouldn't base my techniques off him anymore than I would on Superman. ;)

I've also been converting from the twist type speedloaders to the Safariland push type.

I don't like HKS speedloaders at all. The only positive thing is that they make them for more revolvers than Safariland does. I shaved one to three seconds, depending on how much I had to fumble, when I switched to Comp IIs.

[BlindJustice]

Yeah, if Safari Land made there design for my
7 shoooter S & W 686P or 625/.45 Auto RIm I'd buy
them in a heartbeat and use my Left hand but the
CCW release on the HKS makes RH use more sure
and the left hand can close the cylinder either way.

[The Lone Haranguer]

I find it more difficult and likely to fumble a reload by using my less dextrous hand (left) to insert the cartridges, so I switch the revolver from my right to left hand, use my right to reload, then switch the gun back to my right and resume firing. This may however be hard to do if one hand or arm has been injured. If I ever get in an actual gunfight and am wounded, I'll let you know. ;)

It is much easier to insert an autoloader magazine with the aforementioned less dextrous left hand (which is why I have no use for auto holsters that have integral mag pouches), so I carry auto reloads on my left side opposite the gun, but I carry revolver reloads on my right side near the gun.

[fletcher]

I also use my right hand. It's kind of awkward having all of the gear on the same side of the body, but it's supposed to be one of the faster ways to do it.

[Feanaro]

I find it more difficult and likely to fumble a reload by using my less dextrous hand (left)

Whatever method you choose, you have to practice, practice, practice until it becomes second nature.

[jfh]

now that I have my carry permit. I'm carrying a J-frame, and I discovered I can open, push, and dump with my right hand with little grip change--so I'm using my left hand to handle the speedloader.

I'm right-handed, of course, but I have some ambidextrous skills because of extensive tool use over the years. So learning a fast speedload looks to me to be mostly a lot of practice, and not new techniques. I also discovered a reasonable carry for me is my left hip pocket--e.g., I can reasonably draw and shoot left-handed, with a transfer to the right hand out of the two-handed grip for second and succeeding shots.

My preferred carry though, is in a vest--either inside left, or in a right side pocket.

Jim H.

[indie]

i'm a southpaw, left hand works for me

[Hutch]

Right hand. I don't really practice speedloading at all, and the natural "one at a time" method is as described earlier, except w/o speedloaders. I imagine if I had to use a speedloader under duress, at least the first few actions would be relatively quick. (Release latch, swap hands, actuate ejector rod).

[greatgoogamooga]

I staarted off with the left hand because I didn't know any better. Got pretty fast at it in IDPA competition ( to the point that I was getting comments from the other shooters on how fast it was). One day another shooter told me that I'd ulimately get faster if I switched to RH. I spent an entire season trying it with tons of practice and it was still slower. Initially, my problem was that I kept on reaching for loads with the left hand! My times were never as fast and I ended up switching back to LH.

I think the difficuly I had was relearning something that was already ingrained in my muscle memory. And that's the trick. Get good at whatever works for you. I was reading Ed McGivern's book and he emphasised not to let anyone tell you the "correct" way to do something, but to experiment and find what works for you.

Goog

[ryan b]

right hand is faster for me

[MK11]

Left hand. All that juggling the gun from one hand to the other and back again seems pretty awkward.

Using the left may seem awkward at first but now it seems natural to me.

[RyanM]

One of the main advantages to using the right hand, for me, is it's a lot easier to find the cylinder without looking. You're holding the cylinder in the left hand, so it's basically like sticking a mag in an autoloader. Hand finds hand. And you're also holding the cylinder in a static position relative to the frame, keeping it from closing.

But if you're still holding the gun in your right hand, the cylinder is off to the side. And if you're hanging upside down from a tree in the middle of the jungle, with mutant ninja radioactive robot invisible pirate zombie bears all around you, or in some other awkward position, the cylinder might fall partway closed.

The technique I decided on, using Jetloaders, was to push out the cylinder and eject the empties with the left hand, get speedloader with right hand, push it in most of the way, regain a firing grip with the right thumb pushing the speedloader, let go with left hand, push the speedloader in the rest of the way, then close cylinder with left hand. Pretty fast. Too much fine motor control needed for defense, but I didn't use my only revolver for concealed carry much, and it's going to be sold soon anyway.

[MK11]

"The cylinder might fall partway closed."

Easy fix. The trigger finger of your right hand snakes through the open frame and holds the cylinder open.

Michael DeBenthencourt of Northeast Tactical teaches this technique. I'd highly recommnend one of his classes, he's one of the few people really focused on running a snubby. Supposedly he's got a book coming out through paladdin press pretty soon.

[Feanaro]

One of the main advantages to using the right hand, for me, is it's a lot easier to find the cylinder without looking.

It isn't like the cylinder will run away if you don't have a hand on it. ;)

Seriously though, I just did it with my eyes closed. If I can find the cylinder with my left hand, I don't know who can't with a little practice. Slower but that's to be expected. And as MK11 points out, your trigger finger can keep the cylinder open.

[Cosmoline]

Michael DeBenthencourt of Northeast Tactical teaches this technique. I'd highly recommnend one of his classes, he's one of the few people really focused on running a snubby. Supposedly he's got a book coming out through paladdin press pretty soon.

FYI, I found a bunch of articles on him here:

http://www.snubtraining.com/articles.php

I like his style! This is the first all-snub course I've heard of. Too bad he's based way over in the evil empire. No way I'm taking the Spenard Special into Mass!!

[Trebor]

Either way will work. Either way has it's own advantages. I use the speedloaders in my right hand because I have much more dexterity with my right hand then with my left. That's just me though. Having the loaders on the left is nice because you don't have to take your right hand off the gun and you can get some FAST reloads if you practice.

(I tried switching to left handed for awhile, but while the reloads got faster, I also fumbled more often, so I went back to right handed for the increased reliability)

[gezzer]

I have tried both with my S&W M19 and find for personal defense I will stick with my Glock M26. 11 shots with the simple reload to 17 rounds.

[Feanaro]

But don't you know? The average citizen will never need to reload. That's why I use a flintlock pistol for my HD needs. :)

[Rexster]

Michael DeBethancourt's right-handed reload technique is VERY good, and is the one I prefer for my SP101 snubbies. I did not really work on his lefty reload during the class; even when shooting as a lefty, I use his right-handed reload method, and come up shooting after the reload as a rightie, to save time. (Yep, I work on shooting both ways, to the point that I carry my duty pistol, by choice, on the right hip, in spite of being a "lefty." Long story.)

[Rexster]

gezzer, there are those who have explored the autoloader pistol fad, and decided to stay with our revolving pistols. :) And, there are mixed-up folks like me, who use both. :)

[GRIZ22]

I've always used my right as you need to worry more about losing the cylinder than readjusting my grip.

Try using your left hand for the speedloader in the dark and you'll see what I mean.

And, there are mixed-up folks like me, who use both.

We're not mixed up rexster, we have the best of both worlds.

[Rexster]

Who said mixed-up is bad; I thought it made us better! ;)

[Rexster]

People have noticed me eating left-handed, with my duty pistol on my hip, and asked me why I do that. I have said it is so I can keep on eating while I am shooting; why interrupt a meal? ;)

[Feanaro]

Try using your left hand for the speedloader in the dark

Done. I turned all the lights out and did my normal drill. Perfectly. A second repeat went fine, except that I pulled one round away with the speedloader. But I do that with the lights on. ;) I did this experiment four times. I did not have trouble finding the cylinder. If anyone cannot find the cylinder, I would say they have not practiced enough.

[GRIZ22]

Done. I turned all the lights out and did my normal drill.

Now try it after running around the block several times while you're trying to duck bullets someone is shooting at you. Using you right hand for the speed loader creates an easier hand finds hand situation as in reloading an auto pistol.

[jad0110]

Jerry Miculek's technique fo switching his gun from his right (strong) to left (weak) hands so he can reload with his right (strong) hand is not at all complex or awkward. After only a little practice it becomes very natural and much easier than any other method I've tried. I actually find the method of leaving the gun in the strong hand to be unnatural and time consuming.

Though I'm not near as fast as Jerry, I can at least reload my 686 about as quickly as a 1911.

Grant Cunningham's website explains what is basically Jerry's method in very simple, step-by-step terms with pictures included. The only thing I do significantly different is that I don't use my palm to strike the ejector rod - I give several sharp, rapid flicks of it with my left thumb while grabbing a speedloader at the same time with my right hand

http://www.grantcunningham.com/revolver-reload.html

[Feanaro]

"Hand to hand" or not, I'll bet your average pistolero has trouble getting a mag seated in pitch black. This is because they do not practice reloading until it becomes second nature. A good reason not to be average.

Using the left hand leaves your right hand free to hold the revolver securely. Better retention. You don't have to train yourself to properly grip the revolver again. Using the right is easier, initially. It's easier to wiggle the rounds into the chamber with an HKS and easier to turn the knob. If I were stuck with HKS, I would use the right hand exclusively.

Mike Carmoney uses the lefthand method and he has placed third at the USPSA Revolver nationals two years in a row, so it's not some outmoded way of reloading. You can be fast and reliable with either method, given enough practice. Do what works for you, not what Jerry or anyone else is doing.

[ZeSpectre]

My technique is here in Sixgun Speedloading for Southpaws (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=276523).

[20nickels]

I use both, but prefer Right hand Miculek style. It is faster for me because you have positive control of the cylinder. If I have to smack out a sticky extraction I also find this method more natural.

[sm]

First off not only am I a bit out of practice, I am a bit older and , never did use the timer for some stuff. Mentors were yelling and tossing fire crackers, or shooting guns to distract me instead of using "time".

My "street" technique is -
I keep the revolver in strong hand, right hand, and open latch with strong hand thumb.

Right hand moves thrust out cylinder and while I whack ejector hard with weak/left palm, right hand is positioned onto cylinder.

Speed strips have 4 rounds. I can get 4 rounds into a 5 or 6 round cylinder faster.
If the hammer falls on a empty charge hole, pull trigger again.

Street method, I am not worried about gun games, and times and all, I am concerned with motor skills being diminished, low light, no light and getting the gun back up and running and back into the fight.

Oh, another reason why I only carry .38spls, and those I associate with.
I can toss a speed strip to someone with a .357, and my loads run in their gun, but .357s will not work in a .357 gun.


We alleviate some factors and keep it real simple...

[Citroen]

I'm right handed; eject the spent rounds with my left thumb; grip the cylinder with my hand using the fingers to hold the cylinder still while I drop the muzzle towards the ground (from pointing up to use gravity for the empties) and reach for and reload with my right hand.

I prefer HKS speedloaders because I like to grip them by the twist knob; I use SWC loads for PPC and use the moon clips for the .45.

Once the fresh load is in place I wrap my right hand around the gun and transfer it back to my right hand. I keep the left hand on it for a two handed grip and, unlike a lot of other shooters, I advance the index finger of my left hand to the front of the trigger guard to help keep the weapon on target for faster follow-up shots.

Works for me and has for over 20 years.

John
Charlotte, NC

[medmo]

I am a primary right handed shooter. The fastest and least awkward reload is using my right hand to load the speed loader. My aim of bringing loader to cylinder is much faster with my right hand because it is a natural motion of closing my hands. I'm basically pointing the speed loader with my right hand towards the circle of my thumb and palm of my left hand which is holding the cylinder steady. I don't see how keeping my grip on the gun with my right hand and loading with my left is going to be more smooth and speed things up. I don't seem to have the accuracy aligning the loader and it seems awkward as hell doing it that way. Smooth is fast.

I also can dump six rounds of a Bianchi speed strip two at a time faster using my right hand to chamber the rounds into the cylinder and peeling the strip upwards to dump the rounds. When I try if left handed I can't seem to line the rounds up with the cylinder so well and it feels awkward stripping the rounds.

[Feanaro]

I don't see how keeping my grip on the gun with my right hand and loading with my left is going to be more smooth and speed things up.

I didn't either. But reading Brian Enos' book, he played around with a lot of things just to see what would happen. I tried it just because. I found it to be faster. But I use my left hand more often than some people.

[medmo]

Brian shoots God-like. Jerry shoots God-like. A low mortal me does what works best for me. Nothing I do with a wheel gun reload resembles either of these guys.