Tactical Reload Debate

[PatriotnMore]

what practical pistol match was this? partly why ive brought this question up is i went to my first pistol match last saturday and bassically everyone was doing tactical reloads in order to win the "game", bassically anytime they were on the move theyd drop the mag in the pistol and put a full one in so then at the next little engagment they will have a full one and bassically never have to reload in a sense. and if i was faced with 25 bad guys in such close qaurters im not going unload my weapon.

I think the difference and the answer is in the difference of the two threats. One is time and efficiency, the other is a human being shooting at you, to kill.

One is fight or flight reaction, the other is win the match. Incomparable to each other.

[johnrunner89]

In the military I was taught two things.

1. Only tac reload when you have the opportunity. IE, the fight is over and you are waiting for a counter attack, or there is a temporary lull that you may take advantage of. If you are in a real fight you wont have the time to even think about tac reloading, and you shouldn't.

2. Never leave magazines with rounds still in them in the dirt. Never drop a mag when you tac reload. If things are quiet enough for you to do a tac reload then they should be quiet enough for you to retain that partial mag.

Honestly, when you are being shot at the last thing you will be thinking of is a tac reload. If you are thinking about a tac reload then you probably aren't being shot at.

This. With the exception if you encounter a problem (i.e double feed or faulty magazine) in which you might have to take the mag out to make the firearm operable again...than you might just leave the mag on the floor with however many cartridges left and put in a new one if its safer and faster.

It is a good thing to practice...as I was told...just another tool in the tool box.

[chesterthehero]

having thankfully never been in a firefight i can only guess that my answer would be no.. i train myself to shoot till empty and even then never drop a mag (also never stop to pick one up)..

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman talks about this in the book "on combat".. basicly he recounts (i believe) an officer being killed in the line of duty due to doing a "tactical reload" simply out of training rather than necessity..

[OneSevenDeuce]

With the exception if you encounter a problem (i.e double feed or faulty magazine) in which you might have to take the mag out to make the firearm operable again...than you might just leave the mag on the floor with however many cartridges left and put in a new one if its safer and faster.

That's true.

[scarville]

I voted yes because I've found it seems to work -- at least in simulation.

When I do "tactical training" I never worry about scores. My goal is to leave better prepared than when I entered for any real fight I can't honorably run away from. If I score well, thats kewl but it's a serendipity not a goal. Since I only have seven rounds in the gun I count shots so if I'm moving to a new position or there is a lull in the action and I know I'm down to only one or two left I'll reload. Otherwise I shoot until I'm empty.

[Dhena81]

I answered yes unless I had a california safe handgun with the MD lol. No seriously though I answered yes because if the situation is right like it says than why not have a full up and running gun. That's only when the time is right though one thing I would be worried about personally is to know my gun and make damn sure the magazine is seated properly. I have some handguns especially the ones that have modified 10 rounders that if the mag is full and the slide is closed it will be difficult to know for sure if the mag is engaged properly. So 2 strikes to CA for making us unsafe with a MD and having to be worried about having a mag forcefully accept 11 rounds if at all possible in the first place.

[plan-b]

I answered "yes" too, but my "situation" would be after I've been running to the point where my legs are about to fall off and my lungs were on fire. If I hear a gunshot, you can bet I'm hightailing it in the opposite direction as fast as my legs can carry me. The one exception would be if I'm at home that is.

[mif_slim]

tac reloads in my opinion is for our great men ad women in service to protect our country.

for us, a street gun fight will last seconds and less then a mag and at less then 5 yards which will NOT give you time to tac reload.

[NiteQwill]

tac reloads in my opinion is for our great men ad women in service to protect our country.

for us, a street gun fight will last seconds and less then a mag and at less then 5 yards which will NOT give you time to tac reload.

I guarantee you that we empty our magazines in an active firefight. Tactical reloading is for when we have the comfort of "time."

[fullrearview]

If there is a brief pause in the action and I had suffeceint cover, then yes. I practice my emergency reloads often and I am very confident in them....My rule of thumb...Mag in mag well, before the old one hits the ground. Most of the time, I slam the mag so hard, it releases the slide lock, so I same some time there as well.

[JTROKS]

There's just too many scenarios that can happen, some may allow tactical reloads and some will be over in a blink of an eye. You can't restrict yourself with one fighting technique.

[eccvets]

holy moly, you start a shooting incident with 5 mags? who carries that many mags?

[Uriah02]

Only if you have adequate suppressive fire do you do a tactical reload (buddy system).

No way you're going to change a 1/4, 1/2, whatever magazine while you're engaging a target at 25 yards. And who carries 5 pistol magazines?

With that said... if you are engaging at 25 yards. Best to find good cover or flee the scene. The best gunfight is the one you run away from and survive.

I keep 7 ready mags in my car... granted 5 of them are in a separate container...

[Grayblue]

It's about filling the gun full when it's feasible or necessary.

If you're too occupied with something to do it, then it's not feasible.

If you're too mentally overwhelmed to do it, then it's not feasible.

If you don't have the skill to do it, then it's not feasible.

So, it depends on you and the situation. It should not be a debate about whether if it should be adopted or avioded as a general rule.

[1 SIG fan]

I think 5 mags is feasable if your dual wielding... Ie: nick cage in Faceoff with twin gold 1911s.

Other then that. Tac reloads seem good if ur in cover however I'd never leave a
Mag behind if there are useable rounds in them.