Tactical Pistol Shooting

As a LE firearms inst. for over 30 years I too also teach the tactical reload. However I stress that this is a fine motorskill and under stress trying to hold onto 2 pistol mags. at the same time even with practice, practice, practice will be difficult to do. So something is going to fail, like dropping a magazine.My addition to this reload is that if you have time and distance of cover, simply take a knee so that if you do drop a magazine while you are kneeling it will be alot easier to retreive it and secure it properly. And in regards to a comment (feedback) concerning maintaining a visual on the suspect and possibly fire the round in the chamber while no magazine is in the pistol. He refered to the point that some manufacturers cannot fire without a magazine and some can. Yes!! Know your weapon system and also know how to reload properly. I see to often during a speed load in battery (slide closed on a chambered round)the shooter first dumps the magazine, then fumbles to grasp the fresh magazine to reload. I always teach that if you are going to reload always have the fresh magazine in hand first so that when the empty or near empty magazine comes out the fresh one is inserting. Loading in this matter results in minimal time to reload without jeapardizing the shooters safety regardless of the type of pistol being used. But it is hard to correct bad habits (improper reloading)once that muscle memory is established. Just my thoughts!

(Posted on 2/21/11)