All administrative handling of a loaded firearm increases the chance of an unintentional discharge.

Removing your firing hand from the grip (so how ARE you holding it then?), re-gripping the gun in a way it was not designed to be handled when loaded, then inserting a mag and then re-gripping the gun (again, how are you holding it?) in a firing grip complicates a simple process by adding extra, complex steps. How do you position your upper hand to keep the gun pointed down range?

None of these manipulations make your process as safe or safer than simply continuing to grip the gun in a proper firing grip and inserting a loaded mag with enough force to seat it.

When in doubt just imagine what John Rambo would do.

I take it you don't shoot IDPA, USPSA or 3-Gun?

"Tickle" the mag release? Really?

I learned to seat mags firmly from a WWII vet. Whatever it took. A mag that could / would fall out at the wrong moment was at least career ending, if not life ending.

Mags are cheap if you are still around to replace one damaged with a heavy hand.

I can see your point, well said.

Lets see if I can explain this:

I load the gun +1 from the mag and remove the mag, firing hand on the grip. I set the gun down pointed in a safe direction because I need to top off the mag (there's really no way to top off a mag without both hands). I top off the mag.

I pick up the gun with my off hand on the grip (grip is facing left, I'm a righty) as I simultaneously grasp the top of the slide with my (right) firing hand over the top/rear of the slide: thumb on one side and fingers on the other - thumb and fingers are on opposite sides of the grip - at this point I'm briefly holding the gun with two hands. The gun is pointed in a safe direction and controlled. With my off hand, I pick up the mag and insert it, seating forcefully with the palm of my off (left) hand. If the mag is particularly hard to seat, I rock it - it usually seats with an audible and tactile click.

That definition reads pretty long - it's not really that complicated.

What's important to note is that the force I'm applying is 180 degrees opposite of the force of the hand holding the gun - it is more controlled. When the pistol is gripped and a mag slapped, the force is 90 degrees to the force holding it. The slapping method is made even less controlled on guns with small grips (such as the shield) because most people can only manage two fingers on the grip with the pinkie dangling off the bottom (the trigger finger is off the trigger and doesn't contribute to the grip either).

My opinion is my method is more controlled and less prone to losing the gun during the loading of the mag.

And again, for what it's worth, I do see your point, but I don't think what I do is unsafe (doesn't violate any safety rules, the gun is pointed in a safe direction and always controlled).

I don't shoot any of those. And tickle the mag release was sarcasm - I realize that's lost with the message.

Yes, if you're shooting a course where time is of the essence, slap away at your mags. I disagree with doing it otherwise.

you know, some guns require a good whack, not just to seat the mag, but to position that first bullet.
if i gently insert any mag into my 22/45, the gun may load n the gun may not.
if i whack the mag in, the nose of the round tilts up n it always gets picked up n chambered.
others with the same gun need to do this too.

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susie

IN A COMBAT SITUATION, IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE, WHEN YOUR LIFE IS ON THE LINE, I DOUBT IF ANYONE WILL BE ROCKIN' AND TICKLING'. AT LEAST, I NEVER OBSERVED IT. THAT MIGHT WORK FINE, WHEN NO ONE IS SHOOTING BACK......

AS A TRAINER, I WOULD RATHER SEE SOMEONE DEVELOP ONE SINGLE TECHNIQUE, THAT WILL SERVE THEM WELL, IN ANY AND ALL SITUATIONS-- AND PUT IT INTO PRACTICE, ROUTINELY.......

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I qualified with a semi automatic handgun for 23 years. My first qualification, my first reload I inserted the magazine with what I thought was sufficient force and it promptly fell out after the first shot I fired.

You may choose to execute your reloads as you please. I'll use the palm of my off hand to violently set the magazine. Never damaged a gun and never damaged a magazine. More importantly, never had a mag drop again.

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Join the NRA today

I HAVE TO ROLL WITH retiredbadge8091, ON THIS. MY GREATEST FAMILIARITY IS WITH COLT 1911s, AND MAGAZINE FED MILITARY LONG ARMS, (M1 CARBINE, M14 AND M16) I NEVER DROPPED A MAG, NEVER DAMAGED A MAG, AND NEVER DAMAGED A WEAPON.....

I GRAVITATED TO THOSE SAME WEAPONS IN CIVILIAN LIFE, FOR 40 YEARS OR SO, AND CARRIED A FULL SIZE 1911, FOR MOST OF THAT TIME. NOW IN MY MID 70s, I HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM LONG GUNS AND SEMI-AUTO PISTOLS, DUE TO PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS. I AM NOW DEEP INTO A RENEWED LOVE AFFAIR WITH S&W AND COLT DA REVOLVERS, THAT I ALSO OWNED ALL ALONG, WHICH I CAN MANIPULATE, AND SHOOT WELL, WITH MY ONE HAND THAT STILL FUNCTIONS......

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Buy a second mag and lose about half those steps.
1. Insert mag into gun
2. Drop/rack slide
3. Remove mag
4. Insert full mag into gun
5. Done!

Sent from my SM-T377V using Tapatalk

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Improvise, Adapt, Overcome

The catch is many people believe in, whenever reasonably possible, doing the same things at the range you would like to do in a defensive firearm use or 'gunfight'. Create the habits you want to stick.

This is already less safe than it could be. You are setting a loaded handgun down. Better way: Have more than one magazine. Use one magazine to put a round into the chamber, drop that mag, insert a different still fully loaded magazine. If you really want to do the procedure as safely as possible, maintaining positive control of the pistol throughout is probably best.

Took barrels out of a 1911 and M&P and reassembled the slides.
Inserted magazine, noticed plenty of clearance between mag lips and bottom of slide. Don't see how the mag lips are getting bent from slapping home.
Watch some IPSC and USPSA videos - these guys and gals are doing tactical reloads all the time, and they don't baby pushing the mags home.
I don't shoot bullseye, so I use tactical reload methods all the time - you revert to your training when under stress.
Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong.

If you ain't smacking your mag someone else is !

Agreed - I like that plan.

When we transitioned to the Glock our range officers trained us to smack the mag into place during a combat reload. Ive been doing it ever since and it's never hurt a thing.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)