OK, so a close friend, to whom I usually refer as a pain in the #$%& or “PITA” for short, shows up with his (formerly “my”) 386NG and challenges me to do a speed reload, or a reload of ANY kind while manipulating it solely with my left hand.

Just to make it interesting I dragged out my Ruger GP-100 and Colt King Cobra, both chambered for .357 Magnum.

The GP-100 is so close in size and shape to the Colt that they fit perfectly in the same holsters I have. The Colt barrel is precisely four inches, the Ruger is 4+1/16th inches. Cylinders are exactly the same length and too close in width and chamber wall thickness to see any difference. The back of the Colt cylinder is counter-sunk. Both have factory grips, the Colt’s is all rubber. The Colt weighs 2-lb 9.5 oz/1,185 grams. The Ruger weighs 2-lb 7.25 oz/1,120 grams. The Ruger feels a little beefier to me, though they look nearly identical in size. I shoot them equally well.

Confidently, I loaded up a speed loader with dummy rounds and readied to show my PITA that, while a tad clumsy, doing a reload without changing hands was not so tough.

Except that, any of you who have tried it know that it is nigh on impossible. I totally failed to even get the cylinder open on the Colt or Ruger. I COULD slip my thumb over the back of the 386 and, with considerable effort, push the cylinder latch forward, but that was it. I still could not push the cylinder out of the window. Every time I shifted my hand to do so, the cylinder locked in place again. My PITA, er, I mean, close friend, was laughing.

The ONLY way I could do a reload of any kind was to shift hands.

I am right-handed. After years of training and practice I am somewhat proficient shooting almost anything with my left hand, but had never tried a revolver combat reload before. I had been trained to operate semi-autos left-handed, and to do rapid combat reloads. I can do so with reasonable proficiency and speed with most of the ones I am likely to carry, or that I ever used in training or duty.

However, I received minimal training with revolvers, and never how to do combat reloads. We never had speed loaders, but did carry speed strips or dump pouches from time to time. It was only when I trained for competition that I started trying to learn, and then I still did all reloads in the right hand manner, that is, switching hands.

So, does anyone have a proven technique for reloading a right-hand revolver while shooting with the left hand that does not require switching hands? Or, maybe a razzle-dazzle switcheroo?

Since some rifle and shotgun makers do make guns for left-handed people, I’m a little surprised there haven’t been production handguns for lefties. I have seen pictures of a couple custom-made left-hand revolvers, but never in person, so I don’t know if they were real.

Mr. Ayoob has a couple of videos about combat reloading revolvers using both right & left hands. Nothing too jazzy, just pretty much what I was taught (I'm a lefty) way back when. FWIW I know it works b/c I had to combat reload my Colt DS, using a newly invented speed loader, in '74 during a gun battle w/armed robbers.

__________________
Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Whooaa....there is a story there I bet. Sounds like it turned alright as you are still here. Glad it worked out.

Ayoob, left-hand reload at 4:30

https://youtu.be/oXUwI_d8JlA

DeBethencourt, left-hand reload

https://youtu.be/MjkmfOGSVH8

The one handed part is the tough part, so I asked my buddy (ccso7d100) who is left handed and is a long time revolver shooter (much of the time as a deputy sheriff who carried a S&W revolver for many years for duty and competition). This is what he told/showed me (The following seems convoluted, but with practice becomes just fluid motions. Pictures or video would be better.):

1. Semi-flip/adjust the gun in your hand so that the thumb can reach the cylinder release and the middle two fingers support the right side of the cylinder.

2. Holding the butt of the gun against your chest, release the cylinder with the thumb and push the cylinder out with the two middle fingers, cradling the gun by the cylinder frame and cylinder.

3. Holding the cylinder open with the two middle fingers, rotate the gun muzzle up and bring the thumb up to the top of the ejector rod and force the cartridges out briskly.

4. Bring the thumb back to the cylinder side and rotate/move the gun so it is held in place, with cylinder open, under the support arm. (I found this tricky to do, so that the cylinder would stay open, but I'm not as practiced at it as ccso7d100 is, so I shoved the barrel deeply inside my waistband with the cylinder pin/ejector rod outside my waistband/belt, holding the cylinder in place with the chamber mouths at the top.)

5. Either singly or via speed loader or clip insert the fresh rounds.

6. Grasp the gun butt, close the cylinder with the shooting finger, adjust in hand as needed, and you're done.

Doable with practice, but any one-handed reloads are a bit of a pain in my experience. A one-handed reload may be an unfortunate necessity though, so I've practiced some.

Maybe I'll post pictures later, but no promises.

For some reason I thought the OP was asking about doing a regular left-hand reload as opposed to a one-handed reload.

For weak-hand-only reloads I use basically the same approach as ASA335's in-the-waistband method, but it can be tricky with a snub. A 2" barrel doesn't provide much stability, especially for those of us who might have a little extra padding that can push the gun out.

Another method I learned was to trap the gun's grip under the belt, wedging it in from the bottom. It works with snubs but I'm not sure how it would work for larger guns. It can also be tricky to reload because the cylinder isn't held open like with the previous method. I still prefer the barrel-in-the-waistband method.

GP-100 & King Cobra reduced.jpgGP-100 & King Cobra top view 30.jpgGP-100 and King Cobra profile 30.jpg
Continentalop:
You're correct, I was talking about doing a reload under duress, while holding the gun in the left hand and using the right to manipulate as necessary and insert the new ammo. A "normal lefty reload".

ASA335: I'll not argue with anyone who has worked out a way to successfully do most anything. What matters is: 1. is it practical; 2. can i learn it?
Sitting here with the Colt in my hand I still cannot even open the cylinder, left hand only. Better luck with the 386, but I'd have to practice a lot before even thinking about doing that when the bullets are flying.

It also worked just as ccso7d100 said, with the Ruger. It's Just that I'm reeeal slow.

For years I followed that rule (Jim Cirillo?) of the best reload is a second gun. Since retiring and having "the paranoia talk" with my Dearly Beloved, I leave number 3 and 4 at home, but still tend to stick a J-frame or Colt Det Spec in a pocket when carrying a revolver. I've started leaving the speed strips behind, too. I'm feeling separation anxiety.

Old Cop: interesting how having been in the middle of a battle focuses one's thinking. I'd like to know how you opened the cylinder on that Detective Special. I just can't get the leverage to pull that latch back without using my right hand.

Thanks for the input, and for the links. I shoulda know'd Ayoob would have something.

ContinentalOP:
I just viewed both videos and find I like Ayoob's method better. I was able to get it working in only a couple tries. The other guy, Bethencourt, was really smooth, showing his practice paid off, but took more steps and required shifting the gun to the right hand. I could make it work, but like Ayoob's better.
Thanks again for the links.

Arthritis in my hands and wrists have unfortunately robbed me of quite a bit of hand strength and dexterity. As a result, I have to cheat a bit and use a New York Reload as my left hand only reload method. My EDC consists of a Model 638-1 and Model 38-0. I carry an 8 round speed strip in a small pouch on my belt, as well as a small pouch holding a small, automatic pocket knife and a small Streamlight flashlight.

Regards,

Dave