Reloading while holding a flashlight - Page 2

Dash · January 13, 2008, 11:07 AM

turn the light off and use your strong side armpit to hold the flashlight while reloading

Playboypenguin · January 13, 2008, 11:13 AM

We were taught that the first steps were "turn light off & obtain cover" in this situation.

That not being a possibility we were taught to kneel, place the flashlight base under you forward foot, reload, retrieve light.

Powderman · January 14, 2008, 06:50 AM

How to do it?

1. LIGHTS OFF! You should not have your target illuminated for too long anyway.

2. MOVE IMMEDIATELY, AND GET DOWN!!! As has been said before, if you can take cover. And remember the difference between COVER and CONCEALMENT: Cover stops bullets. Concealment simply hides YOU, and may or may NOT stop a bullet.

As you move, get down. You don't have to go prone. Simply dropping to a crouch or one knee down will do.

3. PRACTICE, THEN DO, THE TACTICAL RELOAD. Some might not understand why. Here it is--if you are on a hard surface, the sound of your mag hitting the floor is a signal that you are run dry. If you MUST drop the mag, try snapping your wrist sideways as you hit the release. This will fling the mag AWAY from you.

Now, GET THAT RELOAD IN FAST! And, how is this accomplished? Practice, again and again. Practice your mag changes in steps:

a. Acquire reload, oriented properly.
b. Drop empty mag.
c. Insert reload smartly.
d. If needed, retract slide briskly and let it run home. Don't ride the slide!!!
e. Re-engage.

Practice slowly, first looking at what you are doing, then looking at your target during the mag change. Proficiency will come; concentrate on SMOOTHNESS, not speed. Smooth equals fast--and remember it takes an average of 3000 repetitions to "engrave" the muscle memory.

I believe that if you carry a gun, you should practice your reloads--WITH A PROPERLY CLEARED WEAPON, EMPTY MAGAZINES AND FACING A SAFE BACKSTOP--daily, if possible. You can also use weighted mags if you can get them--or make up a mag of dummy rounds if you can't. I would (in that case) mark the magazine full of dummies, and use it ONLY for training--that way if you ever actually have to draw and shoot, you don't get the click, instead of the boom.

tc556guy · April 28, 2008, 01:27 AM

Under the armpit or, if kneeling, under the crook of the knee, which is just as secure as the armpit. Kneeling is preferred if possible, as things have a shorter distance to fall if you lose control of them. The negative will be that you are on your knees and can't move as quick ( especially if you aren't as spry as you once were ).

Obviously the light is turned off during all of this.
None of the lights I use has a lanyard.

revance · April 30, 2008, 10:43 AM

Lots of people are stressing to turn your light off...

I would stress not to use a light that requires an independent action to turn it off. I wouldn't use a flashlight that didn't have either a forward clickie or a temp on button. When you remove pressure from the button, it should turn off.

January 13, 2008, 11:07 AM	#26
Dash Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2007 Posts: 171	turn the light off and use your strong side armpit to hold the flashlight while reloading __________________ http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=dashwerks

April 28, 2008, 01:27 AM	#29
tc556guy Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2000 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 763	Under the armpit or, if kneeling, under the crook of the knee, which is just as secure as the armpit. Kneeling is preferred if possible, as things have a shorter distance to fall if you lose control of them. The negative will be that you are on your knees and can't move as quick ( especially if you aren't as spry as you once were ). Obviously the light is turned off during all of this. None of the lights I use has a lanyard. __________________ Information posted is personal opinion and should not be considered information released in an official capacity

January 13, 2008, 11:13 AM	#27
Playboypenguin Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Great Pacific Northwest Posts: 11,515	We were taught that the first steps were "turn light off & obtain cover" in this situation. That not being a possibility we were taught to kneel, place the flashlight base under you forward foot, reload, retrieve light.

January 14, 2008, 06:50 AM	#28
Powderman Senior Member Join Date: September 7, 2001 Location: Washington State Posts: 2,166	How to do it? 1. LIGHTS OFF! You should not have your target illuminated for too long anyway. 2. MOVE IMMEDIATELY, AND GET DOWN!!! As has been said before, if you can take cover. And remember the difference between COVER and CONCEALMENT: Cover stops bullets. Concealment simply hides YOU, and may or may NOT stop a bullet. As you move, get down. You don't have to go prone. Simply dropping to a crouch or one knee down will do. 3. PRACTICE, THEN DO, THE TACTICAL RELOAD. Some might not understand why. Here it is--if you are on a hard surface, the sound of your mag hitting the floor is a signal that you are run dry. If you MUST drop the mag, try snapping your wrist sideways as you hit the release. This will fling the mag AWAY from you. Now, GET THAT RELOAD IN FAST! And, how is this accomplished? Practice, again and again. Practice your mag changes in steps: a. Acquire reload, oriented properly. b. Drop empty mag. c. Insert reload smartly. d. If needed, retract slide briskly and let it run home. Don't ride the slide!!! e. Re-engage. Practice slowly, first looking at what you are doing, then looking at your target during the mag change. Proficiency will come; concentrate on SMOOTHNESS, not speed. Smooth equals fast--and remember it takes an average of 3000 repetitions to "engrave" the muscle memory. I believe that if you carry a gun, you should practice your reloads--WITH A PROPERLY CLEARED WEAPON, EMPTY MAGAZINES AND FACING A SAFE BACKSTOP--daily, if possible. You can also use weighted mags if you can get them--or make up a mag of dummy rounds if you can't. I would (in that case) mark the magazine full of dummies, and use it ONLY for training--that way if you ever actually have to draw and shoot, you don't get the click, instead of the boom.

April 30, 2008, 10:43 AM	#30
revance Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2007 Posts: 305	Lots of people are stressing to turn your light off... I would stress not to use a light that requires an independent action to turn it off. I wouldn't use a flashlight that didn't have either a forward clickie or a temp on button. When you remove pressure from the button, it should turn off.