One round is loaded theory came in handy today!

HighValleyRanch · August 3, 2019, 10:35 PM

A little excitement at the ccw qualifying range today....

I can't remember who it was, but a well know revolver instructor wrote about this. He was running a revolver class, and asked the students to load their revolvers as quick as possible starting with an empty cylinder.

Some fiddled with loose rounds, some with their speed loaders, some with speed strips, all trying to load five or six as fast as possible. So then he demonstrated and loaded one round and made a perfect shot. The jest being that when time is golden, loading only one critical round might get you out of the jamb. I always remembered this story and it came in really handy for me today during qualifying with my new Kimber K-6.

I had shot a perfect score in the inner circle on the standard sillouette target from ten yards, and now we were on the five yard line. Five rounds in 15 seconds is generous, so no problems with that.

First four shots were dead center in the inner ring. But on the fifth shot, the revolver jammed. Could not put the trigger as the cylinder was frozen. Time was ticking and so I immediately opened the cylinder and inspected and saw that I had one round that was not dented, so I closed the cylnder as fast as I could, but it didn't line up and I had to pull four times to quickly rotate the chamber around again to fire, but dang if it didn't freeze up again at that point.

By now I was down on time, and had to act quickly. I dumped out all the cases and unused round, and was going for my speed loader, when I remembered the above theory, that one round loaded should be good enough in a desparate situation. I quickly grabbed a loose single round from my back pocket, popped it into a chamber lined it up into the next rotation and finished the string before the RO called time with a perfect score!.

SO, sometime what you read on the internet can work out!LOL

Wasn't a super tight group, but did score 100 percent with that little snubby.
I'm pretty sure it was a high primer, or mis manufacture factory load, but never got to check it out having dumped it on the ground.

reteach · August 4, 2019, 11:25 AM

I've read about that method of loading one round but have never remembered to practice it. Your story reminds me to add that to my gun range routines. Thanks.

RickB · August 4, 2019, 12:41 PM

Do you just slam the "Russian roulette" cylinder home, and pull until it fires, or do you try to align the cylinder so that it will fire on the first pull?
The latter might be quicker under ideal conditions, but hard to do if the light isn't good; which to practice?

pete2 · August 4, 2019, 01:00 PM

Some years ago I shot steel with a Model 19, 5 targets, six in the gun, reload allowed. I was using wadcutters so a speed loader was out. I stood 1 or 2 rounds nose down on the bench, that was my reload if I missed, worked well cause I did miss some of them. I actually carry a 642 revolver but I don't carry a reload. Shooting a revolver makes one more likely to aim rather than spray and pray.
It worked better for me to align the cylinder so the live round will fire on the first trigger pull, again, it's better to aim than to spray. Pulling the trigger fast as you can til it fires threw the shot off for me.
Your mileage may vary.

Carmady · August 4, 2019, 01:41 PM

Clint...starts at 5:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvp5DRLhG1E

HighValleyRanch · August 4, 2019, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Do you just slam the "Russian roulette" cylinder home, and pull until it fires, or do you try to align the cylinder so that it will fire on the first pull?

I wrote:

Quote:

popped it into a chamber lined it up into the next rotation

Always know the rotation direction of your particular revolver so you can line up the next round.

reteach · August 4, 2019, 05:17 PM

[IMG][/IMG]

Quote:

Always know the rotation direction of your particular revolver

Sorry I don't know the terminology, but the slot in the cylinder where the cylinder stop fits - "cylinder stop slot"? - shows the direction the cylinder turns. It's like an arrowhead showing the direction. The cylinder in the attached photo turns clockwise, looking from the shooter's position.

https://thefiringline.com/forums/att...0&d=1564957766

tlm225 · August 4, 2019, 06:41 PM

Back in the early 80's we held an annual police pistol match at my Air Force Base. We had a Security Police team and would invite area law enforcement agencies to participate. In addition to standard courses of fire we had a "Barney Fife" fun stage. Each participant started with an empty revolver and one round on their person. B-27 target at 25 yards, 10 second time limit to draw load and fire. There were always several click, click, click, click, click, BOOM shooters.

TxFlyFish · August 4, 2019, 07:33 PM

They need to put a direction arrow on the cylinder, like the one on your fuel gauge to remind you where the gas cap is...I kid! Maybe?

kenny53 · August 4, 2019, 07:45 PM

If I am not mistaken most all revolvers rotate counter clockwise except Colt, they rotated clockwise.

reteach · August 4, 2019, 07:50 PM

Quote:

They need to put a direction arrow on the cylinder

It's already on there. See the photo in post #7.

warnerwh · August 4, 2019, 09:49 PM

"If I am not mistaken most all revolvers rotate counter clockwise except Colt, they rotated clockwise. "

My Ruger Blackhawk and Dan Wesson cylinders both rotate clockwise.

osbornk · August 5, 2019, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenny53

If I am not mistaken most all revolvers rotate counter clockwise except Colt, they rotated clockwise.

All four brands of my non Colt rotate clockwise.

UncleEd · August 5, 2019, 05:29 PM

I remember reading advice that not only one round but sometimes
with loose rounds it is easy enough to grasp at once two or may three
for an emergency reload. This can also be a practice with a
speed strip, don't go for all in the strip but two will do.

We too often get into the habit of wanting to "fill the tank."

HighValleyRanch · August 5, 2019, 07:19 PM

Quote:

it is easy enough to grasp at once two or may three
for an emergency reload

Yes, and this can be practiced with a belt loop holder as well, pushing two rounds up from the bottom and grabbing both at one time and loading two at one time.
In my case, there was no time for manual dexterity and one round was the only way.

arquebus357 · August 5, 2019, 10:10 PM

Just to make sure we are all thinking alike. Guns are configured from the perspective of the shooter. Just like cars are from the perspective of the driver.

HighValleyRanch · August 5, 2019, 11:12 PM

Of course! Why else do they call it a REAR sight!

jar · August 6, 2019, 07:49 AM

Charter Arms also rotates deosil.

Fishbed77 · August 6, 2019, 08:57 AM

Quote:

But on the fifth shot, the revolver jammed.

This is a good reminder that revolvers are not infallible and can malfunction too, and when they do, they are not necessarily as easy to bring back into the fight (or qualification in this case) as a semi-automatic using an immediate action drill.

It sounds like your quick thinking under pressure allowed you to make the best of this situation.

zincwarrior · August 6, 2019, 09:30 AM

Sorry but this sounds really stupid. Someone who practices with a speed loader / moon clips is going to load just as fast and doesn't have to play line up the cylinder.

Plus lets do this test in near dark conditions, under stress with noise and screaming.

Sharkbite · August 6, 2019, 09:44 AM

A speed-loader is within fraction of a second of just a loose round and you get a full cylinder.

If all you have is loose rounds, then this makes more sense

HighValleyRanch · August 6, 2019, 10:42 AM

Yes, I had a speedloader with truncated nose rounds on my belt, and am well practiced using it. but anyone knows that things can go wrong with speedloading, And I was aware that this SLVariant loader had possibilities of hanging up after ejecting the rounds into the chambers because of its thicker body.
It works with the Kimber k6 but was't made for it.
So as I only needed one more roumd to complete the stage,the single round load was the surest bet.

And yes, it was under stress conditions in qualifying this firearm for my permit for the next two years.
98 degrees in hot sun with a close time limit was indeed a good stress test. In our testing if you miss the A or B zone, you are disqualified. So after all that to be able to come back on target and focus on the shot and make an perfect shot made me happy.

RickB · August 7, 2019, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Quote:
Do you just slam the "Russian roulette" cylinder home, and pull until it fires, or do you try to align the cylinder so that it will fire on the first pull?
I wrote:
Quote:
popped it into a chamber lined it up into the next rotation
Always know the rotation direction of your particular revolver so you can line up the next round.

I guess I should have said, does one just slam the cylinder home, or try to align the cylinder; as in, hmmm, trying to decide which would be the preferred way, considering the ramifications of the choice.
In the dark, rainy night, you'd be able to align it?
I'm not questioning the theory, as I have done many reloads when I really need only one more shot, but if it's something to practice, should you rely on your ability to keep pulling through until it fires (literally a surprise break, something you do any/every time you fire the gun), or try to practice aligning the cylinder (which you - I - normally never do)?

August 3, 2019, 10:35 PM	#1
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	One round is loaded theory came in handy today! A little excitement at the ccw qualifying range today.... I can't remember who it was, but a well know revolver instructor wrote about this. He was running a revolver class, and asked the students to load their revolvers as quick as possible starting with an empty cylinder. Some fiddled with loose rounds, some with their speed loaders, some with speed strips, all trying to load five or six as fast as possible. So then he demonstrated and loaded one round and made a perfect shot. The jest being that when time is golden, loading only one critical round might get you out of the jamb. I always remembered this story and it came in really handy for me today during qualifying with my new Kimber K-6. I had shot a perfect score in the inner circle on the standard sillouette target from ten yards, and now we were on the five yard line. Five rounds in 15 seconds is generous, so no problems with that. First four shots were dead center in the inner ring. But on the fifth shot, the revolver jammed. Could not put the trigger as the cylinder was frozen. Time was ticking and so I immediately opened the cylinder and inspected and saw that I had one round that was not dented, so I closed the cylnder as fast as I could, but it didn't line up and I had to pull four times to quickly rotate the chamber around again to fire, but dang if it didn't freeze up again at that point. By now I was down on time, and had to act quickly. I dumped out all the cases and unused round, and was going for my speed loader, when I remembered the above theory, that one round loaded should be good enough in a desparate situation. I quickly grabbed a loose single round from my back pocket, popped it into a chamber lined it up into the next rotation and finished the string before the RO called time with a perfect score!. SO, sometime what you read on the internet can work out!LOL Wasn't a super tight group, but did score 100 percent with that little snubby. I'm pretty sure it was a high primer, or mis manufacture factory load, but never got to check it out having dumped it on the ground. __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

August 4, 2019, 12:41 PM	#3
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	Do you just slam the "Russian roulette" cylinder home, and pull until it fires, or do you try to align the cylinder so that it will fire on the first pull? The latter might be quicker under ideal conditions, but hard to do if the light isn't good; which to practice? __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

August 4, 2019, 06:41 PM	#8
tlm225 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 962	Back in the early 80's we held an annual police pistol match at my Air Force Base. We had a Security Police team and would invite area law enforcement agencies to participate. In addition to standard courses of fire we had a "Barney Fife" fun stage. Each participant started with an empty revolver and one round on their person. B-27 target at 25 yards, 10 second time limit to draw load and fire. There were always several click, click, click, click, click, BOOM shooters. __________________ All that is neccessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke

August 4, 2019, 09:49 PM	#12
warnerwh Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2009 Posts: 329	"If I am not mistaken most all revolvers rotate counter clockwise except Colt, they rotated clockwise. " My Ruger Blackhawk and Dan Wesson cylinders both rotate clockwise. __________________ Portland, Or

August 5, 2019, 11:12 PM	#17
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Of course! Why else do they call it a REAR sight! __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

August 4, 2019, 11:25 AM	#2
reteach Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2016 Location: Texas Posts: 379	I've read about that method of loading one round but have never remembered to practice it. Your story reminds me to add that to my gun range routines. Thanks.

August 4, 2019, 01:00 PM	#4
pete2 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 2,566	Some years ago I shot steel with a Model 19, 5 targets, six in the gun, reload allowed. I was using wadcutters so a speed loader was out. I stood 1 or 2 rounds nose down on the bench, that was my reload if I missed, worked well cause I did miss some of them. I actually carry a 642 revolver but I don't carry a reload. Shooting a revolver makes one more likely to aim rather than spray and pray. It worked better for me to align the cylinder so the live round will fire on the first trigger pull, again, it's better to aim than to spray. Pulling the trigger fast as you can til it fires threw the shot off for me. Your mileage may vary.

August 4, 2019, 01:41 PM	#5
Carmady Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2013 Location: on the lam Posts: 1,735	Clint...starts at 5:00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvp5DRLhG1E

August 4, 2019, 07:33 PM	#9
TxFlyFish Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2011 Posts: 1,246	They need to put a direction arrow on the cylinder, like the one on your fuel gauge to remind you where the gas cap is...I kid! Maybe?

August 4, 2019, 07:45 PM	#10
kenny53 Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2015 Location: My back yard Posts: 971	If I am not mistaken most all revolvers rotate counter clockwise except Colt, they rotated clockwise.

August 5, 2019, 05:29 PM	#14
UncleEd Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2013 Location: N. Georgia Posts: 1,150	I remember reading advice that not only one round but sometimes with loose rounds it is easy enough to grasp at once two or may three for an emergency reload. This can also be a practice with a speed strip, don't go for all in the strip but two will do. We too often get into the habit of wanting to "fill the tank."

August 5, 2019, 10:10 PM	#16
arquebus357 Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2016 Location: Atlanta, Georgia area Posts: 455	Just to make sure we are all thinking alike. Guns are configured from the perspective of the shooter. Just like cars are from the perspective of the driver.

August 6, 2019, 07:49 AM	#18
jar Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2001 Location: Deep South Texas Posts: 1,670	Charter Arms also rotates deosil. __________________ To be vintage it's gotta be older than me!

August 6, 2019, 09:30 AM	#20
zincwarrior Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2011 Location: Texas, land of Tex-Mex Posts: 2,259	Sorry but this sounds really stupid. Someone who practices with a speed loader / moon clips is going to load just as fast and doesn't have to play line up the cylinder. Plus lets do this test in near dark conditions, under stress with noise and screaming.

August 6, 2019, 09:44 AM	#21
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,679	A speed-loader is within fraction of a second of just a loose round and you get a full cylinder. If all you have is loose rounds, then this makes more sense

August 6, 2019, 10:42 AM	#22
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Yes, I had a speedloader with truncated nose rounds on my belt, and am well practiced using it. but anyone knows that things can go wrong with speedloading, And I was aware that this SLVariant loader had possibilities of hanging up after ejecting the rounds into the chambers because of its thicker body. It works with the Kimber k6 but was't made for it. So as I only needed one more roumd to complete the stage,the single round load was the surest bet. And yes, it was under stress conditions in qualifying this firearm for my permit for the next two years. 98 degrees in hot sun with a close time limit was indeed a good stress test. In our testing if you miss the A or B zone, you are disqualified. So after all that to be able to come back on target and focus on the shot and make an perfect shot made me happy. __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"