What's your technique for fastest mag change?

[fargo007]

If someone knows the officially taught way, please tell. I've found three that are reasonably fast.

Left hand over
1. click
2. with left hand, old mag out, discarded
3. new mag retrieved & inserted with left hand
4. rifle is rotated to the left (counter clockwise) as the left hand reaches to meet the charging handle.
5. charging handle actuated with pinky side of hand, and firing position resumed.

pro's: speedy.
con's: sight picture lost, rifle visibly taken off target. Everyone knows you're out of ammo.

Left hand under

1. click
2. with left hand, old mag out, discarded
3. new mag retrieved & inserted with left hand
4. left hand reaches under the rifle to charging handle
5. charging handle actuated, firing position resumed

pro's: sight picture retained, difficult to detect from the front. moderately fast
con's: miss the charging handle, or worse -- short stroke & your screwed.

Hand switch
1. click
2. with left hand, yadda yadda yadda
3. left hand returns to fore end
4. right hand leaves the grip and charges
5. firing position is resumed

pro's: sight picture retained, hands don't switch sides.
con's: Everyone knows you're reloading. Looks clumsy

[thought of another one]

Right Hand

1. click
2. left hand stays fixed on the forearm.
3. right hand removes & discards old mag
4. right hand retrieves & inserts new mag
5. right hand charges.

pro's: weapon stays on target. speed gains between mag insert & charge
con's: the forearm is an awkward fulcrum to balance the rifle on.

[swampdragon]

I use a tactical mag release. It can be operated with either hand without having to let go of the pistol grip, if you don't want to. However, there are many schools of thought when it comes to fast changing of mags. It's amazing how so many different people will actually fight and argue over this topic.
Some sware that you should NEVER let go of the pistol grip and should always "charge" the weapon with your support hand.
This may work quite well for some, but at the same time, may be a complete horror for others.
I myself can actually let go of the pistol grip, rack the charging handle and re-grasp the pistol grip again FASTER and more comfortably than I can rotate the rifle counter-clockwise and use my support hand.
By using my pistol grip hand for charging, the rifle's butt stays held upright and tight against my shoulder with my support hand. The rifle stays in line and on target. Since the rifle remains in the firing position, I don't have to take my eyes off of the target at all.
Rotating the rifle causes me to have to "look" at the rifle while trying to get my support hand on to the charging handle, and once rotated, the rifle is no longer on target.
I also have a BP-02 scope mount with a red dot on it. It gets in the way when rotating.

[patriot (pa)]

Drop gun, pick up next weapon.

[swampdragon]

:clown:

[Nobby]

Right hand works best for me, although the forearm can be a bit awkward with a bit of practice its not hard. I'm not sure if this is normal or not but on all three of my AK type rifles (AMD-65, SAR-1, RPK) all I need to do is press the lever and the mag drops right out so all I need to do is thumb it to remove the mag. A bit rough on magazines but thats why I have a few beater mags so I can practice this without screwing up good ones.

Just my .02.

[AK103K]

I believe the Russians and Com Bloc troops are/were taught to change them out while holding the rifles forearm with the left hand, and resting the butt on the left thigh, you use the right hand to change the mag. The placement of the mag pouches on their belts tends to prove this out. I was told this by someone who was taught in the US military for a weapons familiarity course from Russian manuals. He also told me of a mag malfunction that can pretty much totally tie the gun up by using this method. I had never run across it as I use my left hand to do the mag swap and after trying to "make" it happen, I finally did, and it aint a fun thing to have happen. Basically what happens is, if the front mag misses the catch point of the front of the mag well as you rock it in, the mag will still catch at the rear under the release. The mag is not seated properly and the bolt carrier will not strip a round from the mag. The mag is now jammed in the well and you cant depress the mag catch to get it out. You basically have to hold it by the barrel, put the stock on the ground and kick the mag out with your boot from the front towards the rear. Believe me, its not a fun malfunction. As I said, I use my left hand and had never run across anything like it.
I do the change with my right hand on the grip, slightly depress the muzzle, release the mag with the tip of my right middle finger and let the empty mag fall out. I then rock the new mag in and reach under the gun and hook the charging handle with my thumb, palm flat on the receiver. I do this whether the mag is empty or not, that way it doesnt matter, the gun is always loaded at the end of the mag change. You can also alter this to do a mag swap without dumping the mag by holding the full mag at the base of the one of the one in the gun with the curve reversed and the top down. You release it the same way, rock the old one out, drop your hand slightly and then rock the new one in. The top on the new one will be facing up when you finish rocking the old one out and ready to go right in the mag well. After I pocket the mag, I still work the action to be sure I'm loaded. I know a lot of people like the extended mag releases and "wings", but the really are not necessary(nor are the modified safeties for that matter). With a little practice, you can easily dump the mag with just slightly shifting your grip, and pretty much every AK I've ever done this on has dropped the mag 95% of the time without any help. For those that do need help, a quick bump at the back with the left hand knocks the empty out. I would suggest that you break the edges on the mag release where it contacts the mag with a jewelers file though, just to make things a little easier and smoother. This is what tends to grab or hold some mags. As for the first malfunction, regardless of which hand you use, if you start the mag with it almost parallel with the barrel as the front enters the well, you should not have any trouble. If you try to start it to vertical, like an M16 mag, this is where you will get into trouble.

[tk421]

Drop gun, pick up next weapon.

I see we have a fan of the "New York reload" here. :small_gri

[JohnBoy]

I also use my right hand, I always have and never thought about it before this

[DoubleA]

Similar to AK103K method, I learned to retrieve a fresh magazine (bullet up) first with weak hand, pitch the muzzle down, sweep the weak hand (left for me)thumb over the mag catch to release the old mag and in the same motion downward helping it out of the mag well, as it clears the mag well, rock the new one in. With practice, this can be done in less than 4 seconds from the last shot out the old mag to the follow up shot from a new mag using a CED shot timer.

[hkshooter]

I never run the gun dry and skip the charge movement.
Count rounds and change at a comfortable round count. And NEVER run the gun dry.
I load with the left hand, trigger finger on the receiver, butt tucked into right side of my belly.
Now, having said all that, when I have a brain fade and do run the gun dry I use the left hand over method. After all, the brain often stops when the timer sounds.

[deepcharge]

Gee guys. it is confusing, about which hand to use the fastest way to change the mags ??
All your suggestions, and advices about this matter are all good or reasonable, but to me, all I can advice to the perdon is....find out your self the most comfortable way of changing the mag you are concerned about and then you......practice, practice, practice and more prectices,!!

Now how about it, are you beginning to feel comfortable now ?

[veprk5.45]

i think it was tireiron who said he used the fresh mag to press the mag release,wait for it to drop and insert mag.never tried it but it would eliminate one movement.i think thats the one i will practice.

[Illuminaughty]

I swing my ak around in circles, holding onto only the mag, while the sling is around my neck. Get mags changed in no time, and with only a few bruises. ;D

[Mactrekr]

I use a 100rd drum, so I don't have to change mags! LOL :cool_smal
Mac

[crackedwindshield]

If I havn't "neutralized" all the commies by round 28; I go home, tactically mind you, and have a ham sandwich. ;)

[Illuminaughty]

I can't believe some people use the right hand. I keep my right hand on the pistol grip, yank the empty mag out with my left hand and slam another mag in with my left hand, and it takes under 10 seconds easy. Can't imagine wasting another 10-15 seconds fiddling around with changing hands the gun is in and cocking the gun in one direction or any of that bs.

[bushman]

I chose the AK because I am a lefty. So as a fresh mag is rocked into place, my right hand sweeps up and back, racking the bolt. Trigger finger stays ready, and eyes stay on target.

[graveman]

Left hand over sounds like a winner. I keep fresh mags in a chest rig. No mag pouches to poke in hips when laying down.
I don't see what's the big deal about keeping weapon on target while reloading........you SHOULD be behind cover when you do that.

[fraxxian]

When I am shooting right handed I do the hand switch and rack the first round with my right hand, but when I am shooting left handed as I often do for training purposes I use the right hand only.

[Illuminaughty]

I keep my left hand on the front pistol grip and rack the first bullet in with my right hand after I load the mag with my left while holding the rear pistol grip with my right... both my aks have pistol grips, so it works fine.

[Mactrekr]

Well, first I tell the other guy, (The one I'm shooting at) to wait a sec. Then, I carfully rack my bolt three or four times to make sure it's safe. I then carefully place the top of my buttstock in the crook of my left knee and with my left hand, I carefully reach over and release the mag catch. I then quickly switch hands and continue to hold the mag catch with my right hand. Then, I use an upside down criss-cross modified three fingered jepsen over grab to support the mag, while using my chin to push it forward. Once it clears the mag catch I quickly switch to the right hand under carry Peltov pull and extract the spent mag.......

If ya'll wanna know how I insert the new mag, we'll have to start another thread.!!!!!! :bonk:

Good Gosh people, push the catch, pull the friggen mag, put another one in and rack the damn bolt.............. How many of you have been in a fire fight (or anticipate being in a fire fight in the near future) with your AK??

DISCLAIMER: The above was said "tounge-in-cheek" in no way was it meant to disuade anyone from being ill-prepared when the proverbial "Sh!t hits the fan" :clown:

Mac

[Illuminaughty]

What? Defend myself in a firefight? I'm sorry, but I might hurt someone if I do that. I think I'll just do my best to get out of harms' way and wait until the police come to rescue me. XD

[Mactrekr]

Right, Illum, that's about the funniest thing I've ever heard. Many of us KNOW how you feel about the cops.
LOL
Mac

[cutlass1972]

of course, if you use an FAL it all happens on the left side anyways... right hand never leaves the pistol grip... If only reloading, you just hit the bolt hold open (that is if the farking thing managed to hold the bolt for once!).

[Illuminaughty]

I've been friends with a few cops. I mean hell, I've worked in security for awhile (one reason I'm adamant on having/carrying guns with me), a couple places where cops would stop in nightly to chat. I remember there was one cop that'd stop in and talk (and get free coffee of course) to me and my group of metalhead friends' that'd hang out at dairy mart while my friend was working there... and I was out a year later or so with another friend, and the same cop was arresting a couple friends' of my friend for underage drinking and he was trying to act all tough... I looked at him, reconigzed him and was like "heeey!!". XD He just looked at me was like "uh... hey.". XD XD XD

One of the funniest things in my life.

[BlackCat]

I asked some guys at work who've trained to use/been shot at while using AK's before and the consensus was: Refreshingly enough- what I do for 3 gun matches already.

Keeping rifle mounted and eyes on the sight picture the WHOLE TIME- unload/load with the left hand (no crazy gimmicks) and reach under and actuate the charging handle with the crooked index and middle fingers of the left hand.

Then, the only thing left is to practice until you get it right on muscle memory. A couple of weeks of evening TV time did it for me.

[Illuminaughty]

Both my aks have foreward pistol grips. Its MUCH easier to put the left hand on the foreward grip after changing mags and actuate the charging handle with my right hand before returning it to the rear pistol grip/ trigger. Though I can't say I'd think this method would be easier for all aks, just because its kind of awkward pulling back the slide with a 30 rounder in there with your left hand while trying to keep looking down the sights.