Spare pistol mag: Bullets to the front? Or to the rear?

[Vlad the Impaler]

I have mine face the rear, because I'm a hack and never bothered to read anything about another method than what feels right. Rifle handling for years before owning a handgun, I guess I have made myself comfortable with a rifle mag grip on anything. I grab both rifle and handgun mags with my left hand with my left index finger on the left side of the mag, not the front. Similar to how I draw my pistol on my strong side with my finger indexed on the slide.
Now that I'm educated about "beer can hold" (my default) v.s indexing with a finger on the magazine front, I'll give it try and see if I shouldn't change my ways.
Something tells me my old ways will prevail, even if not in step with the pros.

 

[WebSnyper]

I need to give those a look. I was checking out the Galco pouches recently, and trying to decide on a purchase.

So you guys like the open top models, without any kind of flap?

Interesting that Comp-Tac indicates the following on their site:


[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]NOTE: We make our mag pouches to hold magazines with BULLETS FACING FORWARD. If you want to have the bullets face backwards, order a magazine pouch for the opposite side you plan to carry it. For example, you want to carry the magazine on your left side, order a right side magazine pouch and then carry it backwards on your left side. [/FONT]

Well now I think I've made up my mind on the kydex Comp-Tac pouches, but just not sure if I should buy a true left side one, or a right sided one that I will carry on the left side

Without putting a lot of thought into it previously, I would have thought rear facing, so that when I brought it up, it would flip and be forward facing...

Decisions, decisions.

Anybody got a better source for the pouches than the actual Comp-Tac website?

 

[GBuck]

Me too. Proof is in the pudding, as it were.

There's a whole bunch of ****-chat about the amount of movement required, which indicates that the underlying premise is that less movement equals a faster reload. (otherwise, who cares if the mag has to rotate one way or another)

There's this tendency for people to get lost in the weeds on things like this, and thusly we'll have pages of internet discussion on the things not easily measured or quantified like wrist movement, that may or may not be related to the outcome we're looking for. Some assume it is, but empirics and evidence trump assumptions. We can easily observe and measure the desired outcome: reload speed. So why assume?

So, what's the bottom line? - Is it faster or not? If it's not, none of the interweb conjecture about less/more wrist movement or mag flipping axes or whatever means anything.

Because it isn't just about fast reloads in your controlled competition setting. It's about what is easiest to repeat in a life or death situation. In that kind of situation little things like less room for error do matter.

 

[OneBadV8]

Forward.

AR mag the same.

Tried it both ways with various grips and this seemed most reliable for me.

Same.... Mainly because it just works. Oh, and because if ATM does it, it has to be right

 

[rhino]

I've only seen a few people who can reload very quickly on a consistent basis with the rounds in their mags facing away from their belt buckle (i.e. bullets to the rear). The room for error is too big. Yeah, a lot of people do it, but most of them aren't very quick at doing reloads or don't realize that they are not.

Bullets facing the belt buckle (i.e. bullets forward) is far less prone to error because you have better control of the magazine from start until the magazine is first inserted into the magwell. Mistakes happen most often at that critical juncture between almost in the magwell and inside the magwell far enough to just push. Bullets forward helps you accommodate this, whereas bullets rearward does not.

I tried to use my rifle mags with bullets rearward, but every time I reloaded I twisted the mag and the magazine was backward by the time it got to the magwell. I choose to use bullets forward to be consistent with how I use pistol mags.

 

[esrice]

I look forward to seeing a video, I can't picture what you mean about manipulating your wrist.

Me too. Proof is in the pudding, as it were.

GBuck and I went back and forth last night trying to explain and demonstrate to each other how we reload using an empty G27 mag. His technique (rearward) ends up looking very similar to mine (forward), but his grip on the magazine is on one side, as mine comes from the front. He still indexes his pointer finger on the side of the bullet nose. I kept trying to imagine where his grip would break down, like during tactical reloads or such, but he ends up just doing it 90 degrees differently than me.

We just thought it was worthy of a poll because I had never heard of anyone going bullets rearward, and he had never heard of anyone going bullets forward.

We'll have to go to video.

 

[redpitbull44]

I do bullets facing rearward. I am left handed. When it comes time for a reload, I keep the pistol at eye level, press the mag release with my right index finger (which rests between the middle and index fingers of my left hand).

I either let the mag drop free from the gun, or I grip it with my pinky and the heel of my hand, pull it out, and drop it in a dump pouch on my right side.

I carry my spare mags on the right hip.

Once the empty magazine and support hand are free of the grip, I tilt the mag well facing in at a 30*-45* angle.

I grip the mag with my right hand middle, ring and pinky fingers and thumb around the lower portion of the body of the mag, with my index finger along the right side of the magazine.

The motion for drawing the magazine feels the same as the motion for drawing the gun with your trigger finger on the side of the slide.

Firm grip, straight up out of the mag pouch to the rib cage, rotate forward 90*, bring the magazine up towards the gun and into your line of sight, insert it, and with the outer edge of your palm//heel of your hand seat it firmly.

Then its a slight movement of sliding/ closing your support hand around your strong hand.

The nice part is, on my M&P 45, when you seat the magazine, it releases the slide and feeds the first round too. Pretty slick.

I can see the argument for bullets forward, and using the index finger along the front edge of the magazine, especially with smaller magazines.

As far as rifle mags: if the mag is being carried on the support side with the feed lips up, then it would seem natural that the bullets should be facing forward. If the mag is on the support side with the feed lips down though, then bullets to the rear would make the most sense.

 

[blamecharles]

GBuck and I went back and forth last night trying to explain and demonstrate to each other how we reload using an empty G27 mag. His technique (rearward) ends up looking very similar to mine (forward), but his grip on the magazine is on one side, as mine comes from the front. He still indexes his pointer finger on the side of the bullet nose. I kept trying to imagine where his grip would break down, like during tactical reloads or such, but he ends up just doing it 90 degrees differently than me.

We just thought it was worthy of a poll because I had never heard of anyone going bullets rearward, and he had never heard of anyone going bullets forward.

We'll have to go to video.

I tried both methods from a OWB Serpa magazne holster and came up with rearward being more comfortable and easier for me reload. I think that is the most important part of it what is comfortable, maybe i am wrong but ive been told that before, i do OC after all.

 

[handgun]

I am usually not carrying a spare mag.. if i am its just free balling in a rear or front pocket.. *just noticed this was my 200 post*

 

[rvb]

more comfortable and easier for me reload. I think that is the most important part of it what is comfortable

I think shot-to-shot split time and consistancy are most important.

-rvb

 

[rhino]

I think shot-to-shot split time and consistancy are most important.

-rvb

Yep!

Especially if you really, really need to get your gun reloaded NOW.

Bullets to the rear is sometimes called "beer canning" because of the way the magazine is held. As I mentioned, I've only seen a couple of people who can do it well enough to justify not trying it the other way.

 

[jdhaines]

I guess I am a little surprised at this question, forward of course. Now if you carry your mag horizontally, I can see, bullets up or down?

btw, rifle mag bullets to the rear.

I've got two dale fricke mag pouches as well as a few others which are raven style. Vertical mags get bullets forward. Horiztonal mags get bullets up. Index finger always goes along the front of the magazine. It's a no brainer with pistol mags. Rifle mags are more preference. I prefer beer can grip so bullets backwards on rifle mags.

Bullets backwards on pistol mags is awkward and slow compared to the reverse.

 

[blamecharles]

Bullets backwards on pistol mags is awkward and slow compared to the reverse.

I don't see how, maybe I need to see how this method is taught, but my method only requires me to insert the mag not rotate my hand to get it inserted.

 

[drillsgt]

Even better yet how about those guys (especially 1911 mags in a double pouch) that you see with one facing front and another facing rear??

 

[rhino]

Even better yet how about those guys (especially 1911 mags in a double pouch) that you see with one facing front and another facing rear??

The only time I make a big deal about magazine orientation with my students is if they do this. I don't care which way they wear them and reload, but I suggest that they pick a team and arrange them all facing the same direction.

 

[netsecurity]

Interesting. I always keep mine facing back, because I can lift them straight up into the mag well, without having to turn my gun to the left, and also twisting my left wrist and arm. I don't see how that is more prone to fail during stress, but I will do my own tests.

Good thread. This also made me realize that my mag holder is useless for speed loading, since it is buttoned shut. I need an opened top holder like in the video to even properly practice this.

 

[GIJEW]

Bullets facing forward on the belt adds ease to the reload. With the bullets facing forward my index finger is along the front of the magazine while it is in the pouch. When I draw the magazine the finger lays along the front of the magazine, and I rotate the magazine while taking it to the gun. That finger points the way to the magazine well.

Bullets facing rearward is actually less movement and rotation of the magazine but I lose the finger pointing the way and I have to hit the magazine well with a beer can hold on the magazine and this is a little more tricky and takes more time to develop the same speed.

One requires less movement and one is more positive and consistent. The finger does a lot of good. When I am EDC I carry with the bullets forward. I teach it this way on the range and in classes. When competing bullets forward. Every serious competitor I know or know of goes with the bullets facing forward for the reasons stated above.

I position my mags bullets rearward because it's more efficient (no "cavalry draw" for my mags either). As for indexing the mag with my index finger, I get that done too. I use my middle finger and base of the thumb when pulling it out of the pouch, leaving my index finger alongside the pouch. As I bring the mag up to the pistol my index finger goes to the first bullet.
Ultimately, what matters more is how much you've practiced and can you do it on "auto pilot".

 

[matt4shadow]

Backward so I can put my index finger on the front of the top round. Helps with magazine change.

 

[Shay]

Bullets forward.

 

[Coach]

I position my mags bullets rearward because it's more efficient (no "cavalry draw" for my mags either). As for indexing the mag with my index finger, I get that done too. I use my middle finger and base of the thumb when pulling it out of the pouch, leaving my index finger alongside the pouch. As I bring the mag up to the pistol my index finger goes to the first bullet.
Ultimately, what matters more is how much you've practiced and can you do it on "auto pilot".

No what matters is technique. If you have spent equal time practicing both ways the bullet forward method would work better. People with an idex finger and more dexterous with it than with their other fingers. Someone has said earlier in this thread find out what the best people are doing and do it that way. I started out with the bullets facing backward and I made a change for the better. Because I followed the example of the great shooters out there.

Better techniqes that are practiced and then done are auto pilot are better than sub standard techniques.