Reloading a six-shooter on the clock

[Sod Buster]

I need more experience reloading my six-shooter on the clock.  May SASS stages have a pistol reload.  What do you do?  What is the best method for a single reload?  How is this done efficently?

[Doc Shapiro]

A one round reload?  Fire one shot, put the extra in, finish the string.  After the first shot, the empty is right at the loading gate.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I can see that on a ruger, Doc, but on an SAA, I just pull it to the loading cock, rotate it around one click and stuff the extra in, close the gate, go to full cock and start in.

If it requires a reload after all 5 have been shot, I rotate it to the one past the empty, eject that one and put a live round in. Then I can see the empty slot when I spin it around. Less chance to have to go through a handfull of spent rounds if you over index it.

[Ozarks Ranger]

Like Doc said,  BUT If you have free spin prawls in your rugers open gate, load one, turn backward two, close gate, cock and fire do this at the end of the shooting string so you won't have a live round under the hammer when ya close the gate.

Snake Eyes 

[Sod Buster]

I can see that on a ruger, Doc, but on an SAA, I just pull it to the loading cock, rotate it around one click and stuff the extra in, close the gate, go to full cock and start in.

If it requires a reload after all 5 have been shot, I rotate it to the one past the empty, eject that one and put a live round in. Then I can see the empty slot when I spin it around. Less chance to have to go through a handfull of spent rounds if you over index it.

This is the situation (sorry I wasn't more specific).  The reload is AFTER all five are shot.

[Silver_Rings]

I shoot 5 rounds, then pull up on the cylinder release, carefully raise the cylinder so that the ejector doesn't go over any of the fired cases, slide in a round to the empty chamber and close the cylinder and shoot.  Pretty easy really, even easier if I just open the action and dump all the empties and load the one fresh one.    You would need a top break to do this however instead of one of those old fashion Colt style pistols. 

SR

[Camille Eonich]

Open up the loading gate, turn the empty chamber to it, stick a bullet in, close the loading gate and then turn the cylinder four clicks.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Open up the loading gate, turn the empty chamber to it, stick a bullet in, close the loading gate and then turn the cylinder four clicks.

What Cammie said. 

Slim

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

I should be shooting that same stage, but I have other obligations.    I like the one Marshal Will posted, where you eject the one after the empty, load it and spin until the empty is under the hammer when you close the gate. Then when I pulled the hammer back, I'd *know* the live round would be ready to go, and wouldn't have to count clicks under pressure.

Then again, I'm SLOW.



AnnieLee

[Sod Buster]

I like the one Marshal Will posted, where you eject the one after the empty, load it and spin until the empty is under the hammer when you close the gate. Then when I pulled the hammer back, I'd *know* the live round would be ready to go, and wouldn't have to count clicks under pressure.

Then again, I'm SLOW.



AnnieLee

Me too!
1. Slow
2. Like the Marshall's method

Since the shoot is on Sunday I will practice both methods on Saturday.

[Lars]

Some of us have a hard time counting clicks, so, we put a bit of red paint in the bolt ramp of one cylinder and never load that cylinder in normal shooting. THEN when the dreaded "load one on the clock" happens, we simply open loading gate (Rugers), rotate to empty chamber, insert live round, rotate till red painted chamber is just before hammer, close loading gate, cock and fire.

Lars

[Sundown Jones 5403 L]

Here's my two-cents that has served me for a long, long, time on a method to "reload" after firing the required 5 rounds.  As one stated, if you add it to the cylinder before you fire the 5 rounds, it's not a reload.

Anyway, load you first 5 rounds using brass or nickel cases.  When you go for the 1 reload, use the opposite (either nickel for brass first load or brass for the nickel first load).  It will stand out like a sore thumb and easy to see in the cylinder as you rotate it to cocking postition.  (it aslo saves painting the cyclinder as described above, wuldn't want someone to call and illegal modification on your pistol there days).

I generally use brass rounds in regular shooting and carry all nickel on my belt, that way, I always grab a nickel casing if a reload is required.

[Camille Eonich]

Here's my two-cents that has served me for a long, long, time on a method to "reload" after firing the required 5 rounds.  As one stated, if you add it to the cylinder before you fire the 5 rounds, it's not a reload.

Anyway, load you first 5 rounds using brass or nickel cases.  When you go for the 1 reload, use the opposite (either nickel for brass first load or brass for the nickel first load).  It will stand out like a sore thumb and easy to see in the cylinder as you rotate it to cocking postition.  (it aslo saves painting the cyclinder as described above, wuldn't want someone to call and illegal modification on your pistol there days).

I generally use brass rounds in regular shooting and carry all nickel on my belt, that way, I always grab a nickel casing if a reload is required.

Gamer! 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Here's my two-cents that has served me for a long, long, time on a method to "reload" after firing the required 5 rounds.  As one stated, if you add it to the cylinder before you fire the 5 rounds, it's not a reload.

Anyway, load you first 5 rounds using brass or nickel cases.  When you go for the 1 reload, use the opposite (either nickel for brass first load or brass for the nickel first load).  It will stand out like a sore thumb and easy to see in the cylinder as you rotate it to cocking postition.  (it aslo saves painting the cyclinder as described above, wuldn't want someone to call and illegal modification on your pistol there days).

I generally use brass rounds in regular shooting and carry all nickel on my belt, that way, I always grab a nickel casing if a reload is required.

Gamer! 

LOL, this is almost too easy.

[Lars]

(it aslo saves painting the cyclinder as described above, wuldn't want someone to call an illegal modification on your pistol there days).

Those little red dots on the cylinders of my revolvers do get lots of questions. I always make sure to tell them that it is fingernail polish, then, while they are digesting that, I ask what THEY do with THEIR fingernail polish. THAT causes them to loose any thoughts they might have had about "illegal external modification".

You might be surprised what all folks do with their fingernail polish!!

I also checked the SASS, NCOWS and Western3Gun rule books. NONE of them mention it, much less ban it.

I think I am safe for a while.
Lars

[Marshal Will Wingam]

None of the pards around here paint their fingernails. Maybe in some parts of the country they can, but here it is considered a little weird. The ladies can get away with it, though.

[Lars]

None of the pards around here paint their fingernails. Maybe in some parts of the country they can, but here it is considered a little weird. The ladies can get away with it, though.

You are sticking a little too close to the convential uses for "fingernail" polish. I do get a wide variety of answers when I ask folks what they do with their fingernail polish. Fingernail polish may never challange duct (or is that duck?) tape or bailing wire as an all purpose fixer, but it sure ain't just for fingernails.

Lars

[Silver Creek Slim]

Fingernail polish is a good cure fer chiggers. 

Slim

[Lars]

Many of the women actually use it on their "fishing lures", at least that is what they told me.

I can verify that they were not wearing it on their fingernails those days.

Lars

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Makes me feel like I live in a barrel. I didn't even know chiggers was something that needed curing. I thought they just bit and ran.