My thoughts on which tactical reload method works best,
Additionally, I address what I see as a flaw in how when one should conduct one is generally taught.  

Queued for future watching. Thanks for making this video and all the other work you've done.

Thank you,

My intent with videos if anything create discussion.

Agree completely Jeff,
Unnecessary movement equals/adds time.
I started IDPA in 03 and I am today years old learning this new method from you just now = thanks! I've only shot a couple of matches since 2014 so I'm out of the IDPA loop.
I made SSP MA at the Northeast regional in 09.
I will say that until you explained further, it appeared storing the mag in the pouch was the majority of the time difference.
Not that I'm tacti cool, but I really don't like looking away from the target/threat to stow a mag so I always do a pocket dump so I can keep my head and eyes up.
I enjoy your videos and I am intrigued by the Red Dot on top and magnified optic on the side/off-set. Thinking I'll give that a try in PCSL 2-gun.
Thanks for the video.
David E.

Yes, as I say in video with more practice I may not have to divert my attention to stow mag in pouch.
But as stated Id rather practice other things that I put more importance on.

The offset prism I personally think works great. I want to do another one with a 5 power vortex prism.

Personally I've only seen the "grab mag first" method first with rifle, but makes sense you can do with pistol.

But since you want to cause discussion,  I just drop mags and pick them up later.  I rarely retain them.  Therefore, my competition mags (the few I've done) are either orange or have orange tape so I can find them.

Thanks for the vid Jeff!

I think the most important part of tactical reloads is knowing WHEN to do them.  100% agree with your terrain association method.  That is what I teach.  If your magazine feels light, tac reload before you move into the unknown or cross a danger area.

When I was in IDPA I always used the "reload with retention" for my tactical reloads.  I like your analysis that it is faster.  I mostly did it because it was easier and more reliable.

One factor of analysis that you did not cover was that there are 2 relevant times with the tactical reload.  You described the overall time, but the second time is the time without a magazine in the gun.  That second time is where reloading at the gun shines.  It is just harder to get to where you can reliably juggle both magazines in your hand.

With tactical reloads being more of an administrative reload, I teach advanced defensive students to reload while behind cover at the pistol, because it minimizes the time where you have no magazine in the gun and the overall time difference is less relevant.

But which reload you use I think depends more on the situation and skill of the operator.  

Thanks again for the expert analysis!

Good video and discussion. I agree the economy of motion on 2 vs 3 arm movements wins. An argument I hear for the other is that your mags are always either in the weapon or a fixed mag pouch vs a pocket or dump pouch. In my world, I prefer reload speed of the first reload over returning the first mag to a mag pouch every time. YMMV

Ive gotten a few comments on youtube about how the classic method
gets a fresh mag to the gun faster than mag out 1st method.
One thing I left out of video is of course with the classic method
it does put a fresh mag closer to pistol if threat does suddenly appear.

I however I still think mag out 1st has advantage with over all time being shorter with both hands back on gun
ready to shoot.

Appreciate all the comments and feedback so far!  

Jeff

Well. You’re in luck. The Vortex 5X prism is on clearance at PSA for $200 if you don’t have it already.

@Stukas87

Thanks for putting this out, I'd honestly never considered timing them to see the difference.  It's certainly food for thought.

I've been doing the first, "classic" method, for years, as taught by Clint Smith, reason being, the gun is unloaded for the least amount of time.

But I've always done it by putting the partial in a dump pouch or pocket, having a personal TTP of NEVER putting anything but a full mag in a mag pouch.

What are the collective thoughts on that?

I also appreciated his judicious application WHEN to do it, the idea being "why take apart a perfectly working gun in the middle of a fight".  Context matters, and hell yes, use cover if available, and use judgement for "when".

Good on you for identifying the subjectivity of the supposed "lull".

I find I speed up if I am muttering “ugh come on you son of a ____” during my reloads. LoL

Love the video. I would venture to say that the mag-out-first method is much closer in "muscle memory" to a slide-lock mag change. I'd assume this would be easier to manage in a high-stress environment with little additional mag swap training. I'm going to add this to my range training!

Now that I think more about it, there's a reason I've never timed the methods.

I think in my mind, reloads from slide lock, emergency reloads, ARE to be done fast as possible, whereas the tac-load, seems more like something you just do, when you have a chance, like the speed difference measured in 10ths of a second wasn't as relevant as with emergency reloads.

Like it's something you do behind a wall, while your buddy's covering, or walking/running to another position.

Still, when performing a tactical reload (even behind cover).... that's time diverted away from looking for threats.
Every second when you are not up, ready, and scanning/hunting that's, time given to threats to maneuver on you.

That's why 90%.of the reload you're still heads up.  And why you keep your pistol up.  Even as you watch the mag slide in, you'll see movement past the pistol.

Yeah, that's a very valid point! I'm evolving my thinking further on this.