Reload

Make the magazine change automatic so it stops costing you seconds.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Suggested par

2.20 s

Volume

5 sets of 5 repetitions. Stop earlier if the movement starts getting sloppy.

What this drill trains

Turn the reload into one continuous motion that happens while the gun is moving, rather than a separate event you stop to perform.

Equipment

• Unloaded handgun
• Two or more empty magazines
• Magazine pouch and belt
• Shot timer with a par beep

Start position

Gun extended toward the aiming point, empty magazine seated, spare empty magazine in the pouch.

How to run it

1. Confirm the firearm is unloaded and that every magazine you are about to use is empty. Ammunition stays out of the room.
2. On the beep, press the magazine release as the gun starts moving back toward your workspace.
3. Let the empty magazine fall. Catching it is a habit that costs time and teaches nothing useful.
4. Take the fresh magazine with your index finger along its front, and bring it up to the magazine well.
5. Seat it firmly, re-establish the firing grip and press back out to the aiming point.
6. The shot breaks as the sights arrive — the reload is not finished until the gun is back on target.

Par times to aim for

Set the par on a timer and work against it. These are practice targets, not official standards — use them as a starting point and let your own honest repetitions guide you.

Run this drill with the free online shot timer — set the par to 2.20 s and start.

How to score it

The repetition counts when the magazine is fully seated and the shot breaks before the par beep, with the sights on the aiming point.

How to progress

Work the two halves separately at first: beep to seated magazine, then seated magazine to shot. Recombine once each half is smooth, then start taking 0.1 s off.

Common mistakes

• Looking at the magazine well for longer than necessary instead of guiding the magazine by feel.
• Bringing the gun too far down or too close to the chest, which lengthens the press-out.
• Gripping the fresh magazine too high, so the fingers block it from seating.
• Starting the reload with the gun static — the movement should already be underway on the beep.

Related drills

• Draw from the Holster — Build a repeatable draw and a clean first shot on demand.
• First Shot from Ready — Isolate reaction and trigger control without the holster in the way.

Put it in a plan

• 7-Day Dry Fire Training Plan — One focused session a day for a week, ending with a benchmark you can repeat every month.