If you want to have fun, ask a group of gun enthusiasts their favorite handgun caliber. Then sit back with a cold one and watch the fireworks display. 

You’ll get the same results by asking which manufacturer makes the best handgun. I’m certain you’ve heard the debates among your customers. It’s no different among firearms instructors. Pick any topic, and instructors will argue about it. Each side has their own ideas about what’s best and why they teach it to students.  

People purchase guns for self defense, meaning they believe it’s possible, however remote, that they might need to defend themselves or someone they love. To do that mandates that they be armed all the time. Nobody can predict when or where a threat might appear, but everyone knows that it can be fatal to be without a gun and ammo when one does. The need to carry the gun is self-evident, but the obvious accompanying question is how much ammo to carry? 

Most gunfights are over in just a few seconds. Having to reload during a shooting is rare. Still, instructors and enthusiasts alike will recommend having at least one spare magazine, and that magazine swaps should be a regular part of a balanced training routine.

These are the three most common techniques for swapping magazines, and the thought process behind each.

The Emergency Reload

The Emergency Reload is the easiest to understand and explain. When the gun is out of ammunition in a gun fight, it’s an emergency. The slide locking to the rear is the alert signal for action. When this happens, the empty magazine is dropped from the gun, and a fresh one is inserted. The slide is then pulled to the rear and released, so the gun is ready to fire again. It’s simple and intuitive. No real explanation is necessary, because it’s the same process everyone uses when they practice at the range.  

Tactical Reloads

The theory behind tactical reloads is there may be times when it could be favorable to swap magazines before the gun is empty, as well as when the partially used magazine should be retained in case it is needed later. The classic explanation is that the gun should be topped off from behind cover when there is a lull in the battle. There are two common variations of the tactical reload. As you might have guessed, the difference between the One-in-Hand and the Two-in-Hand version is how many magazines are being held at one time when the reload takes place. Let’s take a closer look at each.

Two-in-Hand

When people speak of a tactical reload, they are usually referring to what is termed here as the Two-in-Hand technique. Although that name isn’t quite as cool without the word tactical added, it is a better description of what the method entails. If a lull in the battle happens, the shooter first pulls a full magazine from the pouch and brings it up beside the gun hand. The partial magazine is then ejected from the gun into the same hand holding the full magazine. During that swap, the one hand is holding two magazines. Once the fresh magazine is inserted, the partial magazine gets tucked into a pocket for later use. This is the sole benefit of the tactical reload. The major drawback involved comes from having to manage the process while holding two magazines at one time.  

The technique was originally designed for use with 1911-style, single-stack guns, where the magazines were thin and more easily managed. The advent of double-stack high-capacity magazines has complicated the technique – especially for those with smaller hands. This can be even more difficult when carrying extended magazines with their added weight and bulk. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen experienced shooters fumble and drop magazines while trying to perform tactical reloads. Sometimes it was the used one; other times it was the full one.  Occasionally it was both. The technique is far from intuitive. Some say it’s unnatural, that it takes concentration that should be directed toward the threat.

In addition to the difficulties above, the tactical reload is also time consuming, often doubling the time of an emergency reload. If any complications occur, such as dropping a magazine, the time increases further. One should question the advantage offered by retaining a partial magazine compared to the complications needed to do so.

One-in-Hand

It’s precisely the drawbacks above that led instructors to find another, less cumbersome way to accomplish the same goal. The One-in-Hand technique is quite similar to an Emergency Reload.  The difference is that the ejected magazine is tucked into a pocket before the full magazine is pulled from the magazine pouch. The problems of handling two magazines are eliminated for both single and double-stack guns, and returns to a more natural, intuitive process. While not as fast as a true Emergency Reload, it is significantly faster than the Two-in-Hand method.  

The disadvantage of the One-in-Hand method is in the elapsed time from when the first magazine is dropped to when a new one is inserted. Additionally, some guns have internal safeties that prevent firing without a magazine in place. There are advantages to such a safety, but in this case, it is a factor to be considered. If the shooter has a one of these guns, the questions become how long will the gun be inoperable and is it worth the delay to maintain a partial magazine?   

It's easy to get caught up considering fractions of a second. Time is easily measured and compared. It may be more practical, however, to compare how intuitive each method is. Natural actions take less time than those requiring concentration and coordination. High-stress situations are already mentally taxing. Anything that simplifies responding improves reliability and success. These two factors are just as important, maybe even more so than time savings.

A Final Consideration

As a practical matter, I no longer teach tactical reloads. I have found them to be too complex for most shooters. My goal as a self-defense shooter and instructor is to find reliability, accuracy and speed. The emergency reload is the only one that meets all three criteria while also being natural to most shooters. If the goal of retaining a magazine is important, shooters can pick up their ejected magazine after the reload is completed. If they have time, great. If not, they are still able to efficiently reload and defend themselves in the shortest time possible.  

One point must be covered, because it applies to all the mentioned techniques. No matter the method used, a partial magazine should never be inserted back into the pouch. The proper place for retaining a partial magazine is in a pocket. The shooter needs to know that any magazine pulled from a pouch is fully loaded. Confusing a partial magazine with a full one could be fatal.

While instructors may argue the fine points of any technique, the fact remains that what the gun salesperson does everyday is far more impactful on shooters in general. You’re likely the only instruction many customers will receive. Being able to intelligently discuss topics like these is an engaging way to teach customers to use their firearm as intended – safely and effectively.