How to load an air pistol - insert the cylinder and bullets

Design and diagram of an air pistol

Let us immediately note that if up to this point you have never read articles about the design of pneumatics, then it will be quite difficult for you to understand exactly what actions should be taken, because all the information is diluted with a rather large number of terms unfamiliar to beginners. However, do not rush to close the tab, because in this section you will find a detailed diagram with a description of each part using the example of a pistol model Baikal MP-654K (Makarov air pistol).

So, first, let's figure out what basic elements such a weapon consists of, as well as what function they perform. Let's start with the most important things that everyone should know about, and end with those that perform secondary functions or even serve to absorb inertia at the moment of the shot:

USM or trigger mechanism. In a Makarov air pistol, it consists of a trigger, a trigger box, an exhaust valve, and a gas cartridge, which is the main source of energy. Several springs are used to cock the hammer, and screws and pins are used to secure the parts. The trigger is the most complex part in a pistol, so its complete assembly and disassembly should only be carried out by a professional.
Barrel and receiver with bolt. With a slight movement of the hand, the owner of the MP-654K pistol can feed a cartridge from the magazine into the cartridge receiver, thereby loading the pistol. At the moment of firing, the bullet will move along a steel barrel that has a large number of rifling. These riflings serve to ensure that the ballistic projectile twists and has greater accuracy. A receiver is used to protect the barrel.
Pistol grip and magazine. The part that the shooter holds while aiming and shooting is called the handle. It can be of various types and shapes, but in most cases it is intended for shooting with the right hand. As for the magazine, this part is designed to store cartridges. The pneumatic Makarov has a capacity of 13 pieces (+1 cartridge can be immediately sent into the barrel).

And these are just the main parts and mechanisms that play a major role at the moment of loading and firing. Also, do not forget about smaller systems, for example, an automatic safety, an aiming device (front sight + rear sight) and various compensators with shock absorbers that absorb recoil at the time of the shot. However, a novice shooter doesn’t need to know about them, so let’s first look at what we have.

Quick reload of a revolver

Before discussing reloading a revolver, remember that most real-life shootouts are statistically limited to 5-6 shots (within the capabilities of the revolver).
Reloading was required in only about one in ten documented encounters. The adage that if you had to reload, then either you miss a lot, or you need a larger caliber, contains a fair amount of truth. However, reloading immediately after the firefight is over is a very useful habit. Based on this, I would recommend that you spend more time practicing fast and accurate shooting. Just get into the habit of doing a quick reload during your regular workouts, and your reload speed will work itself out. The fastest way to reload a revolver is to reload "New York style". All you need for it is another loaded revolver. Modern revolvers with light alloy frames weigh little more than the loading accelerator, so this approach is quite justified.

Two police officers arrived on call. They encountered a man armed with a pistol just outside the apartment building. The officers opened fire using the patrol car as cover. Each of them fired 6 shots from the main weapon and then another five from the “spare” Chiefs Special. Of the 22 shots, 18 hit the target. One of the policemen later said that he would never have been able to reload as quickly as he could get a “spare” revolver. The police saw the hits, but the man continued to shoot while approaching them. This was one of the first shootings involving someone who had taken PCP.

[75].

Another option is to use a charging accelerator. For a quarter of a century I have preferred Safariland accelerators. I've carried them in a variety of places and under a variety of conditions, most often just in my pocket, and they have never let me down. They also do not require you to move the hand holding the loading accelerator to “release” the cartridges. Reloading a revolver isn't that easy on its own to make it even more difficult. All that is required when using the Safariland loading accelerator is to insert the cartridges into the cylinder and press the lever with the palm of your hand.

During my time at the academy, we were required to keep a supply of revolver cartridges in our trouser pockets. Charger boosters were expressly prohibited. After that, by the way, I truly understood what it was like to “do it through the ass.” Fortunately, the manufacturers later got rid of most of the problems, and the police allowed the use of load accelerators in service.

The first step is to charge the accelerator itself.

• Align the charging accelerator sprocket with its housing.

• Insert cartridges.

• Press the handle to release the spring.

• While holding the handle, use your free hand to turn the charging accelerator counterclockwise until it clicks.

• Place the charging accelerator where you carry it. It is common to place extra cartridges for a revolver on the side of your strong hand, especially if they are stored in a pocket. Pouches[76] or clips[77] are also available for carrying on a belt.

Revolvers in 9mm or .45 ACP caliber use special semicircular or round clips[78], and reloading with them is even faster than with an accelerator loader. However, it seems to me that such revolvers are practically never used anywhere except in competitions. I also have to admit that there are several methods for reloading a revolver. The one presented in this book is perhaps the most widely used and most error-tolerant.

Something else to think about. First, you can reload because you have to (because there's nothing else to shoot), or because you've decided it's time to reload (the attacker is already on the ground, and you don't remember how many times you fired, so you don't know how much is left). If you feel like it's time to recharge, then it really is time. Secondly, unlike some pistols, while reloading, the revolver is not ready to fire. For this reason, always reload in cover. Finally, it is very easy to develop the bad habit of looking at the revolver while reloading and, accordingly, taking your eyes off the attacker. In the worst case, after reloading, you will see an empty space where you last saw the attacker before reloading. When reloading, try not to lower the revolver below chest level, so that you can look at both the revolver and the attacker at the same time.

How to properly load an air pistol

So, now that you are familiar with the basics, it's time to talk about how to properly load an air pistol. But first of all, we recommend that you carefully read the safety rules, otherwise even the slightest mistake can lead to dire consequences. Unfortunately, even pneumatic guns can kill their owner if they hit a vulnerable spot.

Security measures

Safety rules are a topic that the authors of most articles usually forget about. However, this information will be relevant not only for beginners, but also for professional shooters, because often the basics are forgotten even by masters, which leads to sad consequences:

Always handle a pistol as if it might fire at any moment. Even if you know for sure that there are no cartridges in the magazine, follow this rule in order to develop the habit of acting carefully. If you neglect this rule, then sooner or later an accidental shot will occur, and God forbid that no one gets hurt from this.
Keep the safety on the pistol at all times and everywhere, and only remove it if you are ready to fire a shot in a few seconds. Even in Hollywood action films, a villain or a policeman can hold a person at gunpoint for several seconds while negotiating, and then release the safety of the weapon before firing. Such precaution will not be superfluous.
Do not touch the trigger unless you want to fire the shot. Also, you should not check whether the weapon is on safety or whether it is loaded by “lightly pressing the trigger.” Such actions often led to tragic consequences, so remember that the trigger is intended for only one purpose - a shot.
Never hand a loaded pistol into the hands of someone who is not familiar with safety precautions. Remember that a weapon is not a toy, including pneumatics. So you should not allow children or other relatives to play with the gun, especially if it contains cartridges.

Before disassembling the gun (if you need to service or replace the gas cylinder), be sure to make sure that the device is completely unloaded and the safety is on. If this is not done, then the chance of getting a bullet in the arm or other part of the body is extremely high.

And these are just the basic safety rules that are strictly required to be followed. Of course, there are many more points regarding the storage or use of a pistol when shooting at targets, but we will not touch on them, since they do not fit the main topic of the article - charging pneumatic weapons.

Installing and removing the CO2 cylinder

Now that you are familiar with the basic safety rules, you can proceed to the actual procedure of loading the gun. It begins not with placing cartridges in the magazine or even with jerking the bolt, but with installing a gas cylinder, since without an energy source the shot simply will not happen. In addition, a can of compressed air tends to gradually discharge, so this information will be very relevant:

Step 1

We follow basic safety rules.

Before working with a gas cylinder, it is important to make sure that the gun is completely unloaded, the magazine with cartridges is disconnected, and the trigger is on. Only in this case can you remove the receiver by pressing the trigger guard and remove the return spring. The small reservoir located at the rear of the barrel is called the gas cylinder.

Step 2

We remove the old gas cylinder.

To do this, you must first unscrew its cover and also remove the two tubes that supply compressed air to the cylinder. After this, you can unscrew the tank itself by hand (tools will only be needed if you need to remove the entire trigger). For those pistols whose reservoir is located near the magazine, the disassembly process is greatly simplified (detailed instructions in the video).

Step 3

We install a new cylinder.

Once the old gas cylinder is removed, a new, full energy source can be screwed on. To do this, open the package and install the container so that the tubes are in front and the fastening is in the back. We tighten the cylinder until the metal thread allows it. There is also no particular need for it to be too tight, as this may complicate the removal process.

Some Chinese models of gas cylinders tend to explode at temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius. So you should not replace it under the scorching sun or place the new tank on hot iron or asphalt. It is best to do this at home, on the table, where there is nothing superfluous. As for storing a new gas cylinder, it is best to do this in a dark place inaccessible to other people.

Loading and removing bullets

The second stage of loading consists of placing bullets in the magazine and sending a ballistic projectile into the barrel. However, many beginners also ask us about how to properly remove a bullet that is already in a bullet receiver or magazine. Some even go to the extreme of firing all available ammunition. Such actions can hardly be called economical, especially if there are instructions for loading and removing bullets:

Step 1 - Load the Magazine

First you need to disconnect the empty tank from the gun and prepare the bullets for loading by removing them from the box. It's best to count out 13 right away so you don't waste extra bullets or try to put more bullets into the gun than it can hold. This procedure is extremely simple and requires only one thing - slowly placing steel balls into a small round hole located in the magazine.

Step 2 - Loading the Barrel

Once the magazine is loaded, you can insert it into the gun in order to carry out further actions. To send a bullet into the bullet receiver, it is enough to pull the bolt frame back. After this, the trigger will be cocked, the safety will be automatically installed, and one of the bullets from the magazine will go into the barrel, after which it will be possible to remove the pistol from the safety and fire a shot.

Step 3 - removing the bullet from the barrel and magazine

If you have already fully loaded the pistol, but there is no need to shoot, then you can remove the cartridges that are in it. However, it is important to note that this procedure is not the reverse of charging. That is, you first need to remove the magazine, and only then pull back the bolt frame, from which the cartridge will fall out. Also, do not forget to fire a blank shot after this in order to completely unload the gun.

As you can see, the charging and discharging procedure is also not complicated. The most important thing is to follow the described instructions exactly, and also not to neglect safety rules. This is especially true for the unloading procedure, since it is during this that most accidents occur due to the fact that the owner of the pistol simply forgets that not only the magazine, but also the barrel of the weapon is loaded.

PRACTICAL SHOOTING: secrets of mastery. Recharge (Part VIII)

By hitting targets and moving, the shooter will sooner or later use up ammo and will need to change the magazine.

At practical shooting competitions, athletes perform from 8 to 25 exercises. Considering that medium and long events range from 14 to 32 shots, shooters will have to reload their weapon in more than half of the events. This means that at a large match the shooter changes magazines 10-20 times during shooting!

Recharging takes MKPS technicians less than one second. I would like to remind you that reload time is the time between the last shot from the first magazine and the first shot from the second, provided that both shots hit the target.

Changing magazines on production class pistols is more difficult than on open, standard and modified class pistols. This is due to the design features of the weapon. In those classes where modifications are permitted, any size magazine window extender is used.

This device provides advantages when reloading, since the shooter does not need to check the magazine chambering. In the production class, modifications are prohibited. Some manufacturers have begun producing pistols for practical shooting in the production class with magazine window extensions and high-capacity magazines. IPSC officials are currently faced with the question of the legality of recognizing such models in the serial class of weapons.

The weak hand with the magazine moves strictly in a straight line - from the pouch to the pistol.
It is most convenient to change the magazine on an open class pistol. In all other classes of weapons, the pistol and pouches must be on the side of the waist belt on the right and left side, without protruding forward. In an open class there are no such restrictions. Therefore, shooters place magazine pouches in front, which makes reloading easier (see Chapter 5). According to the IPSC rules, the length of a magazine in an open class can reach 170 cm! Shooters, by varying the size of the magazine spring and feeder, increase the magazine capacity to 25 rounds or more. Where other classes of shooters have to reload, open class shooters perform drills without reloading.

The standard revolver class uses primarily six-shot revolvers. Changing the clip of a revolver is not an easy task. The shooter must open the cylinder, remove the cartridges, then insert a new six-round clip and close the cylinder. Multiple world champion Jerry Miculek reloads a revolver in 1.5 seconds! Watching the performances of this master at competitions, you are convinced that practical shooting is truly an art. Jerry Miculek, who is over 50 years old, has no equal in the standard revolver class.

Tactics for changing magazines during exercise

Before starting the event, the athlete must listen carefully to the briefing and carefully study the location of the targets in the time allotted for this. Then he needs to determine which places are convenient to reload and how many magazines are needed to complete the exercise. To this number you need to add one more spare magazine.

Please note again: changing the magazine while moving is much more profitable than in a static position. In this case, the shooter does not spend additional time reloading.

It is necessary to calculate the moment of reloading so that there is always a cartridge left in the chamber. After all, if the pistol is on the slide stop and the chamber is empty, then this increases the number of operations with the pistol during reloading and accordingly increases the time.

It is not advisable to plan a reload with a cartridge in the chamber and the magazine empty. During shooting, any surprises can happen, and the shooter will need additional ammunition. For example, a misfire, miss, or delay may occur.

If we talk about the combat use of weapons, then the employee must control the amount of ammunition during fire contact and change magazines in a timely manner. The lack of ammunition should not be an unpleasant surprise for him. We must remember that a weapon without cartridges is just a metal product that does not pose a serious danger to an armed attacker. When training to reload a weapon, a fighter, without even counting the shots, begins to feel when the cartridges are running out and reloading is necessary. Employees develop automatic ammunition control skills while participating in practical shooting competitions and training with a timer. When training shooting in law enforcement agencies, little attention is paid to the technique of changing the magazine. This is taken for granted. Therefore, even experienced employees fiddle with magazines for 5 seconds. But sometimes in battle even a second can cost your life.

Changing magazine in static position

Let's look at the recharging procedure. When changing magazines, the pistol must remain on the eye-target line. After firing the last shot with the old magazine, the shooter removes his finger from the hook and presses the magazine release button with the thumb of his strong hand. At the same time, the weak hand is released from the grip and goes to the second magazine. The second magazine is located in the pouch with the bullet facing forward. The weak hand grabs the magazine so that the magazine cover rests in the center of the palm. The straightened index finger should be placed on the front edge of the magazine, and the other three fingers - the middle, ring and little fingers should hold the magazine by its lower part. At the time of reloading, the pistol handle should be directed towards the pouch, with your eyes turned to the magazine window. The weak hand with the magazine moves strictly in a straight line - from the pouch to the pistol. The magazine is inserted into the handle in one energetic, seamless movement. On PM type pistols, the magazine is released by releasing the spring at the bottom of the handle. For pistols with such a device, changing the magazine is more difficult and takes longer than for pistols with a magazine release button. The advantage of pistols with a button reaches 1.5–2 s. This is especially felt in duel shooting.

During reloading, the index finger should be outside the trigger guard.

A finger on the hook while reloading is often the cause of an accidental discharge. If a shooter violates this condition while performing a course of fire, he will be disqualified from the match for violating safety rules.

Changing magazine when moving

Sometimes, due to the conditions of the exercise, spare magazines may not be in the pouches, but in a completely different place. For example, on a table, in a drawer or in a bag.

Jerry changes the clip on his revolver.
World Championship, Ecuador, 2005. In such cases, the shooter must decide how he will reload based on his competition experience. The shooter should not be confused by unusual shooting tests. The athlete must quickly complete all manipulations with the weapon and proceed to the third stage of reloading. That is, bring the pistol to the level of the “eye-target” line, turn the handle towards the pouches and point the hand with the magazine into the magazine window. Next comes a well-executed reload.

It is more convenient to place the magazines with an edge on the surface so that the bullet is directed upward. It is much more convenient and faster to lift stores located in this way by placing a straightened index finger on the edge.

There are times during an exercise when you have to lift magazines from the surface and move to another shooting position. Some shooters, to save time, put magazines in their pockets or tuck them under their belts. In such a situation, it is recommended to insert the magazine into the pouch (if only one magazine is needed). It takes a little longer than throwing it in your pocket or tucking it under your belt. But reloading will subsequently be more confident and faster.

It should be taken into account that the magazine located in the pocket may get caught on the fabric of the trousers when removed. And a magazine tucked under the belt may completely fall through, and the shooter will find himself in a difficult situation.

Practicing the magazine change technique

You need to start practicing changing stores slowly, following all the recommendations. There's no need to rush. We must adhere to such a speed that there are no mistakes. The shooter must be confident that he will accurately change magazines during the course of the exercise, despite the stress of the match. It’s better for a novice shooter to confidently change the magazine in 2 seconds than to change it every other time in 1.5 seconds. If, while performing an exercise, the shooter gets confused or drops the magazine, then he will lose a lot of time and lose his positive attitude towards the entire exercise.

TRAINING EXERCISE #34 A. RELOADING WITH FOUR MAGAZINES IN A STATIC POSITION.

Performed without ammo and without a timer. It is necessary to place one target in front of the shooter at a distance of 15 m. A mock-up target at a closer distance can be used as a target. The shooter must have four empty magazines. One magazine is inserted into the pistol. Three magazines are in pouches. It will be convenient to train if there is a table in front of the shooter, covered with a soft protective covering (mat, thick fabric, blanket, etc.). A table with a cover is needed to prevent falling magazines from becoming dirty and scattered. If there is no table, then it is necessary to lay a soft covering on the ground in front of the shooter. You can use old cardboard targets as a covering.

STARTING POSITION. The shooter stands relaxed, facing the targets. Hands down. An unloaded pistol with an empty magazine inserted in a holster.

EXECUTION ORDER. In a random order, the shooter grabs a pistol and simulates shooting at a target. After this, he removes his index finger from the hook and presses the magazine release button with the thumb of his strong hand. At the same time, the weak hand grabs the magazine from the first, near pouch. Using a uniform movement, the magazine is inserted into the pistol handle. Immediately after loading the magazine, the weak hand switches to a grip. At the same time, the shooter points the pistol at the target and simulates a second shot. Without pausing, the shooter changes the magazine again and simulates the third shot. Then he changes the magazine one last time and simulates the fourth shot. Without removing the last magazine, the shooter places the pistol in the holster. After this, the shooter collects the magazines, inserts them into the pouches and repeats the exercise.

There should be no sudden movements or stops during the exercise. All actions to change the store must be smooth and measured. The recharge speed should increase gradually. It is necessary to strictly follow safety rules and remove your finger from the hook while reloading.

TRAINING EXERCISE No. 34. RELOADING IN A STATIC POSITION WITH A SHOT.

Performed with cartridges and a timer. The exercise is similar to exercise No. 34a. It is necessary to place four targets M1, M2, M3 and M4 in front of the shooter at a distance of 20 m. The distance between the targets is 2 m. It is better to use gongs with a diameter of 30 cm as targets. The shooter must have four loaded magazines. It will be convenient to train if there is a table in front of the shooter, covered with a soft covering (mat, thick fabric, blanket, etc.). A table with a coating is needed so that magazines that fall out during reloading do not become dirty or scatter. If there is no table, then it is necessary to lay a soft covering on the ground in front of the shooter.

STARTING POSITION. The shooter stands relaxed, facing the targets. Hands down. Loaded pistol in a holster. The pouches contain three magazines.

EXECUTION ORDER. At the sound signal, the shooter draws his pistol and fires at the first M1 target. After this, he removes his index finger from the hook and presses the magazine release button with the thumb of his strong hand. At the same time, the weak hand grabs the magazine from the first, near pouch. Using a uniform movement, the magazine is inserted into the pistol handle. Immediately after loading the magazine, the weak hand switches to a grip. At the same time, the shooter points the pistol at the target and fires a shot at the second M2 target. Without pausing, the shooter changes the magazine again and fires at the third M3 target. Then he changes the magazine one last time and fires at the fourth target. Without removing the last magazine, the shooter turns on the safety and places the pistol in the holster. Next, the shooter looks at the time of each reload on a timer. The time between shots will be the reload time. It is advisable to enter the data into a table for analysis. After this, the shooter collects the magazines, inserts them into the pouches and repeats the exercise. The exercise is repeated until the magazines run out of ammunition.

There should be no sudden movements or stops during the exercise. All actions to change the store must be smooth and measured. The recharge speed should increase gradually. When hitting targets, the order must be strictly observed.

When reloading, the index finger should be outside the trigger guard.

TRAINING EXERCISE No. 35. RELOADING IN MOTION WITH A SHOT.

Performed with cartridges and a timer. It is necessary to place two targets M1 and M2 in front of the shooter at a distance of 15 m. The distance between the targets is 5 m. It is better to use gongs with a diameter of 30 cm as targets. This exercise is suitable for both beginners and experienced shooters. The shooter must have four loaded magazines. It will be convenient to train if there is a table in front of the shooter, covered with a soft covering (mat, thick fabric, blanket, etc.). The table is needed to prevent magazines that fall out during reloading from scattering and becoming dirty. In front of the table, mark two wooden slats that will mark the boundaries of the shooting positions P1 and P2. The distance between the slats is 1-1.5 m. The shooter can fire a shot only when both of his legs are behind the rail. At the shooting range, you can simply draw the boundaries of shooting positions on the surface.

STARTING POSITION. The shooter stands relaxed, facing the targets in the first shooting position P1. Hands down. Loaded pistol in a holster. The pouches contain three magazines.

EXECUTION ORDER. At the sound signal, the shooter draws his pistol and fires two shots at the first M1 target. After this, the shooter begins to move to the P 2 position, while simultaneously pressing the magazine release button with the thumb of his strong hand. At the same time, the weak hand grabs the magazine from the first, near pouch. Continuing the movement, the shooter sends the magazine into the handle with a uniform movement. Immediately after loading the magazine, the weak hand switches to a grip. Stopping in the second position, the shooter points the pistol at the second M2 target and hits it with two shots. Without stopping, the shooter returns to the first position, changes the next magazine and fires two more shots at the first M1 target. Then he returns to the second position, changes the magazine one last time and fires two shots at the second M2 target. Without removing the last magazine, the shooter turns on the safety and places the pistol in the holster. After this, the shooter collects the magazines, inserts them into the pouches and repeats the exercise. The exercise is performed until the magazines run out of ammunition.

TRAINING EXERCISE No. 36. RELOADING AND SHOOTING WITH ONE MAGAZINE.

Performed with cartridges and a timer. The timer is used to provide the start signal. It is necessary to place two targets M1 and M2 in front of the shooter. Gongs with a diameter of 30 cm are best suited. The distance to the targets is 15 m, the distance between the targets is 5 m. The exercise is similar to exercise No. 36 a. Suitable for both beginners and experienced shooters.

STARTING POSITION. The shooter stands relaxed, facing the targets. Hands down. Loaded pistol in a holster.

EXECUTION ORDER. At the sound signal, the shooter draws his pistol and hits the first M1 target. Then he removes the magazine (as in exercise 36a), touches it to the first pouch, sends the magazine back and fires the next shot at the second M2 target. The alternation of reloading and firing lasts until the cartridges in the magazine run out. First, the shooter trains in a static position, then with movements.

When performing the exercise, you need to achieve regularity and clarity of movements, gradually increasing the speed. The index finger should be outside the trigger guard while reloading.

TRAINING EXERCISE No. 37. RELOADING AND SHOOTING WITH TWO MAGAZINES FROM THE TABLE.

Performed with cartridges and a timer. The timer is used to provide the start signal. It is necessary to place two targets M1 and M2 in front of the shooter at a distance of 20 m. The distance between the targets is 3 m. It is better to use gongs with a diameter of 30 cm as targets. This exercise is suitable for both beginners and experienced shooters. The shooter must have two loaded magazines.

STARTING POSITION. The shooter stands in front of the table, relaxed, facing the targets. Hands down. An unloaded pistol lies on the table with the barrel facing the targets. There are two shops nearby.

EXECUTION ORDER. At the sound signal, the shooter simultaneously raises the pistol and the first magazine. He inserts the magazine into the handle, pulls the bolt and fires a shot at the first M1 target. After this, he presses the magazine release button with the thumb of his strong hand. At the same time, a weak hand lifts the second magazine from the table. Using a uniform movement, the magazine is inserted into the pistol handle. Immediately after loading the magazine, the weak hand switches to a grip. At the same time, the shooter points the pistol at the target and fires a shot at the second M2 target. Without pausing, the shooter presses the magazine release button, picks up the first magazine from the table, sends it into the handle and fires at the first target. In this way, the shooter lifts the magazines from the table and reloads them until the cartridges in both magazines run out.

Typical errors and methods for eliminating them

Based on my experience as an instructor, I would like to point out a number of typical mistakes and bad habits that shooters make when practicing reloading.
It is prohibited to keep your finger on the trigger while reloading.
ERROR 1. The shooter keeps his index finger on the trigger while changing the magazine. Due to this error, accidental shooting may occur.

REMOVAL. The shooter must perform the following exercise with the pistol unloaded. The exercise consists of two positions.

First position. The pistol is held with a double grip in the direction of the targets, with the index finger on the trigger. Second position. The thumb of a strong hand is on the latch button, the index finger is straightened, the pistol is turned with the magazine window towards the pouches. A weak hand touches the magazine in the pouch.

PERFORMANCE. 15–20 times these two positions, controlling the position of the index finger. No need to grab the store. The main focus is on the work of the index finger of the strong hand. This exercise can be done at any time during your workout, as soon as you notice that you are forgetting to remove your finger from the hook, or someone warned you about it. The skill of removing your finger from the trigger while reloading is quickly learned.

ERROR 2. During the exercise, the shooter, having placed the magazine in the handle, taps the magazine cover with his palm one or two more times to securely fasten it.

REMOVAL. To get rid of this habit, you need to train yourself to insert the magazine in one energetic movement.

MISTAKE 3. Some shooters lower the pistol to waist level when reloading. This increases the reload time, since after chambering the magazine the shooter will have to raise the pistol and only then point it at the target.

REMOVAL. You need to get rid of this habit. Why fiddle with the magazine somewhere below, if, holding the pistol in front of your face, you can clearly see the magazine window and the target environment!

MISTAKE 4. Some shooters hold the pistol with the grip down and poke the magazine from below, trying to get into the magazine window.

REMOVAL. It is necessary to turn the handle towards the pouches. After this, the store window will be clearly visible.

MISTAKE 5. Some novice shooters push magazines as deep into the pouch as possible. Such magazines can be pulled out of a pouch with great difficulty.

REMOVAL. Magazines must be inserted into the pouches so that most of the magazine sticks out. Such magazines are easy to grab and quickly remove from pouches.

Vitaly Kryuchin Photo from the author’s archive

Disassembly and cleaning

Any gun loves affection, cleanliness and lubrication. So we strongly recommend that fans of pneumatic guns also read the section on how to properly disassemble and clean weapons. Such a procedure should be carried out at certain intervals (ideally, after each use of the gun). Only in this case will it be possible to increase the service life of your favorite pneumatics, as well as improve its technical characteristics:

Step 1 - we carry out partial disassembly of the pistol

To do this, first remove the magazine with cartridges, and also make sure that there is no bullet left in the barrel (pull back the bolt). Afterwards, we set the weapon on the safety and pull back the bolt frame, after pressing the trigger guard. After this, removing the receiver will not be a problem - you just need to pull it back and up.

Step 2 - clean the barrel

To get rid of soot and lead deposits formed during the shooting process, you will need to use special brushes made from different materials. For example, plastic removes light deposits, copper removes leaded deposits, and a steel brush is best used only if you have to get rid of tough contaminants, because it scratches the rifled barrel.

Step 3 - wash the barrel and lubricate it with oil

After cleaning the carbon deposits, you will have to thoroughly rinse the barrel with soapy water. If you feel that there are remnants of old oil inside, you can use kerosene to degrease. However, be sure to remove all chemicals with soapy water after this and dry the gun thoroughly. Only after this can a new lubricant be applied using a rag and cleaning rod.

When lubricating a gun or carrying out a carbon cleaning procedure, it is important to remember the golden rule of moderation. If you work too hard with a brush, this will certainly lead to scratches on the rifled barrel.

If you apply too much lubricant, a lot of smoke will come out of the barrel (it’s beautiful, but it’s quite harmful to the “health” of the weapon), so don’t overdo it.

Reloading a shotgun for self-defense at home

We'll start this article with a video that details how to reload a shotgun used for home defense. Low magazine capacity is often cited as one of the weak points of any shotgun, so if you are going to use one of this class of weapons, you better know how to properly reload a shotgun (believe me, you will have to do this very often when shooting).

As with many topics aimed at developing proper technique, the topic of shotgun reloading is much more convenient to use a video for explanation rather than printed text. But since not all people perceive the video with the same success, I (the author of the article, Chris Baker - approx. per), consider it necessary to move away from the typical format (when a transcript is posted in addition to the video), and will try to explain everything that happened in video, in your own words.

I hope the text will be clear enough that even beginners can easily understand it. For greater clarity, screenshots from the video have been added below. Well, another advantage of this presentation is that the video can be watched without sound. Yes, of course, following a video and understanding it is much easier than in the case of text, but... I myself know how awkward it can be when you are sitting in a public place and torn between the desire to watch an interesting video and the fear of the sounds of gunfire from Shotgun sounds from your smartphone or headphones will scare other people.

So, video:

Even though modern defensive and combat shotguns have very limited ammo capacity, I am confident that any civilian will be able to stop a home invasion before he completely empties his shotgun. But either way, the likelihood that you'll need more rounds than you already have in your shotgun to protect your family and your home is non-zero, so it's something to consider. When we practice at the range, we still need to load and reload the shotgun, so at the range we might as well practice the shotgun reloading techniques that might be required in the field.

Actually, reloading techniques are very diverse. There are dozens of shotgun reloading techniques, but when you narrow it down to home defense, it's likely that you won't be able to rely on any of the belt pouches or chest rigs that we might use in competition. Considering the specifics of the scope of application, in this article we are going to limit ourselves only to cartridge belts that are mounted on the butt or on the side of the receiver of a shotgun (another name is sidesaddle, from sidesaddle - approx. per).

Side bandoliers are more popular, I will say more - I myself and many of my friends use them. Therefore, today I will describe two methods of reloading using side bandoliers. I'll be using a Remington 870 , but these reloading methods should work with any modern pump-action shotgun , and can also be easily adapted to most semi-auto models.

Side bandolier mounted on the receiver of a Remington 870. The cartridges are mounted with the primer facing up.

These are not necessarily the fastest reloading methods, but they are fairly reliable and require as little conscious thought and manual dexterity as possible. Shotgun shells are big and clunky, and you can trust my experience - there are many ways to mess up a reload by dropping or mis-inserting a shell, so I like to use simple techniques whenever possible.

When working with a shotgun, we usually don't wait until it's completely empty before we start loading it. Typically, while you are not shooting, you should be reloading. If you fired two rounds at the target, please reload two. If three, then add three. This way you will always replenish missing ammo.

Shotgun reloading: cartridges with primer down

With this reloading technique, the cartridges are placed in the cartridge belt with the primer facing down . When in shooting position, I move the stock away from my shoulder and lower it closer to my waist. You can reload a shotgun with the stock pressed against your shoulder, but this puts the entire weight of the weapon on your wrist, which can quickly fatigue your wrist. Also, while you are trying to reload the shotgun, holding it at your shoulder, it will be easier for an attacker to simply grab the barrel and pull it towards you. But if you lower the shotgun to your belt and are in a “high ready” position, it will be more difficult to remove the weapon, since you will be able to apply more weight to hold the shotgun.

Reloading cartridges into the magazine

To load a tube magazine, I first use my thumb to push the cartridge out of the bandoleer and into my hand. I then bring the cartridge up to the charging port with the cartridge parallel to the receiver. If the hole is closed by the cartridge feeder, then by pressing with the help of the cartridge (its front part), I simply remove the obstacle and place the cartridge in the magazine. I press the tip of my thumb against the base of the chuck. I want to make sure the round fits into the magazine, so I press down as far as I can so the tube magazine spring doesn't try to spit the round back out. As a result, it turns out that my thumb enters the magazine a little.

As long as I push the cartridge with the tip of my thumb rather than the pad, I don't have to worry about my finger getting stuck in the charging hole, pinched by the cartridge feeder. Users of the Mossberg 500 series shotguns do not have to worry about this problem because this weapon keeps the lift away from the charging port.

Reloading and reloading a shotgun with cartridges “primer down” in the side bandolier.

Loading into the chamber

If I have fired all my rounds, I must load the chamber before loading the magazine. Since I use a pump-action weapon, I won't know I've emptied the magazine until I hear a click instead of a shot. So when I hear this, I immediately jump into mandatory action. I take the cartridge in the same way as described above, but do not try to find the magazine charging hole. I simply lean the cartridge against the receiver and slowly move it until it drops into the chamber on its own. After that, I can either fire that round right away, or retreat and continue loading the magazine (if I understand that there is no immediate threat).

Shotgun reloading: cartridges with primer up

I learned another shotgun reloading technique from Darryl Bolke in his November 2016 HiTS course.

Darryl Bohlke on his HiTS (Hardwired Tactical Shooting First Responder Shotgun Course).

Reloading to the store

This time the cartridge primers are pointing upward . Why might you need this? Well, for example, so that the cartridges do not fall out of the cartridge belt. If the primer is down and you are firing a shotgun, the vibration can loosen the cartridges in the bandoleer and cause them to fall out. This problem is especially acute if your bandolier is made of hard plastic. I haven't had this happen with elastic rubber loops, but it can happen with them because eventually the rubber wears out. Carrying cartridges in the side bandolier with the primer facing up prevents them from falling out.

So, if I hold the cartridges in the bandoleer this way, then if I do the intuitive thing and grab the cartridge with my thumb and forefinger - like a cigarette - then it will be oriented in my hand in an awkward way for loading the shotgun. So instead, I'll turn my palm vertically and position my fingers so that they point towards my face. As a result, when my hand is near the side bandoleer, my thumb will point down. By doing this, I can bend my thumb and be able to push the cartridge up through the belt loop with my thumb and then grab it with my other fingers. Then I simply move the cartridge to the charging hole and do the same as in any other technique.

Reloading and reloading a shotgun with cartridges located “primer up” in the side bandoleer.

Loading into the chamber

To load the chamber, I repeat the same movement that I used to load the magazine, but this time I do not place the cartridge in the magazine, but carry it further - directly to the chamber. Everything is the same as in the previous technology.

It may seem that when the cartridges are with the primer facing up, it is much more convenient and faster to simply turn the shotgun over and throw the cartridge into the chamber. Yes, if you turn the shotgun to the left, gravity will do the work for you and you will simply need to drop the shell into the chamber. But reloading a shotgun this way requires you to change your grip on the cartridge (doing this while holding the cartridge in the position in which you load the magazine is inconvenient). As I said earlier, it's important to not have to think too much when doing this type of work, so I find it easier to just slide the round under the receiver and then chamber it. Yes, this may take me an extra couple of tenths of a second, but this way I hold the cartridge exactly in the position in which I load the magazine - which means I don’t have to think about how to get the cartridge depending on where I want to place it (in magazine or directly into the chamber).

There are people who like to mix cartridges prepared for different reloading techniques in their bandolier. They have some cartridges with the primer down to load the magazine, while other cartridges are in the “primer up” position to make it more convenient to load the chamber. Again, this can be very fast and I have seen some use this technique very successfully in classroom settings. But as Darryl pointed out in his masterclass, when his attention is focused on a potential threat, he doesn't want to have to think twice about how to rotate the rounds, and I tend to agree with him. In combat, it is important that all your attention and mental abilities are directed to finding methods to suppress the threat.

If I got to the point where I needed to urgently reload my shotgun during a shootout in my home, something had gone wrong. In this case, I want to use a technique that is as foolproof as possible, and I think these two reloading techniques fit that description well. Using them, I can almost automatically load a shotgun and not lose concentration on combat operations.

Well, by the way, the light did not converge on these two techniques; there are many other techniques that will also be convenient and useful for you after some practice. And yes, remember, mastery comes with practice, so practice, practice and practice some more!

Original article: How to Reload a Defensive Shotgun

about the author

Chris Baker is a certified shooting instructor and former NRA firearms consultant. Previously taught handgun skills to civilians and taught concealed carry classes at North Carolina State. Has over 500 hours of practical training with firearms and self-defense (instructors: Ken Hackathorn, Tom Givens, Ernest Langdon, Craig Douglas, Gabe White, Darryl Bolke, Wayne Dobbs, Chuck Haggard, Claude Werner, John Hearne, Jim Higginbotham, Kyle DeFoor, Randy Cain and others).

Preparing the gun for use

If you think that an air gun can be used immediately after purchasing it in a store, you are deeply mistaken. Most manufacturers immerse weapons in a special preservative lubricant, which increases shelf life, but cannot be used for shooting (the accuracy of the fire will be too low, and soot will begin to form much faster). Therefore, after purchase, it is recommended to first carry out the depreservation procedure:

We carry out partial disassembly of the weapon (according to the same scheme as in the case of cleaning and lubrication).
Remove all preservative liquid using a powder puff with a cleaning rod or a rag.
We thoroughly degrease not only the barrel, but also all metal parts.
We wash the barrel using a soap solution (water + any detergent).
We apply new oil to the barrel, for example, the popular Balistol in the form of a spray.
We use a special silicone liquid to lubricate small parts (such as the trigger).
We assemble the weapon, carefully placing all the parts in place.

After this, you will also need to check how well the pistol is shot. Unfortunately, many sellers in gun stores deliberately reset the factory settings so that customers turn to them for help. However, in order to zero the front and rear sights, it is not at all necessary to have great knowledge and experience. It’s enough just to follow certain instructions and recommendations from professionals:

We find a suitable place for shooting. It is best, of course, to give preference to a shooting range, since there the wind or air humidity will not affect the bullet. However, if going to such an establishment is not possible, wait for a clear, windless day, and then go outside the city into a forest or some open field where there are no people.
Prepare a comfortable position for yourself. To make zeroing a pistol as effective as possible, it is best to use a special locking machine. However, not everyone has such a device. As an alternative, a sandbag that adapts to the shape of the weapon is a good idea.
We fire several test shots from a distance of 5 meters. The best point to aim at is the bottom of the black circle on the target. It's important to place all your shots in one spot to get a feel for how much spread the gun has. If the accuracy of the battle is good, then the shooting position has been chosen conveniently.
Once you have made a few test shots, you can begin to adjust the position of the front sight using the two drums located on the rear sight (they adjust the vertical and horizontal). After that, we take a few more shots and look at how the result has changed.

Also, during zeroing, try not to rush anywhere, adjusting only one position per stage (vertical or horizontal), otherwise it’s easy to get confused in your own calculations. It is also worth increasing the distance to the target gradually, otherwise the spread may turn out to be too large with the next increase in the distance.

Training with Purpose: 5 Fundamentals of Effective Defensive Shooting

TRAIN WITH PURPOSE Move from Recreational to Defensive Shooting by Steven Lieberman

I confidently enter the shooting range. My shooting bag is covered in cool patches and colorful stripes. Today is a routine. This is the time when I am most focused. I destroy paper targets at different distances. After each shot, I lower the gun and look into the distance. And I smile calmly when I see that my shots are shredding the “ten”.
After the last shot, my pistol goes into a slide stop. I carefully unload and place the pistol on the rack and begin loading the magazine. I'm a tactical shooter!

Perhaps this will be the case in the future, but not now. What I just described is recreational shooting, and that's what most of us do. There is nothing wrong with amateur shooting. Many people like to shoot in comfortable conditions and just for fun. Tactical shooting or defensive shooting is something completely different.

For those of us who carry guns as a tool for self-defense , more dynamic and realistic training is necessary. When we train, we train with a specific purpose. Regardless of whether we are talking about performing elements at the shooting range or “dry” training at home, we always train purposefully .

The content of the article

Removing the pistol from the holster

In movies, you see the hero holding a gun with his dominant hand. The supporting arm is lowered freely, showing the audience just how cool he is. Do not repeat this under any circumstances.

The reality is that if the enemy attacks you from a distance of about 7 meters (and in some police departments they say a distance of up to 15 meters), then everything can end very badly. Use your free hand to gain access to your holster, or to keep your opponent at bay. And remember - whatever you do, remove your free hand from the line of fire.

It is extremely important to ensure a secure grip on the pistol while it is still in the holster. You want to achieve maximum grip on the pistol grip. When removing the pistol, the index finger rests only on the frame or bolt, but in no case on the trigger .

Pull the gun straight up. As soon as the muzzle of the pistol leaves the holster, turn it towards the target.

Well guys, let's get back to basics. Remember those four rules of safety from Colonel Jeff Cooper?

Treat all firearms as if they are loaded.
Never point a gun where you don't intend to shoot.
Do not place your finger on the trigger unless it is necessary to fire and until the weapon is pointed at the target.
Know your goal and the space around it.

Let's focus a little on Rule #3 : " Don't put your finger on the trigger... ". As I already said, after removing the pistol from the holster, it immediately turns the muzzle towards the target. You can't see the sights, but Rule #3 doesn't say anything about your eyes. Even if the goblin is standing one and a half meters away from you, you will hit him.

So let's continue. Form a two-handed grip on the pistol while it is still close to your body.

The reality is: the closer the gun is to your body, the more control you will have over the gun. If you first extend your hand with the gun towards the target, and then form a grip with your supporting hand, you are taking a serious risk, because this way the bad guy could easily get hold of your self-defense weapon .

Hold the gun as tightly as possible until you develop a secure two-handed grip. Now that you have both paws on the gun, you can, if circumstances permit, bring it into the line of sight.

Here again the problem arises. Several students I taught had a passionate desire to point the gun at the sky before taking it to the aiming line. It's ineffective and looks stupid. I want my weapon to be aimed at the target as quickly as possible, so that I can hit the target as I aim. If I point my gun upward instead, I not only lose the opportunity to hit the target. I still need to kind of get my finger off the trigger (remember rule #3?).

Always keep the muzzle pointed in the direction of the target.

Reloading weapons

There are two common reloading methods. I can do either a tactical reload , if I have the time and opportunity, or a combat reload —some call it a “speed” or “emergency”—because my pistol is empty and I have to reload immediately.

At the shooting range, you can often observe a situation where the shooter places an empty pistol on the rack in front of him, and then begins to load the magazine.

We need to develop muscle memory. Every action you perform with a weapon is a deposit into your muscle memory bank. If you take your eyes off the target and look at your gun, you will do the same in a gunfight.

I want my eyes to always be on the target. I want the gun in front of me in my workspace. I want to be able to access my new magazine before I remove the magazine from the weapon.

Why should I immediately remove the magazine from the pistol, leaving only one round in the chamber, only to find that the full magazine has fallen out of the pouch? First I'll make sure I have a new source of ammo. Then I will perform a tactical reload .

The same applies to combat or high-speed reloading of weapons. Once I'm sure I have a new magazine, I'll remove the old one from the gun. Once the new magazine is in place, I pull the bolt, chambering a round.

Again, using a slide stop may look cool, but it won't always work, especially if I wear gloves or suffer from a lack of refined motor skills. I prefer to practice skills that will always work, no matter the circumstances.

Scanning the space around

At the shooting range, all the targets are in front of you. In the real world, we assume that bad guys move and can be everywhere. Once you've finished shooting, return your weapon to the chest hold position and scan for additional threats around you, as well as for better cover.

Next time you're shooting at a range, take a look at the shooters. “Put the gun on the rack and start loading the magazine” - that’s the majority of people.

“Quickly reloaded the gun in my workspace and then looked around” - these guys may look funny, but they are most likely the ones who really know what they are doing. They strengthen their skills and learn to automatically look for additional threats.

Movement while shooting

Shooting on the move is difficult to practice at the range, and I know that. Therefore, practice moving on an open range.

I would hate to get into a firefight with someone and actually find out which of us hits the other first. But in any case, I want to be as difficult a target as possible for the enemy. Hitting a moving target is much more difficult than successfully shooting at a static target. So I want to be a moving target.

If some idiot wants to stand in one place and let him get hit, that's a nice bonus for his opponent. So I want to move to hide or at least get out of the targeting range.

Troubleshooting when shooting

I once watched a guy get nervous while shooting. His weapon malfunctioned. He constantly stopped, cursed and looked at his gun, as if trying to understand what was happening. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that the problem was in one faulty magazine. When he left the firing line, he threw the magazine into the trash. I took out the magazine and caught up with the guy. I told him to consider this store gold.

Yes, the magazine led to delays when firing. But the guy had to be glad that he now had such a teaching tool. I tasked him with labeling this magazine to distinguish it from the others, since the last thing he wanted was to use this magazine in a real-life situation.

However, as a teaching tool, this crappy store is fantastic! If there is a delay, you must aggressively resolve it and get back into the fight. A failed magazine gives you the opportunity to sharpen a needed skill, in a controlled working environment, rather than having to deal with failure during live fire contact .

We always tell our students:

“Yesterday you were amateurs. Yesterday is over. From now on you are ARROWS. You have to train, and you have to train constantly. You study not so much to become expert marksmen, but rather to know that you may have to demonstrate your skills in the most brutal situations. You don't have to train to impress others. You must train to survive a mortal encounter."

About the Author: Steven Lieberman is an avid hunter, long-range shooter, and NRA instructor. Opened in California in 2012.

Translation - Yuri Paladin