What's the proper way to load the +1?

[BTin]

I load from the magazine all of the time, which is what the gun is designed for.

I used to let the slide fly in to battery, but I noticed that I was getting bullet setback in a cheaper brand bullet. I attributed that to this practice.

Now I bring it in to battery slowly by hand, and rarely ever take the bullet out. But if I have to, I always check for setback. I also rotate which bullet goes in the chamber.

[stevie_d_64]

I don't want to carry the extra weight plus any gunfight I get in will probably be over - one way or another - before me and my opponent/s exchange 20+ rounds.

I should certainly hope so Ollie, I should certainly hope so...

[Liko81]

My usual way is, load the magazine fully, rack the first round, then eject, top off and reload. That's the way rounds are loaded when you fire the pistol, so it's logical.

Dropping the first round in the chamber, then closing the slide and loading a full mag works perfectly well also, in most cases. Trouble is, when you close the slide on a chambered round, the extractor moves over the edge of the rim instead of the rim moving up underneath the extractor as the cartridge is stripped from the mag. This contact can deform a rim and in extreme cases will cause jams or even misfires.

Personally, I actually more often don't bother to top off. First, it's an extra step no matter how you do it, second, I know I have 15 rounds in my gun each time I load a mag, period, and third, if I ever have to unload the gun, the extra round can't go in a mag, and keeping track of it is an annoyance I prefer to avoid. 15 vs 16 rounds before first reload, IMHO, is not huge. Now if you carry a 7+1 1911, that +1 makes a bigger difference that may justify topping off.

[CHLSteve]

Sounds like there is a consensus here on the proper way to do it.

The reason it's important to me, is that I was looking to pocket carry a 6-rd capacity Ruger LCP. The +1 is HUGE for a gun that small (caliber), with that limited capacity.

That's the primary reason I don't like carrying my revolver, as I don't feel like 5 rounds would be enough. Especially if I miss a few, which I anticipate might happen in a pressure situation.

Also, I was just curious as to how & why. :)

[casingpoint]

insert the magazine, rack the slide, remove the magazine, load one more round, and the replace the magazine

That is the only defect I have found with a second generation Taurus MilPro 9mm. When I reinsert the mag, causes feeding problems. So I do like AEA and just load both mags with twelve and figure that's 'enuff. In a single stack gun, that one extra round would be more significant.

[G.C.Montgomery]

Just wondering if there's a correct (safest) way to do this.

Slide lock open, drop a round directly into the chamber, drop the slide and insert the magazine?

Or insert the magazine, rack the slide, remove the magazine, load one more round, and the replace the magazine?

Does it even matter?

It does matter, and the second option is preferred. I can think of a half-dozen thoroughly valid mechanical, safety or tactical reasons not to use the first option but, as a competive shooter I also have a since of vanity. So, part of me boils this down to the vainest of all reasons...It's something only an amateur or dweeb would do and it doesn't look cool!

[DoubleJ]

I load from the magazine all of the time, which is what the gun is designed for.

I used to let the slide fly in to battery, but I noticed that I was getting bullet setback in a cheaper brand bullet. I attributed that to this practice.

Now I bring it in to battery slowly by hand, and rarely ever take the bullet out. But if I have to, I always check for setback. I also rotate which bullet goes in the chamber.

I have heard of people saying that this practice does not "lock up" the gun very well, as the gun is supposed to have all that force of the recoil spring to chamber a new round. If you think about it, that's how the gun works when firing...

if the concern is bullet set-back, which is something that I try to keep an eyeball on as well, I would do what you have already mentioned doing, and try to rotate the "stock," so to speak, by not chambering the same round over and over.
depending on the caliber, some rounds this is of more importance than others (think .40S&W).
IIRC, IANAL, so YMMV.

[bryang]

I always insert the magazine, rack the slide, remove the magazine, load one more round, and then replace the magazine. That was the way I was taught a long time ago.

-geo

[DoubleJ]

I didn't say it wouldn't go into battery, I said it may not lock up as well.
do whatever you feel inclined to do, just don't look at me if the thing doesn't cycle correctly.

[The Annoyed Man]

I always load +1 round by racking the slide, replacing the missing round in the magazine, and then re-inserting the magazine. But I usually carry a 3" 1911 with 7 round magazines, so that extra round is welcome. If I carried a high cap semi-auto, I would probably not worry about it. My proviso: If am going to do this with a pistol which has a hammer (i.e. 1911s, USPc, etc.), I always make sure to engage the safety before dropping the magazine for the reload. I don't believe in unnecessary handling of a cocked single-action handgun which has a round in the chamber without there being a safety that is engaged.

[kalipsocs]

Well learn something new every day, and today it was I am an idiot. I have been doing the bad way for awhile now on my CZ and less so on my LCP. Is there a way to check for damage on an extractor or something I should look for? I don't need any of my weapons going bad the moment i need it! I need to check my Walther P99 as well as I shot a lot....a lot....of steel cased .40 through it which is hard on the extractors too. FYI though, no extraction problems as of yet.

[DoubleJ]

If it's in-battery, by definition it's locked-up. I'm not quite sure sure what you mean by "it may not lock up as well" - as well as what?

not necessarily. As well as from the force of the recoil spring.
show Clint Smith what you're doing, he'll smile reeeeeeal big. I heard him talk about this in one of his pro-tips on one of the various shows he's one (shooting gallery or personal defense tv...)