Why would a man reload an AK-47 with one hand? Why would a soldier slap his gun? And how do you get the competitive edge in a shooting competition? Here are some unconventional ways to keep the lead flying down range. The Iraqi Reload. If there is a goat of firearms, it would probably be the AK-47 and its derivatives. It's cheap, reliable, it's found everywhere it's needed. It's become the go-to weapon for nations and underfunded rebels alike. For all its virtues, it has one flaw. Reloading can be a pain. Now, don't get me wrong, it's not that hard, but it can be a bit awkward. The magazine release catch is located behind the magazine well, and it needs to be pressed and then the mag

rolled forward at the same time. Compare this to its great rival, the M16, which has a button on the side of the frame. Press that and the mag drops and it's ready for a new one. This can all be overcome with a tiny bit of training, but faster is always better. Enter the Iraqi Reload. No one is sure who coined the term, but it probably originates from coalition soldiers who worked with Iraqi troops during Operation Iraqi Freedom. When the last round is fired, grab and hold the bolt back with the right hand and use enough force to keep the buttstock pressed against the shoulder. With your left hand, grab a new magazine and use it to hammer the old mag out of the way. Insert. Grab the

stock, then release the bolt. Is it elegant? Not at all. Is it effective? Possibly. This type of treatment could damage the bolt or some other part of the gun, but this is the AK we're talking about. So, if any gun could handle rough treatment, that would be it. The HK Slap. The HNK MP5 is one of the most successful submachine guns ever made, and it is popular among law enforcement, military, and is right at home on the silver screen. It was there that many have learned about an unconventional way to load one. When the last round is fired, the bolt is manually pulled back and turned into a recessed notch. A new magazine is then inserted and the bolt should then be lowered from the recessed notch and released. If the bolt is

caught on the recessed notch, HNK recommends that it be slapped. And yeah, that's the terminology they use in the MP5 manual. This will send the bolt into position, ready to fire. Riding the bolt forward gently will prevent this from happening. And let's be honest, it also looks cool. Tactical versus emergency versus retention reloads. Though they're not specific techniques, tactical and emergency reloads are widely practiced, trained, and discussed by firearms users worldwide. An emergency reload is exactly what it sounds like. The lead is flying and the ammunition runs out. Normally when changing magazines, the empty one is stowed away. They are reusable after all. In an emergency, this is done away with. The mag drops, a new one is

slammed in as quickly as possible, and the next round chambered and sent down range in a hurry. It isn't graceful, just sheer practicality in an intense situation. When things are marginally calmer, there is a tactical reload. After firing a few rounds, if there's a lull in the fighting, a new magazine is drawn, the partially empty magazine is ejected, and the fresh one inserted with a round already in the chamber. No cocking needed. This way, should things go south, there's a full magazine in place, ready to go in the middle of a firefight. The tactical reload can be done while juggling both the new and half-used magazine at the same time.

Grab a new magazine with the off hand, place it next to the magazine. Well, eject the old mag and catch it, then slide in the new one before stowing the partial magazine. This can be a bit awkward and needs some practice. The retention reload is similar, but it involves ejecting the old magazine, stowing it away properly, then inserting the full magazine. A bit slower, but much easier. In both the tactical and retention reloads, the ammunition in the half empty magazines are still available and ready to be used if needed. A full magazine is better than a partially empty one, but a partial magazine is better than none at all. Firearm instructors may use different methods

and may mix the terminology a bit, but all are ways to reload in a hurry. Twin loading. Detachable box magazines make loading a firearm easy. Unfortunately, with a few exceptions, shotguns don't use detachable magazines. The majority of pump-action shotguns are loaded from a tube magazine that's built into the gun. on itself and cannot be removed and can only be loaded one shell at a time. If only there was a way to speed things up. Humans are competitive and will come up with all kinds of ways to win. Participants in three gun competitions use rifles, pistols, and shotguns to shoot at a number of targets and are judged by accuracy and speed. When fractions of a second are the difference

between victory and defeat, the twin load method was born. Instead of loading the shotgun shells one at a time, the competitor grabs two shells and lines them up in his hand. The front shell grabbed by the pinky and the rearward shell grabbed by the index finger. The thumb lines up the shells and helps keep them in place. The shotgun is then raised up to shoulder height and inverted called the violin position since it resembles playing the stringed instrument. In this position, the downward-facing loading port is facing toward the shooter's right in a right-handed user. The shells are then rammed into the tube magazine at the same time. In some cases, the shells are held in a device called a caddy in the

shotgun stock near the loading port. There is also a practice called the quad reload, which is similar, but as the name suggests, the shooter grabs four shells and stacks the pairs on top of one another. The first line of two is inserted into the magazine, then the second pair, both done in two swift motions. These methods can be a bit tricky, but with enough practice, it can turn the tedious method of shotgun reloading into something fast and efficient. Though difficult, twin and quad loading are faster than one shell at a time. The Wick Flick. The standard way to reload a semi-automatic firearm is to press the magazine release, let the magazine drop, then insert the new magazine. The motive force ejecting the spent magazine is

gravity. Now, this is fine, but sometimes something with a little more flare is in order. Some pistol and three gun competitors help the magazine out of the weapon by flicking their wrist, adding the momentum to help clear it out of the way. It may be a bit faster, but it has the disadvantage of throwing the sight out of the shooter's alignment, forcing them to readjust. It was still used on occasion, but it was a niche technique. Then, in 2014, the action film John Wick was released. The movie, along with its sequels and spin-offs, have been praised for its proper gun handling and relative realism. To prepare for his role as a former assassin, Kiana Reeves practiced intensely with firearms and martial arts

and became proficient in three gun competition style shooting. The films featured accurate weapon magazine capacity, and reloading was a major part of the gunplay. When Reeves needed to reload, the magazine would be launched with a quick turn of his wrist. This once obscure technique has been dubbed the wick flick, and more than a few firearms enthusiasts have tried it for no other reason than it looks cool. When the lead starts flying and more ammo is needed in a hurry, people will come up with all kinds of ways to keep blazing away.