I do bullets facing forward and I like my mags vertical. I have some pouches with adjustable cant to them, but vertical works best for me. It probably doesn't matter as long as you practice your reloads.

 

Forward.

Hand grasps and draws the magazine, finger indexing the bullet.

Hand comes forward and just rotates counterclockwise to orient the magazine.

 

Bullets forward for me and everyone I know.

Rob Pincus teaches bullets backward, but it didn't work for me.

Some gamers like Ben Stoeger run bullets sideways.

 

Forward for me. With my gaming rig they're sideways, essentially the same draw, index finger on bullet, just a different angle.

 

Forward for me. I fail to see how this is a palm out thing??? My palm is facing the magazine with my index finger poised the touch the face of the round as soon as it comes out of the magazine.

 

Using a properly cleared firearm in the absence of loaded ammunition, hold your pistol in your dominant hand like you were just shooting. Pick up a verified empty magazine as if you are going to load it and stop. Now look at how you grabbed your magazine. place the magazine in your carrier in the most efficient manner, or the manner you feel comfortable with. Where ever that mag sits in it's carrier is probably where you want it.

 

I think the misconception is that you should be grasping the magazine(bullets facing back) and rotating the mag 180 degrees to point upward and into the well.(now the bullets are facing forward). The heel of your hand is pushing up and the fingers of your loading hand are on the left side of the gun.

In reality you should start with the bullets forward and as you rotate that 180 degrees up you are turning your palm 180 degrees also so that you can use it to seat the magazine more firmly. Your loading hand fingers will be on the right side of the gun with the heel of your hand under the magazine.

With the first method you guide it in the well with your fingers and then have to change angles a bit to push with your palm. With the second method you are guiding it with your fingers and already have your palm in position to shove it in.

At least, that is how it was explained to me.

 

Using a properly cleared firearm in the absence of loaded ammunition, hold your pistol in your dominant hand like you were just shooting. Pick up a verified empty magazine as if you are going to load it and stop. Now look at how you grabbed your magazine. place the magazine in your carrier in the most efficient manner, or the manner you feel comfortable with. Where ever that mag sits in it's carrier is probably where you want it.

This is my view of it, too.

We're all different - our bodies (including not only body build, but also flexibility, as well as even what we subjectively feel may be awkward versus easy) are different, so that even without looking at how we place the magazines (and their holders) "clocked" on our body, it's already clear (if not easy) to see that this may affect the "facing" of the bullets in order to have a sensible reload procedure.

But whatever one finally decide to do, the important thing to remember is to do it consistently.

Don't carry your spare mag with bullets forward one day and then bullets facing the back the next. If you carry a double-mag pouch, don't have one facing one way and the other the other.

My first instructor's background included years as a Marine Scout Sniper. Although not known nationally, here in the region among other instructors, his reputation is an excellent one. He prefers his "bullets towards the back."

All he asked us is to try it both ways and to find what we deemed most natural - but that when we found what we preferred, to keep it consistent.

Over the years, I've heard it argued both ways - but I really think that in the end, it's down to personal preference: as long as it's consistent.

 

Using a properly cleared firearm in the absence of loaded ammunition, hold your pistol in your dominant hand like you were just shooting. Pick up a verified empty magazine as if you are going to load it and stop. Now look at how you grabbed your magazine. place the magazine in your carrier in the most efficient manner, or the manner you feel comfortable with. Where ever that mag sits in it's carrier is probably where you want it.

Alternatively, do this drill backwards. Take the magazine from the firearm and place it in your carrier. Then reverse that motion to remove magazine from carrier and insert in firearm. I think it may become clearer why facing forward tends to work better for most people.

 

Alternatively, do this drill backwards. Take the magazine from the firearm and place it in your carrier. Then reverse that motion to remove magazine from carrier and insert in firearm. I think it may become clearer why facing forward tends to work better for most people.

This is an excellent point.

Bullets backwards was one of the things that didn't work so well for me when I took Combat Focus.

AR and AI mags work better for me with bullets backwards.

 

Pulling the mag with your index finger on the round can let you know a few things.

Pressing on the bullet can give you an idea of capacity ( full / partial mag)
It orients the mag without visual need.
If a bullet is partially out, you may be able to push it back in or flip it out.

Just a few mag related items addressed at one of my sessions.

 

I like my weak hand index finger able to touch the top round,guide in and palm it home

 

I must be the exception. I was taught bullets backward many years ago in my academy. It just feels natural to me after all these years. I've tried bullets forward, but I always fumble it up.

 

In my classes I was always tought bullets face forward, so since this was a hard and fast rule, you know that I tried rear facing bullets. I could not get it to work. I am sure someone does bullets back in competition though, I jsut don't know of any.
Backwards might work if the mag is bullets up, and you can rotate your hand to scoop the mag up the chute of the gun.

 

Using a properly cleared firearm in the absence of loaded ammunition, hold your pistol in your dominant hand like you were just shooting. Pick up a verified empty magazine as if you are going to load it and stop. Now look at how you grabbed your magazine. place the magazine in your carrier in the most efficient manner, or the manner you feel comfortable with. Where ever that mag sits in it's carrier is probably where you want it.

The problem with this is that you probably aren't indexing the magazine when you remove it. Removing is different then inserting - sounds obvious - but some people don't see it. Just as proper, and consistent, grip of the firearm is necessary to properly index - a proper and consistent index on the magazine is needed for a fast and reliable reload; and, yes, you need to look at the magwell.

Almost every competitive shooter carries bullets forward, and uses the index finger of the support hand to index, near or on, the bullet of the first round in the magazine. You are using the index finger to "aim" the magazine to the space between your semi-closed fingers where there just happens to be a magazine well.

For flapped vertical magazine carriers, on the support side, bullets back is not uncommon; where the fingers sweep the flap open and the index is performed with the thumb. Not as fast or reliable as an index finger index. This also works for horizontal flapped magazine carriers (support side) with bullets down, where the "index finger index" really just doesn't work (bullets up or down).

 

One can use the tip of the index finger to index the bullet on a "bullets backward" setup just as easily as "bullets forward," if their arm/hand/wrist more naturally rotates towards the angles required for such. And yes, the base of the magazine will be nestled just as well at the heel of the palm.

Just because someone carries "bullets back" doesn't mean that they need to give up that tactile index of either the bullet nose or the front of the magazine body. That first instructor of mine? He's very adamant about his students using their index finger to properly index the mag, and for the mag to be well-seated in the heel of the palm.

The "reversal" procedure will work to highlight personal preferences as long as the shooter is diligent to not do any mechanical motion differently. It's really no different than practicing the draw stroke by starting out from full extension and working backwards, which is a known valid method for teaching the draw, particularly for beginning shooters.

Similarly, SME Ayoob writes here of a "bullets forward" indexing of the magazine while using flapped vertical magazine carriers:

http://www.glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1521190

Many "bullets forward/outward" setups can also be seen on the GT "Cop Talk" sub-Forum duty belts picture/discussion thread (here's just one such setup: http://www.glocktalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=19775205&postcount=1301 - you can easily see that it's "bullets forward" by the witness holes on the spine of the magazines).

Full disclosure: I carry bullets-forward, even my AR mags. But I have nothing against bullets-facing-rear, as long as the shooter is consistent.

 

Forward for me.

 

Put me down for bullets forward, index finger along the front touching or pointing at the round.

 

Bullets forward, just like this guy.

 

I like my weak hand index finger able to touch the top round,guide in and palm it home

Yep, even with your eyes closed you can touch your off-hand pointer finger to your primary hand pinkie ala mag change position.

 

This is an excellent point.

Bullets backwards was one of the things that didn't work so well for me when I took Combat Focus.

AR and AI mags work better for me with bullets backwards.

I never got the bullets backward thing, especially for mags in support side carry.

Bullets backwards works for me with ARs, too. The curve on the mags makes it a natural for reloads in 3 Gun. I keep my AR mag at the 7:30 position in a lollipop-style pouch. If it's good enough for Miculek, it's good enough for me... :supergrin:

 

Im in the bullets forward crowd

 

Forward.

Hand grasps and draws the magazine, finger indexing the bullet.

Hand comes forward and just rotates counterclockwise to orient the magazine.

This.

 

I never got the bullets backward thing, especially for mags in support side carry.

Bullets backwards works for me with ARs, too. The curve on the mags makes it a natural for reloads in 3 Gun. I keep my AR mag at the 7:30 position in a lollipop-style pouch. If it's good enough for Miculek, it's good enough for me... :supergrin:

One disadvantage of bullets back (BB) in rifle mags is that it's possible to push the top round forward while drawing it out of the mag carrier--especially if the carrier is hard plastic. This can prevent seating the mag.

I still way prefer BB to BF in rifle mags.

 

forward.