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single loading the 1873 rifle on the clock?


Marshal Fire, SASS 10064

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I have noted that there are two ways to load the 73 rifle on the clock, lever closed and through the loading gate and lever open and placing the cartridge onto the carrier. I have watched several youtube videos and see that some shooters are very good at loading onto the carrier. When I have tried it seems to jam more than save time.

With practice both can be fast and it would seem the through the loading gate would have the least potential to jam when the cartridge loads into the chamber.

Interested in any thoughts on which is better (if there is such a thing), is there any modification of the top of the carrier that helps with the loading?

 

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I think both ways are effective, once properly learned. 

As for me, I've never become proficient at loading through the gate with one hand, while holding the rifle, so I normally top load with the lever wide open. 

 

 For top loading, it's quite difficult to load a normal .38 cal, 1.54" COL. rifle cartridge around the ejector.  Using a shorter round usually solves the problem.  

 

If you are jambing reloads trying to top load, try these things: 

1)  be very sure the lever is open all the way.

2) point the muzzle down slightly. 

3) hold the rifle level side to side. 

4) watch what you are doing. 

(The last one is important.)  

 

I can do a top reload in 2-3 seconds.   I know folks who load through the gate in 1-1/2.  I don't consider the difference to be major, in context with what other Transitions cost. JMHO.  

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I'm sure someone will post pictures of the mod that's 

needed to load over the top. 

For 18 years I loaded over the top any where between 1 to 11 seconds. Just recently started loading through the side.  Not quite as fast yet, but no more  11 second reloads.  .2 seconds isn't worth the risk anymore. 

 

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1 hour ago, Hells Comin said:

I'm sure someone will post pictures of the mod that's 

needed to load over the top. 

For 18 years I loaded over the top any where between 1 to 11 seconds. Just recently started loading through the side.  Not quite as fast yet, but no more  11 second reloads.  .2 seconds isn't worth the risk anymore. 

 

All of my through-the-gate reloads are the 11 second kind--- after I find and pick up the cartridge that squirted out of my hand under spring pressure.  

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I put a LOT of effort into shooting sub-2 second rifle strings and along the path, I jacked out a LOT of rifle rounds and still do on occasion.  Because of this I had to learn how to reload on the clock out of necessity.  For me, over the top with my right hand is the fastest.  It wasn't in the beginning, but after hundreds of attempts, I feel confident with my technique.  It all comes down to what technique you want to invest the time in.  If you only do it a few times a year, you may not get really good at either, but if you do it a few times a match (or stage), you get pretty good.  :D

 

A slightly shorter .38 round helps and I did that in the beginning, but now I just use my standard length reloads and don't go to the trouble of loading shorter rounds for reloads.

 

I have also watched a world champion reload a Marlin through the gate vs. tossing it in the action like most.  Through the gate is likely the safest way if you don't want to invest the time in really learning another technique.

 

Totes

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I personally do it "Through the Top."  However, I shoot Cowboy 45 Special through my 1873 and Henry rifles, and 44 Russian thru my 1866.  Case length is not a problem.  Well, unless of course you get a round "nose down" in the front of the Carrier Block.

 

There are down sides to any method.  My first council, is "Don't Jack Out a Live Round" and if I do that, I just eat the miss.  Goin to the belt for a reload, reloading, shooting averages 7 to nine seconds.  Eat the miss for 5 and save two.  If it's a stage required one round reload for all, I go thru the side.

 

If your rifle is trying to spit a side load round back out, your Magazine Spring is too heavy.  A little judicious chopping and channeling may be due rigger.

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50 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

...There are down sides to any method.  My first council, is "Don't Jack Out a Live Round" and if I do that, I just eat the miss.  Goin to the belt for a reload, reloading, shooting averages 7 to nine seconds.  Eat the miss for 5 and save two.  If it's a stage required one round reload for all, I go thru the side....

I think we've all seen the shooter, often a newer shooter, who reaches all around hunting for their reload on the belt, then fumble it into the gate so that it is a 15 or 20 second reload.  Unless they are struggling for a clean match, I'm thinking Sheesh, take the miss!  Same thing with shotgun if they are that slow!  On the other hand, coming in last place by 30 seconds isn't that much better than coming in last by 3 minutes.

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1 hour ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

I personally do it "Through the Top."  However, I shoot Cowboy 45 Special through my 1873 and Henry rifles, and 44 Russian thru my 1866.  Case length is not a problem.  Well, unless of course you get a round "nose down" in the front of the Carrier Block.

 

There are down sides to any method.  My first council, is "Don't Jack Out a Live Round" and if I do that, I just eat the miss.  Goin to the belt for a reload, reloading, shooting averages 7 to nine seconds.  Eat the miss for 5 and save two.  If it's a stage required one round reload for all, I go thru the side.

 

If your rifle is trying to spit a side load round back out, your Magazine Spring is too heavy.  A little judicious chopping and channeling may be due rigger.

 

I’m with CC on this, if I spit out a round I’ll take the miss

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Well, first I try to load over the top. With lever closed. Open lever. Try to go thru gate. Close lever. Go over the top. After about 4 rotations I finally go in the correct hole!

 

I think going over the top is marginally faster. Thru the gate probably less risky. As Totes said, Pick one and stay with it. Even practice!  Probably most important is having the spare round handy, where you can grab it quickly. 

34 minutes ago, Griff said:

Spit out a round?  1st - Don't put them in your mouth!  :P

Wait I til you try to reload that Lightning! 

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I have heard that some will make a modification to the top of the carrier that makes loading over the top more efficient.

What is done to the carrier.

Shotgun Boggie has a loading gate that he sells for the 1873 that should make the reloading through the gate better?

I watched some the videos from EOT and several shooters are extremely fast with the top reload. But the again they also seem to manage to throw out a live round more often so they are well practiced. Guess the real answer is practice with the rifle enough that you do not throw out live rounds.

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Prefer to load through the gate, I've fitted Boogies 66 style loading gate and it is far quicker, usually I can do 2 to 3 secs.

Keep the rifle in the shoulder, round is  placed on the belt right behind 1st sg round. loading with the right hand. Another quick way is load with 

your weak hand Left in my case, holding rifle with right hand twisted 90 deg gate up, but flat up against arm on under side, and shove it in dead vertical into the gate, it slips right in.

Kathouse Kelli loads like that after T bone showed her.:D

Larger cals I found easier than smaller cals to load over the top, I load my 44 russian over the top, cause you cant get it in through the gate far enough, to get in 

front of the little spring load gate inside the carrier.

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When I shot 45, I became fairly adept at pretty fast over the top reloads using 45 Schofield rounds. When I switched over to 38-40, I was not able to reload rounds that would reliably work over the top, regardless of oal, so I transitioned to right handed reloads through the gate. Recently, I’ve switched to left handed reloads through the gate and find them much smoother. 

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19 hours ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

I think we've all seen the shooter, often a newer shooter, who reaches all around hunting for their reload on the belt, 

 

one of my loading table tasks it to always check the location of my reloads.  I had the loops sewn onto a blank badge holder that can slide around my belt.  

 

felt this was better than having 20 loops on the belt with either

1. all of the filled--too heavy, or

2. just a few in the loops which looks 'funny' to me

 

After all the Long Ranger always had his loops full

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To Jack Rabbit Joe;

How do you load? I've seen your scores from different matches and however you're doing it must be all right. You shot at Boulder City in 2021; I didn't get a chance to meet you, but I hope to in the future. [It'll probably be in Boulder City, Eldorado Cowboys.]

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On 4/28/2022 at 2:51 PM, Totes Magoats said:

I put a LOT of effort into shooting sub-2 second rifle strings and along the path, I jacked out a LOT of rifle rounds and still do on occasion.  Because of this I had to learn how to reload on the clock out of necessity.  For me, over the top with my right hand is the fastest.  It wasn't in the beginning, but after hundreds of attempts, I feel confident with my technique.  It all comes down to what technique you want to invest the time in.  If you only do it a few times a year, you may not get really good at either, but if you do it a few times a match (or stage), you get pretty good.  :D

 

A slightly shorter .38 round helps and I did that in the beginning, but now I just use my standard length reloads and don't go to the trouble of loading shorter rounds for reloads.

 

I have also watched a world champion reload a Marlin through the gate vs. tossing it in the action like most.  Through the gate is likely the safest way if you don't want to invest the time in really learning another technique.

 

Totes

If I jack out rounds at tomorrow’s match its only cuz you're a great role model!

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For a reload, or a jacked out live round, I have my vest pockets, and/or a pouch on my belt filled with extra cartridges.

Only once that I recall have I had to do a reload on, not a 73, but a Henry.  No loading gate, so I had to go over the top.   Fumbling to push down the carrier so I could stuff a round in the chamber was very awkward.   Based on that one time experience, if I had to do a reload with my 66 or 73, I'd close the lever and go though the gate.

With a 92 or my Lightnings, it's much easier to load over the top.

Haven't tried it with the Burgess yet, but it looks pretty similar to the 92.

No idea what the best way to do a reload with a Marlin would be, but I'd think southpaws would have an advantage.  For the matter, a lefty would also have an advantage with the 66/73 if using the loading gate.

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21 hours ago, Hoss said:

Wait I til you try to reload that Lightning! 

Reload?  In Wild Bunch?  Barely use a 1/2 of the magazine!  

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I was playing 45 Cowboy specials the other day loading in the top,  much easier than full length 45 Colt.  Do you have some 38 shorts or can you cut some 38 specials down?

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I always load through the gate. I never had much luck over the top and I’m not going to practice it! 

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On 4/14/2022 at 8:48 AM, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

This is a video of me loading through the loading gate with my left hand. For me it’s the fastest others may be a lot faster loading from the top.

 Thanks 

Randy

 

 

 

 

On 4/14/2022 at 11:52 AM, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

This video shows the reload a little better.

 

 

 

Randy

Practice 012.MOV 65.87 MB · 2 downloads

 

I load through the gate with my left hand. When I started practicing a reload this way I loaded my first 3 rounds at the loading table from the belt this way at every stage. It helped me a lot.  I’m not super fast at it but it’s typically faster than taking a miss.

 

 Thanks 

Randy 

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