Ejecting a live round from the rifle

[Irish Pat]

I ejected a rifle cartridge during a match.  it seems to me that I took about 15 seconds to get a cartridge out of my belt, put it in the magazine, lever it up to the chamber and make the replacement shot. Would you just take the 5 seconds for the miss? Irish ☘️ Pat

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

A lot of shooters can reload a lot quicker than 15 seconds so it would be worth it to them.  Also, a lot of people would do it to keep a clean match.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Never.   I'd practice until I get to a reliable sub-4 second reload.  good luck, GJ

[Boggus Deal #64218]

I’m with Joe. I figured out the fastest way for me to do it and I practiced hard to do it well under 5 seconds!

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

I always reload 

[Irish Pat]

if I have a clean matc going I think I will reload but if i already have a miss I think i will let it slide till I can load faster 

 

[Boggus Deal #64218]

Take 100 rounds to the range and practice just reloads. Shooting a 66 or 73, there is at least 3 methods. A Marlin at least 2 methods.

[Assassin]

With the drag race stages we shoot today,  kick out a round you just lost the match. Might get the reload in 3.5 seconds if you're good. Better off practicing to shoot smoothly. Clean matches are over rated and typically cause a shooter to shoot slower. Back when only 3 or 4 shooters were clean at WR it was much more fun. I don't reload the round, just stay focused and keep shooting. 

[doc roy l. pain]

Most good shooters can do a reload in around 2 seconds. Less if they realize they’ve thrown one out before they get to the end of the string. Fastest I’ve ever done it on the clock was 1.2 seconds shot to shot, but usually around 2-2 1/2 seconds. Sometimes longer if you fumble lol

Edited March 3 by doc roy l. pain

[Scarlett]

Running the timer a good bit, the most time people waste with a reload is locating it on their rig. They reach around for everything and spotters are hollering where it is! I don’t jack a lot of rounds but will occasionally get a dead primer.. before I go to the stage, I make sure 1) I have reloads 2) they are where they are supposed to be and 3) I’ll push one or two up a little bit to make sure it’s easy to grab. 
 

Hugs!

Scarlett

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

BIG PLUS ONE for Scarlett You betcha.  Always be PREPARED.

[Irish Pat]

Thanks, I love you, Scarlet 

[Blackwater 53393]

Shooting an 1860 Henry replica, I learned to reload over the top.  It’s much faster for me to load the toggle link rifles over the top than to shove one through the loading gate and then lever it into the chamber.

 

I got to where I could comfortably do a reload in under five seconds and that made it worth not taking the miss!

[watab kid]

5 hours ago, Irish Pat said:

if I have a clean matc going I think I will reload but if i already have a miss I think i will let it slide till I can load faster 

 

im with pat on this one , if i already have a miss ill take the second , if im clean ill do the reload , 

[Hoss]

7 hours ago, Boggus Deal #64218 said:

Take 100 rounds to the range and practice just reloads. Shooting a 66 or 73, there is at least 3 methods. A Marlin at least 2 methods.

For 66/73 it’s thru the gate or over the top. Not sure what 3rd option is?  I’ve tried both. Over the top nominally faster, if no hiccups. Thru the gate likely to be cleaner. Unless you leave lever open. Then close it and try to load over top.  Then open it. Go to gate. Back & forth about 3 times. Then finally get it in and yup, lever & jack it out !!! 
 

marlin is thru the ejection port. Definitely easiest reload! (You can go thru the gate but very few do!) 

[Rye Miles #13621]

15 seconds is a long time to reload but if you’re fumbling it could be I guess. It should take no more than 5 seconds but stuff happens! 😳

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 3 by Rye Miles #13621

[Boggus Deal #64218]

4 hours ago, Hoss said:

For 66/73 it’s thru the gate or over the top. Not sure what 3rd option is?  I’ve tried both. Over the top nominally faster, if no hiccups. Thru the gate likely to be cleaner. Unless you leave lever open. Then close it and try to load over top.  Then open it. Go to gate. Back & forth about 3 times. Then finally get it in and yup, lever & jack it out !!! 
 

marlin is thru the ejection port. Definitely easiest reload! (You can go thru the gate but very few do!) 

Two different ways to go through the gate, if you’re a right handed shooter. Holding it against your shoulder with your left hand, pull round with your right hand, insert in gate, cycle action and shoot. That’s my favorite. Second way is to turn gun flat with loading gate up, reach down with left hand, pull live round with left hand, insert in gate, turn rifle back to normal position, cycle action and shoot.

 

[Arkansas Harper SASS #33169]

If you jack a live round and do not reload, don't you get a miss for the ejected round and a "P" for failure to engage all of the targets in the correct order..  If you don't get a P, please explain why.

 

Inquiring mind wants to know.

 

Arkansas Harper 33169

[Santa Fe River Stan,36999L]

5 minutes ago, Arkansas Harper SASS #33169 said:

If you jack a live round and do not reload, don't you get a miss for the ejected round and a "P" for failure to engage all of the targets in the correct order..  If you don't get a P, please explain why.

 

Inquiring mind wants to know.

 

Arkansas Harper 33169

From PaleWolf

 

A shooter who ejects a rifle round in the middle of a shooting string has FOUR choices:  

1) Re-engage same target; then reload at the end of the string for the last target = No Penalty  

2) Re-engage same target w/NO reload = Miss for the ejected (unfired) round  

3) Skip to next target w/NO reload = Miss  

4) Skip to next target w/reload/return to re-engage skipped target = Procedural  

 

Obviously number 1 is the best choice if you can reload in less than five seconds.......otherwise 2 or 3 show you only get a miss and no P.

 

Here's a link to PWB's website.....  http://www.oowss.com/ROCornerIndex.htm then click on Reload Choices (edited 31 Jan 2024)

 

Stan

[High Spade Mikey Wilson]

Nope.....I only would reload if I was going for a clean match, and I never shoot clean matches.

[Black Angus McPherson]

I may be the odd man out, but I always reload and take the shot.  Clean match?  Irrelevant.  Time?  (Mostly) Irrelevant.  I don't want to slow down the match.

 

They gave me a target to shoot and, by God, I'm gonna shoot it!  More shooting = more fun.  Reload or no reload, clean match or not I don't think I'll be in danger of winning anything except, maybe, the raffle.

 

Angus

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Unless I have already lost the clean match, I will take as long as is needed to reload that jacked out shot.  Using a marlin 88, but it didn't matter...
 

 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

My match rifles are Henrys.  I religiously practice reloads.  I practice every time I might kick out a live one inna match.  Practice it every time that happens.  When I do, do that "practice," I also include practicing dropping the round, then picking it back up and starting over.

 

It's real fun practice, practicing all that, you betcha.  Prevents it from being boring, dontcha know.

[El Sobrante Kid]

8 hours ago, Santa Fe River Stan,36999L said:

From PaleWolf

 

A shooter who ejects a rifle round in the middle of a shooting string has FOUR choices:  

1) Re-engage same target; then reload at the end of the string for the last target = No Penalty  

2) Re-engage same target w/NO reload = Miss for the ejected (unfired) round  

3) Skip to next target w/NO reload = Miss  

4) Skip to next target w/reload/return to re-engage skipped target = Procedural  

 

Obviously number 1 is the best choice if you can reload in less than five seconds.......otherwise 2 or 3 show you only get a miss and no P.

 

Here's a link to PWB's website.....  http://www.oowss.com/ROCornerIndex.htm then click on Reload Choices (edited 31 Jan 2024)

 

Stan

 

Shouldn't there be a 5th option? Immediately reload for the jacked round, re-engage the same target, finish the string. Am I missing something? Which is very possible.

[John Kloehr]

19 minutes ago, El Sobrante Kid said:

 

Shouldn't there be a 5th option? Immediately reload for the jacked round, re-engage the same target, finish the string. Am I missing something? Which is very possible.

I think so too, or I'm missing whatever you are. It seems the jacked-out round could be reloaded any time up until it is needed, though I will be taking a look at loading one into the top rather than using the side gate. I have not yet had this happen.

[El Sobrante Kid]

Thinking about it, it probably has to do with the way the gun ('66/'73) operates. If you jack a round and leave the lever open, you would have a live round loaded from the magazine onto the carrier, ready to be chambered. If you close the lever you would have a live round that had been chambered. So no opportunity to reload the jacked round until you run the gun empty.

[Boggus Deal #64218]

11 minutes ago, El Sobrante Kid said:

Thinking about it, it probably has to do with the way the gun ('66/'73) operates. If you jack a round and leave the lever open, you would have a live round loaded from the magazine onto the carrier, ready to be chambered. If you close the lever you would have a live round that had been chambered. So no opportunity to reload the jacked round until you run the gun empty.

If the lever is closed, you could still use either of the two methods I mentioned to load through the gate.

[El Sobrante Kid]

21 minutes ago, Boggus Deal #64218 said:

If the lever is closed, you could still use either of the two methods I mentioned to load through the gate.

 

Technically you are correct, it can be done. Is it OK to load a round into a rifle with a round already in the chamber and the hammer cocked? Is there a rule prohibiting this action? It seems like this could be some type of safety violation. Thx

[Boggus Deal #64218]

11 minutes ago, El Sobrante Kid said:

 

Technically you are correct, it can be done. Is it OK to load a round into a rifle with a round already in the chamber and the hammer cocked? Is there a rule prohibiting this action? It seems like this could be some type of safety violation. Thx

If the gun don’t leave the shooter’s hands and you don’t break the 170°, I don’t think there is a problem but maybe PWB can clarify.

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

13 minutes ago, Boggus Deal #64218 said:

If the gun don’t leave the shooter’s hands and you don’t break the 170°, I don’t think there is a problem but maybe PWB can clarify.

 

Is OK.

[Scarlett]

On 3/2/2026 at 9:21 PM, Irish Pat said:

Thanks, I love you, Scarlet 

😘Love you, too! 
 

Hugs!

Scarlett

[Scarlett]

8 hours ago, El Sobrante Kid said:

 

Shouldn't there be a 5th option? Immediately reload for the jacked round, re-engage the same target, finish the string. Am I missing something? Which is very possible.

If I’m gonna reload, it’s gonna be at the end of the string… to immediately reload while there may be a round in the chamber w/hammer cocked and trying to reload? Unsafe and too risky for shooting the table/prop. Just keep going and engage the next targets in order and reload for the last shot. The jacked round doesn’t “count” for the target you were attempting to shoot so it wouldn’t be a p or any other penalty. 
 

If it’s an 11 round rifle string that can be loaded anytime after beep (not a jacked round) I’m loading before I pick up my rifle.

 

Hugs!

Scarlett

[Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L]

You have to reload!  If you don't, the Bad Guy Gets Away! 

 

I'm to the point where it takes me just under 5 seconds to do a reload, but once and a while when the stars align, I can do it in under 3, and occasionally it will take me 7 or 8, but it's part of the game.  Never let the Bad Guy Get Away! 

 

 

 

Edited March 4 by Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L
'Cause I Don't Spel Two Gud!

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Some rifles are easier to reload, and can be done multiple ways.

 

1.  Colt Lightning:  With the bolt open, stuff a round in through the loading gate and cycle the action to chamber it.   OR stuff the round directly into the chamber.  Directly into chamber is quicker.
2.  Henry:  With the action open, push down the carrier and stuff a round into the chamber.   Reloading from the front is not really an option.
3.  Winchester 66/73:  As with they Henry, OR close the bolt and put one in through the gate.  Cycle and fire.  Personally, I find the second option eaiier.
4.  Winchester 92:  With bolt open stuff round into chamber, OR close the bolt and go through the gate.   I find into the chamber easier.
5.  Marlin 88.  With the bolt open, stuff into chamber.  OR close the bolt and go through the gate.  As you saw in the video, I found the going into the chamber to be somewhat awkward.   This may be due to the fact that it's a .32-20, and not much room to fiddle around with.
6.  Marlin 92.   Reloading from the front is not a good idea.   But that .32 Colt round is small, and there's not a lot of room to stuff it into the chamber.  Still, this really the only way to do it.  I'd be more tempted to take the miss if using this rifle than any other of the clean match was gone.
7.  Marling 89/94.  (Essentially the same gun)  I find going in from the side on these guns to be awkward.   Not as bad as with the 92, but more of hassle than a top loader, so I'd say close the bolt and go through the gate.
8.  Winchester 94 in .44 Magnum (Pre 83)  Same as the 92, in my experience.   And, this gun gets a bad rap.   It actually works rather well, if you can find one.   Maybe the far more common post 83s with angle eject are so inferior that this is where the bad reputation comes from?
9.  Marlin 336 in .44 Magnum.  I don't have one of these yet, but I have a feeling that going in through the side will be easier than the 94.  Pure speculation.
10.  Spencer.   Loading through the top for a jacked out round, or just the last 3 is FAR superior to trying to reload through the butt.

And that's my assessment. 

[Griff]

Jack a round out... unfired?  My gawd what is this coming to?