# Best place to keep extra rounds for a quick reload ?



## Blackcat (Nov 12, 2012)

Im thinking about my lever action in this case but it probably applies to others like shotguns and such.

For a follow up reload you want the quickest route to go from A - B
A > being where your spares are kept. removing them, the motion to the loading gate, into the gun and B cycled and ready to fire.

Considering the options...

Side belt ammo pouch:
Pros - Rounds are out of the way and protected from the elements.
Cons - Probably the slowest place to get from A - B especially if they are covered under a coat or parka.

Side saddle or buttstock ammo holder:
Pros - Quicker reload, easy access.
Cons - Exposed to the elements, rounds could get dropped from open loops, seems like a bit of a juggling act to flip the gun remove the rounds flip to thenother side and load...

Chest or sling mounted:
Seems about the same as the buttstock mount.
Sling could be a bit more awkward depending on how your holding it.
The chest mount is pretty exposed and probably requires a special vest or rig.

ATM my money is probably on a good side belt pouch even at the cost of a slow reload time.

Anybody have other thoughts about this ?


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## PCH5150 (Jun 15, 2015)

Right now I keep a buttstock holder on my 12 guage, often with a mix of 00 buck and a slug or two. I think ideally a side belt ammo pouch in addition to that would work.


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## Gimble (Aug 14, 2015)

This is why detachable mags were invented.

While I appreciate the "run what you brung" attitude, you're using a hand saw to pound in a nail. It will get the job done, but the work will be shoddy, the saw will be torn up and in this case, you'll be dead.

Glock or M&P with at least 2 extra mags on your belt on your weak side.

AR with a Chest rig and several extra mags

Outside of that, you get into specialized gear that makes slow guns fast like speed loaders or stripper clips or feed ramps.











If you're just trying to have fun and do something cool go for it... but if you're trying to defend yourself against multiple attackers, you should either have multiple lever actions or an AR with several mags (and a backup AR)


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

On my 870, I've got a side saddle mounted to the receiver and an aftermarket collapsible buttstock with another 5 or 6 shell holder.
Each holder has shells loaded in an appropriate orientation to allow easy withdrawal, yet still keep the gun shouldered and ready.
The sidesaddle has rounds "butt down" to reach under the receiver, and the buttstock has them "butt up" to reach over.
The sling point and lever on the buttstock would interfere with an underside reach.

I also have a bandoleer, but that's just for moving more ammunition. Not really for reloading on the go.


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## Blackcat (Nov 12, 2012)

Its true if you want to be as fast as possible get a gun built for a quick reload.
I should have been more specific, my bad.
Im talking about getting the most out of slow loading firearms.

I have been considering the side saddle or buttstock kauboy. For the most part they work well.
The biggest drawback im weighing it against is dropping rounds.
It may not be the same for everyone but every "open" style holder ive used where the rounds are friction fit. When im going through the thick brush they tend fall out.

A bandoleer seems like a good way to move the extra ammo though.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

I just use a bandoleer, chest type. Grab the gun and throw the extra ammo hanging on the wall next to the rifle over my head and go.

Have them for the 44mag, 308 and 300 win mag. Quickest and easiest way to haul an extra 50 rounds in a hurry.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I have a 6 mag bandoleer for my 30 rd USGI AR mags

For a lever I'm fond of the allen buttstock elastic socks


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## jim-henscheli (May 4, 2015)

Brace yourself, I often wear a four pocket smock, like a BDU jacket, and it holds ten or so rounds per pocket, and i dont feel that its to slow, reaching in and grabbing two at a time, and reloading while keeping more or less on target. Now, the reason I do it this way is because, many of my outfits, from my scrubs to my bike jersey, have a similar pocket set up. So its less to keep up with.


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## SoCal92057 (Apr 12, 2014)

The best place to keep extra rounds for a quick reload is in a second gun.


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## Hemi45 (May 5, 2014)

Rollypolys are great for shotgun shells and those big ole rounds of yours should work in similar fashion.

Dump Pouches - MAXPEDITION


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

SoCal92057 said:


> The best place to keep extra rounds for a quick reload is in a second gun.


NYReload?


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## Renec (Dec 21, 2012)

I recently was privileged to take a defensive hunting rifle course with a great instructor. I view my Winchester 94 in an entirely new light!
We used simple elastic butt stock shell holders as ammo sleeves and practiced "combat reloads" while moving and shooting. I found that having a sleeve on my right arm allowed me to drop 3 rounds in the tube magazine and one in the breach very quickly.
This is exactly the sleeve I used. Allen Company Elastic Buttstock Rifle Cartridge Holder - Walmart.com
I am going to add a few more to my collection..having a couple "pre-loaded" in a dump pouch will keep you running for quite a while.
We started out at 150 yards,empty rifle. 1 combat load,shoot 3 rounds move in to 100 yards,shoot prone load 3 rounds (while moving in) to 75 yards,kneel-3 rounds...you get the idea. transition to pistol at 15 yards. This over rough terrain while loading and running. It was a blast!


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## SoCal92057 (Apr 12, 2014)

AquaHull said:


> NYReload?


You got it, NY reload.


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## Blackcat (Nov 12, 2012)

Rotflmao NYreload... 
Yeah thats also covered haha 

Still not the point im getting at. Im talking about most effective way to reload one firearm of the lever or pump action style.
Ive got semi autos, pistols, sks and so on.

Multiple firearmes and magazines are not a problem, just not really what im getting at.
I want to carry spares for my lever or shotgun, in an efficient and effective way that doesnt involve fumbilng around to get them from holder to chamber.

Renec I have some of those... Im curious how you use that. Forearm with rounds on the inner arm I take it ?
Im going to try that just because


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## Renec (Dec 21, 2012)

I'm a righty..so the sleeve goes on my right arm. For inside our out,that may be personal preference. Mine are on the outside for pushing as many rounds as I can into the mag tube,then drop one in the top (old win 94 is top eject). I can roll the rifle on it's side,load a few quickly and get right back to shooting.


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## Springsprepper (Oct 25, 2015)

In my opinion nothing will be better than having a chest rig for that said rifle or the shotgun. Obviously two are not needed for the same type of rifle. I also think each rifle should have some sort of way to have extra rounds on it. Take my shotgun for example. I have the velcro side saddle, as well as the velcro buttstock saddle. The velcro shotgun cards can be attached like the side saddle or thrown on the buttstock, or in it (look up the shotgun buttstock ammo holder that has a zipper).Its true what you say about loosing rounds. I have seen many videos where they fall out of all types of saddles. From debris or the recoil. I am not sure what can be done about it other than have more cards ready to slap of ammo to slap on. In all the shotgun has 16 rounds on it. Now when I get my shotgun chest rig I will have a way to back those 16 rounds if needed. The same can be applied to your rifle.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

Don't reload.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

A an elastic bullet cuff on the stock or arm seems like it would be quicker loading than pulling from a pocket or shell belt. The way I see it, if I start feeling the need to load a lever action quickly, then it's time to switch it out for an AR or AK.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Renec said:


> I recently was privileged to take a defensive hunting rifle course with a great instructor. I view my Winchester 94 in an entirely new light!
> We used simple elastic butt stock shell holders as ammo sleeves and practiced "combat reloads" while moving and shooting. I found that having a sleeve on my right arm allowed me to drop 3 rounds in the tube magazine and one in the breach very quickly.
> This is exactly the sleeve I used. Allen Company Elastic Buttstock Rifle Cartridge Holder - Walmart.com
> I am going to add a few more to my collection..having a couple "pre-loaded" in a dump pouch will keep you running for quite a while.
> We started out at 150 yards,empty rifle. 1 combat load,shoot 3 rounds move in to 100 yards,shoot prone load 3 rounds (while moving in) to 75 yards,kneel-3 rounds...you get the idea. transition to pistol at 15 yards. This over rough terrain while loading and running. It was a blast!


The Allen Elastic cuffs are what I use actually. For the recoil challenged it adds some mass to the long gun helping reduce felt recoil

The issue I have is..., that I ... don't run or advance to danger. I would lose my Castle Doctrine Protection that way.

Train the way you fight.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I won't edit my post. 

It is nice to know how to advance and play Army when all heck has broke loose and you have nothing to lose.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

I've been known to keep a round or two between my lips like a cigarette when the fit hits the shan. Lead end OUT obviously.


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## Renec (Dec 21, 2012)

No offence taken Aqua. If i was holding a Fort,I'd practice from the Battlements. There is lots of open ground out here. That's why we ran the course we did. Ofc that same technique can be used to travel in any direction..towards cover maybe? Or possibly advancing to retrieve that "upgrade" AR?
a fella in the IDF I had spoken with told me something once that struck a chord. "Attack,Attack,Attack"...when they were outnumbered and outgunned..they attacked. It won them a war.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

AquaHull said:


> The Allen Elastic cuffs are what I use actually. For the recoil challenged it adds some mass to the long gun helping reduce felt recoil
> 
> The issue I have is..., that I ... don't run or advance to danger. I would lose my Castle Doctrine Protection that way.
> 
> Train the way you fight.


I think there is some regional context missing here. Renec hunts out in the high desert of AZ. You don't see a lot of people out there and when you do, good chance there is meth. He has no castle to retreat to. In many case, more than most, retreat is the best option, but sometimes when you have no where to retreat to then you stay in hunt mode and flip from deer to the not so elusive two legged high desert tweaker.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

Melissa Harris Perry wears her reloads as ear rings.


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## phrogman (Apr 17, 2014)

I use a side saddle mounted on the receiver. I also have a belt that holds 25 rounds that I can throw over and wear across my chest if things got really bad.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

GTGallop said:


> I think there is some regional context missing here. Renec hunts out in the high desert of AZ. You don't see a lot of people out there and when you do, good chance there is meth. He has no castle to retreat to. In many case, more than most, retreat is the best option, but sometimes when you have no where to retreat to then you stay in hunt mode and flip from deer to the not so elusive two legged high desert tweaker.


I have my 6 mag bandoleer, with 3 on the PC, 4 on the H Rig for those times of need.
Of course The Great Lake State frowns on LGOC, so I just carry my under 26" AR Pistol under the Authority of my CPL.

Meth Heads are 200 ' away as I type this in my back room.
I can leave some "cold" meds out for "Bait"


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## Renec (Dec 21, 2012)

Let me describe an incident that happened in August in our local area.
We have auxiliary sheriff citizen's patrol here to assist the Deputies. On the day in question,this ASCP officer was baited into following an ATV that was behaving erratically and traveling at a high rate of speed. The officer followed up a long dirt road to find the ATV abandoned. When he stepped out of his car to investigate,they engaged him with an AR and AK from an ambush position. He was hit once in the hip and retreated to his car and began to escape. They the switched to a Barret's .50 to try to stop him. He managed to escape and Local authorities converged on the location. 3 suspects were taken into custody. Several weapons were recovered as well as a Marijuana grow operation being discovered. The property in question was supposed to be vacant.
Fortunately,the ASCP officer wasn't badly injured. The round hit his mag holder on his left side and fragmented. I had the opportunity to chat with him a few weeks later and he was doing well.
This is what I keep in mind when training in my area. He was close enough to his vehicle to retreat,but it was not an excellent option. the vehicle only offered concealment,not cover. The attackers dumped somewhere around 60 rounds in his direction and only hit him once. Even once is too many,but it's a very very poor hit ratio. Cover is hard to find,but moving and returning fire may afford you the chance to not get hit! Bear in mind,this was not Cartel activity. It was "Sovereign Citizens". There are some pretty lonely place out in this area.
What I learned personally from taking that course- I'm not outgunned,keep moving,find cover. And Train!!! 
For those of you in the Tuscon area that might be interested it getting in contact with the Instructor I took the course with : Matt Shozda can be reached at [email protected] and his website is FMI: Firearms Training, Survival Training and Self Reliance


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

If you aren't shooting, you're reloading, if you aren't reloading, you're moving, if you aren't moving, you're dead.


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

I have a few Blackhawk buttstock shell holders. They work well and they're 9.00


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

I don't plan to be in such a situation, . . . but if I were, . . . I'm thinking a chest rig would be my "go to" idea, . . . in the form of a vest.

Velcro on the front of the rig, . . . velcro on the back of the various caliber / gauge shell carriers. I can load up as I need to for a given situation.

In my SHTF scenario at my location, . . . I plan on some patrolling of the area, . . . which will necessitate different load outs for different areas I may patrol. Thus, . . . I want something that will be common to all, . . . yet individual to all.

I can carry AR mags, . . . AK mags, . . . M14 mags, . . . 12 gauge, . . . or whatever seems to be the "most likely needed" for the situation.

In RVN, . . . I carried a M3 sometimes, . . . chest pouch + had mama-san sew an additional pouch down each side pocket in my jungle britches. If I'd a had to use it all up, . . . there would have been one heck of a pile of brass where I made my last stand.

Don't remember who it was that said it, . . . but I fully ascribe to the idea of packing as much ammo as is reasonable, . . . and making it accessible, . . . nobody ever came in from a firefight and complained that from now on he just ain't packing so much ammo.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

I would like to take a tactical lever action class. I think I could learn a lot.


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