Tips & Techniques: Handgun Reloads & Grip Relaxation

by
posted on April 30, 2020
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
relax.jpg

When working with a defensive handgun we often focus too much on speed, particularly when it comes time to conduct a reload. Being able to reload your handgun in a hurry is a good thing, but many shooters make a potentially fatal mistake in the process. If you have partially depleted your on-board ammunition supply and want to conduct a speed reload to top the gun off, do not drop the partially expended magazine until your support hand has located the fully loaded magazine that’s on your person. Always secure a fresh magazine before you eject the one in your gun because an almost-empty gun is still better than a completely empty gun.

New shooters tend to grip a handgun very tightly. It’s a good idea to hold on to a handgun firmly, but you don’t want to squeeze it like you are going to break it. Your thumb applies minimal enhancement to handgun grip strength, and very often—due to sympathetic squeeze response—it can move during the trigger press. This can alter the sight picture at the moment the trigger breaks. When shooting a handgun, relax the thumb and keep it relaxed as you press the trigger. 

Latest

attack in a back alley
attack in a back alley

Cold Performance: How to Prepare for the Uncertainty of Self-Defense

Defensive gun use is defined by uncertainty. You don’t know when it will happen, how far away the threat will be, how many threats you will face or what position you will be in when it begins.

Derya Goes Silent: The OBone Suppressor

In 2025, Turkish manufacturer Derya Arms opened a new facility in Florida, enabling the company to produce a number of new products domestically, such as its new OBone suppressor.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 26, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Rifleman Q&A: Understanding a Firearm's Cycle of Operation

The cycle of operation is the mechanical sequence of events that it takes to fire one shot out of a firearm. If one of those steps fails to take place as designed, there is an interruption in the cycle of operation and the gun stops firing.

Review: Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm Riflescope

Looking for a performance LPVO without the usual associated cost? The Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm might be your answer.

Myths & Misunderstandings About the “Modern Fighting 1911”

The Colt Model 1911 pistol and its derivatives are among the most iconic military handguns ever made. But in 2026, does the M1911 still hold up as a quality defensive arm?

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.