AR Sponsor
Posted: 1/9/2016 3:41:44 PM EDT
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We all know how difficult a fast reload can be when under stress and especially in the dark (that trying to fit a box in a box thing).
Your usual enlarged mag wells can work very well (Lancers are excellent but pricey, IMHO) but most add-on enlarged mag wells may not work w/all mags and most look downright ugly. This got me to thinking (always a bad idea  ) about just how much help do we really need to increase the speed and reliability of fast reloads, so here's my idea (if I can articulate it clearly):
Looking DOWN at your AR lower, how about a small 90 degree-angled piece of material placed at the top right corner of the mag well (the corner right under the pin head). It would come down perhaps .5" and extend maybe .75" long in both directions. In effect, lowering the sides of the mag well only in that small area (ie: the front and right sides only, not all the way around like typical enlarged mag wells) and creating a small corner of extended mag well. To reload quickly you catch the front/right corner of your fresh mag in that extended mag well corner which indexes the mag for full insertion. Well, how does this sound? Tomac |
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The guide thus described, if I understand it correctly, is one sided? If so, wouldn't it make reloading from the right side more difficult, as the mag well is now obscured by the slightly elongated guide?
I think it's a good idea, if you can figure out how to make it ambidextrous friendly. |
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The guide thus described, if I understand it correctly, is one sided? If so, wouldn't it make reloading from the right side more difficult, as the mag well is now obscured by the slightly elongated guide? I think it's a good idea, if you can figure out how to make it ambidextrous friendly. You're correct in that it would be one-sided, but so simple a design should be easily reversible for lefty use as well. Tomac |
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More training rather than another doodad. What you are describing is already built into the lower. Due to the angle cut, you can "index" off the back of the mag well. Ever try a reload when it's completely dark? While under stress? Try it sometime w/an empty mag/rifle w/your eyes closed. Tell me how training overcomes that. Tomac |
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Ever try a reload when it's completely dark? While under stress? Try it sometime w/an empty mag/rifle w/your eyes closed. Tell me how training overcomes that. Tomac Quoted:
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More training rather than another doodad. What you are describing is already built into the lower. Due to the angle cut, you can "index" off the back of the mag well. Ever try a reload when it's completely dark? While under stress? Try it sometime w/an empty mag/rifle w/your eyes closed. Tell me how training overcomes that. Tomac Yes. I have. |
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Yes. I have. Quoted:
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More training rather than another doodad. What you are describing is already built into the lower. Due to the angle cut, you can "index" off the back of the mag well. Ever try a reload when it's completely dark? While under stress? Try it sometime w/an empty mag/rifle w/your eyes closed. Tell me how training overcomes that. Tomac Yes. I have. Please regale us with your superior vision/reflex results. Since this is a tech forum, I'm sure we'd all love to benefit from the hard data of your experience. Speaking only for myself, I find reload times to be exponentially worse in no-light situations although an enlarged magwell does help a great deal, hence my OP. Tomac |
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Please regale us with your superior vision/reflex results. Since this is a tech forum, I'm sure we'd all love to benefit from the hard data of your experience. Speaking only for myself, I find reload times to be exponentially worse in no-light situations although an enlarged magwell does help a great deal, hence my OP. Tomac Quoted:
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More training rather than another doodad. What you are describing is already built into the lower. Due to the angle cut, you can "index" off the back of the mag well. Ever try a reload when it's completely dark? While under stress? Try it sometime w/an empty mag/rifle w/your eyes closed. Tell me how training overcomes that. Tomac Yes. I have. Please regale us with your superior vision/reflex results. Since this is a tech forum, I'm sure we'd all love to benefit from the hard data of your experience. Speaking only for myself, I find reload times to be exponentially worse in no-light situations although an enlarged magwell does help a great deal, hence my OP. Tomac I already relayed my opinion, but I'll say it again. What you are describing is already built into the lower due to the angled cut of the magwell. |
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I already relayed my opinion, but I'll say it again. What you are describing is already built into the lower due to the angled cut of the magwell. Quoted:
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More training rather than another doodad. What you are describing is already built into the lower. Due to the angle cut, you can "index" off the back of the mag well. Ever try a reload when it's completely dark? While under stress? Try it sometime w/an empty mag/rifle w/your eyes closed. Tell me how training overcomes that. Tomac Yes. I have. Please regale us with your superior vision/reflex results. Since this is a tech forum, I'm sure we'd all love to benefit from the hard data of your experience. Speaking only for myself, I find reload times to be exponentially worse in no-light situations although an enlarged magwell does help a great deal, hence my OP. Tomac I already relayed my opinion, but I'll say it again. What you are describing is already built into the lower due to the angled cut of the magwell. 451 is correct. Training and experience. There is no substitute. |
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This...^. More training and less crap bolted to your gun. Quoted:
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More training rather than another doodad. What you are describing is already built into the lower. Due to the angle cut, you can "index" off the back of the mag well. This...^. More training and less crap bolted to your gun. Going to have to agree - the "in the dark" etc scenarios are why you train the motions in a specific manner, for repetitive learning, ie; muscle memory. To keep it tech - OP, the AR is an ambidextrous rifle by nature, and what you're describing only aids in one direction, like a FAL - as a cross dominant shooter, it's worthless to me, like a FAL. |
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Going to have to agree - the "in the dark" etc scenarios are why you train the motions in a specific manner, for repetitive learning, ie; muscle memory. To keep it tech - OP, the AR is an ambidextrous rifle by nature, and what you're describing only aids in one direction, like a FAL - as a cross dominant shooter, it's worthless to me, like a FAL. Quoted:
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More training rather than another doodad. What you are describing is already built into the lower. Due to the angle cut, you can "index" off the back of the mag well. This...^. More training and less crap bolted to your gun. Going to have to agree - the "in the dark" etc scenarios are why you train the motions in a specific manner, for repetitive learning, ie; muscle memory. To keep it tech - OP, the AR is an ambidextrous rifle by nature, and what you're describing only aids in one direction, like a FAL - as a cross dominant shooter, it's worthless to me, like a FAL. Training has its limits, otherwise we'd still be using only irons instead of RDS' or WML's. What are your reloading times during the day or in the dark (or w/your eyes closed)? Any room for improvement there? Regarding ambidextrous, the AR is not ambidextrous although there are "doodads" like ambi mag/bolt releases that can help w/that. Are those items w/o benefit? What I'm asking about could easily be mounted on either side of the magwell to suit both righties and lefties. |
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I don't think you understand what cross dominant means for rifle shooting. I don't shoot left or right only, I switch depending on many factors, and the AR is most certainly ambidextrous - it can be enhanced via a safety and magazine release but they are far from needed.
You are proposing a solution for a problem that doesn't exist, and your solution brings it's own set of limitations that don't exist in the platform to start with. Multiple people have told you that training repetition solves "in the dark" and yet you refuse to even consider the validity of the statement. There is science and experience backing it up. Your idea has been implemented in other rifles with minor differences, like a FAL, or Krebs AK speedloader. Neither work as well as an AR magwell, and are completely biased towards right handed use. You are expecting AR users to emulate that shortcoming. Not sure what else to say. Drive on. Make it and sell it. Don't be surprised to hear more of the same criticism in the future. |
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