by Tiger McKee Since we had a big snow here - 8 inches - and then ice I decided to spend some time dry practicing, working empty reloads with the AR. As with most skills, the best way to learn your manipulations is through repetitious dry practice. To practice empty reloads you need two empty mags and a safe environment to work in. This means no live ammo present and some type backstop or safe direction to point the rifle so if there is a mistake it's not going to result in damage or injury. The cool thing about AR's is that you don't even need dummy rounds to practice empty reloads. The AR is equipped with a bolt release. Any time the bolt is locked to the rear the recommended action to release the bolt is to use the release. Yes, you can cycle the charging handle to release the bolt, but the more you mess with the charging handle the more chance there is you will disrupt the rifle's action. We see a lot of problems created when the shooter's hand follows the charging handle forward, slowing down the bolt enough to prevent it from returning to battery. Pressing the release is more ergonomic than cycling the handle, and consumes less time to chamber a round. This works great for dry practice since the bolt release overrides the follower in the magazine that locks the bolt rearward. To set up your practice - only after all safety precautions have been taken care of - insert an empty mag in the rifle. Pull the charging handle rearward, locking the bolt back, then push the handle forward to lock it back in position. Come up on "target," safety off and finger on the trigger. Now, you're empty, and the reload begins. Step one, true with any manipulations, finger off the trigger. With right-hand shooters this occurs automatically because the finger comes off the trigger to press the mag release. A left-hand shooter should bring the trigger finger up, where it will be ready to press the bolt release. (Left-handers usually press the mag release with the right hand thumb.) Some people strip the empty mag free of the rifle; others let it fall free. The support hand acquires the fresh mag, in this case it an empty mag, from pocket, pouch, or wherever it's secured. Insert and seat the new mag and press the bolt release to "chamber" a round. Right-hand shooter presses the bolt release with their left thumb, which is in position after seating the new mag. A left-hand shooter presses the release with the trigger finger. Back on "target" ready to fire. During this practice pay close attention to small details, like how you hold mags. With thirty-rounders grab 'em low. If your hand is too high you'll have to reposition it lower to get the mag seated. I handle twenty-round mags just like I do pistol mags, with first finger running up the front of the mag, holding it on the sides with the other fingers and thumb. Fine tuning the small things will make your reload smoother and more efficient. Once you have the basic reload running well start practicing while moving, from different body positions, and even with your eyes closed. Your goal is for the rifle and the skills required to manipulate it efficiently to become second nature, occurring at a subconscious level. Dry practice is the best way to achieve this. So when the weather bad, it's too cold to work in your shop, or you find yourself with a few extra minutes, it's time to work on the fundamentals. Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama. He is the author of "The Book of Two Guns," writes for several firearms/tactical publications, and is featured on GunTalk's DVD, "Fighting With The 1911 - http://shootrite.org/dvd/dvd.html Website: www.shootrite.org http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shootrite-Firearms-Academy/156608611038230?ref=ts