Retro Skill Refresher: Stripper Clip Loading Technique

[Limper]

I recently purchased a SKS about a month ago from Maddog1 with the intention of using it in the 2025 Red Oktober Cold War (ROCW) match (ComBloc Iron division) put on by the Multigun division of the Rio Salado Sportman's Club. For 2024 I will be shooting my .308 Galil ACE in the the ComBloc Open division. I used the SKS in the August Black Rifle match, and after struggling with loading rounds smoothly via stripper clips on the clock I figured there has to be a better technique then just pushing straight down on the rounds. I found a short (4:41) video posted 6 years ago by a Russian dude that works like a charm.

I shot the SKS in the Rio PCSL match yesterday using the technique and all my reloads went smooth as butter. I finished 11th out of 25 shooters in the practical class using a 10rd iron-sighted SKS duking it out with AR-15s equipped with with optics and standard 30 rd mags. While having to reload once or twice per stage unlike every other shooter in the match did add a little time to my score, I was able to efficiently load and minimize the temporal impact. Since the farthest rifle targets in PCSL matches are only 200 yards, the SKS did just fine, especially if you properly sling up when engaging the offhand unsupported targets.

If you think someday you might utilize a stripper clip to reload a rifle then the video is worth the watch. The first minute is a little goofy since he is responding to a "John Hickok" and is trying to be funny, but the video is just 4:41 seconds long. As a bonus you get to learn about the .366 TKM cartridge which I had never heard of before. Lastly, I also included a link about the ROCW match. It's a ton of fun and unlike most matches, the prizes are all randomly distributed so you could be the suckiest shooter in the match and still win a rifle.

https://riomultigun.com/red-oktober/

[smithers599]

Very cool! Thanks!