Loading magazines in Standard Pistol

Gents,

I just shot a Sectional match where Precision, Standard, Free and Air were shot.

During the Standard event I got told that I could not load a magazine with ammo or even have mags pre-loaded before the command to "Load"
In other words loading any mag with ammo is not done until the "Load" command.

I looked over the rules tonight and can find no reference to loading magazines except for loading the correct amount.

What say you gents?

Never heard of such a thing.

NRA Rules for International Pistol - 2018. 

On Page 58

10.1.3 Loaded Pistols - A pistol or revolver that has a cartridge in the cylinder or in a magazine which has been inserted shall be considered as being loaded. No pistols will be loaded until competitors have taken their places at the firing points and command “LOAD” has been given by the Range Officer. Loaded pistols shall be pointed in the direction of the targets at all times.

On Page 111

18.9 Loading - No competitor will load a pistol except at the firing point and after command has been given by the Range Officer. Magazines may not be charged prior to the command “LOAD”.

Right. You can have the cartridges in the magazine, but you can't insert it into the gun before the command to load is given.

Pinetree.

WRONG

Magazines may not be charged prior to the command “LOAD”.

Interesting.

Seems like they could have used a better word than charged.

RADJAG wrote:NRA Rules for International Pistol - 2018. 

On Page 58

10.1.3 Loaded Pistols - A pistol or revolver that has a cartridge in the cylinder or in a magazine which has been inserted shall be considered as being loaded. No pistols will be loaded until competitors have taken their places at the firing points and command “LOAD” has been given by the Range Officer. Loaded pistols shall be pointed in the direction of the targets at all times.

On Page 111

18.9 Loading - No competitor will load a pistol except at the firing point and after command has been given by the Range Officer. Magazines may not be charged prior to the command “LOAD”.

Thank you!  I read that...but did not read >charged<. odd rule at least in its difference from Precision pistol.  No matter, dems the rules!

It is in conformance to the ISSF rules.  You can’t load the magazines until the command “LOAD” is given.

The other International Rule that I find kinda peculiar and somewhat annoying is in Free Pistol.

You must only put ONE round into the gun at a time - regardless of the type of gun being used. That is obvious if using a typical single shot Free Pistol. But if you choose to shoot the FP event with a semi-auto, you must not pre-charge the magazine with more than one round.

I find that rule quite annoying because I am not dexterous enough to load a single round into a mag just using my non-firing hand, so I have to release my grip, put the gun down and load a single round into a magazine before each shot, then re-grip the gun, etc. I now realise that I need to gather, say, 5 magazines and load a single round into each once the LOAD command has been given - then I can easily drop a mag and reload after each of my first five shots just using the non-firing hand, before having to repeat after 5 shots - better!

But must be careful not to have any charged magazines remaining after firing is complete.

I think that this complies with the rules, but if anyone knows more than I, please chime in.

When I was working on Freepistol with a HS fluted barrel gun 50 years ago, we took the extractor out and had an empty magazine in. 
The gun was easily loaded as it locked back after each shot.  Some days I shot several boxes of white box Rem SV that way.

NRA Precision Pistol  - Magazines may be loaded with rounds at any time.  You can have as many loaded magazines as you like under NRA rules. 

Loaded magazines inserted in a gun, even if the slide is not dropped or rounds inserted in a Revolver makes the pistol "loaded".  See the wording in the rule ... "which has been inserted."  "Inserted" refers to inserted into the pistol,  not the magazine.

This does not preclude a competitor from having a magazine pre loaded with rounds.   The rule does preclude having a revolver cylinder loaded with rounds and saying the pistol is uploaded just because the cylinder is open and precludes having a loaded magazine inserted and the slide locked back and saying the pistol is unloaded.

You cannot load a pistol until the actual word "load" has been completed.  "With 5 rounds..." does not meet the requirement until the word "load" has been completed.

ISSF and NRA International  - You cannot have pre loaded magazines.