By Jim Dickson | Contributing Writer
The first time I saw a Light Load was during a visit to the late instinct shooting instructor Lucky McDaniel.
If there was a good training tool out there Lucky would be sure to have it. He had one installed on a stainless steel S&W Model 10 M&P .38 revolver and my wife and I began playing with it at his urging. With each pull of the trigger the Light Load shoots a sharply focused beam of light which appears as a small bright spot on the reflective silhouette target that came with it.
A conventional light beam is infinitely safer than a laser which would probably be used today. I remember years ago when the head of the Army Laser Testing Lab told me emphatically that it was impossible to have a laser that would not do permanent eye damage if it hit the eyes. I don’t like lasers around me for that reason.
The Light Load equipped Model 10 was both fun and practical. While the beam of light was adjusted to coincide with the sights, it was an excellent practice tool for instinct shooting without sights. Just the cost of two N-size batteries for use on a regular basis beats the high cost of pistol ammunition. I did not have a revolver that they made a Light Load for so I promptly went out and bought a 1944 S&W Model 10 M&P Victory model in .38 Special on which to mount the Light Load.
Mounting the device was simple and required no permanent alteration to the handgun. On the S&W M10 all that was required was to open the cylinder, loosen the front sideplate screw on the other side, and slide off the cylinder and crane to the front of the revolver. Now slide the plastic crane on and tighten the sideplate screw to hold it in place.
Instead of a cylinder, the mechanism and battery pack for the Light Load slides into its hole in the crane. Closing the crane and cylinder locks it into the gun. Now the barrel insert is placed down the barrel with the white dot lined up with the front sight and it snaps into place. There is a plastic switch on the top of the Light Load “Cylinder” and you push it toward the “On” mark to turn it on and back to turn it off. Pressing the trigger will shoot a finely focused beam of light instead of a bullet across the room. Cut the switch off when you are through or you will run the battery down.
When the time comes to change the battery push the takedown lever on the top front of the “Cylinder” in the direction of the arrow. The barrel insert will pop forward so that it can be removed from the barrel. Now swing the “Cylinder” out as you would with a cartridge cylinder and pull it off the crane. There is nothing holding it on when it is out of the gun so don’t hold the gun up and let it fall out and break. On the right side of the Cylinder you will see the grooves for the top of the battery case with an arrow in the center bidding you to slide the battery cover off the front. Now change the two N-size batteries and reassemble in reverse order. It’s that quick and simple.
The device was good for training hand/eye coordination used in instinct shooting. Whether shooting from the shoulder, the hip, or any convoluted position that you might ever find yourself in you could quickly learn to get on target with the Light Load.
Training the muscles for muscle memory is a big part of instinct shooting as is constant repetitive practice. No one can shoot live ammo all day, all night, all the time. You have to go inside eventually and that is where you can pick up where you left off by using the Light Load. I keep mine by my desk with its reflective target on the far wall where I can pick it up anytime I need a break from my work. When practicing shooting from awkward positions or on the ground I much prefer to be on the carpet instead of rolling in the mud. I can do that with the Light Load but I sure can’t do it with live ammo. For that I have to get dirty, just like back in a war. Sure is hard on your clothes.
Most folks won’t even train that way and it sure puts them at a disadvantage when they find themselves in a spot where they have to do or die in a position that they have never fired from before. They never stop to consider that they can be knocked down and end up in a weird position by shell bursts in war, bears in the woods, and men in “Civilization.” Once down you may have only a split second to fire with no time for sights and you better not miss.
That was many years ago and despite constant use and the plastic construction of the Light Load both the Light Load and the revolver have continued to function perfectly. None of the parts that affect the revolver’s timing are engaged when the Light Load is used so the timing remains unaffected should I ever need to put the original crane and cylinder back in order to shoot live ammunition. While not a substitute for shooting live ammunition, the device does offer worthy practice and I value it highly. It is a great shame that this wonderful device is no longer made.
Once again the old saying “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door” has proved a bitter lie.
The Light Load was made by the firm of Jacob and Tiffin Inc. in Clanton, Alabama. They were real nice people, too. Today the firm is just a memory as is the Light Load, one of the greatest training aids of all time.
