Two ways to reload an AK-47, and why the sweep wins

A short demo from Tactical Rifleman breaks down how to get an AK-47 back into the fight once it runs dry, showing two ways to swap magazines under time pressure and explaining why one beats the other.

Snapshot

The video covers what to do the instant you hear a click and realize the AK is empty: bring the rifle into your workspace and reload it. The presenter walks through a standard technique first, then shows a faster variant he prefers because it mirrors his M4 reload for consistency across platforms.

Key points

• Workspace first: On a click, the shooter brings the rifle up into view and reach before touching the magazine release, so the hands can work efficiently.
• Standard technique: The support hand drops the empty magazine, then indexes the fresh one toe-to-heel and rocks it into place.
• Confirm and run it: After seating the new magazine, the shooter gives it a push-pull check, then racks the charging handle to chamber a round.
• Preferred sweep method: Instead of releasing the old magazine by hand, the fresh magazine itself sweeps across the magazine release, knocking the empty one free before the new one is indexed in.
• Why he likes it: Tactical Rifleman says this sweep version is a bit faster and keeps his AK reload consistent with how he runs an M4, reducing the number of different motions he has to remember.

Quick take

This is a tight, no-frills look at a core AK skill, and the value is in the comparison: seeing both techniques back to back makes it easy to understand why the sweep method saves a step. Anyone who runs an AK alongside an AR platform will likely appreciate the push toward one consistent reload motion instead of two separate systems to train.

Watch the full video: Tactical Rifleman