Reload drills are where fantasy meets real mechanics. On a square range, you can make almost any handgun look competent if you never run it dry. The moment you start doing honest reload work—slide locked back, hands moving, eyes tracking—certain guns turn into a chore. The magwell is tiny. The grip is short. The mag release sits in the wrong spot for your hand. The magazine hangs up instead of dropping free. Or the whole gun is so small that you’re fighting it more than you’re learning from it.
None of this means the gun is “bad.” It means the design priorities weren’t reload speed. Some pistols were built to disappear in a pocket, not to win a timer. Some were built in an era when reload drills weren’t part of the culture. If you want your training to feel productive, these are the handguns that can make every rep feel like a penalty.
Glock 43
The Glock 43 is easy to carry, but reload drills can feel cramped fast. The grip is short enough that your support hand and the fresh magazine want the same real estate. Under speed, it’s easy to pinch your palm with the baseplate or fumble the angle because there’s less frame to guide you.
The other annoyance is consistency. A short, narrow mag doesn’t give you much to index off of, and your pinky has less leverage to keep the gun stable while you hit the release. You can get good with it, but the gun doesn’t help you. If your goal is smooth reload reps, the G43 makes you earn every clean insertion instead of handing it to you.
Glock 43X
The 43X improves shootability, but it still punishes sloppy reload technique. The longer grip helps, yet the gun remains thin enough that your hand can cover the magwell opening more than you expect when you’re moving quickly. That’s how you end up driving the magazine into your own palm instead of into the gun.
Magazine changes also feel more “vertical.” You’re feeding a narrow magazine into a narrow opening, and there’s not much flare or funnel effect to save a slightly off-angle insertion. The 43X is a great carry concept, but reload drills highlight what thin guns do: they conceal well, then demand more precision when you’re rushing the mechanics.
Glock 48
The Glock 48 is often sold as the slim gun that shoots like a bigger pistol, and that’s mostly fair. Reload drills still expose the skinny frame. The longer slide doesn’t help your reload, and the grip’s narrow profile can make it easier to twist the gun during the mag change if you don’t lock your wrist.
The magwell opening is still a slim target, and the magazine body doesn’t give you the same “self-centering” feel you get from a thicker double-stack. When you’re tired or moving fast, you’ll notice you have to be cleaner with your alignment. The G48 carries well and shoots well. It simply doesn’t reload as forgivingly as a thicker compact.
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield (original)
The original Shield made concealed carry easier for a lot of people, but reload drills can be aggravating. The grip is short, the opening is tight, and the magazine doesn’t always feel like it wants to fall free with urgency the way larger duty pistols do. That slows down reps and breaks rhythm.
The other problem is how your hand sits. With a small gun, your palm can ride close to the magazine base, and it’s easy to partially block the mag on the way out. Then you’re tugging it instead of letting gravity do its job. You can train around it, but the Shield’s size priorities show up immediately when the timer starts and you’re trying to stay smooth.
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield Plus
The Shield Plus gives you more capacity, but it can make reloads feel even more stubborn at times. Higher-capacity micro mags often use stout springs, and a full magazine can be harder to seat with authority—especially if you’re slamming it home against a closed slide during certain drills.
The grip is still compact, and the magwell still isn’t generous. Your reload hand has less margin for error, and the gun doesn’t guide the magazine in the way a slightly larger compact does. The Shield Plus carries like a winner. Reload drills remind you it’s still a micro-format pistol. You’re doing precise work with small parts, and it’s easy to feel the friction in every rep.
Smith & Wesson CSX
The CSX gets attention because it’s metal-framed and slim, but reload drills can feel fiddly. The grip area is compact, and the magazine well opening doesn’t have much forgiveness. Under speed, your magazine angle has to be right or you’ll catch the front edge and stall the insertion.
The other issue is leverage. Small guns give you less to hold onto while you run controls. If your thumb placement shifts, the mag release can feel less accessible, and you’ll waste time re-gripping instead of flowing into the reload. The CSX can be a solid carry choice for the right person. For reload practice, it’s a gun that demands clean mechanics instead of rewarding sloppy speed.
Ruger Max-9
The Ruger Max-9 is a practical micro-compact, and it can run well, but reload drills aren’t its strong suit. The frame is thin, the grip is short, and you can easily end up with your hand riding high enough to interfere with the magazine leaving the gun cleanly.
Seating a fresh mag can also feel less positive than you’d like when you’re moving fast. Micro magazines can be stiff when fully loaded, and your palm doesn’t have much room to strike the baseplate without hitting yourself. None of that is a deal-breaker for carry. It’s simply the kind of pistol that reminds you, every time you practice reloads, that concealment-friendly dimensions come with training friction.
Ruger LC9s
The LC9s is slim and easy to live with, but reload drills can feel like you’re threading a needle. The magwell opening is small, and the grip doesn’t give your hands much working space. Under stress, that turns into missed insertions and magazines that hang on the lip instead of sliding home.
You’ll also notice how much your grip matters. If your palm presses into the frame the wrong way, the magazine may not drop as freely as you want, and the reload becomes a two-step process instead of one clean motion. The LC9s is built to carry without drama. When you’re practicing reloads, it can add drama anyway, because it demands extra precision from tired hands.
Kahr CM9
Kahr pistols carry well and shoot flatter than many tiny guns, but reload drills can be unpleasant. The grip is short, the magazine is narrow, and you don’t get much help from the frame when you’re trying to guide a mag into place quickly. If your angle is off, you’ll feel it immediately.
The other issue is speed versus control. A small Kahr wants a firm, consistent grip, and during reloads it’s easy to shift your hand position and lose that consistency. Then your next shot after the reload feels different, which defeats the point of drills. The CM9 can be a dependable carry pistol, but it’s not a “fast reloads feel natural” handgun. You have to build that skill on purpose.
Kel-Tec PF-9
The PF-9 is thin and lightweight, and reload drills often feel rough for the same reasons it carries well. The grip is narrow, the magwell opening is not generous, and the gun can move around in your hand while you hit the release and reach for a fresh magazine.
Magazine seating can also feel abrupt. When you’re practicing with fully loaded magazines, you may find yourself needing a stronger, more deliberate push to lock the mag in. That slows down reps and makes the drill feel more like wrestling than refining. The PF-9 was built for carry and affordability, not reload speed. If you’re drilling hard, it has a way of reminding you what it was designed to be.
Kel-Tec P-32
Tiny guns make reload drills feel like punishment, and the P-32 is a great example. The grip is so small that your hands crowd the magwell, and the magazine itself is tiny enough to disappear in your reload hand. Getting the angle right takes more concentration than it should.
The other reality is that many pocket pistols don’t give you the same control feedback as a larger gun. You can’t “drive” the magazine into a roomy opening and expect it to self-correct. Everything has to be lined up. If you’re doing serious reload practice, a P-32 turns every rep into fine-motor work. That’s valuable in its own way, but it’s not enjoyable, and it’s not the fastest route to building smooth, repeatable reloads.
NAA Guardian .380
The NAA Guardian .380 is built like a little brick, and it’s a true pocket pistol. Reload drills with it can be miserable because the grip is short and the controls are compact. There’s less room for your fingers, and the magazine well opening doesn’t give you much forgiveness when you’re trying to work quickly.
You’ll also notice how hard it is to stay consistent. The gun’s small size makes it easy to shift your grip while pressing the release or seating the magazine. Then you’re re-building your grip after the reload instead of flowing straight into the next shot. The Guardian can fill a deep-concealment role. Reload drills expose the downside: it’s a small, dense handgun that makes smooth speed work feel like you’re wearing gloves.
Beretta 21A Bobcat
The Beretta 21A is a fun little pistol, but reload drills aren’t fun with it. The gun is tiny, the magazines are tiny, and the whole process feels delicate. When you’re trying to build a repeatable reload, the Bobcat makes you slow down because everything is small and easy to fumble.
Rimfire also adds friction to the experience. .22 LR magazines can be finicky to load and handle, and the pistol’s size makes it harder to maintain a strong, consistent grip through the reload. The Bobcat has its place, especially as a low-recoil option for some shooters. If you’re doing reload drills with intent, it’s the kind of handgun that turns “training reps” into “careful handling practice,” whether you want that or not.
Beretta 3032 Tomcat
The Tomcat is a classic deep-concealment .32, and reload drills can feel awkward with it. The grip is short, the magwell opening is tight, and the magazine is small enough that your hand can easily mis-index it when you’re moving quickly. You’ll feel like you’re trying to plug a charger into the wall in the dark.
The Tomcat also encourages a different kind of handling because of its tip-up barrel design. That feature is useful for certain shooters, but it doesn’t make fast reloads any smoother. The gun still wants precise magazine alignment and a clean seating motion. It’s a carry-first pistol, and it shows. If your practice includes lots of reload work, the Tomcat tends to turn that work into a slow grind.
Walther PPK/S
The PPK/S gets recommended because it’s iconic and compact, but reload drills can feel dated. The grip shape and small opening don’t guide the magazine in the way modern carry pistols do. Under speed, the magazine can hang up on the lip, and your hands don’t have much space to correct the angle.
Controls and ergonomics also reflect an older design. The mag release is functional, but the overall handling doesn’t feel built around fast manipulations. Add the fact that many shooters grip these guns high, and you can end up slowing yourself down during the release and insertion. The PPK/S can be carried and can work. Reload drills are where you feel the era it came from, because it wasn’t designed with modern training culture in mind.
Makarov PM
The Makarov PM is durable and straightforward, but reload drills can be a pain because the design leans old-school. The magazine release setup and the overall magazine insertion feel aren’t built for speed. You end up doing more deliberate handling instead of snapping through clean reps.
The other issue is that surplus-era pistols often vary. Magazines can have different wear, springs can differ, and the way mags drop free can be inconsistent. That inconsistency makes drills frustrating because you can’t trust the gun to behave the same way every time. The Makarov is a great piece of history and can still run well. If your focus is fast, modern reload work, it tends to feel like you’re training around the pistol instead of with it.
HK P7 PSP
The HK P7 PSP is a brilliant design, and it can shoot extremely well. Reload drills are where it becomes a headache, because the PSP uses a heel-style magazine release. That means your reload involves more steps and more hand movement, and it’s hard to make it fast in the way modern pistols can be fast.
On top of that, you’re managing the squeeze-cocker system while trying to do clean manipulation. The P7 can be safe and accurate, but the manual of arms is different enough that it can break your rhythm if you train across multiple platforms. The PSP is not “bad” at reloads—it’s simply built around a different set of priorities. When you’re running modern reload drills, it will feel like you’re fighting the clock with one hand tied.
SIG Sauer P938
The SIG P938 is small, capable, and easy to conceal, but reload drills can be irritating because the gun is so compact. The magazine well is tight, the grip is short, and the magazines are small enough that you can lose your index point when you’re trying to move with speed.
The other factor is the manual safety. If you’re running drills honestly, you’re managing that safety during presentation and manipulation, and it adds one more thing that can disrupt a reload if your hands are sweaty or your grip shifts. None of this means the P938 can’t be carried effectively. It means reload drills will feel busier and less forgiving than they do on a larger striker-fired pistol with a bigger opening and more grip to work with.
Springfield Armory XD-S Mod.2
The XD-S Mod.2 is a slim carry pistol that a lot of people shoot well enough, but reload drills can feel clunky. The grip is short, the magazine well opening is narrow, and the gun doesn’t guide the magazine in smoothly when you’re trying to run speed. A slightly off-angle insertion becomes a stall.
Magazine seating can also feel stubborn with a full mag, especially if you’re practicing reloads with authority and consistency. Slim single-stacks often demand more precision and a more deliberate push to lock in. The XD-S can absolutely serve as a carry gun. Reload drills show you the downside of the format: a thin frame gives you less margin, less funnel, and less space for your hands to work without colliding.
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