I alternate between revolvers and my 1911 Commanders in IDPA simply because I have several good revolvers and enjoy shooting them. Keeps my hand in with both.
In the few short years I've shot IDPA I've watched several rule changes come into effect, usually because the original rule wasn't logical or reasonable.
Since the rules allow you to use one hand if you deem it necessary, it makes no sense to disallow putting your hand on a mag before you need it.
One that bugged me was having to retain a mag unless you shot it dry to lock back. I think that might have changed now, allowing one up the spout before a mag change. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I used to quarrel with rules, but now I shrug and carry on as if things were normal and made sense. It's just a game, after all. On the street, I would do what comes naturally under the circumstances - if I could carry, that is.
Until that time, I'm just another unarmed victim waiting for the police to defend me.
PJ, what few idpa matches that I've been to I used a revolver so never ran up against that rule. But it seems like a dumb rule to me. If you're willing to use only your strong hand to operate your pistol and take the potential lower scores that are certainly possible with less control of the gun why not allow your weak hand to grab your next mag and save a few seconds on the reload? Seems like good defensive tactics to me. But as you say overlapping disciplines and techniques can get you into trouble. While I haven't done it yet in a sass event, WASA rules allow you to load as many sg rounds as needed for the stage in your pump gun ON the clock. You don't gain any time but it's alot more fun to crank out 5- 6 or 7 rds in one continuous string than loading one or two at a time.