Is there a way to know my 870 has fired its last round?

[Gunsmoker]

I was just thinking... I don't know when my 870 has fired its last round. Do you guys have any ways of finding out how your 870 has fired its last round (besides mentally keeping track or manually pulling back the forend.)

I heard of a Benelli shotgun that locks the forend back after the last shot. What Benelli model is that?

I also heard of people being able to hear if a round gets chambered or not. Aside from this is there any way? (feel of the trigger or any other indicator)

 

[MCgunner]

Well, since all my pumps have had 3 round capacity restriction per migratory bird laws, all I've ever had to do is count to three. Pretty easy, even for an Aggie.

 

[Oldnamvet]

You hear this VERY LOUD *click* when you pull the trigger?

 

[TrapperReady]

On my HD gun, the increased sound and recoil from the slug lets me know that I've used up all the buckshot and the gun is now ready to be topped off or used as a club.

 

[perpster]

I usually check the gauge on the side, but mine appears broken--it always reads 12.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

You could always open the chamber a little bit and check for brass.

All the benelli semi auto have the last shot hold open, but they are semi autos not pumps.

 

[dfariswheel]

With a little experience shooting an 870, you soon learn the different sound it makes when it doesn't feed another round from the magazine.

When you don't hear that distinctive "SHOCK" of the round being forced into the receiver, you know it's empty.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Most semiautos lock open when the last round is fired. As you have noted, pumps don't.

There is a difference in the sound the gun makes when a shell comes back on the lifter. But you can't always hear it, for one reason or another. And 870s don't have loaded chamber indicators, so you can't feel anything with the action closed.

The alternative I was taught in Louis Awerbuck's class was to do press checks on the magazine and the chamber. To press check the magazine, slide your support hand back on the forearm and feel the opening of the magazine with your thumb (assuming a right handed shooter).

If you feel an open hole, you know the magazine spring is bound up somewhere in the magazine and the gun isn't feeding. You have a problem...

If you feel your magazine follower, you know the magazine is empty. A follower with a hole or a bump makes it easier to tell if that's the follower you're feeling.

If you feel a primer, you know you have at least one more shell in the magazine.

You perform a chamber check by cracking open the action just a bit, releasing the action lock with your shooting hand, sliding the fore-end back an inch or so, then sliding your support hand down the fore-end till you can stick your little finger into the chamber. If you feel an empty hole, the chamber is empty. If you feel a shell, there's a round there and you close the action briskly.

It all sounds complicated but if you practice it can be accomplished quickly...

lpl/nc

 

[perpster]

Lee, that was a very clear, concise and helpful answer (unlike mine). Until I get my gauge fixed (it's still stuck on "12") I'll use your method to check for empty.

 

[RNB65]

Yes. If it's cold to the touch, making a shallow wheezing sound, and CPR doesn't seem to be helping, it's probably fired it last round.

 

[rustymaggot]

i like to use all green shot shells and the last two red. if i see a red shell fly out i know im out or very near.

but since i dont keep a gauge for hd anymore i have abandoned that method.

 

[Zach S]

To press check the magazine, slide your support hand back on the forearm and feel the opening of the magazine with your thumb (assuming a right handed shooter).

I hate to sound like I'm smarting off to someone who's probably forgot more about scatterguns than I know, but those of us who fire from the wrong shoulder also use our thumb for a magazine check.

However, for the chamber check described later in your post, we have to use our thumb rather than our little finger since the ejection port is on the "wrong side." But, since the ejection port is on the wrong side, we can simply glance at it if there's a little bit of light.

 

[shappy0869]

I always make sure that the last round I have loaded is a special empty magazine indicating round:

 

[steveracer]

Load a tracer in the front of the mag.

I do this with PTR-91. Load two tracers in the bottom of each magazine. It's time to reload when you shoot a lazer beam out of the rifle. The same could work for a shotgun. Finding tracer shotgun slugs might be tough.

Or you could just do what Lee said.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Zach,

8^)

The (assuming a right handed shooter) was intended to cover the entire process. Sorry not to have made that clearer by indicating that southpaws would have to do the chamber check with the support hand thumb.

Louis would advise keeping eyes on the threat while performing these checks, reloading etc.

lpl/nc

 

[HiWayMan]

Personally I've always been able to tell by the sound and sometimes the feel, but as stated before it isn't always fool proof.

 

[El Tejon]

Most shooting should be done on the "shoot one, load one" basis, however if you suddenly get in a hurry you will need to check it before doing something else (moving either forward or away).

As noted above, it's a technique known as a "press check". One feels to see if the weapon is ready or not. Training will help you and you practice it without using your eyes (as you may not be able to see your weapon in a fight).

As well, with experience you will develop a feel of the gun that will let you know. If you shotgun goes dry, depending on circumstances, you will likely ditch it and go to your pistol.

 

[Geno]

Rack...Bang!

Rack...Bang!

Rack...Bang!

Rack...Bang!

Rack...Bang!

Rack...click?

Rack...click?

Rack...click?

Yeah...it's empty.

Couldn't resist.

In all seriousness, I simply count as I fire...pistol or long gun. I know I have five rounds in my 870. I have been in tactical and advanced-tactical classes with people who say they can't do both shoot and count (that's called divided attention) and I know that it is true that some have such difficulty. For me, I don't want to wait for a "click" before I anticipate reaching for a spare magazine or spare rounds for the 870.

Doc2005

 

[mswestfall]

Now I read this as... the 870 was warn out and was it logical to continue to repair the old girl. I was compelled to make a derogatory comment about the lifespan of an 870.

Once I figured it out and read the the posts I was set back by the brutality of the replies.

My favorite was snappy0869

 

[Don Gordon]

MSwestfall,
You can't wear out an 870 by shooting it, at least not in the first 50,000 rounds.

 

[sm]

Press Check for 870s

Lee Lapin and El Tejon are correct!

Also applies to other pump gun makes and similar drills for semi-auto, two barrel guns and - yes single shots.

Deal is, if matters get serious, one cannot count rounds as many stressors are happening and other senses are affected - Sensory Degradation.

Yes even two barrel and single shot shotgun folks can "not be sure" if a round was fired, and needing to evade,reload , leave cover, ...do anything, or transition to handgun.

 

[Gunsmoker]

Yeah.

Counting's cool at the range. But faced with danger, counting the number of shells I fire will be the last thing on my mind.

I'm somewhat disappointed that a gun maker hasn't come out with a pump gun that locks back on the last round. This'll make reload faster (just drop one in the open chamber) and signal to the user that the gun is out.

 

[The-Fly]

I cheat, and use a 3" magnum buckshot shell as my last round. The huge "BOOM" is my reload signal

 

[ArmedBear]

If you MUST know, use this for your last round (first round you stuff in the tube):

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/AMM806-41928-2590.html

 

[ArmedBear]

BTW...

First off, you should know how many shots you have in your gun. It's not hard.

Second, what's cool about a pump shotgun is that you can top off your magazine at any time, with the gun loaded and ready while you're doing it. Do that. I even do it when I hunt, before I go get a downed bird. Never know when the next bird or three will flush.