On carrying ammo for the shotgun

[NMshooter]

I have tried sidesaddles, bandoleers, bandoleer slings, several different ammo pouches, and still have more questions than answers.

So, I figured I would ask some of those questions here.

1. Do you like ammunition on the outside of your shotgun? If so, how much and how is it carried?

2. Do you have any favorite pouches or pockets, or other ways of carrying shells?

3. Do you carry multiple types of ammo, and if so how do you carry each type to avoid confusion?

4. How much ammunition do you consider "enough", and what do you consider that amount enough for?

I started out on shotguns, and have put a lot of shells down range (not skeet & trap or hunting) but clearly there is a great deal I do not know about them.

Thank you for your time.

 

[trueblue1776]

I have a nylon bianchi belt holder thing, I wear it in the back above my wallet, holds five roundsof 12g. I like it. I hunt small game on my own property, six rounds of #7 in the gun and five on my belt.

 

[sm]

Okay - who told you I just put new ammo in the handy house gun?
NEF Youth Single Shot 20 ga., Koplin elastic buttstock shell carrier, One slug in chamber, action open and 5 more in Koplin.

Yeah I know, so Kewl ---Team Walrus is going to use my idea.

Prefer Bone stock guns. I like the leather 5 shell holders either with slits for belt, and paddle type...these are great for HD, walking the property, having slugs during deer season and out bird hunting.

10x shell pouch what I most often use.

Me - I want to be mobile, fast, quick, nothing to slow down my gun-handling, nothing to allow the gun to get caught on anything, lessen any bumping into anything.

Slings with shell loops cause the pendulem problem. Don't use nor recommend.

I may choose to use a shotgun to buttstroke someone, I may have to fight CQB to KEEP my shotgun, I do not want sidesaddles or anything else to cut me or work against me.

Been known to use the muzzle end to attack target in training. So I know a vent rib will cut one, rifle sights will really hurt you. Beads can be bad enough in this CQB and using the shotgun as a tool besides firing it. NOVAs...busted a total of six now, they cut me all to pcs.

Yeah I know we ain't supposed to get into that situation...Not a bad idea to train for the worst and hope for best and lots and lots of luck.

Duck hunting...flooded timber, I use a bandlier to keep shells dry, since I have this talent to find stumps and bar ditches, you ever want to find a bar ditch- call me, I have this knack.

Now there were pictures and even a video of me and my lady Pard in ...ready...are you sure?

Great Wade the Resevoir, Bust UP Beaver Dam And Take NO Prisoners.

"We don't need no stinkin' waders"


Think Wild Bunch with the theme song from Young Guns

Bone stock 870 12 ga pump guns, Me with two Gov't model of 1911, She with a 1911 and Model 19, Each wearing two leather bandoliers, and leather shell pouch.

Didn't have dynamite.

We didn't need no stinkin' TNT

WE Won!!

 

[Chris Rhines]

3-Gun freak here.

1.) Oh yeah. My competition shotgun has an eight-round sidesaddle and a six-round foreend carrier. 14 rounds, plus the 9 in the gun, equals 25 rounds before I go to my belt.

I don't necessaraly carry all 25 rounds on the gun. I can reload four rounds from the belt faster than I can off the sidesaddle, so I usually carry most of my ammo on my belt. Depends on how the stage is put together.

2.) I like the Choate or California Comp Works "Speed Strippers." http://www.demooner.com/shotguns.php I carry two to four of the TAC-6 carriers on my belt, depending on the length of the stage.

3.) Most practical shotgun stages are either all-shot or all-slugs, but sometimes you get a stage that combines the two. In that case, I usually carry slugs only on the gun, and shot on the body (or vise versa.)

4.) Enough ammo - I like to have six or eight rounds over the minimum round count for the stage. If the stage has moving targets, I'll pack in a few more.

- Chris

 

[MCgunner]

1. Do you like ammunition on the outside of your shotgun? If so, how much and how is it carried?

No, absolutely not. Ammo on the gun throws its balance off.

2. Do you have any favorite pouches or pockets, or other ways of carrying shells?

Use a game belt with a bird pouch on the back and a shell pouch on either side that will hold about a box each. I seldom shoot a box in a morning's duck hunt, usually about 15 rounds max, but like to carry two boxes. Dove hunting I'll often shoot up the first box. I carry three boxes minimum on dove hunts, but only two on my person. If I were to run out, I could walk back to the truck for more.

3. Do you carry multiple types of ammo, and if so how do you carry each type to avoid confusion?

Steel shot # 4s or 6s for ducks, Federal tungsten Iron BBs for geese (both three inch), 7 1/2 field load 2 3/4 inch lead for doves.

4. How much ammunition do you consider "enough", and what do you consider that amount enough for?

2 boxes is excess for ducks or geese. I take several boxes dove hunting cause you just never know how bad you're going to shoot on those little runts. LOL I like to be prepared for the worst case. Running out of ammo is never a good thing when the birds are flying. But I usually shoot less than two boxes on doves and well less than a box for ducks or geese.

 

[9mmMike]

The only time I go out with extra ammo to carry is on a SC course.
I carry my ammo in an old ammo can. I normally keep about 250 rounds in the can and use it to fill the pockets on my vest or, at this time of year, my winter coat. I can carry 20-25 shells or so in each pocket, more in the coat than the vest.
When I am just screwing around at hand tossed stuff, I will often use a gun with a SS and fill that. I also take a large wooden box filled with shells but it just sits on the ground for refills as it would be a bummer to haul around.
I used to run a full SS and a +3 extension but the gun was too heavy and unbalanced plus many of the places that I shoot do not want more than two or three shells loaded.
Now I shoot with a stock gun with a 28" or 30" barrel.
When the bride shoots with me, she carries her own 20 gauge ammo.
Mike

 

[ron73644]

i use that specter gear 6 shell holder that goes on toward the rear of the stock....doesn't throw things off too bad.

 

[AStone]

Hey Shooter, I've only recently gotten my shottie, and haven't even shot it yet (that construction project I told you about, but it's almost finished - I'm even working on it on New Years eve {which tells you about my social life}, so I hope to get out within weeks....)

So, I don't have much opinion yet about most of your questions. However, in researching my gun before I bought it, I began to consider some options for extra ammo carry.

I tend to think I'll be the same as at least a couple of others who don't like extra ammo ON the gun. (I also purposefully turned down one of those Speedfeed stocks that has ports for putting extra rnds IN the stock.)

If I do something for extra shells on it, I'll probably go with a buttcuff like this one by Galco.

Too early to tell yet, though. First, I just need to get some rnds through it.

Anyday now...

Say, how them green chiles treating you? Why, you could even use a buttcuff to carry extra green chiles.

Nem

 

[ron73644]

"If I do something for extra shells on it, I'll probably go with a buttcuff like this one by Galco".

Nice but expensive.....

 

[Chris Rhines]

A whole lot of ways to carry extra shotgun shells: http://www.3gungear.com/Pages/41_sg_gear_selection.html

I have a lot of Mark's gear (sidesaddles, foreend carriers, shell belt, etc.) and it's all functional and high quality.

- Chris

 

[AStone]

"If I do something for extra shells on it, I'll probably go with a buttcuff like this one by Galco".

Nice but expensive.....

I agree.

I like the leather, and the lack of pouch (see below), and the ability to tie it on. But the price is steep.

Here's another buttcuff by Eagle Industries that I like better in two ways: 1) half the price of the Galco; 2) the piece that wraps around the buttplate of the stock must significantly impede an inevitable march toward the muzzle.

The only thing I don't like about it is the pouch. I haven't seen one in real time yet, but my sense is the pouch would allow unnecessary 'slop and flop' in the shells. I'd prefer them to be tight against the stock.

Besides, the pouch seems like an unnecessary afterthought by some marketer. What th' h are people going to carry in a pouch. Car keys? A candie bar? How about a pen and note pad for making notes while on your next 3-gun competition? On a shotgun? I don't think so.

I'm still looking, and won't decide whether to get one, and if so, which one, for some time.

Now, off to a steaming bowl of Vietnamese spicy duck and seafood noodle soup for NYE dinner, then back to painting.

Nem

 

[AStone]

A whole lot of ways to carry extra shotgun shells: http://www.3gungear.com/Pages/41_sg_gear_selection.html

Whoa! Serious shooter!

The arm carriers are really interesting, but I really like the belt carriers.

I have a lot of Mark's gear (sidesaddles, foreend carriers, shell belt, etc.) and it's all functional and high quality.

Not to mention (ostensibly) very reasonable prices.

Thanks for that site.

Nem

 

[sm]

Considerations:

Ammo carry is going to depend on what the gun is being used for.

Yes the Galco is VERY nice, well made and well worth the money. I have used these and recommended these. Most often just out on the property , farm, ranch use.

Do consider the glitch if one has to use a shotgun weak handed...Shells will prevent getting a cheek weld, you gotta do what you gotta do, getting cut up may be the least of concerns if in a serious situation and have to shoot weak side with the Galco for instance.

Inexpensive Koplins and such, move, turn, pull off in a hurry. Once can apply electrical tape to stay in place, then again the ability to pull off, put on arm like a band, is an option too.

Cowboy shooters for instance use the shell on belt as I mentioned earlier. I had some altered as a paddle style - ability to use either way. In a serious situation I could grab these, slip into waistband and go. 5 rds each.

Even the simple one with 2 shells, 4 shells or 6 six , the shells in pairs, (bit of space b/t each pair ) to facilitate grabbing two to stuff a double gun are great. Rifle version hold .410 shells...

My "garmet bag" - well the shotgun in said garmet bag was Cruiser Ready, I had these leather shell carriers with the gun, I also had a canvas Army surplus bag of some kind - other shotgun shells, speedloaders, magazines and ammo for my other "travel needs". Cash extra keys...like I said I may have to be very mobile very fast. Just a garmet bag...grab and go...nobody notices a person running with one "must be late getting to somewhere".
Yeah...I was running for real to leave in real big hurry...

Just have to think how one is going to use firearm and how one needs to address the use, ammo, accessories is all.

 

[exoduster18]

Uuuummmm.......Chris, 14 + 9 = 23. But we all get what you're saying. Just don't want you teaching your kids any new math skills, cause they're gonna learn enough to make them crazy in school. You know how their little, impressionable minds will handle it.

It's for the kids, ya know?

Sarcasm^ Except on the actual addition. 14 + 9 = 23.

 

[Chris Rhines]

Oops.

- Chris

 

[exoduster18]

LOL. Hey its alright. I still like the clerk at Gander Mountain the other day though. I gave him a five and he punched it in like I gave him a 50. His loof was classic: . I calmly gave him a minute and then told him that he owed me $2.41 back as my change (the purchase was only $2.51). He looks at me and says this: "I'm glad you're really good with your math, cause I'm not so good at it, especially with something like this." LOL. I guess you don't have to have brains in order to help a customer. It was funny and he just kept apologizing. Oh, well, it made for a good laugh.

 

[Fred Fuller]

You don't say where/when/why you will be carrying extra ammo. It would help a lot to know what you're planning for...

1. Do you like ammunition on the outside of your shotgun? If so, how much and how is it carried?
-----------------------
Most absolutely certainly yes for sure you betcha, I want a reload (or close to it) on any defensive long gun in the house. That way if I can manage to get hands on the gun, I have extra ammo too. I ain't exactly likely to have pockets or a belt on if I have to roll out at ohdarkthirty to repel boarders, ya know, and sleeping with a bandolier or any other means of carrying ammo is a nonstarter (if I have THAT much to worry about, we will be standing watch in shifts). "My" shotguns have six round SideSaddles, "our" guns have the four round versions- reason for that being my petite wife prefers a full length field style forearm on 'our' 870s to go along with the 12.5" LOP.

2. Do you have any favorite pouches or pockets, or other ways of carrying shells?
--------------------------
Been a while now since I have carried a shotgun for serious outside the house work. When I carried for security (working gun show locations overnight etc) I wore a GI web belt and suspenders with holster/sidearm, two extra .45 magazines, and two or three 12- round GI shotgun ammo pouches. I usually carried buckshot and slugs segregated by pouch, and i always put an extra ALICE clip in the middle of each pouch to keep them from sagging on the belt. They are sorta like the one at http://www.eagleindustries.com/ProdDisp.asp?PartNoID=112 except they use snap fasteners and not Velcro. You can see the cotton duck version of the GI pouch at http://www.vietnamgear.com/kit.asp?kit=365 , the ones I have are GI, but are nylon sewn on the same pattern. When working 'dress up' security I used to carry a few shells loose in various pockets separated by type (buckshot or slugs).
Nowadays we always carry a shotgun on the road, and the 'war bag' that goes along with us is a vinyl-bottomed milsurp canvas bag, closed firmly with Velcro, with a shoulder strap (all from Cheaper Than Dirt). The middle compartment is wide enough to carry two 50-round boxes of 9mm at the bottom, with buckshot in 10-round boxes on top of that, and slugs in 5-round boxes in the smaller side compartments. The bag usually has 100 rounds of pistol ammo, 20-30 rounds of buckshot and 20-30 rounds of slugs. There's also basic first aid stuff, a flashlight, a large folding knife and a pair of FRS/GMRS radios in there too. Yes, it is a HEAVY little sucker.

3. Do you carry multiple types of ammo, and if so how do you carry each type to avoid confusion?
---------------------------
Yes, 00 buck and slugs. The gun has 00 in the magazine and slugs in the SideSaddle. The magazine is always loaded one round down to allow for the insertion of a slug if needed when the excitement commences, any reloads after that from the SideSaddle will be slugs since that's all that is present. Otherwise ammo types are segregated by the carry method employed.

4. How much ammunition do you consider "enough", and what do you consider that amount enough for?
--------------------------------
What's in/on the gun (usually 7- 11 rounds) SHOULD be enough for anything that happens 'out of the blue' around Chateau Lapin. If it is apparent big trouble is in the offing, we are likely to not be here for the festivities if at all possible, or at the very least loaded for bear (along with everyone else in the neighborhood) if we do hang around. Out on the road away from home, the contents of the war bag should cover things sufficiently if anything approaching the predictable level of difficulty arises. As far as what's at home is concerned, I buy ammo that works for me in case lots and shortages are not likely to be a problem for a while.

YMMV,

lpl/nc

 

[MCgunner]

Yeah, depends on the use. Defensive shotguns have all sorts of bells and whistles. For me, shotguns are for bird hunting, revolvers are for home defense. I cannot imagine if I used a shotgun in my little house that it'd take more than one or two rounds for one or two perps, but hey, whatever. The only "defensive" shotgun I use is my old waterfowling SxS double I have out in my shop and I have one of those Koplin butt holder thingys on it. It makes the thing WAY butt heavy, but killing a man is one HECK of a lot easier than shooting a quail on the rise or a duck that just flew into view. Gun balance isn't as bothersome. I could hit a man blindfolded with a shotgun. LOL! Well, that's an exaggeration, but you get my drift.

If you are hunting or shooting clays, trust me, the gun needs to balance well and any rearward shift in balance effects your mounting of the gun negatively. I want my gun to balance weight forward.

 

[AStone]

...I have one of those Koplin butt holder thingys on it.

Anybody have a URL for those Koplin butt holder thingees?

Googling Koplin butt (without the "holder thingee" part) gets me nothing but pages on THR.

Nem

 

[AStone]

When I carried for security (working gun show locations overnight etc) I wore a GI web belt and suspenders with holster/sidearm, two extra .45 magazines, and two or three 12- round GI shotgun ammo pouches. I usually carried buckshot and slugs segregated by pouch, and i always put an extra ALICE clip in the middle of each pouch to keep them from sagging on the belt.

That description is an exellent reason not to arrive at a gunshow after closing time and chance walking through a door that was inadvertently left unlocked.

Seriously, nice post, Lee. Good ideas.

One potentially niggling question:

Nowadays we always carry a shotgun on the road.

I'm assuming by "on the road" you mean longer trips, like weekend vacations, etc. Right?

I've wondered about this sort of thing myself. I don't have my CCW for a handgun yet, (though once this remodel project if finished, that's near the top of my list), but I've wondered about just carrying the shottie in the truck with me for longer drives...

Nem

 

[MCgunner]

Anybody have a URL for those Koplin butt holder thingees?

Googling Koplin butt (without the "holder thingee" part) gets me nothing but pages on THR.

Nem

I bought my butt holder thingy off ebay for about 8 bucks, "buy it now". Couldn't find one around here anywhere. I wanted the shotgun out there after an incident at the car wash next door involving three armed high school kids doing a car jacking when I was in the house sick that day. I could easily have been caught up in that when working in my shop 'cause it happened about 3 in the afternoon. Got to thinking it'd be nice to have a shotgun out there since sometimes I'm out there with nothing more than an NAA .22 in my pocket. When I'm working, carrying is a pain. It's my shop, so I can keep a long gun there handy. I figured with a double, I might want more than two shots handy. It's a grab it and fight situation if I need it, ain't going into combat with bandoleers of ammo across my shoulders. And, in that situation, I ain't too worried about proper balance of the gun.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Nem,

Try http://secure.mycart.net/catalogs/index.asp?category=78866&count=1 . It's KoLPin...

On the gunshow security detail, I worked with a good mature levelheaded crew. After unload and setup by the exhibitors (we provided security for that too) was over, we locked down the facility and double/triple checked all doors and enclosed areas inside our secured perimeter. WE didn't want any surprises either, with so much of other people's hardware that we were responsible for all laid out on the tables.

As to trucking with the shotgun, check your local laws and make sure you comply. We lug along a shotgun whenever we are away overnight, both of us carry pistols but still want access to something bigger if things go really wrong. It's only paranoia if you don't have to use it, after all 8^). Soft gun cases fitted to short shotguns disappear into clothes bags nicely- an 18" 870 with a 12 1/2" LOP is just over a yard long (37 1/2"), the as-issued FN Police Shotgun I'm currently giving a workout is all of an inch longer at 38 1/2". The recently retrieved cut-down 20 ga. double that lived in my Mom's bedroom for years and years (we got her a 9mm carbine to replace it) has an OAL of 33" (that's with 18.5" barrels and a 12" LOP) and that is about as handy as a shoulderable shotgun is going to get.

lpl/nc

 

[riverdog]

Nematocyst,
AFAIK the Eagle stock pack was originally for rifle. I have a couple but not for shotgun. I keep field stuff for my .308 de jour in the pouch, but if the pouch wasn't there I wouldn't miss it. For a shotgun though you may be right, don't see much point in the pouch and it will slow down removing ammo. I may put one of mine on an 870 just to see how it works re cheek weld.

 

[AStone]

Try http://secure.mycart.net/catalogs/index.asp?category=78866&count=1 . It's KoLPin...

Ah, bingo. Thanks, Lee. And thanks for the advice about checking locally re shotgun truck carry. Will do.

We lug along a shotgun whenever we are away overnight, both of us carry pistols but still want access to something bigger if things go really wrong. It's only paranoia if you don't have to use it, after all 8^).

One of my favorite writers in recent years is a social historian named William Irwin Thompson. He studies and writes about the relationship between myth, art & science, a topic that I'm very interested in. His writing is very erudite but also very challenging to read (speaking only for myself). He calls it "mind-jazz". I'm quite sure that his views would raise a few eyebrows on THR, but it's very interesting and provactive.

But I digress. I mention him here because he has an interesting interpretation of the concept of paranoia, and a similar situation that he distinguishes from it: metanoia.

He writes that paranoia names a circumstance in which a person has fears that are unfounded. (I lived next door to an Vietnam vet once that swore the CIA was after him because he had inside information about the Kennedy assassination. I moved within a week after he was seen running around in our parking lot with a loaded assault rifle, screaming "The CIA is coming!" )

Metanoia, on the other hand, names a situation in which a person's fears ARE justified, even if it seems to others at the time that they are not. He notes that numerous times in history, famous people have been accused during their time of being paranoid, but in hindsight, we can recognize that they were metanoid.

I'd like to think of most of us level-headed THR members - prepared as we are attempting to be - as being metanoid.

Nem

 

[AStone]

...the Eagle stock pack ... For a shotgun though you may be right, don't see much point in the pouch and it will slow down removing ammo. I may put one of mine on an 870 just to see how it works re cheek weld.

Riverdog, thanks. I suspected that. Nice to hear from someone who's used one.

If you get around to checking it out on your 870, please let us know.

I'm liking the looks of the Kolpin thingee since it doesn't have the pouch, and suspect that a strap to go around the butt plate could be easily sewn on if slippage was a problem.

Speaking of slippage: MCgunner, have you noticed any tendency in your Kolpin to slide forward?