Tactical load of slugs when running buckshot on a drill?

[Snakum]

Want to make sure I haven't missed something ...

I've gotten a bit of training on the shotgun from instructors and from experienced real-world users, and I've done quite a bit of drilling with my 870s, including switching loads and transitioning to handgun. And I was always taught that if I suddenly needed a slug when I had four or five rounds of buck loaded up and a live one in the chamber that I should pull the slug and feed it normally, then just shoot or shuck the round of buck and pick up the slug on the next rack. I've done a lot of admin and tactical reload training feeding one at a time into an empty weapon, and I used to be pretty fast at it. But with a gun full of buck and a live one in the chamber, always thought that the only way to transition to slugs was load it and chamber it normally, thus sacrificing the live chambered buck round.

But I was told yesterday this isn't so, and that with the 870 there was a way to slug up with a full gun of buck without wasting a round of buck. Anyone know anything about this? I went back and checked my Ayoob, Awyerbach, and Suarez books and don't see anything like that?

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

You could turn it sideways, ejection port down, pull the slide to the rear and eject both the live round in the chamber and the next round in the tube. Then load your slug through the ejection port and close the slide. You do end up with two live buck rounds on the ground, but at least they are both still good.

 

[167]

If you place your pinky, or depending on the size of your fingers maybe your pinky and ring finger behind the foregrip as you pump it won't release a round from the magazine tube but will still extract the live round from the chamber (as long as you are just shooting 2 3/4 shells). You can dump the live round or I guess catch the live round in your hand and save it, and thus not have to drop a round, but I think that would slow the works down a little. Slug transitions are complicated enough to start with. Just dump the round, it is easier and faster.

 

[DougW]

Snakum, I think you have it right on your drill. Ragnar's solution is what I do, as it is quick and easy to manage in a stressful situation. I have used an 870 for years, loading singles "through the port" is very quick.

 

[hammerklavier]

If the gun is topped off and you need a slug in a tactical situation: 1) Fire two shots, quickly at the target. 2) Load the slug. 3) Fire slug (if still needed).

 

[gfpd707]

My supernova has a magazine interupter switch. You just push it and eject the chambered round and insert the desired one.

 

[lobo9er]

how is the chambered round going to magically remove itself with out being shucked or fired?

 

[gfpd707]

how is the chambered round going to magically remove itself with out being shucked or fired?

press magazine interupter and shuck. The chambered shell is removed and the magazine does not release a new shell

 

[RevolvingGarbage]

The simplest solution to this problem is to not top the magazine off after shucking a round into the chamber. For example, I have a 5+1 pump shotgun, with 5 rounds in the tube and an empty chamber. If I need the gun, I pick it up, rack it and I'm ready to go with one in the chamber, 4 in the tube, and room for one more. If I need something besides 00 buck, I would load that one round of slug/birdshot/flare whatever into the tube, shuck the gun(with or without firing the round in the tube as the situatino dictates), and I'm read to go with the special munition.

 

[RX-178]

+1 to RevolvingGarbage.

I keep my HD shotgun with the magazine full, the chamber empty and the safety off, and with slugs on the side saddle.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

pump slide. put slug in tube. pump slide again. this works in all states of readiness, whether the tube is fully loaded or not.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I've done it both ways...loading into the tube or into the chamber, depending on the state of the magazine.

If you are in a hurry, there is no way to not lose at least one round of buck. If it is really important to you, and you have the time, you could try
1. catching the round in the chamber as you slowly work the slide backwards
2. before you move the slide all the way back, secure the next round up in the magazine
3. load the slug through the ejection port

 

[Snakum]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Much appreciated. I've got some 3-gun stuff coming up and need to get back on the shotgun and pistol an hour or ten this week. I haven't done anything but hunting and long range tactical shooting in just over a year and when I took the Glock and 870 out last week to knock the dust off I was really stink'n it up.