Velcro Shotgun Cards?

[Panzerschwein]

Does anyone use the velcro mounted stick on elastic side saddles for their defensive shotgun?

I am wondering how durable they are for home defense usage. Does the velcro peel off easily? I have read the elastic loops allows you to load with brass down without the risk of shells falling out under recoil, something that can happen with rigid metal or plastic side saddles.

I MUCH prefer to load brass down in a side saddle, seems so much quicker top off the magazine and for me to load directly into the chamber. Just wondering if these velcro elastic sidesaddles are workable for home defense, or if they're a gimmick.

Thoughts?

 

[sean m]

I have the velcro cards mounted on an 870, a Maverick 88 and also on an old H&R single shot 12. They seem to have been holding up pretty well for the last few years. I do carry them brass up. I use a couple of Alice M16 20 round magazine pouches to carry extra shells on cards.

 

[Panzerschwein]

I have the velcro cards mounted on an 870, a Maverick 88 and also on an old H&R single shot 12. They seem to have been holding up pretty well for the last few years. I do carry them brass up. I use a couple of Alice M16 20 round magazine pouches to carry extra shells on cards.

Very cool, thanks! I am mostly worried about hear. I live in the Mojave desert, so heat is a major concern. I don't want the velcro to melt and fall off the gun!

 

[wnycollector]

I use Esstac cards on both my 870's. They are excellent quality. One has been on my shotgun for three years. I have loaded and unloaded if numerous time and the ammo stays put. I do keep my brass up...just in case though.

 

[Mauser lover]

If it is Velcro brand, with the same sticky stuff as they have on the strips they sell, then it is probably just fine. My GPS is Velcroed to my dashboard, and it has gotten pretty hot in the car. No problem so far.

 

[bubbatime]

My honest take... FLIMSY. A good side saddle will still be fully functional, ready to go, 30 years from now. A Velcro'd side saddle? For home defense, I pick the side saddle every time. The Velcro stuff is better for 3 gun shooters that need to quickly swap cards. Do it right. Get a Mesa.

 

[Panzerschwein]

My honest take... FLIMSY. A good side saddle will still be fully functional, ready to go, 30 years from now. A Velcro'd side saddle? For home defense, I pick the side saddle every time. The Velcro stuff is better for 3 gun shooters that need to quickly swap cards. Do it right. Get a Mesa.

I thought I did it right. I got a Mesa.

But I didn't like it. Found the shells would wiggle loose in recoil. They say you have to remove the shells to let the rubber tubing inside to relax... yeah, that's inconvenient. I put the white tube in and that helped but made the shells too tight and slow to reload. So yeah... I won't get a Mesa.

 

[dak0ta]

I have one velcro'd on the buttstock on my waterfowl shotgun (Benelli Nova). Tried it out for the first time with 7-shot cards this season and it worked well. Shooting 3" magnum steel loads, the elastic loops held the shells and the velcro was solid. Also, allowed for rapid reloads since you have a 3 shot limit for waterfowling. Just preload 4 of them and you have a box of shells nice and organized. I use the S&J Hardware cards and heavy duty velcro that I use for my guitar pedalboard (industrial stuff). Heat up the degreased shotgun attachment surface and the velcro, then mate the two surfaces. Then take a dowel and roll flatten the edges and seal out any trapped air. Let cure for 24 hours before use.

 

[paulsj]

Side saddles are a waste of money. The only things extra needed on hd gun are simple sturdy sling and combat light plus mount.

 

[AJumbo]

I have the Esstacs, and I like them, but I'd be wary of the Ebay knockoffs. I load them brass-down and have yet to have a shell walk out of the loops from recoil. I took the Mesa sidesaddle off mine because I felt like it was just in the way when I use the gun for sporting clays and hunting. I like that I can stash cards in various places around the house, in my go-bag, etc, and that the cards can be changed out more far quickly than I could ever "reload" the Mesa. I can even slap the cards onto my MOLLE vest.

 

[Mainsail]

Side saddles are a waste of money. The only things extra needed on hd gun are simple sturdy sling and combat light plus mount.

+1

The sidesaddle just makes the gun heavier and unwieldy. Great for actual combat and competition, maybe.

My bathrobe has pockets, my pajamas have pockets, and all my clothes have pockets. I can keep a handful of shells next to the gun if I ever think things are so bad that the bad guys are going to walk into six or more blasts of 12 gauge and keep coming for my big screen TV.

They look cool and everyone is a commando....

 

[entropy]

I have a SpeedFeed III stock on my Tac 870. It like the weight distribution better, I get 5 in it with one of them an Aguila mini-shell. I became quite proficient at loading from it water-swatting ducks and geese. The 870 is not, however, my defensive shotgun. that is an Ithaca 37 and there is a box of Tru-Ball slugs sitting next to it if the 5 '0' Buck in it aren't enough.