Show us your Guns!

[SamMarlowPI]

i'm not like 100% familiar with all this stuff which is why i gather as much information as possible...i've heard 00, #1, #4, #6bird...so i guess it all comes down to the person...

 

[John in Covina]

The larger size shot remains effective for a longer range.

 

[John in Covina]

btw- ever heard of the "tactical reload" or "shell dump" or whatever where you open the ejection port, grab a shell, reach underneath, drop the shell in and the rack the pump foreward?

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It has been a long time since i have seen the tactical reload done that I can't say I understand it as you describe it. Not all slide shotguns operate exactly the same way, it may be posible to do what you describe on some, but I can't recall seeing it done.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

here is a quick video of what i'm talking about...skip to 0:50 to see the reload...if you want...the guy at Gunsite calls it "port load"...another writer called it "combat load"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1XtSGn8JUQ

 

[John in Covina]

OK! Yes this guy is doing exactly what the guys doing the demo I saw were doing. Note the way he cradles the shell in his hand to control it and line it up with the port. It makes it less likely you'll drop the shell and that it is lined up to go in with out having to eyeball the action.

 

[carebear]

Typically if the magazine is loaded when you open the action, a shell will be brought onto the carrier, at that point putting an additional shell in the port will just jam the gun.

That may be either a brand specific technique or an empty gun technique.

What I was taught was, with a shell chambered, loading another into the magazine to replace it if there was time. Load one, shoot one.

In essence continuously topping off the mag so it is full if you then need multiple rounds quickly.

I keep 00 Buck in mine, the lightest I'd go is #4. Save the birdshot for birds.

The website "Box of Truth" (o' truth?) has good actual penetration tests on various mediums.

 

[Madcap72]

The Mossberg shotguns have aluminum receivers. For any normal usage they will stand up as well as a steel receivered shotgun. I use a Mossy 500 for my HD shotgun.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the 1300 or its receiver.

Remember, shotgun shells, especially non-magnums, are low pressure and by design the receiver is not really taking any of it anyway.

If it helps, I find the Federal 8-pellet Tactical (low recoil) 00 Buck patterns very well. It will do the job. Magnums are a case of "more is less" when it comes to combat shooting, save them for the ducks.

My dad met one of the design engineers of the Winchester 1300. The dude said they could have made the receiver out of plastic if they wanted to, all the pressure is contained by the barrel, and the bolt. The receiver is just to keep every thing lined up!

 

[SamMarlowPI]

ok...so would it make sense that my uncle mentioned the steel frames over the alloy because the steel can take a bit more beating like a cop having to drop his gun or handling it kind of rough...? basically it can withstand harsh punishment more so than the alloy? i dunno why he would bring up the steel/alloy argument unless he was talking about actual physical punishment the gun would endure therefore choosing steel over alloy...i hope that jumble makes sense...:eusa_doh:

 

[carebear]

ok...so would it make sense that my uncle mentioned the steel frames over the alloy because the steel can take a bit more beating like a cop having to drop his gun or handling it kind of rough...? basically it can withstand harsh punishment more so than the alloy? i dunno why he would bring up the steel/alloy argument unless he was talking about actual physical punishment the gun would endure therefore choosing steel over alloy...i hope that jumble makes sense...:eusa_doh:

That's pretty much it. Although the receiver, while not absorbing the chamber pressures, is transferring the recoil to the shooter. Enough heavy magnum loads and that adds up to a lot of energy going backwards. I have heard of frames starting to get cracks around pin holes and such.

Again, not a big deal for anyone not shooting it all day every day.

 

[carebear]

i know how a pump works, so one would only do the "port load" if the gun was empty...i guess it would be used only in a dire situation where, like you said, "load one, shoot one"...i guess it could also be used in conjunction with and prior to loading the magazine with an empty gun...port load and then load the mag...i dunno...maybe its just showing off if one uses it everytime they load but...whatever...anyway, i also noticed the 870 has one less shot capacity than the 1300, making it 6+1 vs. 7+1...not a huge difference but could be if the situation calls for that one extra shell...[huh]

but thanks guys, gives me some more to think about...

IIRC, the Beretta M1014 military shotgun (we got them right before I got out) can stage a shell on the carrier and still be single loaded, so it may be a model issue as well... though that's a semi.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Enough heavy magnum loads and that adds up to a lot of energy going backwards. I have heard of frames starting to get cracks around pin holes and such.

Again, not a big deal for anyone not shooting it all day every day.

don't really need magnum loads unless hunting, correct?

yah i wouldn't plan on all day, everyday...

 

[carebear]

don't really need magnum loads unless hunting, correct?

yah i wouldn't plan on all day, everyday...i would like to practice quite a bit(maybe a couple times a week for a few hours until i get used to it and then not that often) and regular bird and buckshot loads would be the main ammo...

Yup. The 2-3/4" standard loads, both buck and slug, are more than sufficient for people.

The "Tactical" or reduced-recoil loadings, made by most manufacturers, are actually better choices for self-defense (mostly due to patterning) and will be easier on the gun and your shoulder.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

what's the patterning difference in the low-recoil loads compared to standard?
have any particular brands of low-rec you like or could suggest?

 

[carebear]

They tend to pattern tighter, which enables you to make more precise shots.

I use the 8 pellet Federal Tactical but have also had good results with the Remington reduced recoil load.

Federal does a 9 pellet but that one always had a single flyer out of my Mossberg.

 

[indycop]

The "Tactical" or reduced-recoil loadings, made by most manufacturers, are actually better choices for self-defense (mostly due to patterning) and will be easier on the gun and your shoulder.

Are you talking about the new round that has brought the shotgun back into use for law enforcement? I shot that round into a car (training) from a distance of about 20-25 yards and it held a nice tight pattern as well as good penetration through door into driver seat.

 

[carebear]

Are you talking about the new round that has brought the shotgun back into use for law enforcement? I shot that round into a car (training) from a distance of about 20-25 yards and it held a nice tight pattern as well as good penetration through door into driver seat.

Yep.

Makes the gun easier to shoot for officers of all statures and the downloading affects penetration not a whit.

Different shotgun loads in gelatin.

http://www.tacticalshotgun.ca/ballistics_shotgun.html

A bit about shotgun spreads with buckshot and a good resource to see what "real world" penetration through walls looks like.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot42.htm

Note the kind of things you learn at a good course, such as how to make a shotgun head shot, if that's all you have.

The key is to know your gun and load. Find a load that patterns well for your shotgun, find out where your shotgun puts that pattern and don't change anything, just practice.

 

[DeaconKC]

All the shotguns mentioned here are great choices. If you are a lefty the tang safety on the Mossy is nice. I'm a big fan of the 870 personally having used one for years on the job and I know by habit where the controls are.

 

[Diamondback]

All the shotguns mentioned here are great choices.

Including the 1740? (It's just Siamese-twinned left-and-right 870's, you oughtta love it.)lol

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Now playing: Danny Elfman - The Suit
via FoxyTunes

 

[John in Covina]

Gunsite

Shotgun training video. These guys know what they are talking about and near the bottom of the page is the shotgun training video.

http://gunsite.com/store/page8.html

 

[DeaconKC]

DB, I LOVE the 1740! There's even an old Spanish 12 gauge SxS ready for duty here.