Side saddel for shotgun

[M1Garand]

If you have a side saddle for your shotgun, do you prefer to have your shell stored pointing up or pointing down? And Why?

[liliysdad]

I point mine up. I was trained, and still practice, that when loading the gun never leaves the strong hand. Everything is done with the weak hand. Thus, the shells pointed up is far faster than any other way.

[riddler]

pointing up!

[ElevatedThreat]

The idea with a side-saddle is that the weak hand reaches under the stock, withdraws the shell from the side-saddle on the far side of the butt by pulling it down, and either slips it into the magazine-tube or "rolls" it into the chamber. Either way, the shell needs to be held in the side-saddle with the rim down and the nose up.

This requires the individual shell holders of the side-saddle to grip the shells well enough that the rim is not required to hold the shells from falling out.

I don't typically use a side-saddle anymore, preferring to keep my shotguns as light, slick, and un-encumbered as possible. But when I did, I greatly preferred either the kind that fit on the off-side of the receiver held by longer trigger-guard pins, or the plastic kind that screw right on to the side of the butt stock.

Both of these types use plastic clips to hold the shells. They are are much better at retaining the shells than the elastic kind that slide over the butt and use elastic loops to hold the shells. The elastic loops tend to lose their tension over time, and can allow shells held rims-down to fall out unexpectedly while moving, or under recoil.

-ET

[jmb79]

Even better than the platic clip sidesaddles that Elevated Threat describes are the aluminum sidesaddles made by Mesa Tactical. These sidesaddles hold the shells very securely and yet allow for quicker removal from the holder. In my opinion, they are absolutely worth the upcharge from the plastic Tac-Star versions and their ilk.

[Critter]

Depends on how you reload. I use mine with the brass up. I turn my shottie counterclockwise 1/4 turn,(right handed shooter) with my strong hand still in firing position, grab the shell with my left hand, drop in chamber, close slide, and fire. If you have enough time to load the mag tube, it doesn't matter where you get the load from. I smoke even the auto guys anytime there is more than a reload or two by big numbers, but I always reload once and fire. I've even got a fellow that runs a Benelli rethinking the entire sidesaddle/reload deal, we are just trying to figure out an efficient way to close his bolt, and I won't be able to claim that anymore.

Edited to add: When I do use the side saddle to reload the magazine, shottie is upside down, butt resting in joint of hip, and load still with the left hand, but this isn't done much as I normally load out of the box initially.

[chance3290]

tactically speaking, I think its standard practice to keep the shotgun pointed towards the threat area. With brass down your hands don't come into you line of vision.
Also you get to look at the head of the round....slug or buck. That's in case you carry some of each in your sidesaddle.

[ElevatedThreat]

Originally posted by chance3290
tactically speaking, I think its standard practice to keep the shotgun pointed towards the threat area. With brass down your hands don't come into you line of vision.
Also you get to look at the head of the round....slug or buck. That's in case you carry some of each in your sidesaddle.

Exactly. The idea is that the mag tube is being topped off from the side-saddle during a "lull" in the action, while you are behind cover, with the gun constantly if firing position, covering the threat and ready to fire.

The only time you are loading the chamber is either because you ran dry (not good!) or because you are swapping out the round in the chamber between buck and slug.

I differentiate buck from slug by feel at the nose of the shell, without training myself to take eyes off the threat and look at the shell.

If you are doing a game-type competition, there are other options tht open up, but for combat shooting your options are more limited, for sound tactics.

-ET

[chance3290]

Oops, you're right. It should be done by feel if at all possible. But check the end for crimp or slug also works, as does using different colors for slug and buck. But again, ET you're right, go with feel first.

[M1Garand]

Mesa Tactical side saddles are definitely quite nice.

[WellArmedSheep]

I've got a 6-round side saddle on my 870. I've got four Hornady 00 Buck shells in the forward four slots with the brass down, and two 1 oz. slugs in the rear slots brass up, for a couple of reasons: to help differentiate between the two, and most of all, since I'm a lefty, they would block the trigger.

[AggieMM]

For competition, I have all of the brass on bottom. But for tactical/home defense setup, I have the 2 slugs with brass on top, and 4 buckshot with brass on bottom. Therefore if I need slugs, I know which ones they are.

Here is me practicing a reload, and it shows the reason why I have them pointing down for reloading:

http://www.woodfam.com/forums/Range_Day_JacobsPlain_20060401_4999b.jpg

Why do I do it this way? With the side saddle on the shotgun, when you rotate it and put it on your shoulder, the reloading is done right in front of your face, very minimal movement of arms, and great visibility of the threat/target and the reload. Also, your left hand never moves from where it should be, so you get back to the firing position faster.

Ryan

[M1Garand]

Very interesting position and technique for reload. Definitely not the usual tactical reload trained at my agency.

[chance3290]

I gotta admit that this way looks less likely to drop a round during reload under stress(loss of fine motor skills), at least for a right handed shooter. Now I gotta go try it left handed.

[joesnewmatch]

Do you guys prefer 4 or 6 shell saddles? I thought I would buy a 6, until I put up to my 870P and then decided on a 4, thinking it would be less bulky and, therefore, less likely to be "in the way." Now I'm kind of second guessing myself...?