Another Shotgun Reloading Question -

[mjl]

I have been practicing my weak hand reloads and am now showing some competency (key word - some) and confidence in performing a weak hand reload. My question is what is the best way to handle the reload when I've gone empty and the bolt locks back. I am shooting a Beretta Xtrema 2; I have to put one in the chamber and release the bolt before I can start placing shells into the magazine. I have tried doing it with my weak/left hand after I have grabbed 4 shells from my belt, turned the gun slightly sideways, put in the chamber, hit the bolt release button, but it is very awkward. I have a hard time getting it down into the chamber quickly. It works a little better if I do the reload righthanded, but then I would need to have one carrier set up for a righthanded reload. Another option would be to just drop one shell into the chamber righthanded (getting the shell off a wrist, the gun, or some other location) and then proceed with the lefthand reload. What are some other viable methods that experienced shooters use when the bolt locks back?

[Jesse Tischauser]

I load weak/left handed from my belt. When I run dry I simply grab 4 more shells from my belt drop the gun down under my armpit and roll it about 45° to the right so that the ejection port is pointing more down towards to grownd. I then reach under and slap a round on the gate and bump the realease button on my way back to to bottom of the gun to load the remaing 3 shells in my hand.

If you are just starting to load weakhand you may be faster if you get one of those two round elastic caddies from Mark Otto that strap onto the front of your receiver. You then simply grab a round with your strong hand dump it in, hit the button, go back to loading weakhand. It isn't as fast as the previously mentioned technique but it is more reliable if you are not comfortable with the weakhand reach under load.

Edited April 25, 2010 by jtischauser

[TruePunisher]

I load weak/left handed from my belt. When I run dry I simply grab 4 more shells from my belt drop the gun down under my armpit and roll it about 45° to the right so that the ejection port is pointing more down towards to grownd. I then reach under and slap a round on the gate and bump the realease button on my way back to to bottom of the gun to load the remaing 3 shells in my hand.

This is what I have been doing as well. Grab four rounds, roll the gun to the right, drop one in, hit the button, and boomshakalaka! ready to load the other three just like normal. Takes some practice and is made easier with an over sized button, but this has seemed to work best out of the other options I have played around with.

I think having a "two pack" on the handguard would be nice too for that time you only need one more round, but I have yet to put that on my gun.

[DocMcG]

mjl,

I use the 2 round slide lock carrier from 3 Gun Gear which allows me to throw a quick round into the chamber before I go to my CCW belt carrier. It works well for me!

Here is the link to the slide lock carrier: http://www.3gungear.com/Pages/43_sg_foreend.html

Cheers,

Kyle

[mr50mag]

Drop the bolt, load 8, press the trigger, rack the bolt and get it done.

Way over simplifed but you get the picture. Instead of fumbling to load the chamber and then load 3 shells just go ahead and drop the bolt and load it back up to 8.

On a Benelli the next round is released by the button or the trigger. So pulling the trigger on an empty chamber releases the last round you loaded onto the lifter and racking the slide loads it.

Now all you have to do is realize the gun only has 8 and try not to go to slide lock again.

Edited September 20, 2010 by mr50mag

[00bullitt]

Drop the bolt, load 8, press the trigger, rack the bolt and get it done.

Way over simplifed but you get the picture. Instead of fumbling to load the chamber and then load 3 shells just go ahead and drop the bolt and load it back up to 8.

On a Benelli the next round is released by the button or the trigger. So pulling the trigger on an empty chamber releases the last round you loaded onto the lifter and racking the slide loads it.

Now all you have to do is realize the gun only has 8 and try not to go to slide lock again.

Yep.....now thats the way to do it right there.

[Clint U66]

What are ya'll talking about?? Makes my head hurt just thinking about it!!

[GorillaTactical]

mjl,

I use the 2 round slide lock carrier from 3 Gun Gear which allows me to throw a quick round into the chamber before I go to my CCW belt carrier. It works well for me!

Here is the link to the slide lock carrier: http://www.3gungear.com/Pages/43_sg_foreend.html

Cheers,

Kyle

I do the same from slide lock. Try to plan on NEVER getting there though haha...it's a bad day when you do

[GorillaTactical]

What are ya'll talking about?? Makes my head hurt just thinking about it!!

Reloading shotgun when the weapon has gone to slidelock...it can be a little complicated because most of us load weakhanded from the belt...so we usually have a full hand making it cumbersome to try and drop one in the chamber then load through the gate...some guys are good at it though.

[Jesse Tischauser]

This is how I roll. Pay no attention to the crappy pistol reloads in the beginning and jump right to the 0:59 mark.

Slide Lock Reloads

[cold]

What are ya'll talking about?? Makes my head hurt just thinking about it!!

Reloading shotgun when the weapon has gone to slidelock...it can be a little complicated because most of us load weakhanded from the belt...so we usually have a full hand making it cumbersome to try and drop one in the chamber then load through the gate...some guys are good at it though.

Hmm...

I think you missed the sarcasm in Mr. Upchurch's post. He knows whats going on... he's just a silly open shooter (who happens to shoot for Infinity) is all.

Edited September 21, 2010 by cold

[Jesse Tischauser]

What are ya'll talking about?? Makes my head hurt just thinking about it!!

Reloading shotgun when the weapon has gone to slidelock...it can be a little complicated because most of us load weakhanded from the belt...so we usually have a full hand making it cumbersome to try and drop one in the chamber then load through the gate...some guys are good at it though.

Hmm...

I think you missed the sarcasm in Mr. Upchurch's post. He knows whats going on... he's just a silly open shooter (who happens to shoot for Infinity) is all.

I caught it! Lazy Open shooters just change mags. Clint probably doesn't even know what slide lock is;)

[assaulter]

This is how I roll. Pay no attention to the crappy pistol reloads in the beginning and jump right to the 0:59 mark.

Slide Lock Reloads

Jessee,

Do you have an extended bolt release button? I've tried that reload with my FN, and getting the shell into the chamber smoothly is great, but the button on my FN is tighter than a, well it's hard to press. I think that would work really well for me if I got an oversized button.

[Jesse Tischauser]

This is how I roll. Pay no attention to the crappy pistol reloads in the beginning and jump right to the 0:59 mark.

Slide Lock Reloads

Jessee,

Do you have an extended bolt release button? I've tried that reload with my FN, and getting the shell into the chamber smoothly is great, but the button on my FN is tighter than a, well it's hard to press. I think that would work really well for me if I got an over sized button.

I use the Arredondo button. I like it because it has the tapered leading edge. I rack the bolt by running my hand back wards under the loading port and catching the Nordic handle with my ring finger (kinda like running a pump shotgun). I have accidentally closed the bolt while loading like this too as a result of having the over sized button. So you gotta be careful and practice it a bunch.

Edited September 21, 2010 by jtischauser

[assaulter]

This is how I roll. Pay no attention to the crappy pistol reloads in the beginning and jump right to the 0:59 mark.

Slide Lock Reloads

Jessee,

Do you have an extended bolt release button? I've tried that reload with my FN, and getting the shell into the chamber smoothly is great, but the button on my FN is tighter than a, well it's hard to press. I think that would work really well for me if I got an oversized button.

I use the Arredondo button. I like it because it has the tappered leading edge. I rack the bolt by running my hand backwards under the loading port and catching the Nordic handle with my ring finger (kinda like running a pump shotgun). I have accidentally closed the bolt while loading like this too as a result of having the oversized button. So you gotta be careful and practice it a bunch.

I thought of getting the extended bolt release too. It's pretty hard to get leverage on the stock handle, especially the way you are describing. I just rotate the gun to the left and reach over with my non-dominant hand to rack the bolt.

[Jesse Tischauser]

This is how I roll. Pay no attention to the crappy pistol reloads in the beginning and jump right to the 0:59 mark.

Slide Lock Reloads

Jessee,

Do you have an extended bolt release button? I've tried that reload with my FN, and getting the shell into the chamber smoothly is great, but the button on my FN is tighter than a, well it's hard to press. I think that would work really well for me if I got an over sized button.

I use the Arredondo button. I like it because it has the tapered leading edge. I rack the bolt by running my hand back wards under the loading port and catching the Nordic handle with my ring finger (kinda like running a pump shotgun). I have accidentally closed the bolt while loading like this too as a result of having the over sized button. So you gotta be careful and practice it a bunch.

I thought of getting the extended bolt release too. It's pretty hard to get leverage on the stock handle, especially the way you are describing. I just rotate the gun to the left and reach over with my non-dominant hand to rack the bolt.

I have only fondled an FN shotgun once or maybe it was a SX2/3 but it was new and I remember the bolt being very much more difficult to pull rear wards than my Benelli. It may not be possible to do?

[assaulter]

I once owned a Benelli. The bolt is much easier to manipulate. Luckily it's not something you have to use much.