Speed loading a single shot shotgun?

[MarsocDad45ACP]

Hi,

Hoping someone can provide me with some information on how to speed load a single shot for home/farm defense. I own a single shot 12 gauge winchester 37a full choke that while it will most certainly end a fight, it is not anywhere near as fast as a pump action. Problem is since in the late 80s I had a s&w pump action almost blind me when it nearly blew the bolt out of the action, I don't trust them anymore.

Is there any kind of attachment or device that can make loading faster and easier with arthritic hands?

Any help appreciated,

John

 

[entropy]

Hold two rounds in off hand; (like brass knuckles sticking out between index/middle and middle/ring fingers) Push lever over, flick action open (forward/down), insert round, fire, repeat.

As I typed that, I read the arthritic part. There are several 2-shot belt devices to hold rounds for 3-gun and SASS shooting that might work for you.

 

[George P]

Hi,

Hoping someone can provide me with some information on how to speed load a single shot for home/farm defense. I own a single shot 12 gauge winchester 37a full choke that while it will most certainly end a fight, it is not anywhere near as fast as a pump action. Problem is since in the late 80s I had a s&w pump action almost blind me when it nearly blew the bolt out of the action, I don't trust them anymore.

Is there any kind of attachment or device that can make loading faster and easier with arthritic hands?

Any help appreciated,

John

Watch some videos about the speed loading from Thunder Ranch. Not using a pump because of something that happened over 30n years ago seems to me to be a tad over the top. The only for something like that to happen was someone using a slam-fire gun or overproof loads.

 

[MarsocDad45ACP]

Used to slam fire my High Standard 200 all the time, no problems, granted this was a long time ago. That gun had a very solid lock up though. Picked up my brothers S&W pump and it sprayed my face with shrapnel when I fired it. Since then, I cut all my pump shotguns in half. Didn't want to give a gun to a stranger and was concerned about my family. My boy uses a pump in the corps, but he wears goggles. I'll look into those thunder ranch videos, but I'm not sure if I can get fast enough with it to not have to rely on my dog. Had a vagrant wandering around the property last year (probably drugs) and I swear, for the life of me, I was not able to load her up *in case* quick enough before the dog chased him off. The dog's getting older and at this point, I doubt I'd outlive a new dog.

 

[George P]

Then get a semi and call it good. I have had several pumps over the years (down to one now) and never had any issues with any of them; still trying to figure out how a closed bolt was spraying you with shrapnel????

 

[MarsocDad45ACP]

From what I remember, there was an issue with the way that gun locked up and it unlocked on me blowing bits of the case, haven't heard of it happening to anyone else, just don't trust them personally anymore. I have a lot of trouble racking the bolt on a semi, unfortunately. I don't mind keeping it loaded but would not be comfortable having to clear a jam or something.

 

[George P]

Then that leaves with the choice of a SxS or O/U or the Chiappa 3 barrel

 

[entropy]

Picked up my brothers S&W pump and it sprayed my face with shrapnel when I fired it. Since then, I cut all my pump shotguns in half.

Kind of throwing the baby out with the bath water, isn't it?

 

[Jim Watson]

The original S&W 916 pump was a development of the old Nobel. Not a good piece, as you found out the hard way. No reason to be afraid of good pumps, the later S&W 3000 was a superior gun, not to mention Remington or Mossberg.

Suggest you look for a Biden Special (double barrel.)
Speedloading a single is not a reasonable tactic.
Jeff Cooper said that South American villa guards were commonly armed with singles. A deterrent to minor criminals, not much extra threat if bought off by pros.

 

[nettlle]

For starts get one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Mikes-Neoprene-Buttstock-Shotgun/dp/B001B6Z0WK

 

[MedWheeler]

George P writes:

Watch some videos about the speed loading from Thunder Ranch.

Yep. I asked about this same topic nine years ago, and was rewarded with this link:



The part on singles is at 1:41.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Thunder Ranch best site for Single shotguns!

 

[Armored farmer]

This Allen ammo sleeve is as handy as it gets.
I have them on all my single barrels(7)
Grab the gun and go.

 

[Drail]

I had a S&W 916 riot gun in 1973. I sold it in 1973. It was probably the worst gun I ever owned.

 

[MedWheeler]

Armored farmer writes:

This Allen ammo sleeve is as handy as it gets.

Yep. Got one on the one single I have that has a full buttstock.

 

[MarsocDad45ACP]

Would like a double but the only affordable one seems to be that stoeger which has an automatic safety for some silly reason. Haven't had any luck at pawn shops/gun stores for an older but serviceable double.

 

[bearcreek]

Picked up my brothers S&W pump and it sprayed my face with shrapnel when I fired it. Since then, I cut all my pump shotguns in half. Didn't want to give a gun to a stranger and was concerned about my family.

I have a friend whose pickup truck had an engine fire and burned it down. Do you think we should all scrap our pickup trucks now? That's really quite illogical. Just because one particular manufacturer had some guns with some issues isn't a reason to destroy or no longer use that type of action. Nobody would use any firearms if that were the case.

My boy uses a pump in the corps, but he wears goggles.

You should be wearing eye protection as well when you target shoot.

 

[Jim Watson]

Would like a double but the only affordable one seems to be that stoeger which has an automatic safety for some silly reason. Haven't had any luck at pawn shops/gun stores for an older but serviceable double.

So how is an automatic safety operationally different from the hammer on your single? But it can be defeated if you just must. YouTube, you know.

 

[George P]

Would like a double but the only affordable one seems to be that stoeger which has an automatic safety for some silly reason. Haven't had any luck at pawn shops/gun stores for an older but serviceable double.

Field guns tend to come with an auto safety. If it is too hard to remember to use your thumb to tun it off as you shoulder the gun, I guess I am out of help.

MarsocDad45ACP said: ↑
My boy uses a pump in the corps, but he wears goggles.
You should be wearing eye protection as well when you target shoot.

You should be wearing eye protection for hunting as well as target shooting, even if it is a pair of sunglasses.

 

[MarsocDad45ACP]

Field guns tend to come with an auto safety. If it is too hard to remember to use your thumb to tun it off as you shoulder the gun, I guess I am out of help.



You should be wearing eye protection for hunting as well as target shooting, even if it is a pair of sunglasses.

I appreciate your insight George.

I just find it strange that they would have that feature on the coach gun. I guess it's something I could get used to, but was hoping there was something without a safety available.

I currently wear safety glasses for any recreational shooting but it wasn't commonplace when this happened. Besides I don't think I'd worry about grabbing my glasses if another vagrant comes on the property.

 

[MarsocDad45ACP]

I have a friend whose pickup truck had an engine fire and burned it down. Do you think we should all scrap our pickup trucks now? That's really quite illogical. Just because one particular manufacturer had some guns with some issues isn't a reason to destroy or no longer use that type of action. Nobody would use any firearms if that were the case.
You should be wearing eye protection as well when you target shoot.

I had an El Camino that burned down due to an automatic transmission failure. Never bought another automatic after that.

The problem I had was obviously a very rare issue with some lower quality shotguns. However, it's important to know what you like and to me a pump action doesn't give me the same sense of security a break action does. Also I've always shot a single much better, probably due to the forend being solid and the trigger usually being nicer.

Don't judge me too much for cutting those guns. They were very inexpensive, low grade, and it was done at a time when nobody would have taken them off me and I didn't have the room to store them. The sheriff at the time advised me that cutting the receivers was probably best, since there were concerns about giving them away to a stranger. If it happened today I wouldn't need to have done that.

 

[George P]

I appreciate your insight George.

I just find it strange that they would have that feature on the coach gun. I guess it's something I could get used to, but was hoping there was something without a safety available.

I currently wear safety glasses for any recreational shooting but it wasn't commonplace when this happened. Besides I don't think I'd worry about grabbing my glasses if another vagrant comes on the property.

See if your local gunsmith can stake it off or make it a manual one. That can be done on other makes, I am not sure if it can with yours.

 

[bearcreek]

I had an El Camino that burned down due to an automatic transmission failure. Never bought another automatic after that.

The problem I had was obviously a very rare issue with some lower quality shotguns. However, it's important to know what you like and to me a pump action doesn't give me the same sense of security a break action does. Also I've always shot a single much better, probably due to the forend being solid and the trigger usually being nicer.

I understand that people have their preferences and of course you're welcome to yours. You follow what I'm saying though, right? It doesn't make the slightest bit of sense to eliminate an entire type of firearm, transmission, or anything else really just because of one version of it that was a bad apple. You can literally find examples of every type of firearm action failing, without exception and that includes break actions. I like single shots too, for hunting. Even my deer rifle is a single shot. For defensive use though, especially for someone with arthritic hands, a repeating weapon that doesn't take a bunch of screwing around to fire more than one round through, is going to be a better option. Honestly, given the arthritis issue, any shotgun is probably not going to be a great option and if it must be a shotgun, it should probably be a 20 gauge. When you go to the range to practice, how many rounds can you go through without being in pain?

 

[MarsocDad45ACP]

I understand that people have their preferences and of course you're welcome to yours. You follow what I'm saying though, right? It doesn't make the slightest bit of sense to eliminate an entire type of firearm, transmission, or anything else really just because of one version of it that was a bad apple. You can literally find examples of every type of firearm action failing, without exception and that includes break actions. I like single shots too, for hunting. Even my deer rifle is a single shot. For defensive use though, especially for someone with arthritic hands, a repeating weapon that doesn't take a bunch of screwing around to fire more than one round through, is going to be a better option. Honestly, given the arthritis issue, any shotgun is probably not going to be a great option and if it must be a shotgun, it should probably be a 20 gauge. When you go to the range to practice, how many rounds can you go through without being in pain?

I understand what you're saying. I have nothing against anyone who chooses a pump action. It might not make statistical sense, but I think to avoid things that give you a bad experience really is just human nature. Look at the large number of people who are terrified of dogs because they were bit by one bad dog as a child. I really doubt it would happen again, but I still don't feel as comfortable with a pump action as I do a break action, which I've seen blow from barrel obstructions, but that is obviously user error.

The other nice thing about my break action at least is it doesn't require as much physical effort to use as a pump. Pushing a lever to the side and placing a new shell is much easier for me than racking a pump, especially a newer stiffer one. As far as the arthritis is concerned, at this point the pain is more or less constant anytime I am using my hands. Shooting doesn't hurt me anymore than hammering a nail in would.

 

[boom boom]

Having similar issues dealing with hands, I sympathize with you. If you rule out pump or gas operated repeaters, my advice is to have two single shots shotguns or a double barrelled shotgun (try calling JG Sales which did have the external hammer versions for cowboy shooting) if you are using them for in the home defense. (link http://www.jgsales.com/cai-coachgun-jw2000-side-by-side-shotgun,-12ga,-20-barrels,-new.-p-6061.html). You can have it transferred in to the local FFL.

The second option is to have a revolver as well--Buds Gun Shop and other places do have used S&W Model 10 revolvers and you can find others around in .38 special. A shotgun (even a single shot) plus a 6 shot revolver would handle most unpleasant situations and drawing a second weapon is quicker than reloading if you have significant hand problems because it involves gross motions rather than fine mechanical ones.

A third option is to get a used bolt action or lever gun shotgun--you won't have the problem of firing out of battery as the shotgun won't fire without the bolt or lever locked and many of these do feed from a magazine. Mossberg in particular made bolt action shotties for a long time https://www.guns.com/2013/08/21/mossberg-bolt-action-shotguns-odd-never-felt-so-good/
Used ones of these are around in pretty good condition. The lever action repeaters are usually new for the cowboy action crowd. Working a bolt action is a bit easier than manually loading a single shot.

FWIW, I would heartily discourage you from going out on your property to confront anyone though--bad legal and tactical decision whether you are armed or not. If vagrants are a problem, mark your land with no trespassing signs (or what your state considers the same) and call the police if someone is out there.