How to Load a Shotgun

You would think it is relatively straight forward on how to load a shotgun. Most have a tube that you simply push the round into until the tube (magazine) is full.

Like everything it is a lot harder when it’s dark, your adrenaline is pumping and someone is shooting back at you.

It’s something you have to practice and make sure you have it down.

Actually there are two ways to load a shotgun; each depending on the circumstances you are in:

Combat (Emergency) Load / Reload – This is how you want to either load a dry shotgun before shooting on the range or loading it for your home defense and secondly if you run dry during a gunfight. Keeping the weapon in the direction of the threat, slide a round in the chamber and chamber the round either with the pump action or with the slide release. Still keeping the weapon towards the threat, load the tube until it’s full.

Tactical Reload – If at all possible you should do a tactical reload. This is simply the act of filling up the tube/magazine as you shoot them. Think of it as shoot 2, load 2. The last thing you want is to run out of ammo during a gunfight.You want to practice this on the range as much as possible. Avoid shooting your shotgun to dry so you don’t burn this “muscle memory” in your head.

You should be shooting from cover anyway but if you aren’t, do your best to move to cover to do any sort of reload.

We found a good video that shows how to load a shotgun smooth and easily.