LEO Shotgun Handling

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION

LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES DIVISION

SHOTGUN HANDLING TECHNIQUES

CONTENTS:

A. General Overview

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B. Safe Handling

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C. Cruiser Carry Conditions

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D. Chambering

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E. Reloading

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F. Malfunctions & Immediate Action

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G. Photographs: Slinging, Unslinging, Transitions

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Copyright© 2006 by NRA

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Shotgun Handling Techniques

A. GENERAL OVERVIEW The shotgun is one of the most infrequently used items of emergency equipment, but when required, the officer must possess the skills to use it safely and effectively. Firearm Instructors must ensure that shotgun techniques are “trained-in” through repetition. Officers must have thorough knowledge concerning use and deployment of the law enforcement shotgun and have the proper skills and abilities to effectively use their shotgun. This includes being proficient in loading, unloading, reloading, shotgun firing positions, exchanging shell types, transition drills, and clearing stoppages. In short, shotgun training must be designed to produce the same level of proficiency and knowledge as handgun training. B. SAFE HANDLING

While there are major system differences between pump action and semi-automatic shotguns, many basic functions are similar. These include trigger use, safety button use, magazine tube operation, chambering or extracting rounds, sighting methods, etc. Additionally, there are a number of system differences in regards to the release and operation of the shell carrier, the device that carries a round from the magazine tube up into the chamber area. We will describe the general handling features for the standard law enforcement pump shotgun. While described for the pump action shotgun, the semi-automatic shotgun mechanism is very similar.

This shooter tactically reloaded his shotgun while keeping his finger off the trigger, his muzzle back from the forward edge of cover, while keeping an eye on the threat. His partner covered the threat area after he communicated he was reloading.

The main difference is the use of the “bolt handle” to cycle the action when manually chambering or extracting a shell from the chamber instead of using the forearm to cycle the action of the pump action shotgun. Check with the manufacturer’s owner’s manual for the recommended loading, unloading, handling, and firing instructions for the particular shotgun you are using.

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1. General Safety Practices: a. Action Open & the Chamber, Receiver, & Magazine Tube Empty: Open the action and verify that the chamber, receiver, and magazine tube are empty. Check both visually and physically. b. Safety "On": Make sure the safety is "on" if the mechanism allows. c. Sling Muzzle Down: Sling on Support Side with the muzzle DOWN d. Two Safety Checks: Trigger Finger is kept out of the trigger guard and held straight along the receiver, and Muzzle Discipline, pointing in the safest direction possible. e. Controlled Loading, Unloading, Checking Position: These positions are used to load, unload, and check the shotgun. 1) Shoulder Ready Position: The shotgun’s butt is

in the shoulder with the barrel angled down approximately 45 degrees and the muzzle is pointed in the safest direction. This is an excellent position for reloading and clearing stoppages, among other tasks. 2) High Tuck: The butt can also be dismounted and the stock placed under the armpit with the barrel still angled down for a stronger position to perform the tasks. Notes: ‰ Safe Loading Areas ?: There are relatively few safe impact zones in the urban environment. An

Shoulder Ready

alternative to the above positions is “muzzle up” where the shooting hand holds the shotgun vertically in front of the body, with the muzzle pointing up and well above the head. This position can be used for loading or unloading in locations where muzzle down is impractical. High Tuck

f. Safe Movement: Officers must be taught how to move safely on a range and on the street. Officers may move with the shotgun in a shoulder ready position with the muzzle pointed down to the ground, or in a “safety circle” position.

The lead officer on the right has the shotgun in a shoulder ready position, and his partner moves behind him in a safety circle position.

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C. CRUISER CARRY CONDITIONS The procedures discussed here are for types of Pump Action Shotguns, which are commonly found in the law enforcement field. There are a number of shotgun action types, both pump action and semi-automatic, with different design features. Depending on your

shotgun's mechanism, these procedures may not be correct. In all cases, you must consult the manufacturer's owner’s manual and any other manufacturer training information for their recommendations. 1. Generally Accepted Cruiser Carry Conditions: Two types of "cruiser" conditions exist with the pump and semi automatic shotguns. They are referred to as: a. Cruiser Safe Condition Safety is ON, Chamber is Empty, Action is Closed and Locked (bolt forward and hammer cocked) and Magazine Tube is Loaded. Two steps required to chamber a round: with the Safety ON, press the Action Release and rack the Fore-end. b. Cruiser Ready Condition Safety is ON, Chamber is Empty, Action is Closed and Unlocked (bolt forward and trigger pulled to drop the hammer) and Magazine Tube Loaded. One step required to chamber a round; with the Safety ON, rack the Fore-end. Notes:

‰ Choose one system for your department. Select either the Cruiser Safe or Cruiser Ready Condition, and train your personnel thoroughly. ‰ You must understand the mechanical functions that are being performed and the procedures for safely loading, unloading and returning the shotgun to the condition you are using.

2. Cruiser Safe Condition: The following techniques are used for the loading, unloading, and returning to Cruiser Safe Condition. a. Loading to Cruiser Safe Condition: Take the following steps to place a shotgun in the Cruiser Safe Condition.

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1) Two Safety Checks: Control the Shotgun, ensure that the Safety is On and remember Trigger Finger and Muzzle Discipline. NOTE: Push the Safety On - It is recommended that the safety always be On unless use is imminent During all NRA schools the Safety must be On and used throughout the school 2) Unload: Unload the shotgun or make sure it is Unloaded by checking both Visually and Physically. 3) Close Action: Bring the bolt forward slowly to close the action. Ensure the chamber is empty by watching as the bolt goes forward. 4) Fill Magazine: Insert the proper shells into the magazine tube until it is fully loaded. Make sure that each shell is pushed fully past the Shell Stops and into the magazine tube. Some departments load one less round than the magazine tube holds. This allows officers to switch one type of shell for another without having to first remove one round from the full magazine tube. b. Returning to Cruiser Safe Condition: If the shotgun was deployed and a round was loaded in the chamber, return it to the Cruiser Safe Condition before placing it back in a police vehicle by following these steps: 1) Two Safety Checks: Control the Shotgun, ensure that the Safety is On and remember Trigger Finger and Muzzle Discipline. 2) Ease the Action Open: Release the action and ease the slide back slowly to open the bolt. Remove the round from the chamber and the round from the shell Carrier if one has been released from the Magazine Tube. Visually check the chamber and receiver area for any rounds. 3) Close Action: Close the bolt slowly and watch to make sure a round is not fed into the empty chamber. 4) Reload Magazine Tube: Reinsert any shells you removed from the shotgun into the magazine tube. 5) Chamber Recheck: Ease the slide back to open the bolt slightly so that you can Visually and Physically check that a round is not chambered. Then close the bolt, watching to see that the bolt closes on an empty chamber.

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c. Unloading from Cruiser Safe Condition: Follow these steps for fully unloading a pump action or semi-automatic shotgun loaded in the Cruiser Safe Condition that does not have a round loaded in the chamber. 1) Two Safety Checks: Control the Shotgun, ensure that the Safety is On and remember Trigger Finger and Muzzle Discipline. 2) Release Action - Pull Slide Back - Check Empty Chamber: Slowly open the bolt to make sure that the chamber is empty. 3) Unload the Magazine: Depending on the operating system, leave the action open or close it and push the Shell Carrier up into the receiver. Then use your fingers to depress the Shell Stop(s) and catch each shell as it comes out of the Magazine Tube. Unload one shell at a time, secure it and go for the next shell, until the magazine tube is empty. You should not unload the magazine Tube by repeatedly racking the action. By doing so, you have no control of where the rounds fall, rounds may be damaged and there is a remote chance that a round will fall primer down on an object which will ignite the primer and cause the round to go off. 4) Visually & Physically Check: Check the Chamber, Receiver and Magazine Tube to ensure that there are no rounds in the shotgun. 5) Secure the Unloaded Shotgun: Secure the Unloaded Shotgun in a safe and secure location. 3. Cruiser Ready Condition: The following techniques are used for the loading, unloading and returning to Cruiser Ready Condition. a. Loading to Cruiser Ready Condition: 1) Two Safety Checks: Control the Shotgun, ensure that the Safety is On and remember Trigger Finger and Muzzle Discipline. 2) Unload: Unload the shotgun or make sure it is unloaded both Visually and Physically.

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3) Close Action: Bring the bolt forward slowly to close the action. Make sure that the chamber is empty by watching as the bolt goes forward. 4) Drop Hammer: Ensuring that the muzzle is still in a safe direction, push the safety to the Off position and press the trigger. The hammer will fall, which will Unlock a pump shotgun's action so it is ready to instantly chamber a shell. This will not be required on some shotgun types. 5) Safety On: It is recommended that the Safety always be On for extra safety. During all NRA schools the Safety must be On and used throughout the school Press the safety back to the On position. Some shotguns will not allow you to have the Safety On when the hammer is down and action unlocked. For these weapons Cruiser Safe Condition is recommended. 6) Fill Magazine: Insert rounds into the magazine tube until fully loaded. Make sure that each shell is pushed fully past the Shell Stops and into the magazine tube. Some departments load one less round than the magazine tube holds. This allows officers to switch one type of shell for another without having to first remove one round from the full magazine tube. b. Unloading from Cruiser Ready Condition: 1) Two Safety Checks: Control the Shotgun, ensure that the Safety is On and remember Trigger Finger and Muzzle Discipline. 2) Pull Slide Back and Check Empty Chamber: Slowly open the bolt to make sure that the chamber is empty. 3) Unload the Magazine: Depending on the operating system, leave the action open or close it and push the Shell Carrier up into the receiver. Then use your fingers to depress the Shell Stop(s) and catch each shell as it comes out of the Magazine Tube. Unload one shell at a time, secure it and go for the next shell, until the magazine tube is empty.

Loading is accomplished with the support hand

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You should not unload the magazine Tube by repeatedly racking the action. By doing so, you have no control of where the rounds fall, rounds may be damaged and there is a remote chance that a round will fall primer down on an object which will ignite the primer and cause the round to explode. 4) Visually & Physically Check: Check the Chamber, Receiver and Magazine Tube to ensure that there are no rounds in the shotgun. 5) Secure the Unloaded Shotgun: Secure the Unloaded Shotgun in a safe and secure location. c. Return to Cruiser Ready Condition: With a shell chambered and the situation clear, you can now return the shotgun to the Cruiser Ready Condition. 1) Two Safety Checks: Control the Shotgun, ensure that the Safety is On and remember Trigger Finger and Muzzle Discipline. 2) Ease the Action Open: Release the action and ease the slide back slowly to open the bolt. Remove the round from the chamber and the round from the shell Carrier if one has been released from the Magazine Tube. Visually check the chamber and receiver area for any rounds. 3) Close Action: Bring the bolt forward slowly to close the action. Make sure that the chamber is empty by watching as the bolt goes forward. 4) Reload Magazine Tube: Reinsert any shells you removed from the shotgun into the magazine tube. 5) Chamber Recheck: Ease the slide back to open the bolt slightly so that you can Visually and Physically check that a round is not chambered. Then close the bolt, watching to see that the bolt closes on an empty chamber. 6) Drop Hammer: Ensuring that the muzzle is still in a safe direction, push the safety to the Off position and press the trigger. The hammer will fall, which will Unlock a pump shotgun's action so it is ready to instantly chamber a shell. This will not be required on some shotgun types. Reset the safety to “on,” and visually check. The shotgun has been returned to the Cruiser Ready Condition.

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NOTES: ‰ Over 99% of the time shotguns are removed from cruisers, they are not fired. Firearm Instructors must ensure that officers are fully trained and efficient in returning their shotgun to Cruiser Safe or Cruiser Ready Condition. An excellent training method is to use dummy rounds and dry practice the techniques thoroughly. ‰ When returning to Cruiser Ready Condition after having chambering a round, officers must be extremely careful to ensure the hammer is dropped on an empty chamber to unlock the action. Be sure to reset the safety to the “on” position.

CRUISER SAFE

CRUISER READY

Safety ON

Safety ON

Chamber is Empty

Chamber is Empty

Action is Closed and LOCKED

Action is Closed and UNLOCKED

Magazine Tube is Loaded

Magazine Tube is Loaded

TO CHAMBER A ROUND

Press Action Release & Rack

Just Rack

D. CHAMBERING 1. Chamber When Deployed: Like your Duty Handgun, once it is removed from the cruiser, the shotgun should be fully loaded with a round in the chamber. There may be times when an officer does not wish to immediately chamber a round, such as while standing by a Command Post awaiting assignment, but at all other times the weapon should be loaded and ready to fire if necessary. Instructors should be aware that some schools of thought believe that a round should not be chambered until actual firing of the shotgun is imminent. This is based partially on increasing safety and the idea that adversaries can be psychologically “scared” into compliance when they hear the aggressive

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“racking of the slide.” However, since action is faster than reaction, officers place their lives at great risk because they cannot physically chamber a round and fire it accurately before an adversary fires his weapon at the officer. This practice also assumes that an adversary knows what the sound of a racking slide is and that they fear an officer with a pump shotgun. 2. Safety Status Check: Always double check and make sure that the Safety is On when removing the shotgun from the cruiser for deployment, unless you are instantly going to fire. The shotgun should be carried with the Safety On, but ready to be instantly pushed Off. For right-handed shooters the Trigger Finger tip rests on the safety button. For left handed shooters, the Shooting Hand’s finger slips around and under the trigger guard, with the middle or ring finger tip resting on the safety button. Once the safety is pushed off, the hand instantly slips back into position. Left handed shooters must be extremely careful to keep their fingers out of the trigger guard as the hand slips around and back when manipulating the safety button. . 3. Chamber with Authority: When chambering a pump action shotgun rack the slide forcefully. If not a stoppage, failure to feed, or failure to eject condition may develop. E. RELOADING Reload the shotgun whenever the situation allows. Ideally, ammunition will be replenished during a lull in the action and behind cover, if available. The Shooting Hand controls the shotgun, while the Support Hand handles and loads the rounds. During reloading you must keep your eyes on the threat(s). The shotgun can be held in either a firing position or lowered to a ready position with the butt still in the shoulder. You can also lower the shotgun and place the stock under the armpit to bring the shotgun into the body and increase control (this method aids smaller shooters in gaining leverage of the shotgun while loading). 1. Empty Gun Ejection Port Reloading: a. Two Safety Checks: Control the Shotgun, ensure that the Safety is On and remember Trigger Finger and Muzzle Discipline.

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b. Open Action: The bolt is opened when empty. For a pump action shotgun the slide is pulled back opening the action. The bolt on semi-automatic shotguns should lock open when empty. c. Cradle Round in Support Hand: 1) Right Handed: Round cupped in Support Hand fingers with brass end either to the front or rear. 2) Left Handed: Round cupped in Support Hand fingers with brass end on index finger (touch index). d. Insert Round into Ejection Port: 1) Right Handed Shooter: It depends on how the round is positioned in the hand. The hand can either go under or over the receiver and slaps the round into the ejection port. If the brass end is touching the little finger, the Support Hand goes under the receiver and rolls the shell into the ejection port. If the brass end is touching the thumb, the Support Hand goes over top of the receiver and rolls it into the ejection port while the strong hand cants the shotgun so that the ejection port is angled up.

2) Left Handed Shooter: The round is cupped in the Support Hand with the brass end toward the thumb. The hand goes to the receiver's side and lays the round into the ejection port.

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e. Close Action: The Action is closed to chamber the round and the shotgun is ready to fire if necessary. If firing is not immediately necessary, load the magazine tube. f. Load Magazine: Once a round is inserted into the chamber the magazine should be fully loaded if ammunition is available. 2. Tactical Reloading: During a Tactical Reload,

the Shotgun is held in a shoulder mounted firing position by the strong hand while the support hand loads additional rounds into the magazine tube. With the shotgun kept in a firing position, it can be fired at any point during the loading process. a. Two Safety Checks: Control the Shotgun, ensure that the Safety is On and remember Trigger Finger and Muzzle Discipline. b. Grip the Round: The round is picked up and held between the support hand’s thumb and first two fingers with the crimp end pointing straight forward. c. Insert Round into Magazine: The round's crimp end is started into the loading port and pushes up the carrier as the thumb repositions against the shell's base end, with two fingers holding the shell's body in the loading port.

This shooter maintains his stock position and continues to view the threat area while performing a tactical reload.

The thumb pushes the shell into the magazine tube, making sure it goes all the way into the magazine tube before being released. Continue loading as many rounds as necessary until the magazine is full.

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3. Selective Loading: There are times when you may need to change the type of round you are firing under tactical conditions. For instance, due to distance changes or a suspect using cover, you may wish to change from Buckshot to Slugs. To do this quickly, the shotgun cannot be unloaded and reloaded in the standard manner. As mentioned in the previous sections, some agencies “load down by one round” when filling magazine tubes to allow quick loading of individual selected new rounds. It must be remembered, however, that if you have a standard magazine tube holding 4 rounds, downloading to 3 shells reduces available ammunition by 25%. a. Magazine Tube not Loaded to Capacity: 1) Insert New Shell into Magazine Tube 2) Open the Action: Release the action and open the bolt if another shell is already chambered. This will not be necessary if the shotgun was in Cruiser Ready Condition (action UNLOCKED and the chamber empty). Close the Action to chamber the selected round. 3) Insert Additional New Rounds: If you have loaded one round of a particular type, you will probably need two. To be ready you should place another new round into the magazine tube. b. Magazine Tube Fully Loaded: 1) Cycle the action and insert the selected round into the magazine tube. Cycle the action a second time to chamber the selected round. If the chamber was loaded in the beginning, two unwanted rounds will be ejected in the process of chambering the selected round.

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Options for Carrying Shotgun Ammunition

• On the Gun: Various shell carriers are available for permanent mounting or attaching with Velcro.

• Duty Belt Clip On

This clip-on two-shell carrier can be kept in the cruiser and deployed with the shotgun. It is particularly useful for carrying a cartridge different from what is loaded in the shotgun for select loading.

This six-shell carrier can be kept in the cruiser and clipped on the belt when the shotgun is deployed.

• Belt or Sling Carrier

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F. MALFUNCTIONS & IMMEDIATE ACTION 1. Common Malfunctions: While a shooter may encounter a malfunction caused by a mechanical breakdown, most malfunctions are caused by operator error. The most common malfunctions are listed below. a. Failure to Release Safety : This is the most common reason a shotgun fails to fire. b. No Round Chambered: Second most common. c. Short Stroking: Failure to rack a pump's slide aggressively all the way to the rear and back forward. d. Round Loaded Backwards: Shooter loads a round into the Magazine or open ejection port backwards. In the case of the Magazine, the weapon may have to be dismantled to remove the round. e. Round Not Retained by Shell Stops: This occurs when the shooter has failed to fully insert the round in the magazine tube past the Shell Stops. The Shell Stops retain the rounds in the magazine tube and control when a round is released for loading. If a round backs out of the magazine tube it can become lodged between the Locking Slide and Shell Carrier.

NOTE: ‰ Flextab Kit: All newer Remington 870 shotguns come equipped with the Remington Flextab Kit. This system helps prevent feed jams by eliminating double feeds onto the Shell Carrier. If two rounds do make it onto the Shell Carrier, simply rack the action. You can tell whether a Remington 870 Shotgun has a Flextab Kit by looking at the Shell Carrier. If the carrier has a U shaped cut out in its center it has the Flextab Kit. You can add a Flextab Kit to older shotguns by contacting the Remington Arms Company at: 870 Remington Drive, P.O. Box 700, Madison,

NC 27025 / 1-800-243-9700 / E-mail: info@remington.com. To clear a double feed on a shotgun without a Flextab Kit you must hold in the Action Release lever while applying rearward pressure on the fore-end and at the same time slam the butt stock down on the ground to open the action. While doing this you must be extremely careful about muzzle control and trigger control. It is best to kneel down and bend forward and away from the muzzle. You can then slam the butt stock onto the ground while pulling the fore-end back.

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2. Immediate Action Procedures: Should you have a malfunction during a lethal encounter your first action should be to transition to your handgun immediately. If no other firearm is available then you will have to take Immediate Action to clear the malfunction. You should also consider moving to a position of Cover and then take Immediate Action. If in a close quarters attack however, you should

use whatever you can to protect yourself and aggressively attack your adversary. a. First Immediate Action Step: Push the Safety Off. If it was on, assess the need to fire. b. Second Immediate Action Step: Cycle the Action and assess the need to fire again. c. Third Immediate Action Step: Open Action, Look, Clear & Chamber: Open the Action and look inside in order to determine what the problem is. Clear anything from the receiver, such as cases that did not fully eject, rounds in backwards, and double fed rounds. Cycle the action to load another round and assess the need to fire again.

The first and second steps take care of the most common malfunctions: failure to have a round in the chamber and failing to take the safety Off.

If a malfunction occurs within approximately 15 yards of the threat, TRANSITION TO YOUR HANDGUN Beyond this distance, move to cover and fix the problem.

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3. Incapacitation Training: Your officers should be taught how to work their shotguns one-handed. This is important for situations in which they are incapacitated, and can’t access their handgun or they are out of handgun ammunition.

If the officer is seated behind cover, the shotgun can be braced against the chest and the foot while it is loaded, cleared, or the action is worked

Students need to have the confidence to handle the shotgun under difficult conditions. This student is dry practicing one-handed loading and firing techniques.

Similar to the patrol rifle above, a shotgun can be braced against a tree or other object to allow one-hand manipulation.

SAFETY REMINDER: Be very certain that all firearms are empty, that all students have removed ALL live ammunition from their magazines and their person (double check) and the training area, and that only colored training safety rounds are used for practicing these drills.

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Shotgun Slinging / Muzzle Up

• Activate Safety. • Maintain Trigger Finger and Muzzle Discipline.

• Support Hand grasps sling at base of sling swivel.

• Shooting Hand lowers shotgun to a vertical position. • Support Arm rotates shotgun to place elbow between sling and receiver.

• Shotgun is rolled onto shoulder using sling. • Support Hand controls

shotgun by holding sling .

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Shotgun Slinging / Muzzle Down

• Activate Safety. • Maintain Trigger Finger and Muzzle Discipline.

• Support Hand grasps sling firmly at the butt stock swivel.

• Shooting Hand lowers shotgun to release control to Support Hand.

• Support Arm is rotated bringing elbow between receiver and sling.

• Support Hand

slides down to fore end to maintain control of the shotgun.

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Shotgun Unslinging

• From carry

• Support Arm rotates shotgun up and across body, bringing

• Shooting Hand grasps the grip

position, maintain trigger finger and muzzle discipline.

while Support Hand continues to rotate and raise the shotgun.

the muzzle up and towards the threat.

• With the muzzle

• An aggressive locked-in stance is now assumed.

pointed at the threat, the shotgun is now in position to be mounted.

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Transition / Muzzle Up

To transition from a long gun to a handgun, keep eyes focused on the threat.

Immediately release the grip on the shotgun and move to draw the handgun. Pull the shotgun out of the shoulder pocket, allowing the butt to fall.

Draw handgun. Support Hand rotates shotgun against the body, keeping barrel away from the face.

Transition / Muzzle Down

Shooting Hand moves to draw handgun. Support Hand lowers the muzzle.

Handgun is brought on target. Support Arm is rotated down and to the side of the body.

To transition from a long gun to a handgun, keep eyes focused on the threat .

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