How To Load A Shotgun: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Load a Shotgun PDF download Download Article Explore this Article methods 1 Loading a Pump-Action Shotgun 2 Loading a Break-Action Shotgun Other Sections Video Tips and Warnings Related Articles Expert Interview References Article Summary Co-authored by Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon

Last Updated: June 4, 2025 Fact Checked

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This article was co-authored by Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon. Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon is a Firearms Instructor based in Southern New Jersey. He is the Owner and Chief Operating Officer of Ironsights Academy, a firearms education & training organization that he launched to continue his love of teaching and learning. Dr. Harmon is a higher education educator with over 20 years of experience who blended his passion for teaching with shooting sports as he launched Ironsights Academy: Firearms Education & Training. Dr. Harmon is an NRA Certified Instructor in Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection Inside & Outside the Home, Concealed Carry Weapons, Defensive Pistol, and a certified Chief Range Safety Officer. Dr. Harmon is also certified by the American College of Surgeons to teach Stop the Bleed courses. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 434,781 times.

Shotguns are popular around the world for hunting, shooting sports and home defense. They fire shells of metal shot that are usually loaded one at a time, instead of in a clip. While shotgun technology has advanced over the years, loading most shotguns is still a simple task.

This article is partially based on an interview with Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon, Firearms Instructor.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 2:

Loading a Pump-Action Shotgun

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  1. Step 1 Make sure the safety is on, the chamber unloaded, and the barrel pointed away from you in a safe direction. 1 Make sure the safety is on, the chamber unloaded, and the barrel pointed away from you in a safe direction. This is always the first step when loading or handling any gun.[1] Consult your weapon's instruction manual to locate the safety feature.[2]
  2. Step 2 Determine what gauge (bore diameter) your shotgun is so you can select the right size shells. 2 Determine what gauge (bore diameter) your shotgun is so you can select the right size shells. Common shotgun sizes are 10, 12, 16, 20, .410 bore, and 28. Shotshell of one gauge may be fired in a shotgun of another gauge, but doing so requires a special tube. Otherwise it is best to just select the proper sized ammo for your weapon.[3] Advertisement
  3. Step 3 Place the butt of the stock on your left thigh while sitting. 3 Place the butt of the stock on your left thigh while sitting. You can also secure the stock under your arm with the gun turned sideways. Make sure that the trigger and trigger guard are positioned on the side of the shotgun facing away from you.[4] [5]
  4. Step 4 Place a single shell against the loading flap just ahead of the trigger guard. 4 Place a single shell against the loading flap just ahead of the trigger guard. The "business end" of the shell should be pointing toward the end of the gun barrel. The business end is the end of the shell that the shot comes out of and is opposite the metal capped end of the shell where the explosive charge is housed.[6]
  5. Step 5 Using your thumb, push the shell straight up into the loading flap until you hear and feel a distinct click. 5 Using your thumb, push the shell straight up into the loading flap until you hear and feel a distinct click. When it clicks, the rim of the shell should have passed the magazine catch.[7] [8]
  6. Step 6 Repeat until the magazine tube is full. 6 Repeat until the magazine tube is full. You can tell the tube is full when you attempt to load a shell but it won't go in.[9] [10]
  7. Step 7 Hold in the... 7 Hold in the action release button and pump the slide backwards and then forwards with a reasonable amount of force to load the chamber. This will strip a shell from the magazine and load it into firing position. The shotgun is now ready to fire.[11]
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Method 2 Method 2 of 2:

Loading a Break-Action Shotgun

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  1. Step 1 Make sure the safety is on and the gun pointed away from you in a safe direction. 1 Make sure the safety is on and the gun pointed away from you in a safe direction. Always treat a gun as though it were loaded, even if you know it isn't.[12]
  2. Step 2 Find and engage the barrel breach lever, latch or button. 2 Find and engage the barrel breach lever, latch or button. This will usually be on the right side of the gun, where the barrel meets the stock.[13]
    • Unlike a pump-action shotgun, a break action has no magazine tube to load several shells at a time into. Instead, the gun breaks open to allow you to load a shell directly into the chamber of your barrel (or barrels). This means your gun needs to be reloaded after every shot, or every two shots if you have a double-barreled shotgun.
  3. Step 3 Open the break-action and lower the barrel away from the body of the shotgun. 3 Open the break-action and lower the barrel away from the body of the shotgun.[14]
  4. Step 4 Remove and discard any spent casings. 4 Remove and discard any spent casings. Be careful: these may be hot if the gun was recently fired. Try not to let your hand touch the metal of the barrel.[15]
  5. Step 5 Replace each used casing with a fresh shell. 5 Replace each used casing with a fresh shell. The business-end of the shell should slide into the barrel.[16]
  6. Step 6 Bring the barrel back up and close the break until you hear and feel it click. 6 Bring the barrel back up and close the break until you hear and feel it click. Your gun is now loaded and ready to fire.[17]
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Video

Tips

  • Semi-automatic shotguns load in basically the same manner as pump shotguns, consult your owners manual if you think your semi-auto may load differently. Thanks Helpful 37 Not Helpful 8
  • Newer shotguns may have a surprisingly strong magazine spring, and may demand a little more force to get the shell in past the magazine catch. Thanks Helpful 30 Not Helpful 11
  • Using the pad of the thumb allows more leverage to push the shells into the magazine tube than a finger. Thanks Helpful 23 Not Helpful 13
Show More Tips Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

  • Never attempt to force a shotshell into the magazine with any object such as a screwdriver. You could accidentally set off the shell, seriously injuring yourself or others. Thanks Helpful 24 Not Helpful 3
  • Guns are not toys! Firearms should be treated with respect and never handled by children without adult supervision. Thanks Helpful 19 Not Helpful 6
  • Never attempt to 'mismatch' firearms and ammunition, the round may fit in the chamber, but it could be of a considerably higher power than your gun is designed to handle. Your gun could explode and harm or kill you or other bystanders. Thanks Helpful 18 Not Helpful 7
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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about using firearms, check out our in-depth interview with Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon.

References

  1. ↑ Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon. Firearms Instructor. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaGMxE6AeHE
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaGMxE6AeHE
  4. ↑ Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon. Firearms Instructor. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4_HeIOGEaA
  6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4_HeIOGEaA
  7. ↑ Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon. Firearms Instructor. Expert Interview
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crOUq5iz0rM
  9. ↑ Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon. Firearms Instructor. Expert Interview
More References (9)
  1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crOUq5iz0rM
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_ufCUSZ27s
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_ufCUSZ27s
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kurasn6tp6k
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kurasn6tp6k
  6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csBUFUb0Gf4
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=---39MFGZ-k
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=---39MFGZ-k
  9. Videos provided by Practically Tactical

About This Article

Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon Co-authored by: Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon Firearms Instructor This article was co-authored by Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon. Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon is a Firearms Instructor based in Southern New Jersey. He is the Owner and Chief Operating Officer of Ironsights Academy, a firearms education & training organization that he launched to continue his love of teaching and learning. Dr. Harmon is a higher education educator with over 20 years of experience who blended his passion for teaching with shooting sports as he launched Ironsights Academy: Firearms Education & Training. Dr. Harmon is an NRA Certified Instructor in Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection Inside & Outside the Home, Concealed Carry Weapons, Defensive Pistol, and a certified Chief Range Safety Officer. Dr. Harmon is also certified by the American College of Surgeons to teach Stop the Bleed courses. This article has been viewed 434,781 times. 9 votes - 100% Co-authors: 17 Updated: June 4, 2025 Views: 434,781 Categories: Guns and Shooting Article SummaryX

To load a pump-action shotgun, first make sure its safety is on, the chamber is empty, and the barrel is pointed away from you to maintain proper gun safety. Then, place your first shell against the loading flap and push it forward until you hear a click. Once your first shell is loaded, repeat the process for however many rounds your shotgun takes. When a shell won’t go into the loading flap, you’ll know the gun is full. When your shotgun is fully loaded, hold its action release button and pump the slide backwards and forwards to load the first round into the chamber. For more tips, including how to load a break-action shotgun, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

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    Sonia

    Apr 5, 2022

    "Writing a book, my protagonist is attempting to scare an intruder, she's used the shotgun but not for awhile...." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon Co-authored by: Dr. Jeffrey S. Harmon Firearms Instructor Co-authors: 17 Updated: June 4, 2025 Views: 434,781 100% of readers found this article helpful. 9 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote Sonia

Sonia

Apr 5, 2022

"Writing a book, my protagonist is attempting to scare an intruder, she's used the shotgun but not for awhile...." more Charles King

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Nov 4, 2022

"I'm going to be getting a pump action and this made things very clear and easy to understand. I feel as though..." more Anonymous

Anonymous

Aug 27, 2016

"I was pretty sure I knew how to load a pump shotgun, but its been a long time since I've done it. So its great..." more Benjamin

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"I will know now how to use a gun." Anonymous

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