How To Load A Shotgun (2022 UPDATED) All-Inclusive Guide

1. Switch On Safety & Unload The Chamber

Double-check the chamber unloaded at all times. Find the safety feature in your weapon’s instruction manual. Make sure the barrel pointed is far from you and ensure the safety is always turned on.

Take a quick glance at some shotguns since the interior of the loading area might be slightly sharp.

2. Determine Your Shotgun’s Gauge

Find out the gauge or bore diameter of your pump-action shotgun so that you may choose the appropriate size shells. 12, 10, 20, 16, and 28 are common shotgun sizes.

The shell of one gauge can be launched in shotguns of another size, although a special tube is required. Otherwise, it’s easiest to pick the properly sized ammo for your handgun. But, how many shells can a shotgun hold?

3. Sit & Place The Butt Of The Stock On Your Left Thigh

While seated, put the stock’s butt on your left leg or thigh. You may also conceal the stock below your arm, ensuring that the gun turned sideways. Place the trigger on the gun’s side that faces farther from you.

4. Place A Shell Against The Loading Flap

Right before the trigger guard, set the shotgun shell against the flap. The shell’s end should be covering the gun barrel’s end. The shot is fired from the shotgun shell’s business end, which contrasts the shotgun shell’s metal-capped end, which contains the explosive charge.

5. Push The Single Shell Straight Up Into The Loading Flap

With your thumb, press the shotgun shell all the way up through the flap until you feel and hear a click. Pushing the shell into the magazine tube using the pad of the thumb gives more leverage than using a finger.

When the magazine latch clicks, the edge of the shell should clear it. Some newer shotguns may have a surprisingly strong magazine spring that necessitates more energy to get the shotgun shell into the magazine catch.

6. Repeat The Process Until The Magazine Tube Is Completely Filled

Replay the process until the tube is completely filled. When you try to load a shell but it doesn’t match, you know that the magazine tube is full.

Keep in mind that never use a screwdriver or other instrument to force a shotshell into the magazine. You could accidentally set off the shell and can cause harm to you and others.

7. Pump The Slide Backward Until The Chamber Is Loaded

Keep the release button held and push the slide backwards giving a reasonable amount of power until the chamber is loaded. This will withdraw a shell out of the tube and set it in a firing position. Now is the time that your gun is ready to fire shells.

Also Read: Measuring Shotgun Choke Size