I'm not asking about competitions, but for self defense if you have to leave your safe room or even the house?

Belt with loops, bandolier, pouches on belt or vest, card on side of receiver, buttstock cuff?

One of my shotguns wouldn't be my personal first, second, or third choice for a defensive firearm in most situations these days. But I've used shell carriers mounted on the buttstock or receiver, plus installed magazine tube extensions.

On my various shotguns I have used:

-Mesa Tactical Urbino buttstock with integral shell carrier
-Specter Gear nylon buttstock shell carrier
-Mesa Tactical SureShell receiver shell carrier


But if for whatever reason you want to carry more than the dozen or so shells afforded by an extended tube + mounted shell carrier, then I'd suggest looking at Esstac's shotgun cards. Mount some adhesive loop Velcro on your receiver, slap a hook Velcro shell card on it, and then carry other filled cards in something like a chest rig or battle belt. (They fit in M4 magazine pouches, or can be attached to the front of one of the loop Velcro-faced chest rigs out there.) As the mounted cards get used up, tear them off and slap a fresh one in place.


More important is to get some training and practice loading your shotguns if you're going to rely on them for self defense. Much more than modern rifles or pistols, shotguns require practice to reload quickly and smoothly. Doesn't matter how many hundreds of shells you have strapped on or around your body if you are sitting there with an empty gun at the wrong time.


Another option is to perhaps look at one of the newer magazine-fed shotguns. I don't have personal experience with those, but they would seem to allow for quicker/easier loading and easier transportation of large numbers of shells, similar to a rifle.

Shotgun isn’t my number 1 defense gun but it has a 4 shell sidesaddle and a 2 shell kydex holder on the forend for emergency reloads through the ejection port.

If it was my go-to gun, Id upgrade to an 8 shell Mesa sidesaddle/rail combo and mount a RDS as well.

I look like the Mexican bandit in the Treasure of the Sierra Madre with it on, but I went cheap and bought one of those shotgun shell slings that hold 25 rounds. I store it next to the gun and just throw it on. So far, no need for it. If I need more OOB than that, its feet dont fail me now!
Let me complete the visual for you:
Somewhat obese, pasty white old dude wearing only a tighty whitey and OOB sling, pointing a Nova Tactical at you after you break in.
This sight alone should terrify a burglar for life!

Also not my first choice but a shotgun is great for repelling boarders.
My 11-87 Police has a 6 shell side saddle, 5 rd "butt" cuff along with the extended mag tube holding 7+1 & if need be, I have 2 Blackhawk 55 rd bandoleers.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Delta-3,

My primary bump in the night gun IS a shotgun. Nothing better for room distance defense and I'm not going outside to hunt down a threat. I have a phone and a radio for that.

5 round side saddle with 3 rounds buck and 2 slugs. 6 rounds buck in the magazine. If I can't resolve the problem with that then I've likely run out of time before I ran out of shells.

Sidesaddle or buttstock sleeve with loops. If it's what you run and grab in a pinch, some extra rounds ready on the firearm is better than nothing. A belt or bandolier ready to grab might make sense, too.

Shotgun isn’t my first choice either but I have the Urbino stock and it makes it easy.



It’s since been changed to three buckshot and three slugs instead of the all buck and I switched them so I reload by pulling from the bottom.

I have this and really like.

https://olongapooutfitters.com...shotgun-grab-and-go/

My go to is an AR...

I only have a double barrel behind the headboard, for Mrs Mike and it has a five shot shell holder that’s on the stock. I think it’s an Uncle Mike’s...it’s all elastic. Sold my other shotgun to a friend when I moved.

When I carried an 870 for work as a cop I carried extra ammo in the same fashion.

When I carried an 870 with a 14 inch barrel in the CG, we had a drop leg ammo pouch with two separate compartments...one for slugs( past 12 yards). And one with buckshot.

If I only had a shotgun for home defense, I’d use one or two of the Velcro shotcards for the side of he receiver

quote:

Originally posted by KML:
I have this and really like.

https://olongapooutfitters.com...shotgun-grab-and-go/

Is the intent to put a full box of shells in a pouch? (Not 25 loose, but in a box.)

And not that it has anything to do with the item itself, but I hope that anyone who buys one knows that carrying mixed lethal and less lethal ammunition in close proximity is a recipe for disaster.

I do rely on my 12ga at home. Honestly, I have a hard time seeing myself needing more than the seven rounds of #1 buck in the tube.
There is an old hunting vest in duck hunter camo nearby, and it holds a lot of shells. May not be tacticool, but it carries ammo well, and the old duck hunter camo does a good job of breaking up your outline while still looking “civilian”. Plus the vest has a little shoulder padding.

I have a few Esstac 7-shot cards. Quick, secure, easy to swap, fit in M4 mag pouches.

My primary use is competition as I'm not really a shotgun shooter and I haven't put the time and money into other shell carrier and loading options and I have an abundance of M4 pouches.

I load the front one with brass up for a quick grab-and-chamber over the top of the receiver, the rest are brass down to easily grab-and-stuff with the gun inverted and the stock slipped over my shoulder. Pull loop toward the front of the receiver, and toward the bottom of the mag pouch.

My only complaint is they're tricky to stick the shells back in to refresh them, I wouldn't suggest them if your intent is to be able to easily restack the carrier. Definitely intended to yank it and slap another in its place, reload them when time permits.

My 870 has a velcro covered pannel as a mounting point for Esstac shotgun cards. The loaded cards can be carried in a 30 round AR15 magazine pouch, or velcro mounted to a chest rig.

I just sorted this out on a low budget.
You’ll laugh. But figure “stress” and “adrenaline” wouldn’t mind the gross movement.

-Blue taped the retail box of 5 rounds to the stock.-

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

quote:

Originally posted by KML:
I have this and really like.

https://olongapooutfitters.com...shotgun-grab-and-go/

Is the intent to put a full box of shells in a pouch? (Not 25 loose, but in a box.)

And not that it has anything to do with the item itself, but I hope that anyone who buys one knows that carrying mixed lethal and less lethal ammunition in close proximity is a recipe for disaster.

I only have oo buckshot in mine. I have placed a 25 rd box with the top off in mine ,but have also just dumped 25 loose rounds in also

Side saddle like bigboreshooter but on a Winchester Defender with 7 round tube.

quote:

Originally posted by KML:
I have placed a 25 rd box with the top off in mine ,but have also just dumped 25 loose rounds in also

Thanks.

 
6 shell sidesaddle on my 870P, on the receiver. I keep a couple of slugs in the sidesaddle, along with four 00buckshot.
 
However, if it is an inertia recoil system (like a Benelli), then you have to be careful adding shell carriers to the gun, as their weight can interfere with the inertia recoil.