Loading 12ga: gun 'bites' thumb...

[ChooterMcGavin1973]

I've only ever owned a Mossberg 500, and recently have been looking around at getting something with a higher capacity tube. Most of what I have seen has that clip that comes down and bites my thumb after loading a shell into the tube. So I'm wondering, is this common, am I loading it wrong, or am I just a wuss? Are there any other shotguns like the 500 that don't have this clip? Thanks!

 

[sloughfoot]

You are loading it wrong. And you are a wuss.

It is easy to avoid making contact with that little retainer if you just think about it for like 5 seconds.

That little retainer is fairly essential. How else are the shells to be held in the tube?

This is teasing. Not meant to be cruel.

 

[ChooterMcGavin1973]

LOL, no problem. I'm not referring to the clip that actually holds the shells, but the spring loaded 'lever'-? that catches each shell as it's released from the tube into the chamber... It is pushed up out of the way as you load each shell.

 

[Stubz]

I think you're referring to the Remington 870 (and clones) having the gate that sticks down while in neutral instead of the Mossberg's gate that also acts as the lifter and retracts up when closing the bolt.
Like these - Mossy top, Remngton bottom : http://modernsurvivalonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/026.jpg


Those are your two biggest actions, most clones will come off of them. The old Ithaca Model 37's were bottom ejectors that I don't think had a loading gate / lift lever that stayed down but not 100% on that.

 

[ChooterMcGavin1973]

Yes! Your pic shows the difference. Somehow I found a way to get my thumb in between that lift gate and the brass I just loaded. Thanks for the info!

 

[Stubz]

No problem, I've had my 870 nail me when loading it as well. You basically just have to get used to rolling your hand down a little so that the base of your thumb is pushing the lever down while the tip is pushing the shell in. Once you "break in" the gate spring, it'll get easier.

My 870 is my huntin gun though so, I take all the time I need to load it.

 

[ChooterMcGavin1973]

All right, sounds good. I'll be looking for one soon so I'll keep that in mind!

 

[throttletony]

also, to the OP, if you just want to increase capacity, there are plenty of after market extensions to increase capacity.
Look on Midway and Brownell's.
(if you love your current shotgun, magazine tube extensions can be easily added and easily removed if you also use it for hunting)

 

[Hookeye]

Pain should teach you to do it differently.

 

[ChooterMcGavin1973]

throttletony: well I wasn't attached to the mossberg so it was partial traded towards my AR. Which is what has me in the search...
hookeye:yes, so far the pain has me typing with you guys trying to figure out what I'm doing. So far I've confirmed I am doing it wrong (need practice) and I'm a wuss. LOL
I'm definitely going to need to load some shells and try to deflect the lever enough to clear my thumb the next time I shoot w friends. I appreciate the input!

 

[patience0830]

Hold the pistol grip in your right hand, gun sights up. Index finger of ur left hand under the shell, thumb behind it. Raise the gate using the shell, push. Shell forward with thumb til you hear the latch catch it. Your thumb knuckle should be against the gate at this point. Just drop your left hand down and grab the fore end or the next shell. Should be good to go and be able to do it w/o lookin with just a little practice.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

The part some of you are searching for is called the "shell carrier".

Retract the slide 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. If you do this slowly you will feel it catch. This is the point at which the bolt clears the shell carrier, but is stoped by the shell latch(s). You can now push up on the shell carrier and it will stay in the up position untill you pull the slide forward.

This is part of the "proper" unloading procedure for the Remington style shotguns. If you continue to pull back on the slide from the position above, the gun will eject the first round in your magazine out the bottom of the reciever. You would then depress the shell latch to remove each aditional round. The shell carrier stays up the entire time.

It shoud also let you load a round from this position... But as stated in other posts, your knuckle should be depressing the shell latch durring normal post loading procedure.

 

[whippo]

Trim it down I'll upload pics tomorrow

 

[ctbreitwieser]

This is a lot more common than some of you guys may think, at least in semi autos for sure. Do a search on welding the lifter and do some reading. Many people have ripped their entire thumbnails off during 3 gun matches while loading because they get their nails caught in the little fork at the end of the lifter. Most people weld up the fork to fill it in so it doesn't catch their thumb anymore.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

Yes but, to be fair, 3 gun competetors use all sort of goofy loading practices in the name of speed.

Someone who is following the long established proper loading procedures for the 870 should not be having issues. I've had to load them under stress for work qualifications many times, and have never personally nor have I ever seen anyone injure their thumb when properly loading the weapon; only an occasional newbie who has used handled one before.

But then again, that is preceded by hours in the classroom learning how to properly load, unload, post load, emergency load, and handle the weapon with diagrams, paper tests, and much repetition under the eye of the department armorer, before you are ever allowed to touch off a round.

I was lucky enough to already have had a few years of experience with the 870 before recieving formal training, but I still feel like I learned a lot. Perhaps this is something the OP should look into before he goes out and welds on his gun.

 

[seldon14]

While it is not a huge deal to get used to, the Mossberg is superior in that you don't have to get used to it, or do it a certain way, you just throw them in there.