L.C.G.S.
Enterprises
Personal
Protection Training for Law Enforcement, Military and Civilians
Combat
Shotgun Basics
By
Dr. Leonard M. Breure, PhD
INTRODUCTION
The
shotgun is one of the simplest of firearms. It is a shoulder fired, smooth
bored weapon firing either multiple projectiles (bird shot or buck shot) or a
single projectile (slugs). It has historically been a sporting firearm used for
small game and wing shooting. Typically, the shotgun is deemed suitable only
for short duration, close range engagements. More recently, it has become a
tactical weapon, used by the military and law enforcement. It has also
developed into a excellent option for civilians concerned about home defense.
There is a lot of justification for these uses, for in these roles the shotguns
limitations are not a liability. The effectiveness of any weapon demands that
it be used for the purpose that it was intended. Just try hammering a nail in
to a board using a screwdriver! With this in mind, we’ll look at the shotgun in
its tactical roles.
INITIAL CONSIDERATIONS
In
order to succeed in this endeavor, we should consider several basic attributes
of the tactical shotgun. Used with multiple projectiles it is a short range (30
yards or less) weapon that has minimal penetration. However, used with slugs,
it becomes effective out to 100 yards and can offer substantial penetration.
The second basic fact is that a tactical shotgun needs sights. While a
short-barreled shotgun with a simple bead sight has rapidly decreasing accuracy
as range increased, a properly sighted weapon can offer excellent accuracy out
to the ammunitions maximum range.
Another
aspect of the tactical shotgun is it’s psychological effect. Often the
intimidating presence of a 12-gauge shotgun alone is able to end a “delicate”
situation. Additionally, there have been some substantial improvements recently
in modifications and accessories used to convert a plain shotgun into an
advanced tactical tool. Some of these (such as ghost ring sights) are a quantum
leap forward. Others are nothing more than Hollywood hype (i.e. the pistol grip
only trend) and tactically detrimental. We’ll look into these options as we
progress. Finally, there seems to be a misconception that a shotgun is just a
“big pistol” and that the tactics and techniques are the same. This is most
definitely NOT the case. The shotgun is completely different not only in it’s
design, but also it’s employment.
WEAPONS SELECTION
There
are essentially two types of tactical shotguns. The classic police “riot” gun
is usually a pump action, short-barreled weapon. These are by far the most
common and most modified. The second type is the newer semi-automatic weapon.
Often incorrectly called an “automatic” these self-loading, repeating firearms
are more complicated and therefore more likely to malfunction. For the average
user, the pump action shotgun will more than meet your needs. For competition
or special response teams the semi-auto might offer a small edge. Typically,
the biggest advantage a semi-auto offers is slightly reduced recoil. Barrel
length is typically 18” to 28”. Short barrels having a slight advantage in
close quarters action. Magazine capacity ranges from 4 rounds to as many as 9
or 10 with extended magazines added on. The top three manufacturers (Remington,
Mossberg and Winchester) all offer several variations on the basic concept. In
my experience, an 18” or 20” barreled, pump shotgun, holding 6 to 8 rounds,
with ghost ring sights and possibly a tactical flashlight would make the best
choice.
READYING THE SHOTGUN FOR TACTICAL USE
When
preparing a shotgun for tactical use, it is the responsibility of the user to
ensure its condition is such that no undue risk of injury is present. So if we
take first things first, SAFETY is the prime consideration. With that in mind,
complete the following steps each time you prepare to use your shotgun
tactically.
INSPECT THE SHOTGUN
Point
the muzzle in a safe direction and engage the safety. If necessary, unload the
weapon. Inspect the chamber and magazine. When you are satisfied that the
weapon is empty, perform a basic function check. Make sure the barrel is not
obstructed. Cycle the slide several times using the slide release. Make sure
that the slide release locks the action and that the safety works properly.
Then cycle the action several times by pulling the trigger to unlock the slide
as would happen when firing. When you are sure the weapon is in serviceable
condition, the shotgun can be made ready for tactical use.
LOADING THE SHOTGUN
Again,
with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, close the bolt, disengage the
safety and pull the trigger. This allows the hammer to fall on an empty
chamber. Having done this, you can fill the magazine to capacity with the
appropriate ammunition. If you might need to switch from one type of ammunition
to another, load one less round in the magazine than normal. This allows you to
switch rounds by placing a shell in the magazine and cycling the slide using
the slide release. You can then change from buck (loaded for close range use)
to a slug (for longer distances) quickly should the need arise. With the hammer
down on an empty chamber the shotgun can then be secured for later use or
carried safely.
COMBAT EMPLOYMENT
Should
the need arise that you must employ your shotgun quickly; it can be ready with
very little effort on your part. Remember, it is not always necessary to
immediately cycle a round into the chamber. But keep in mind that with the
hammer down on an empty chamber you can do so in a fraction of a second without
having to locate the slide release (usually found forward of or alongside the
trigger group). If it should be necessary to fire, you can just cycle the slide
and your weapon is ready.
SUSTAINED FIRING
After
firing your first shot, it is important to immediately release the trigger and
cycle the slide fully. In some guns, cycling the slide without releasing the
trigger will allow the next round to fire without warning when the bolt returns
to battery. Failure to fully cycle the slide will allow a fresh round out of
the magazine without ejecting the spent round. When the bolt is brought
forward, a jam that often requires the gun to be disassembled to correct could
result.
COMBAT RELOADING
Providing
that you have extra rounds with you, you can effectively reload your shotgun
without sacrificing instant firepower. If you maintain your grip on the stock
with your strong hand, additional ammo can be fed into the magazine with the
weak hand. You should always reload what you shoot a soon as practical. If you
fire 2 rounds, reload 2 rounds.
If
you shoot all the rounds in your shotgun, you can quickly reload one round by
placing it directly into the ejection port. Cup the round in you left hand and
roll it into the ejection port. Then immediately push the slide fully forward
chambering that one round. Now you at least have one round to depend yourself
with while you reload the magazine.
STAND DOWN
When
the shotgun that has been fired or a round has been chambered and the weapon
needs to be returned to a safe condition, use this procedure. First, engage the
safety. Then slowly pull back the bolt, exposing the chambered round so it can
be removed from the chamber without letting a round out of the magazine.
At this point, the remaining rounds can be taken from the magazine by
depressing the shell stop on the side of the loading port. The weapon can then
be secured or returned to readiness for continued use.
STANCE
Of
all the basic shotgun skills, stance is one that contributes most to allowing
rapid repeat fire. As with the pistol, balance is the primary goal, but because
of the far greater recoil, the shooter must generally maintain a slightly wider
stance than normal. It is also important that the majority of body weight be on
the front foot with the knee slightly bent. Strong side arm should be
perpendicular to the ground, while the weak side arm should be parallel to the
ground. You head should be up and should remain erect.
GRIP
The
shooter should have a firm grip on both the pistol grip and the forearm but
should not hold so tightly as to cause fatigue or discomfort. When holding the
slide (forearm) you should be careful not to twist it or the action may bind.
Your strong hand should pull the stock firmly into your shoulder. A loose hold
allows the shotgun to jump before it makes contact with your shoulder, adding
to the felt recoil.
BREATH CONTROL
It
is understood that in many cases where the firearm may be used, breathing may
be heavy due to exertion or excitement. A conscious effort to slow down your
breathing or hold your breath during firing will help. You should take a death
breath, let it half out and then hold your breath briefly as you squeeze the
trigger. At closer ranges, breathing isn’t as important, due to the shotguns
pattern size. However, at longer ranges with slugs it is just as important as
with a rifle.
SIGHTS
On
most tactical shotguns, the sights are of two basic types. The most common is
the bead sight. This arrangement is simply a bead front sight with no rear
sight, although some guns have a grooved receiver that helps somewhat. The
second type is a rifle sights, similar to those found on most rifles. These add
greatly to accuracy, especially at longer ranges with slugs. Recently a new
type of sight, called a Ghost Ring sight has been developed. These consist of a
large aperture peep sight in the rear and a large rifle sight at the muzzle.
Ghost ring sights seem to offer the best combination or speed and accuracy for
the combat shotgun
TRIGGER CONTROL
With
the shotgun, trigger control is not quite as important as it is with a pistol
or rifle, except at extended ranges and when rifled slugs are used. A
deliberate press of the trigger while proper sight picture is held will give
good results.
FOLLOW-THROUGH
As
with a handgun or rifle, you should complete a proper follow-through upon
completing your firing. While still keeping your shotgun shouldered, scan the
area (look left and right) for other potential targets. Then return to your
initial target(s). While keeping them covered, reload whatever rounds have been
fired. When you are sure the situation has been dealt with, stand down.
MOUNT
The
way the shotgun is held or mounted is a major factor in how well it can be
controlled. In mounting the shotgun, the strong hand, the one that grasps the
pistol grip and trigger should grip the shotgun just as it would a sidearm. The
weak hand is the most important for several reasons. First, the position of
the hand on the slide controls how the stock comes up to the shoulder and where
on the stock the cheek rests. The length of the shooters arm, thickness of
clothing and the stock of the gun can vary, so the shooter may experiment to
find the best hold for him or her. Also very important to a good mount is the
position of the cheek on the stock. Find a spot that allows good view of the
front sight but that does not allow the thumb to strike your nose during
recoil. Keep the cheek firmly on the stock. The gun MUST come up to your head,
do NOT lower your head to the stock.
FIRING POSITIONS
The
firing positions most often used are the strong side standing and the strong
side kneeling. Both of these are effective with use of cover. While it is
possible that an individual may be in a position where the prone position may
be all that is available it is an awkward position from which to cycle a pump
action shotgun.
Less
effective, but also widely used in the past is the old hip shooting position.
If a shooter chooses to use this method he should be aware of a greater
potential to miss the intended target even a very close range. The tendency to
miss even close targets results from most shooters firing with the weak arm
bent rather than fully extended. A much better position that allows freedom of
movement, clear field of vision and a greater degree of accuracy is the
'underarm assault' position. Here, the stock is tucked into the armpit. From
this position there is more of a tendency to keep the weak arm positioned
correctly. It also allows a more natural alignment of the eye with the barrel.
CARRYING POSITIONS
The
tactical shotgun can be carried in any number of ways, but for our purposes two
will be used. The two positions are HIGH READY and LOW READY. In the high
ready, the gun is presented muzzle up in front of the body with the tip of the
barrel at eye level, pointing up and slightly away. In the low ready, the butt
is up against your shoulder with the muzzle down and away. Both positions allow
rapid target pickup without swinging the muzzle across a wide area. Both use
an economy of motion. Two sling care positions are also used. Muzzle Up and
Muzzle Down. You should regularly practice from both positions, as a different
set of movements is required for each.
EFFECTIVE RANGE
For
most purposes out to 125 yards, the effective range of the shotgun is
determined by the way it’s loaded, the quality of its sights and the skill of
the shooter. Generally, O0 buck is used to about 25 - 30 yards. It will kill at
far greater distance, but the spread of the pattern could be of concern due to
possible injury to bystanders. Rifled slugs on the other hand can be effective
out to approximately 125 yards but tend to have phenomenal penetration and can
cause injury beyond the intended target.
PATTERNS
In
the great majority of cases, tactical shotguns have no choke or constriction at
the muzzle. Choke when present, forces the pellets into a smaller area as they
leave the bore causing them to stay closer together over greater distance. This
makes for a smaller pattern or impact area. The lack of choke allows buckshot
to spread out quicker at closer range, but becomes a handicap as the range
increases. A shotgun with a tighter choke can be used effectively at a slightly
greater distance with buckshot. The old “Alley Sweeper” concept of an extremely
wide pattern is a ballistic nightmare. On the contrary, the longer a pattern
holds together, the better.
There
are three tactical “zones” to consider regarding patterns.
1.)
A Zone - single projectile effect - 0 to 7 meters
2.)
B Zone - usable pattern - 7 to 25 meters
3.)
C Zone - rifle like, slugs only - 25 - 125 meters
The
key elements of weapons effectiveness in these zones are two fold. You must
learn your specific zones based on your weapon, barrel, choke and ammunition
combination. It is also HIGHLY recommended that you use the same gun and ammo
combination all the time.
AMMO
Shotgun
ammunition for tactical purposes is generally limited to buckshot and rifled
slugs. In most cases, two and three quarter inch shells are used although some
guns may be chambered for 3" magnums. Buckshot is available in several
size pellets. For example, O0 buck has a diameter of .32 in. and has 9 or 12
pellets per shell. Where as #4 buck shot is .24 in. and has approx. 23 pellets
per round. Rifled slugs are approx. 1 oz. in weight.
There
is a current philosophy that suggests loading a shotgun with one round less
than the maximum. This supposedly allows rapid transition from buckshot to
slugs. Theoretically, you can insert a slug into the magazine and cycle the
action, ejecting the buckshot in the chamber and replacing it with a slug. Most
users would have an extremely difficult time doing this under the stress
generated in a life and death situation. An extremely competent operator, with
years of training and practice, MIGHT be able to.
CARE AND CLEANING
Care
and cleaning of the shotgun should include keeping the weapon clean, lubricated
and functioning properly. You should know how to remove the barrel and bolt
from the gun for cleaning. A gunsmith should do any detailed disassembly.
TACTICS
Skill
at arms is only one piece of the puzzle. Tactics for the successful employment of
those skills are equally important. If a person ends up in the wrong place at
the wrong time, the outcome will likely have nothing to do with his skill. A
great shot can’t hit what he doesn’t see. Master skills will still land you in
prison if you don’t identify the target properly.
Under
stress, knowledge and decision making tend to be replaced by a “conditioned
response”. Training (i.e. repetition) builds these responses. Poor training =
poor responses, proper training = proper responses, it’s that simple.
Typically, marksmanship isn’t the main problem. Most deadly force encounters
occur at “a crossed the room” distances. Time, however, is one of the bigger
issues. Most encounters are over in about 2-3 seconds. The other two major
considerations are Mind Set (addressed elsewhere in this text) and tactics.
Listed
here are several basic tactical principles to consider.
·
Use
your senses – your eyes, ears and nose are the only source of critical data.
·
Never
turn you back on anything that you haven’t checked out first.
·
Stay
away from corners – keeping well back may save your life.
·
Maximize
the distance between you and any potential danger area.
·
Keep
you balance – avoid crossing your legs and making any fancy moves.
·
Don’t
try to move and shoot at the same time – it only works in Hollywood.
·
Know
the difference between cover and concealment – use cover if available.
·
Taking
cover is usually safer than standing and shooting it out.
·
Keep
some distance from walls – bullets ricochet and scraping walls is noisy.
·
Don’t
silhouette yourself – ridges, walls and doorways are prime examples.
·
Look
up! Most of us will look side to side, but when was the last time you looked
up?
·
K.I.S.S.
– Keep It Simple Stupid. Simple works - save the fancy moves for T.V.
·
Murphy’s
Law is Irrefutable. What can go wrong will and at the worse possible time.
PROPER TRAINING
One
of the first things that I noticed during my initial military and law
enforcement training was the static, controlled nature of things. Range operation
went like this. “Ready on the right? Ready on the left? All ready on the firing
line.” Start Whistle – Shooting – Stop Whistle. “Unload and holster an empty
weapon.” Who’s kidding who? Safety is
critical, but you can train properly and still be safe. We MUST train the way
that we need to fight in order to survive.
A
common occurrence when I first became a firearms instructor is a perfect
example of how NOT to do it. Numerous police officers (many were detectives and
higher ranking supervisors) that daily carried a 2” snub-nosed revolver would
show up at the range to qualify with a 6” target gun! Irrelevant training is a waste of time and
ammunition. It builds false confidence and will get you killed! While in the
Army, I can’t count the number of times that we were made to pass one M-16
rifle from soldier to solider and qualify without sighting in the weapon for
each shooter. This made for a lot less weapons to clean at the end of the day!
Proper training is REQUIRED to survive a deadly force encounter.
The basics of proper training are simple. Train with the
weapons you carry, how you carry them, with the same ammo that you carry and
under the conditions that you expect to use them in. Adapt the scenarios using
realistic times and distances. Use appropriate targets and scoring systems.
Master basic skills and then progress to tactics. It’s that simple.
Dr.
Leonard M. Breure, PhD
New
2008