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Shotgun Shell Holders...


Quizcat

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In visiting some of the leather shops online, I see that there are slides available that either clip to or slide over your waste belt. 

 

I believe I read in the SASS rules that the position of the shotgun shells has to be below the belly button, and that bandoleros are not permitted due to this SASS rule. 

 

I see that they make 6-shell and 8-shell slides or clip-ons, that I assume are designed to slide over or clip onto your waste belt.   

 

How many shotgun shells do you need to shoot most SASS categories?  In other words, should one get a 6-shell or 8-shell holder?

Is a slide-on or clip-on shotgun shell holder preferable? 

Are looped holders or pouch holders better, tactically?

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13 minutes ago, Quizcat said:

.... 

I believe I read in the SASS rules that the position of the shotgun shells has to be below the belly button, and that bandoleros are not permitted due to this SASS rule. 

...

 

Read that section again.

SHB pp. 3-4

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Most CAS stages only require six or fewer SG shells.  However, you may miss and have to make up a shot.  Therefore I recommend an 8-shell holder.  BTW I usually carry two game loads for pesky targets set too heavily.  I have a pouch holder I prefer but have a canvas belt with loops for the occasional stage with a many SG targets.  I do fine with the loops.

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Not a fan of the slide.

Some stages will have 6 SG targets. And you might need extra if you need a makeup.

Might even need more than that. Have had some shotgun side matches have 8 SG targets.

So would say for me. 8 minimum.

 

One reason I prefer the SG belt over slide. With the slide and that many rounds in the slide. It kind of

limits where and how you place your holsters. Lets don't forget your rifle reloads you will need also.

 

With the SG belt. I can place my holsters closer together if I want. Still have room for all the SG shells I need and

also have my rifle reloads on my SG belt.

 

My belt has room for 6 shells on one side. 5 rifle reloads in the middle. 6 more SG shells on the other side.

 

You will see shooters use more SG belts than slides mainly because of the reasons listed above.

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I like the slide and belt at different times.  In hot summers I would prefer a slide but only when shooting with two strong side holsters.  I don't have them in too close for that like Anvil Al was mentioning, however when using a crossdraw the butt of the gun can get in the way of a slide.  My slides are only 6-shell, but on a 6-target stage I will have some extras in a vest pocket.  (I'm not particularly tactical)

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Majority of shooters wear a separate shotgun belt. You should go to a match first then shooters can let you try out the options.

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I have both.  I prefer an 8 or 10 round slide, but I keep a belt on my cart in case You run into one of those stages with 8 SG targets or a makeup target.

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I've encountered a handful of recent stages that required 10+ shotgun.  So now I carry a self-made 10 round leather slide that I wear on a separate belt, slightly above the holster and well below the belly button.  The slide has an almost full length downward tab 3-1/2" long that tucks down inside the top of the gun belt, between the pistol holsters to hold the rounds in position and prevent them protruding outward from my body.  I added a six round rifle reload slide on the right side, just behind my strong-side pistol.

I find it works very well.  The rounds are always easy to retrieve and exactly where muscle memory expects them to be.  

 

20191012_151729.jpg

20191012_152212.jpg

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I prefer the bandoleer. If you want a free canvas shotgun shell belt I’ll send it to you, you pay shipping.

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8 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

I prefer the bandoleer. If you want a free canvas shotgun shell belt I’ll send it to you, you pay shipping.

I never learned to make a unsecured bandoleer let go of the shells easily enough.  I probably would be better off today if I had learned.  It surely takes care of the round count problem. 

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1 minute ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

I never learned to make a unsecured bandoleer let go of the shells easily enough.  I probably would be better off today if I had learned.  It surely takes care of the round count problem. 

Yes, there is a bit of a learning curve with a bandoleer but the end results are well worth it. Don’t pull the shells, tilt them out.

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3 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

Yes, there is a bit of a learning curve with a bandoleer but the end results are well worth it. Don’t pull the shells, tilt them out.

I Sure wish somebody had told me to try that when I first started up.  Now I'm going to have to pull my old bandoleer out of the tack room storage box and try it.  I like what I have now, but the bandoleers hold lots more shells, and to me they look much more "western".  Who in the old TV westerns ever wore a shotgun slide? 

 Thx v. much for the advice.  

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I prefer belt with 5 double loops. rare that more than 4 SG per stage, but with 10 I have enough to get me thru most anything, plus, if (when!!!) I forget to replenish can get thru 2nd stage. 

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3 minutes ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

Is that single or double loops? 

I stand corrected I went and pulled them out to look. I have two slides. One holds 6 shells (3 sets of double loops) the other has 4 single loops. We have a couple 6 target stages and the 4 loop was there for back ups. But when I lost weight and had to get a smaller belt I found it spaced my holsters too far back. Now I use a shotgun belt.

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From reading this it would sound like a lot of needs will actually be based on those matches that one attends.  I have not attended in many years but can say that at the time I stopped shooting, the two closest matches that I attended has evolved to be very different from each other and would frequently vary as to the best way to equip for each of them. 

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12 hours ago, Chili Pepper Kid, SASS #60463 said:

But when I lost weight and had to get a smaller belt I found it spaced my holsters too far back

I can only dream.  The inches come off everywhere else except the waistline.  Skinny legs with a big round lollipop bulge at the top.  

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i bough two different 6 round slides , ive found myself wanting the other two on too many occasions to ignore it - i bought an 8 round slide , if i had found a 10 i would have bought that , beyond that a bandoleer or separate belt will be in order - i dont have enough waist length in my belt left 

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I shoot a sxs and prefer double loops over singles.

 

My wife also shoots a sxs and prefers single loops over doubles. 

 

We both use Mernickle products with web loops and each belt holds at least 10 shells. 

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I grab the shells with my left hand, so I wear my belt buckle somewhat off-center to the right to have room for my 8 shot shell slide, which was enough for almost every stage I encountered. To cover all stages (and all misses) I have an additional 6 shell slide on the back of the belt. My slides are single-looped (as double loops are prohibited in some categories over here) and therefore quite "streched", but there's still enough room for all my other things (knife, pouch, ...)

The slides are attachable and detachable by push buttons, so no other stuff on the belt is affected. I am very satisfied how J.M. Ross (JM Leather) implemented my custom requests.

 

Equanimous

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39 minutes ago, Equanimous Phil said:

...

My slides are single-looped (as double loops are prohibited in some categories over here) and therefore quite "streched", but there's still enough room for all my other things (knife, pouch, ...)

...

 

?? Which categories and why is that different than the SASS rule:

Quote

"Shotgun ammo loops may not accommodate more than two rounds per loop, and rifle/revolver ammo loops shall accommodate only one round per loop."

SHB p.4

 

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If you're like me and have a donlop (belly done lopped over my belt) you may want the SG belt or bandolier.  My belly would be in the way if I used a slide.  Not badly but enough to be annoying.

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1 hour ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

?? Which categories and why is that different than the SASS rule:

 

The club I am shooting with is SASS affiliated and we are following the SASS handbook and our TG does a very good job to keep us updated about rule changes. Due to the small size of the CAS community here in Switzerland, we do not split the few participants to categories (of course, each shooter has to conform to a SASS category).

However, there's one main event every year in Germany some of us are participating (and hopefully me in the future, too). The match is held by BDS (Bund Deutscher Sportschützen) and I am referring to their rule book "bds_spo_western_13-10-2016". The list below shows the categories covered by that rule book. While the most of them will sound familiar to everyone and are in fact identical to all SASS requirements, there are three additional categories, called 1880 BP, 1880 NC and 1870, which have more severe requirements regarding outfit, firearm models and ammunition, targeting a more traditional style of Old West.

  • Young Guns/Young Lady, 14-17 yrs (cal .22lr only)
  • Cowboy/Cowgirl, 18-35 yrs
  • Wrangler/Lady Wrangler, 36-48 yrs
  • 49er/Lady 49er, 49-59 yrs
  • Seniors/Lady Seniors, 60-64 yrs
  • Silver Seniors/Lady Silver Seniors, 65-69 yrs
  • Elder Statesman/Grand Dame, >70 yrs
  • Duelist
  • Senior Duelist, >60 yrs
  • Gunfighter
  • Senior Gunfighter >60 yrs
  • Frontier Cartridge
  • Frontier Cartridge Duelist
  • Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter
  • „B“-Western
  • Classic Cowboy
  • Frontiersman
  • 1880 Black Powder
  • 1880 Nitro Cartridge
  • 1870

One of those requirements is the mentioned use of only single shot shell loops, W2.5.2 (all other categories are not affected).

 

I personally like the idea of those categories, as there are imho a couple more interesting restrictions, e.g. in 1880: Power factor has to exceed 120, no short strokes allowed, revolver model types prior to 1890 and true to original (that means no Rugers), no metal or plastic or whatever stabilizing inlays in the holsters. The outfit requirements are quite the same as with Classic Cowboys, but also other "characters" from that era such as soldiers, gamblers etc. are allowed as long the look is authentic.

 

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Howdy

 

Around these parts, the number of shotgun shells needed in a stage seldom exceeds six. I always check the scenarios before I leave the car. If we are having the Shotgun Run with 10 rounds or so needed, I throw my canvas shotgun belt onto my cart. Other wise it stays in the car. I generally do not like wearing a shotgun belt along with my gun belt.

 

I have been using this rig for a long, long time. When I am wearing my belt I slide the two shotgun slides to either side of the buckle. So I always have eight shells available for six targets. If I miss so badly that I need more than two extra I will just take the misses. No, I am not such a fast shooter that it matters that for six shots I will be grabbing two shells from the 'far side' of my belt. It really does not matter for me. The hardest part is I can no longer see my shells because they are hiding under my big belly.

 

Duke%20Rig%2002_zpsomylbkzk.jpg

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I can't help with where I bought these slides. I bought them a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away and don't remember who made them.

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I had my gun belt made with 3 dbl  holders in the front it seemed like a good idea at the time.....After trying that a few times did not care for the location and now use a canvas belt with single loops that are close together so grabbing two to load my double works for me. My wife prefers to use slides.

 

 

Hochbauer

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On 10/12/2019 at 10:11 AM, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

Most CAS stages only require six or fewer SG shells.  However, you may miss and have to make up a shot.  Therefore I recommend an 8-shell holder.  BTW I usually carry two game loads for pesky targets set too heavily.  I have a pouch holder I prefer but have a canvas belt with loops for the occasional stage with a many SG targets.  I do fine with the loops.

I carry 10.The way I shoot I frequently need them.

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On 10/12/2019 at 10:10 AM, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

 

Read that section again.

SHB pp. 3-4

I guess it is this statement in the handbook, the bottom of page 3, that has me confused about how bandoleers are permitted to be worn...

"Ammunition belts must be worn so all ammo is positioned at or below the belly button."  I believe I read somewhere within this forum that this rule applied to bandoleers so as not to give participants unfair advantage over others with respect to where ammo is accessed.

 

I must admit, I had originally envisioned wearing a bandoleer of a few shotgun shells, thrown over the shoulder for easy access in shotgun events.  But, after reading this provision in the handbook, I was under the impression that doing so would violate the rules because I have always considered shotgun shells as "Ammunition." 

 

So, is it legal to wear bandoleers thrown over the shoulder where it would be easier to access shotgun shells as you're competing in shotgun events?

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25 minutes ago, Quizcat said:

I guess it is this statement in the handbook, the bottom of page 3, that has me confused about how bandoleers are permitted to be worn...

"Ammunition belts must be worn so all ammo is positioned at or below the belly button."  I believe I read somewhere within this forum that this rule applied to bandoleers so as not to give participants unfair advantage over others with respect to where ammo is accessed.

 

I must admit, I had originally envisioned wearing a bandoleer of a few shotgun shells, thrown over the shoulder for easy access in shotgun events.  But, after reading this provision in the handbook, I was under the impression that doing so would violate the rules because I have always considered shotgun shells as "Ammunition." 

 

So, is it legal to wear bandoleers thrown over the shoulder where it would be easier to access shotgun shells as you're competing in shotgun events?

Keep reading.

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The good doctor prescribed a belt that holds 12.

 

Doc Noper, that is.

 

The most I have used on a "shotgun only" stage is 8.

 

But if you are moving, shells can fall out. And under the timer you can fumble a reload.

 

Nice to go to the belt and find a few more you can grab.

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3 hours ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Keep reading.

I've read all of page 3 and 4, and I see no other prohibition of bandoleers where they're prohibited to be slung over the shoulder, unless this statement applies..."Ammunition belts must be worn so all ammo is positioned at or below the belly button," which I clearly stated before in this very thread that I do think prohibits wearing of  bandoleers slung over the shoulder.  But, I have been told a few times already in this thread to "keep reading," as though there is no prohibition, as though I am missing something. 

 

Com'on guys which is it?

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