Shotgun -- Skills and Manipulations

Description

The properly loaded shotgun is the most powerful tool that a law abiding citizen, or a law enforcement officer, can bring to bear on a critical incident. 

This course is designed and intended to dispel the commonly held myths about defensive shotguns and give the student a fundamental understanding on how to run the defensive shotgun efficiently and effectively. Students will learn proper gun mount and stance, recoil mitigation techniques, how to pattern their gun so that they know where it shoots,  the right ammunition for specific use cases, how to deliver accurate fire out to the maximum effective range, how to set up their gun for success and more. Specific manipulations, administrative and emergency, will be taught as will effective use of cover, concealment, and movement with the shotgun. Keeping the gun topped up with ammunition is a key area of focus.  

The curriculum supports both pump and semi-auto shotguns, and includes a block on care and maintenance for both types.

Topics Covered

• A brief history of shotguns and shotgun ammunition
• Types and configurations of guns best suited to purpose
• Ammunition suitable for defensive purposes
• Setting the gun up for success
• Administrative handling
• Care and maintenance
• Ready positions
• Shooting positions
• Recoil mitigation, taking the kick out of the shotgun
• Patterning with buck shot and verifying sights with slugs
• Live fire exercises with an emphasis on manipulations and keeping the magazine topped off
• Emergency reloads and reloading on the move
• Working with cover and concealment using the shotgun
• Movement with the shotgun in defensive contexts
• Qualification exercises
• Man on man competition at end of course

Expectations and Outcomes

At the end of this class the student should:

• Understand the various types and configurations of shotguns suited to defensive use
• Know how their gun patterns their chosen buck shot loading
• Know how their gun shoots slugs
• Understand the fundamentals of proper gun mount and recoil mitigation
• Understand various ready and shooting positions and how to apply them in context
• Understand how to work around cover or concealment with the shotgun
• Understand how to care for and maintain their shotgun
• Be able to demonstrate correct steps for loading, down loading and adminitrative handling to make the gun "closet / cruiser ready"

Types

Advanced, Intermediate, Shotgun, Specialty Other

Requirements

Students must bring:

• A defensive shotgun, pump action or semi-auto
  • 12 gauge (preferred)
  • 20 gauge
  • 18 to 20 inch barrel
    • Short Barrel Shotguns, that is a stocked shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches, are allowable if properly registered and stamped
    • Shockwave or pistol grip only shotguns are not allowed for this course
  • Sling optional but not required
  • All types of sights are allowed, including optics by student choice
  • Spare ammo carriage on a side saddle (preferred) or stock cuff for reloading evolutions
• A way to carry 25 rounds of ammunition to the firing line
• Ear and eye protection
• Ammunition
  • 400 rounds of birdshot
    • Federal Top Gun 1 1/8 ounce of #8 shot at 1200 fps works very well for this type of class
      • Some semi-autos need higher velocity to run reliably and "game loads" above 1250 fps are recommended
    • Steel shot loads are not allowed
  • 50 rounds defensive grade buckshot
    • Federal Flite Control or Hornady in 8 (or 9) pellet 00 buck shot managed recoil loadings is best
    • Rio Defensive Dynamics 9 pellet 00 buck shot is a decent alernate for training
    • Winchester Defender 9 pellet 00 buck shot is a decent alternate for training
    • Remington 8 pellet 00 buck shot managed recoil is a decent alternate for training, although it will likely not run an inertia driven gun or some gas operated models
    • NOTE : Because each shotgun is unique, a mix of buck shot loadings to determine what patterns best in the student's gun is a good path. The student should consider their individual use cases when selecting buck shot, particularly if they will need to use it outside the home in which case they should likely focus on premium, pattern controlled, loadings.  
  • 25 rounds of slugs
    • Foster or Brenneke type
    • Managed recoil (1200 fps or less) is preferred, although some semi-autos will need a higher power load
• Clothing
  • A brimmed hat, ball cap is well suited
  • Crew neck, collared polo or collared button front shirts work well, low cut shirts are not appropriate for safety reasons
  • Closed toe shoes or boots (required)
• Water or thirst quencher
• Lunch and light snacks, we will use lunch period for portions of the lecture
• Sunscreen

NOTE:  Bringing a second gun is encouraged. We will run guns hard in this course and breakage can occur. Shotguns can be very hard on optics and weapon mounted lights, mounting screws should be tightened to specification and witness marked. Weapon lights should have batteries removed during training. The instructor will also have extra, properly configured, guns available if a student's gun goes down.