NCStar Aluminum shell carrier...

[spencerk]

Well I was looking for an ithaca model 37 side saddle to fit my stevens 350 and stumbled acrosed this NCStar on amazon... Its solid aluminum, holds 6 or 4 rounds (can separate 2 Of the shell carriers via dovetail), stretches with double sided tape or velcro, and what really suprised me is that after looking at more pictures of it online, it uses the same retention method of the Mesa Tactical Side Saddles...







Mesa Tactical



As you can see the retention method looks very similar... If not identical. The aluminum on the NCStar is just a tad thinner, which really isn't the end of the world as far as I'm concerned.

Plus it only cost me about $14 bucks and ships for free.

Since its going on a my beater gun I was thinking "what the heck can't be that bad?"

And since it's going on a cheap Chinese clone of a bottom ejecting Ithaca, I may go all out mall ninja to balance out the weight and order a second one to slap on the other side of the receiver depending on how well the first one works out.

Maybe I'm crazy but for a cheap gun, this may be the only thing NCStar has ever produced that I like... If it works...

I've even decided to order a third one to try out on my Baikal MP-18... If I'm doing the math correctly, when the action is open, I'll have plenty of clearance to use the 2 round shell holder on the receiver to facilitate spare ammo and loading and maybe even the the four round part of the shell carrier.

I may even try to use Muggy products super alloy 1 multi-media solder to attatch the shell carrier to the receiver to both of my guns before I give them a cost of alumahyde 2... This solder has a breaking strength of 20,000psi so I'm almost positive it will withsand the force of the recoil generated for any 12ga load I can out in either the stevens 350 or the Baikal Mp18...

Anybody else here Have one on their gun or ever even tried one? It seems like the velcro sidesaddle are becoming more popular these days but I'm not going that way. Personally I'm just going to try using double sided tape...

[3006mv]

Updates?

[spencerk]

Well I was going to wait until I get my Stevens 350 out of jail so I could do the full review of the cheap aluminum sidesaddlea on a cheap Ithaca 37 copy, but I'll give you a little update anyways.

I got the first one about a week ago and was VERY skeptical about it since its a NCStar.



Came in a nice enough box. Ok I've tried plant of CRAP that was packaged better than this.



Hmmm seems promising. Good quality extruded aluminum with the same exact retention method as the mesa tactical shotgun side saddles... Ok this is hopeful...



Sliding the rounds into the side saddle was easy enough but felt a tighter out of the box than my mesa tactical I owned for all of a week before I sold it... Ok now I'm just shocked. Let's see how much retention these puppies have...



I took the section of 2 off because it would fall off no matter what, but that's not what I was testing. I already knew that would happen. Its not stretched to a gun yet. I grabbed a single shell by the brass, only leaving the shells inserted in so that the plastic was fully covered and the brass was fully exposed, and then shook it up and down, in a very violent and vigorous motion. Much to my surprise with the weight of the shell carrier it's self and the 3 SLUGS it did not work loose or budge even a single milimeter. Ok now I'm convinced. This may be the only product by NCStar that is useful.

The carriers are attached to aluminum backplates that are screwed firmly in place so you can replace the retension rubber as it seems. I kind of like that. I'm going to first start with double sided tape once I get my el cheapo bottom eject to slap a couple of these on.

Yes I said a couple. These things multiplied like rabbits after my initial testing and ship from CA when purchased off Amazon... So just like rabbits they reproduced very spontaneously....



They all hold shells equally as tight. They are all very well made. The extending process must be very good for the low price of $12.75 off Amazon... Lol.

But in all seriousness they are very good quality. I just want to see how well they retain shells under recoil with the shells held upside down. That will be their true test.

More to come in the next week or two. Gotta get my el cheapo Stevens 350 and slap em on with some double sided tape and give an a go. That's when I'll give my final thoughts. I'm going nuts and slapping one on either side of the receiver just because I'm that dumb. Lol.

[CandG]

I love my Mesa shell carrier, but I had to put that in a drawer when I got a custom top rail for my Benelli with an RMR mount. This sounds like an awesome solution to get my sidesaddle back, at least until Mesa comes out with an RMR-mount sidesaddle top rail! Thanks for the review, just ordered 4! Gonna stick some inside my Shotlock for quick access for my HD shotgun. Ya know, in case I use all 8 rounds in the tube plus the 4 on the sidesaddle

[spencerk]

You could probably fit the full 6 shell carriers on your gun. They fit together via a dovetail and I'm sure would hold together just fine once mounted on the gun with some double sided tape.

I forgot to mention that they come with velcro, but I hate velcro so that's why I am going with double sided tape. Its probably a bit easier to get the velcro off though, especially if you don't want it to be a long term solution. I'm mounting a total of 12 extra rounds to my receiver because I'm a total ammo whore. If I don't end up mounting both of the extra side saddles I bought for my single shots I'll end up mounting one to the stock too. I've always liked the idea of a gran and go gun for a real case of "GTFO" 24 rounds of mixed 12ga can be very useful. 6 rounds of buck loaded up, another 6 rounds of buck on one side saddle, 6 rounds of bird shot, and maybe even another 3 rounds of buck and 3 slugs. Some protection, some survival. Won't last long but heck, if I could get a deer or a few birds in a pinch it could get my loved ones and I to a better place in a SHTF scenario.

Then again I doubt life will ever go that way... I just like ammo.

[CandG]

Then again I doubt life will ever go that way... I just like ammo.

At least you're honest

[CandG]

My mesa carrier was actually the 8-shell version, but honestly it was too much. They make a 6-shell version, and that's what I should've gone with. But after 2 years or so using it, I can tell you exactly how many times I grabbed a shell from it and stuck it in the tube - 0. So I think I'm good with a 4-shell carrier, unless the 6 doesn't get in the way of anything, in which case I might as well use it.

[spencerk]

At least you're honest

Lol I always think of the worst case scenario. I know the gun will be heavy that way but I don't really care that much...best case scenario I won't ever need to touch that shotgun unless I'm at the range or maybe for a deer hunt sometime...

Other than that I'm going for the "eh it's a Chinese POS so why not" mindset for now....

[spencerk]

My mesa carrier was actually the 8-shell version, but honestly it was too much. They make a 6-shell version, and that's what I should've gone with. But after 2 years or so using it, I can tell you exactly how many times I grabbed a shell from it and stuck it in the tube - 0. So I think I'm good with a 4-shell carrier, unless the 6 doesn't get in the way of anything, in which case I might as well use it.

I looked at those.... The 8 shell versions looked like overkill even to my overkill eyes...

They seemed like they would get in the way of a proper grip. But I honestly didn't want to risk even trying one.

[3006mv]

I wish that was available when I got mine. Past posts from a while back

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=431107

I did not add a panel on opposite side but I did on buttstock

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=399043

I have the older shorter mag tube

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1049889

It's my HD

[spencerk]

I wish that was available when I got mine. Past posts from a while back

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=431107

I did not add a panel on opposite side but I did on buttstock

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=399043

I have the older shorter mag tube

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1049889

It's my HD

Mine is going to end up being my HD shotgun/possibly my entry into 3 gun shotgun and my beater. The one I'm picking up is the 5 shot tube.

How reliable has yours been?

[3006mv]

Very smooth and reliable no issues at all. I have only shot 4 buck and 00 out of it. Over 500 rounds, my reloads.

[spencerk]

Very smooth and reliable no issues at all. I have only shot 4 buck and 00 out of it. Over 500 rounds, my reloads.

4 buck is my choice apartment load. Good to hear. One of my buddies in nor cal bought 2 of the 350's, one of the combos with bead sights to use for hunting and the GRS version for HD and both of his have been reliable except for the combo gun with the 18.5" barrel for some reason. It never extracts spent shells. With the field barrel it's 100% reliable though. I'm assuming it has an overly tight chamber.

I can't wait to get mine. I didn't want to chop up an old Ithaca for HD and I don't like single action bars. I bent one on one of my old ithacas and I had to replace it. Not a big deal but I just like the idea of the Chinese copy being overbuilt.

One more question, how are the sights? Have you used them with slugs? I plan on possibly using this gun for hunting and some fun target shooting with slugs.

[3006mv]

Yes I forgot to mention I have shot 7/8 and 1 1/4 oz slugs and they print rather well (accurate, repeatable on bench and free standing no support) Oddly I didn't have to adjust the sights for any rounds out of the box, other than a good cleaning, I rate it a perfect value and buy. Just keep it well oiled you won't have any issues. I almost contemplated buying another with the 5+1 mag capacity tube and putting the Choate pistol grip butt stock on it but forgot I gave that stock and forearm away. I have too many shotguns on hand anyway.

[spencerk]

Sounds like I'm not going to be disappointed then.

Btw the stevens 350 can be had for 200 off gunbroker NIB... That how much I got my 5+1 for... They are quickly dissappearing though. There were a lot more of them on there a few months ago and now there is only about a page worth of sales...