How to unload a pump/autoloading shotgun without pulling the trigger or chambering

[762cavalier]

None of my shotguns have ever fired unless I had my finger pressing the trigger. If your shotgun can go off while you are simply racking rounds through it you need to have it looked at

And while That may be true, the only way you know about the issue will be to have an ND while cycling rounds through it.

[Greg-Dawg]

...Pumping the shotgun to unload is dangerous.

And you're actually not unloading when loading another one in the chamber.

[joepamjohn]

This is something I never thought of and I have been a shotgunner for many years. Just last Tuesday,I was dove hunting and every time I came back to the truck I would cycle the bolt of my Browning A5 and eject the shells onto my open tailgate. Never even thought of this process. Duh!@$%%$$

[AgentAK]

I'm very surprised that so many people don't take the time to read the instruction manual for something as dangerous as a firearm.

[sargenv]

I'm going to have to say that I've fired likely in excess of 100,000 rounds through numerous types of shotguns in my lifetime.. Likely more.

The only negligent discharge of a shotgun in my shooting lifetime of over 30 years was one time with my younger brother. We were walking back to a vehicle while hunting pheasant. He was carrying a Browning Auto-5 that seemed to have a possibly faulty safety. Thinking back now it likely had a worn out safety spring. Dad and I were walking ahead and were surprised by a gunshot... It was not all that out of the ordinary for one of us to see a bird kick up and try to get it without warning each other. We thought this was the case. However, when dad and I turned around, there was my brother with the gun cradling the Auto-5 at a 90 degree angle from us.. with a very surprised look on his face. He apparently had touched the trigger after the safety had likely worked it's way loose. He wasn't loading or unloading it. Simply carrying it.

One of the main rules is don't ever point a firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy/keep it pointed in a safe direction.

You can rack them into and out of your gun as you like. If I can unload my gun without putting rounds through the gun, I will likely continue to unload it like that. In the case of my Gold however, and likely a few other types of shotgun, I will continue to cycle the rounds through the chamber while pointing my shotgun in a safe direction.

When practicing loading for 3-gun events at home, I have made up a box of shells that have no primer or powder for specifially that use. Otherwise I will continue to do what is convenient and safe at my own discretion when on the range or in the field. The safety is not something mechanical, but involves that thing between your ears and your attitude to do what feels right to you.

[JBird33]

I can do it with my 1300 Winchester but it is a bit of a pain in the butt. I just "short stroke" on the return to the forward position of the pump, which puts a shell at the ejection port but not into the chamber yet. Then I just pull it through, push the pump forward, and jack it back again to do it to another shell. Repeat until empty.

[RANDO]

bring the bolt to the rear just far enough to remove the chambered round but not as to chamber another and then bring the bolt forward. then use the shell latches to remove the shells in the magazine.

[holyhandgrenade]

I never knew about this process, I am rather new to shotguns, but still, I would think this would be more common knowledge.

I did however go look up the Remington manual, it states to cycle the shells through the action, I guess thats where I learned the bad habit...

For reference: http://www.remington.com/pdfs/om/om_870.pdf

[Stormfeather]

I was surprised to learn that some people don't know how to do this...

There is NO reason to cycle the rounds through a pump or auto loading shotgun in order to unload it... it is a dangerous practice which can result in an ND when the bolt slams home.

Shells are retained in a tube magazine by a small spring tab on the side of the receiver, with the bolt closed, if this spring tab is depressed, the lifter will act as a guide for the shell and it will go out the loading port instead of into the action/chamber.

By reaching into the bottom of the gun with a finger you can depress this tab and it will kick out one shell from the bottom of the shotgun...

Remove the shell, and depress it again and it will kick out another one.. and so on and so forth until you can reach in and touch the follower.

At this point, you can use the slide release or charging handle (depending on what type of shotgun you are unloading) to open the breach and check the chamber.

That's it...

now you know..

(If someone wants to take photo's to illustrate this please do so as this is a safety item which people really should know)

This is great and all. . . but isnt it just alot easier to just shoot at the entertainment center and let the clothes basket catch the lead shot and then just recycle it?

[Stormfeather]

I'm very surprised that so many people don't take the time to read the instruction manual for something as dangerous as a firearm.

An "instruction manual". . . . is that the thing ya send in to get all the free gear?

What is this instruction manual thing you speak of?

[joepamjohn]

I'm very surprised that so many people don't take the time to read the instruction manual for something as dangerous as a firearm.

Actually my old A5's did not come with a manual ,but I did download one from the Browning website.

For unloading a loaded A5 it say's, and I quote " The suggested way to unload the Browning A5 is to grasp the bolt handle and cycle the shells from the magazine thru the ejection port until empty".

You can pull the bolt back and the shell pops up from the magazine,then you turn the gun on it's right side and give it a shake or two and the shell will fall out. It's a bit of a pain, (especially with a beer in your other hand) but it can be done.

The Remington 870 (that I also shoot) says to do the same except fully before chambering the live shell reach in thru the ejection port and pull out the shell,repeating until the weapon is empty.

I think the ways of unloading mentioned here are great ideas of a different way. It has nothing to do with safety as long as the gun is pointed in a safe direction at all times.

Sure, not chambering a live round would be considered safer but cycling the rounds thru the gun as both Browning and Remington recommend is still safe as long as all of the above safety considerations are met.

I wonder why both companies mention nothing of the way brought up in this thread? Go figure.

I was kidding about the beer...

[AgentAK]

Wow, another selling point to buying a Benelli! Those Italians sure know how to write a manual!

[AJAX22]

Bump for those who didn't see this.

[AJAX22]

And one more bump...

[AJAX22]

And yet another bump (for the noobs)