Weak Hand Loading Shotgun for 3 Gun
A.K.A Dual Load, Quad Load, Load 2 or Load 4 Methods
We covered how to traditional weak hand load your shotgun, now it’s time to move on to something that will put shells in your tube faster. Commonly referred to L2/L4, Load Two/Load Four, or Loading Twins or Quads. Aside from strong hand quad loads, this has been proven under the clock to be one of the quickest methods when done right.
Since it’s become so popular, the market is saturated with many great options for shell carriers. My personal favorite to date is the Taccom Duelin Dueces as they maximize shell count in a small amount of space, and the lower profile allows you to go prone comfortably.
Position your shotgun shell carrier of choice on the weak hand or support hand side of your belt. They should be oriented in a fashion where your thumb will be over the brass end when you go to grab a handful of shells.
You’re going to roll your shotgun while maintaining a positive grip on your strong side, and tuck the now upside down stock into your armpit. This method is very beneficial as it brings the load gate very close to your shell carriers.
If you’re just starting out with this method, start with Dual Loading. Grab two shells from the end of the carrier with your thumb indexed against only half of the end of the brass. These two shells should be firmly grasped under your furthest set of knuckles, not near your palm. Insert the business end of the shell into your load gate and follow through with one smooth motion, pushing both shells beyond the shell carrier latch. Your hand movement should continue slightly beyond the load gate and toward the forearm to finish the movement consistently and assist in quickly bringing the shotgun back onto target once you’ve filled the magazine.
Remount the shotgun by rolling it right side up and establishing a solid cheek-weld for a consistent sight picture.
Quad loading will come a little bit more naturally once you’ve become well acquainted with Load 2, but will require much practice before you’re match ready with it.
Everything with quad load is essentially the same, making note that your shells need to be stacked in the carrier where the brass of the second set of shells is higher than the first set. This will help encourage your shells to not hang up on each other when you go to load the first pair of shells.
Grasp four shells this time, again using your furthest set of knuckles as a base, and insert the two closest to your palm first while slightly extending your knuckles to keep the next set of shells clear from catching on the side of the shotgun. Maintaining the same sweeping motion, once you have positive feedback from the shell catch, push the remaining two shells into the gate and complete the movement.
At this point, either perform another set of quad loads to fill your magazine tube or remount the shotgun. It is good to add variation to the exercise. I like to Load 4, remount, then Load 4 again – I get double the repetition that way. Another option that keeps you familiar and builds consistency is to Load 2, Load 4 then another Load 2. Three repetitions and you’re really training where you index the shells across your fingers.
