who uses a sidesaddle?

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I've got a Remington 870 18.5" with full magazine tube. After purchasing a 6-shot receiver mounted sidesaddle, I feel that the added capacity probably wouldn't be necessary for a HD situation, and for prolonged training it just makes a heavy gun.

Do you prefer a shotgun with or without one and why?
 
They throw the balance of the gun off, so I throw them away.
I also like a short magazine tube. I really don't expect an extended firefight at my house.
 
I don't like em myself, just extra weight and bulk. I also like the short mag tube. I've got a 20" 8rd tube on one of mine, and it is definitely less handy than one with the shorter (and lighter) mag. My 2cents
 
I do. They don't seem to bother me from a balance standpoint.

Many people carry an extra magazine with their 15+ round CCW giving them 30+ rounds yet find it strange when they see a shotgun with a side saddle. I am not sure why this is. Shotguns are much more effective than pistols but you can still miss.

I don't plan on needing extra rounds for HD. In fact I don't ever plan on needing anything for HD, but it sure would be good to have a couple of extra rounds not boxed up in the closet if I ever did need it.

The only issues I have with a properly installed side saddle are
- you need a tool to disassemble your shotgun with most models. But if you are dissembling your shotgun in the middle of a gun fight things have gone so poorly that you probably are not going to make it anyway.

- they don't fit in some gun cases as well with side saddle on
 
Have experiences with quite a few...

On an 870 Marine Magnum, a Msbrg 500 (12 gauge w/ pistol grips), a Msbrg 500 Cruiser (.410 w/ pistol grips), and another Msbrg 500 (12 gauge, wood stock, shorty sidesaddle). I like 'em--a lot. Only downside to me is cleaning the gun--they have to come off if you are a thorough cleaner. Blue loctite is a must when installing, and don't over tighten--check your action repeatedly, since you can tighten it up with the sidesaddle hardware causing the action to wear more quickly.

I like them for HD and I like them for birds as well. I found myself in the field on a dove shoot with 4 shells hanging out of my mouth as we had a major number of birds come in on us all at once. Thinking about one errant bite down on brass and the possibility of a cracked tooth made me think...sidesaddle in order.

Now I'm looking for one for a Stoeger 2000.

I don't notice balance issues, but the gun case fit can be interesting--same with gun safe storage--takes a bit more room.
 
I had one on my 870 but got rid of it. I felt that it threw the balance off, added bulk and weight as well. Also for me, there was a training issue as well. I was trained years ago to load from an ALICE shell pouch and that was a method that worked very well for me. Now I was looking at trying to reload from a carrier on the gun that to me just was never as smooth. No, I keep a loaded 590 around for home defense and if I need a reload, the wife has her (used to be mine) 870 to back me up. ;)
 
I guess if you're counting responses, put me in the, "Tried the Sidesaddle but decided it wasn't for me" category.

I didn't like the way it made the shotgun want to twist counter-clockwise. It felt awkward to me during some administrative handling. Most of all, a mag extension, SureFire forearm, and Sidesaddle made the gun too heavy to reload while holding on target.

Those are just my priorities, though. Obviously, if I ditched the mag extension and (especially) the SureFire, I might have a different opinion of the Sidesaddle. As it is, I can carry extra ammo in a pouch, belt clips, or bandoleer.

I find that the 870 seems to handle most naturally for me with no extra stuff on it. Some of that stuff can serve an important purpose, though, so it's a compromise.
 
A pouch on my hip is handier...

Shot an 870 with a sidesaddle that belonged to a buddy... Hated it. I'll take a pouch on the hip or bandoleer over a sidesaddle any day...
 
I kept a Mesa Tactical 4-shell carrier on my Benelli SuperNova tactical, but have since removed it as I preferred the "stock" look (anyone interested in a "like new" carrier?...its for sale!). Still, it was a useful item. Its no big deal though as my Benelli is only an occasional shooter.

Now, my main HD shotgun has a 7 to 8 shot capacity (within the tube), so I do not feel that a sidesaddle is necessary in this case.
 
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I would look for and ask somebody who has actually used a shotgun in a fight or potentially lethal confrontation, and ask them if they thought they had enough rounds in the gun, or if they wanted the ability to reload with rounds on the gun.

It also depends on your intended use of your shotgun - if it is for home defense, and I will assume it is, then it will likely be a grab-and-go situation, without much time or opportunity to put on a vest or bandoleer or grab some spare ammo. The persons I have talked to have said that in this type of an emergency situation the ammo you are likely to have available will be what's in or on the gun, or what is on you.

As to other's comments about balance, that is a personal and training issue. I have shot my 870's and Benelli M1 Super 90's a lot, both with and without a sidesaddle, and the balance is not an issue for me. We aren't talking about shooting clay targets or dove hunting - that is what the o/u is for.

I'd buy one for the $20 or so bucks they cost, shoot up a case of ammo, practice reloading from the sidesaddle, and then decide.

Another point not raised is putting extra rounds on the buttstock as an alternative - Spectre (sp?) gear makes a great carrier that doesn't slide around on the stock.

As for me, I'd rather have too many rounds than not enough, but that is just my opinion, as I've never been in a fight with a shotgun.
 
I've had a 6 rd Side Saddle installed on my 870 for well over a dozen years. It's never been an issue for me - it's just "there".

A few years ago I installed a 2 rd magazine extension and I found it to affect handling when fully loaded (6 shotshells). I didn't remove it but I now keep it loaded with just 4 shotshells.

I store the 870 in a GunVault in cruiser ready condition (chamber empty, magazine loaded) which requires me to press the slide release and work the slide to chamber a round.
 
not a side saddle, but a buttstock shell holder

I've only had my gun a few months, so I don't have a ton of experience with it yet, but I did get a cheap elastic buttstock shell holder. I keep 5 rounds in it (split between 00 buck and slugs) and I keep 6 rounds int he 7 round mag. When I've taken it out shooting, the buttstock holder doesn't seem to affect balance or maneuverability. The buttstock holder seems to hold the shells closer to the long central axis of the gun than a side saddle seems to, so it doesn't seem to pull the gun sideways. Also, having the shells close to your shoulder allows you to control the weight well. I also don't have anything distracting from my field of vision when shooting.

As a side note, my brother and I were shooting slugs in his shotgun once and the side saddle broke loose. One of the retaining screws sheared off. We weren't exactly sure how or why. So if you do want to use a side saddle (or other bolt/screw on parts) you probably want to frequently check them for looseness or weak parts or whatever.
 
I tried the side saddle on my old 870 but like a lot of others have said I just felt it altered the balance of the gun too much for me to like. I ditched the side saddle and went for the Speed Feed stock that holds 2 rounds on either side of the butt. That I liked. Kinda makes me wish I still had that old 870...
 
I dont think balance means as much at home than it would at a competition due to the short term nature of the use. I like it on mine and on the buttcuff just to know it's plug n play and I dont have to look for a pouch or anything no matter what, some shells are with it...
 
Nope, Not fer me...
I have 5 or 6 (can't remember:o) rounds of them little pesky 20 gauge "skeeter" rounds at the ready. Part of my "self training" is to know how, when and why to get into my "ammo bunker" for a reload... Doubt i ever need that training but better safe than sorry.
Brent
 
I have a side saddle but never installed it yet. I'm using a butt cuff for now and like the balance. 6 shot Maverick 88.
 
I have a 4shot tacstar in my maverick.... guess the added weight improves the balance of the shotgun and the 4s in contrary to the 6s version is more neat and doesn't get on your way while loading.

never used it in real life (that being practical shooting matches), but in an - all gets **** - situation, will be beefed up.
 
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