Why Don't We Have Top-Loading Shotguns? (Ad-free)
Added 2024-03-13 12:00:02 +0000 UTCWhen I posted some video of the real-life Halo M90 shotgun, one of the most common questions I got was, "why don't we have top-loading shotguns like that?" Well, it's an intriguing question...so let's see if we can find the answer.
Comments
Is there not some advantage in mechanical simplicity having the magazine tube on the same "side" of the barrel and action as the grip used to actuate it. That's what first seemed to me the likely reason for other form factors not being not common.
Grosporina
2024-03-14 01:50:54 +0000 UTCHigher chance of debris getting into the action?
William Wiseman
2024-03-14 00:46:30 +0000 UTCThe form factor of shotgun ammunition affects loading methods. The large diameter and blunt-nosed plug shape, as well as the rimmed cartridge makes reloading the firearm different than modern pistol and rifle ammunition with rimless cases and rounded or pointed noses that works very well from box magazines. Don't hold your breath for someone to redesign 12 gauge to rimless and round noses.
EyeBall
2024-03-13 23:25:45 +0000 UTCThe only thing I can see is the possibility of residual heat (heat rises) moving into the ammo storage tube from the hot barrel below. In combat you may shoot a lot of rounds and the shotgun could get very hot. But in reality in most situations the barrels don't get near as hot as rifle or pistol barrels, even when trap or skeet or competition shooting. Combat could be the only exception.
Mark S
2024-03-13 21:43:59 +0000 UTCI have seen Jerry and Lena Miculek use reload tubes to for speed reloading shotguns. Here is a link to a single vid but I definitely recall others. Shotgun Speed Reloading! 3.5 seconds for 8 shots with reload in SlowMo /watch?v=xXkyEbrqNGw
Mark H. Smith
2024-03-13 19:28:28 +0000 UTCSomeone get Kel-tec an 8 ball of white engineering powder so we can get the bullpupped top loading box magazine shotgun.
z c
2024-03-13 19:12:10 +0000 UTCRain and snow come to my mind... very much so back in the day when shotgun shells weren't plastic and were cardboard or paper... but even now days... rain and snow right into the action would bother me...
AuroranFilms
2024-03-13 18:27:18 +0000 UTCVery interesting, thanks for addressing a question I had never thought of:) Now I know. By the way, do you have a video on mag loaded shotguns?
Robert Beattie
2024-03-13 18:24:01 +0000 UTCWhy not have a preloaded shotgun tube (round magazine) that could be pushed on to a standard shotgun loading port and it would release its preloaded shotgun rounds into the gun. The preloaded tube would then be empty and could be reloaded again at a later date. Problem solved, wished I owned a machine shop and had access to a patent attorney.
Retired No Bad Days
2024-03-13 15:28:47 +0000 UTCI wouldn't want to be out hunting/on the range/fighting aliens with this when it rains. If it was a weapon firing from an open bolt, at least the water could get out through the barrel. On second thought - I wouldn't want to be fighting aliens in any weather condition whatsoever ...
Hans Frederking
2024-03-13 15:01:46 +0000 UTCI don't agree to that instinctive shooting wouldn't be as good point. O/U. they just dominate claybusting. swinging would be kind of the same with magtube on top, I assume. never heared anybody complaining the lower barrel of an O/U would ruin their instinctive shot.
Guido Schriewer
2024-03-13 14:33:28 +0000 UTCthat shotgun there has kind of awefull sights though!
Guido Schriewer
2024-03-13 14:27:18 +0000 UTCand eject out the bottom. if all pumps would ever have been made like this we'd think bottomloaders rather stupid only to try, right. give it a small flared "feedwell" to help guide shells in... -- magtubes on top barrel on bottom would have recoil more inline less flip more weight on the top.. -- ipsc shotgun. reloading wins matches over shooting. kind of.--seriously like stgw and aaaall that came later and earlier but topfeeds. if aall ar ak whathaveyou magfeds would feed owen or bren style from the top magazinsprings would have a much easier job and we would work with gravity instead of against it.
Guido Schriewer
2024-03-13 14:19:43 +0000 UTCWhen many cowboy action shooters reload Winchester 97s "over the top" with the supporting left hand, they rotate the gun 90 degrees counterclockwise so the side loading becomes, in effect, top loading. All you need do in that case is drop the shell into the action and gravity (and then closing the action) does the rest.
ppeeks
2024-03-13 12:37:26 +0000 UTCVery neat when we get a question you're enthused about. Nice vid.
David C
2024-03-13 12:32:29 +0000 UTCLast time I taught the NRA Basic Shotgun course, one of my students had a 12G in an AR platform. Cool, but *nobody* could hit a clay with it. The called it his "B&B" gun - burglars and boyfriends. Which embarrased his teenage daughter, who was also in the class.
John Arpin
2024-03-13 12:31:22 +0000 UTCKind of shocked that hasn't popped up as well. When double or quad loading in 3 gun you actually flip the shotgun over and load from the top, so seems like a logical step. Box mags are open class, so still plenty of tube loading going on.
Grayson Taylor
2024-03-13 12:11:16 +0000 UTC
