The Shotgun - Circuit Magazine -

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I would say the firearm I have encountered the most in the security business internationally is the shotgun.

I would say the firearm I have encountered the most in the security business internationally is the shotgun. I have heard many supposed experts within the close protection industry dismiss shotguns as be “cowboy” and “overkill” and thereby not having an application. Personally, I would strongly question the experience of these experts.

Over the last 30 years I have worked commercially in the security and firearms business in Europe, US, Africa, Middle East, Caribbean and Latin America and have encountered shotguns being used in all locations where firearms are legally employed for security and defensive purposes. There are pros and cons to shotguns as there are with all firearms. These need to understood and I will try to explain a few of the main points in this article.

Shotguns in The Security Industry In many places where firearms are allowed to be used in the legal security industry, the first firearms you tend to come across is the shotgun for a number of reasons. Shotguns are primarily seen as sporting guns with recreational applications for clay pigeon shooting and hunting. For this reason, they are usually legal to some extent in most countries and therefore this makes it easier for them to be included in any armed security industry regulations.

Even though shotguns are extremely effective weapons they have limitations and are generally not classified as military type weapons due to their limited range, rates of fire, and tube/magazine capacities. In many places, restrictions are placed on the barrel lengths so that shotguns cannot be shortened and made concealable. Also, restrictions are placed on the types of ammunition which can limit availability, legality, and lethality of the shotgun. That said, shotguns are not the type of firearms that will be used to overthrow a government and are not really in the same league when compared to assault rifles for combat applications.

Shotgun are relatively easy to use, durable, and very affordable when compared to handguns which is a major factor when equipping a guard force. The various types of ammunition available for shotgun can greatly affect the weapons lethality, which I will discuss later. Though in my time, I have come across many guards who load with birdshot shells, which can be lethal at close range. But at a distance, they will not cause lethal harm and will more than likely disarm and disable the bad guy.

With all firearms, the golden rule is: if your using one, then you must understand the gun, the ammunition, it’s limitations and applications.

The Guns Shotguns come in various configurations and if your serious about working in the international security industry, you should be familiar with how to at least unload and make safe all the firearms you could come in contact with. I will discuss three main types of shotgun here. To read more on handguns, see my article “Pistol Grip Shotguns” Issue 47, of the Circuit Magazine.

Break Barrel: These are the guns most people will visualize when shotguns are mentioned, the iconic “Double Barred” shotgun. The break barreled shotgun come either with side-by-side or over-and-under barrels, and some companies are even offering tripled barreled shotguns. In some places break barreled shotguns are the only firearms that are legally available to the general public, so you should know how to operate them. They are generally simple to use and most models are very similar but what can vary greatly is the price, with high-quality guns costing tens of thousands of dollars. Even though many would dismiss them as not having any security applications I will say that if they are loaded with the right shells, they are as deadly as any other shotgun. Sawed-off double barred shotguns have been a criminal’s favorite firearms for a long time and in the right hands they are a devastating weapon. Pump Action Shotguns: There are a lot of myths that surround the use of pump action shotguns that can end up getting people into a lot of trouble or killed. So ensure you learn how to use them form an instructor who has actually worked with them and not just been instructed on how to instruct classes on them. Pump action shotguns come in a variety of configurations and what can vary greatly is the location of the safety catches and the action releases. Good quality and well-maintained pump action shotguns are very reliable as the shells are cycled through them manually by the pump action. If someone can handle and control the guns properly, then double tapping and rapid fire is not a problem. Semi-Automatic Shotguns: In the last few years there have been big improvements in the reliability of semi-auto shotguns. A game changer was the introduction of the Russian Saiga 12 that was original introduced in the West as a sporting gun and has since been made tactical and copied by other manufacturers. The Benelli M4 is an excellent semi-auto that is in service with quite a few militaries and police units globally. But the issue with this gun is the price tag that generally runs over $1500.00 USD (MSRP $1999.00 USD). One of the best semi-auto shotguns of all time is the Browning A5 that was designed in 1898 by John Browning and officially saw services with various militaries and police units from 1905 until 1975. I believe it was used in Rhodesia until the end of the war in 1979. One of the main things that can cause malfunctions with semi-automatics is the type of ammunition being used. Generally they prefer “hotter” loads to ensure there is enough force and gas to enable the guns to cycle properly.

Barrel Lengths, Chokes, Tubes & Mags There many myths about shotguns and I can’t dispel them all here in this short article. But one of the main ones I hear is that you cannot miss your target with a shotgun. The truth of the matter is that: You can miss with any gun! I have seen people miss targets at 2 meters, 25 meters, and everything in between.

Shotguns generally fire a certain number of pellets per shell, but can also fire solid singular slugs. When firing shells containing pellets it takes distance for the pellets to spread out after the shell has been shot. This means that up close, the barrel of the gun needs to be directly on your target. The pellets spread out the further they get from the barrel. Even at 25 meters, you need the barrel centered on the target for the majority of the pellets to hit. Also, if the shooter is not controlling the gun properly the recoil, especially with pistol grip guns or when using “hot” loads can throw the gun off its aim causing a miss. If you are using slugs, then the same principals of using a rifle apply because the shells contain one projectile.

If you are using a shotgun you need to understand how the gun “patterns” with the ammunition that you’re going to be using. To “pattern” a shotgun you need to shoot targets at various ranges. For instance, at 5, 10, 15 and 25 meters to see how the pellets spread out and pattern. You will then know the area your pellets will cover when shot at different distances. All guns tend to shoot differently with different types of ammo. I have seen very similar shotguns shoot completely different patters as the shooters were using different brands of ammo with the same loads.

Things that effect how the shotguns shoot and pattern are the barrel lengths, the chokes and the types of ammo being used. I will stick my neck out and say as a general rule, a US legal 18-inch barreled shotgun with no chokes, should be able to put all 9 pellets from a standard 2 3/4”, 00 Buckshot shell on a silhouette target at 20 meters. After this and maybe before pellets will be straying off target, which means they could fly and hit innocent bystanders etc.

Personally, I think of a shotgun at distance as an area weapon that’s idea for putting down suppressing fire out to 50 meters and beyond.?????? If you have the available shooting ranges, try patterning your gun beyond the textbook effective ranges for shotguns and think about how they can be applied tactically. A 4-meter pattern of #4 buckshot at 100 meters should keep someone’s head down to say the least!

Gauges: The most common gauge or caliber for shotguns in the security world is 12 gauge (12ga). For those looking for a defensive shotgun and find the recoil of the 12ga too much try 20ga. Another common gauge or caliber is 4/10 which is very easy to shoot and should OK for frail people and children. The smaller the gauges means the shells will hold smaller powder charges and less pellets. Barrel lengths: The general rule is the shorter the barrel of the shotgun the quicker the pellets from a shell will spread when fired. To put it simply, short barreled shotguns are for close quarters, longer barreled shotguns are primarily sporting guns for shooting clay pigeons and hunting. But all are equally lethal. Most shotguns used for security applications have barrel lengths from 18 to 20 inches. You should always check the legal required length for a shotgun barrel in the areas your working. Sawing a few inches off the barrel of your 870 might make it a lot handier but could also get you sent to jail! Chokes: The easiest way to describe what a choke does is to say that it narrows the muzzle of the barrel slightly which constricts and focuses the spread of the pellets. Tactical and defensive shotguns usually don’t have any chokes in the barrels, but sporting guns can come with various chokes; Cylinder (no choke), Improved, Modified and Full. Hunters and sports shooters can vary the chokes they use depending on the distances there are shooting. From a safety perspective there can be issues shooting slugs through barrels with full chokes, always check what the gun and ammo manufacturers recommend. You don’t want to end up hurting yourself or more importantly damaging a good gun because of your negligence! Tubes & Magazines: On a pump action or semi-auto shotgun the “tube” is the magazine tube that runs under the barrel and holds the shells that are going to be shot. The number of shells a gun can hold will depend on the length of the barrel, the size of the shells and if there are any legal restrictions. Generally, a pump action tactical/security shotgun should hold between 5 to 7 shells in its tube and one round in the chamber. When unloading a pump action or semi-auto shotgun that has a magazine tube, ensure you always check the tube is empty. With the action of the gun to the rear, you can have an empty chamber but if there is a round in the tube as soon as the action goes forward you would have reloaded the gun. ALWAYS CHECK THE TUBE WHEN UNLOADING! There are also various shotguns these days like the Saiga 12 that load from conventional under the gun magazines. The only issue I have with these is that anything past a 5 round magazine can be very bulky and awkward to use in small spaces. There are some 20 round drum magazines on the market that seem to work fine for security applications. Accessories: Personally, I am not a fan of people decorating their shotguns and firearms like a Christmas tree with tacticool accessories. If your using slugs to hunt game at distance, then I see the relevance for a scope or optic on a shotgun to ensure a clean kill. Tactically, there is no need for optics on shotguns, they are just another gimmick. Flashlights are cool in the case you drop your car keys or the like in the dark or you want to show the bad guys where you are so they can shoot you first, but that’s about it. Keep it simple, keep it real and spend your money on ammo. And most importantly, learning to shoot!

Ammunition One of the main advantages of shotguns is that they can fire a wide variety of ammunition for defense, hunting, or sporting applications. With a 12ga shotgun you can literally shoot clay pigeons, real pigeons, deer, bears, or pedophiles and terrorists. You just need to choose the right type shells.

The ammunition used in shotguns is referred to as shells, not bullets. Shotgun shells come in various sizes but the most common for 12ga guns are 2 ¾ inches, 3 inches and 3 ½ inches. Most modern 12ga shotguns are chambered for 2 ¾ inch and 3-inch shells but some older guns only take 2 ¾ inch shells. The size of the shells the guns are chambered for is usually marked on the barrels and most gun from the main manufacturers have barrels that can be easily taken off and changed. 3 ½ inch shells are usually used for sporting applications such as duck or geese hunting.

Shotgun shells are made up of the shell case, a primer, powder charge, a wad and the shot or slug. Most shells are plastic as are the wads, but there are still some shells on the market with cardboard wads. The wads separate the powder charge from the pellets ensuring the gases from the powder are contained when the shell is fired. Plastic wads these days usually have a cup for the shot that opens up when it exits the guns barrel.

Below I will discuss a few of the main types of ammunition that can be used for tactical/security applications. Some locations will have restrictions on some types of ammunition so all I can say is work with what you’ve got and learn how to use it to maximum effect. There are things you can do to modify shotgun shells to make them more lethal, but this can also affect how the shells shoot and can also be illegal. For this reason, I advise people to stick to factory ammo, its deadly enough!

000 Buckshot: In terms of size one pellet of 000 Buckshot is .36caliber (9.1MM) and averages 8 pellets in 2 3/4″ shells and 10 pellets in 3” shells. So, hitting someone with a 3” shell of 000 buck is like shooting them 10 times with a 9mm pistol. 00 Buckshot: This is the most popular tactical load for shotguns with 9 pellets of .33 caliber (8.3MM) in 2 3/4″ shells. In the larger 3” shells, there are on average 15 pellets. #4 Buckshot: This is a common tactical load and one pellet of #4 buckshot is .24 caliber (6mm) with an average of 27 pellets in 2 3/4″ shells and 41 pellets in a 3” shells with velocities of around 1200 feet per second. This is a devastating defensive load and can also be used for hunting medium size deer and game. T-Shot: This load is generally used for hunting geese and foxes, but it is also excellent for defense or tactical applications. One pellet of T-Shot is .20 caliber (5mm) with an average of 50 pellets in a 3” shells with velocities of around 1300 to 1500 feet per second. T-Shot in 2 3/4″ shells is very difficult to find, if not impossible, as it is primarily a hunting caliber. BBB: This is another load that is primarily used for hunting ducks and geese, but it is also a good defensive load. One pellet of BBB is .19 caliber (5mm) and there is an average of 65 pellets in a 3” shells with velocities of around 1400 to 1550 feet per second. Birdshot: In quite a few countries birdshots are used for riot control because at distance it will hurt people, but the pellets do not have the weight to penetrate and cause permanent damage (unless someone is hit in the eyes). One 3” shell of #4 birdshot can hold over 130 pellets of .12 caliber (3mm). I have seen security guards in several countries carrying birdshot in their shotguns, most probably because its cheap and they don’t know the difference between one shotgun shell and another. Slug: The primary use for slugs is hunting big game such as boar, deer, and elk and can reach out to distances beyond 300 meters. Shotgun slugs have been romanticized by zombie apocalypse computer game and also by the special forces using them to blast off door hinges. For tactical applications, if you hit someone with a solid lead or copper hollow point slug they are going to have big problems. But in my opinion its shots are scattergun. If you want to shoot single projectiles, use a rifle as they are more accurate and carry more ammo. A 30 round AK-47 magazine is smaller than an 8 round Saiga 12 magazine. If rifles are not legal and you need to deal with targets at distance, then slugs are a viable option. I would personally mix them up with other loads to have options for all situations. Exotic: There are a lot of “exotic” rounds on the market, many of which are just gimmicks and are more for show i.e. to talk about at the bar or to show off on a range. For tactical and defensive applications, use reliable and tested ammo not something that looks cool on YouTube.

There are many more shotgun loads and pellet sizes. However, I feel these are the main ones worth talking about in this brief article. As I said above, shotguns to me are scatterguns and can put out a lot of pellets very quickly with devastating effect if the shooter can handle the gun properly.

In an under-and-over shotgun that I had professionally cut to just over the legal US barrel length of 18 inches (18.25 to ensure it was legal) I used to load 3” shells of T-Shot. The gun was compact and for home defense. It could put down 100 .20 steel pellets travelling at 1500 feet per second as quickly as I could pull the trigger. Within 10 meters, that gun loaded with that type of ammunition would shred a bad guy. At 50 meters and beyond, it would be causing pain and keeping people heads down.

I am a big fan of shotguns for tactical and security applications, but with any firearms the user must know how to use them and ensure they are well maintained. There are many other things that need to be considered when working with shotguns and firearms in general that cannot be learned from a magazine or a video. However, it is a starting point and needs to be supplemented with professional and reality-based training. Say they say, “practice, practice, practice” and especially with your firearms. And remember to keep your drills simple and real!

The Shotgun

The post The Shotgun appeared first on Circuit Magazine.

Tactical Firearms Training – The Basics

If you plan on working internationally in the close protection or security industry you will be expected to some degree to know how to handle firearms. Now, to get things straight to start with, what most people, especially Americans, don’t realize is that most non-government close protection jobs are unarmed due to the legal restrictions on firearms in most countries. Part of your threat assessment for any assignment needs to include the laws on the use of force and what if any weapons are legal in the locations you are going to be working in. Being caught with an illegal weapon, especially a firearm will get you thrown in jail very quickly, no matter how important you think you are! So, what do you need to know about firearms if you are looking to work internationally in the close protection and security industry, well the first and most important thing is knowing how to use firearms safely. To become proficient with firearms, like everything else takes practice and time, you’re not going to become and expert after a few hours’ tuition. Many firearms related accidents happen because those handing the firearms are not complying with the basic firearms safety rules of keep the firearms pointed in a safe direction and keeping their fingers off the guns trigger. If you ensure you always follow these two safety rules, you will be acting more responsibly than many others who are working with and carrying firearms. Remember, if you’re the one holding and in control of a firearm that accidentally discharges and injures or kills someone you will be held responsible. A thorough understanding of firearms and range safety is essential before you even start any shooting with live ammunition. Here is a more complete list of firearms safety rules and considerations. WEAPON SAFETY DEPENDS ON KNOWING YOUR WEAPON, CONFIDENCE, ALERTNESS Safety considerations for firearms must always be followed Always keep firearms pointed in a safe direction, especially when loading and unloading. Keep your finger off the trigger until the weapon is pointed at your target. If the action or slide on the weapon is closed, always treat the gun as if loaded and carry out the unload drills. Always show that a firearm is unloaded to a person before you hand it to them. When someone hands you a firearm, always check the chamber and make sure it is unloaded. Never take a person’s word for whether a firearm is loaded or unloaded, always check! Never point a firearm at anyone just for fun or play games with firearms. Always know what is behind your target and have a good backstop. Only fire-controlled shots. You can rapid fire but make sure you are hitting your target. Always practice tactical drills with unloaded firearms until you’re confident and competent enough to use live ammunition. Always unload firearms before dry-fire tactical training. Only use dummy ammunition or blank-firing firearms for demonstrations or dry-fire drills. Never mix blank, dummy, and live rounds. Always check that the gun is unloaded before cleaning. Never tamper with ammunition, and only use reloads from reliable sources. Never use damaged rounds, and always dispose of them safely. Keep guns and ammunition in secure storage when not in use. If you do not know how to operate or are having problems operating a firearm, get professional help. Never used drugs or alcohol when using firearms. Always check and comply with local firearms law Types of Firearms You should try to train with and get to know as many different types of firearms as possible as you never know what you will come across. You might be working unarmed on an assignment in a hostile environment but you need to know how to use the firearms you might encounter in that environment incase things go bad, say your hotel is attacked, and you might have to use the firearms of the local security, police, military and bad guys or make them safe after an incident. Pistols: The two main classification for pistols are semi-automatic and revolver. Sadly, most people these days tend to only train with semi-auto safe action guns such as Glock and S&W M&P’s etc. You need to know how to safely use revolvers, single and double action semi-autos, single action semi-autos and at least be familiar with derringers and sub-compact pocket pistols. Shotguns: I have heard quite a few supposed close protection experts, usually from police backgrounds dismiss the requirements for shotgun training. The reason for this I believe, is in their limited experience within a government agency they have never had the opportunity to use shotguns or travel to locations where they are used. I have personally working in Europe, South & West Africa, Middle East, US, Caribbean, Latin America and have come across shotguns being used in for security details in all of those locations. I would say shotguns are the most widely used firearm used for legal security purposes globally. Shotguns come in various configurations and you should at least understand break action, pump, semi-auto shotguns and the various types of ammunition and chocks. Assault Rifles: Even though most of the tacticool firearms training videos on the internet put an emphasis of training with AR-15’s and AK-47’s in reality there are not many places you can legally use them for security purposes unless you are in the military, on a government related assignment or working illegally. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the laws were put in place for security guards to carry assault rifles, but in most places if you are lucky enough to legally have firearms there is a greater change of it being a shotgun or a pistol rather than an AK etc. Sporting Rifles: In a lot of countries semi-auto firearms are banned or very restricted and the only legal firearms available will be sporting shotguns and leaver or bolt-action rifles. The only time most tacticool operators will consider learning how to use a bolt-action rifle would be if it was a tricked-out sniper rifle… Well, I am sorry if I offend any tacticool operators reading this but all hunting rifles, even with wood stocks, can be used as sniper rifles and for tactical applications. If someone is trained how to shoot properly, understands individual tactics and is armed with a decent leaver or bolt action .22 rifle, I would class them as far more value than the tacticool shemagh wearing operator who uses optics on their tricked-out AR-15 to hit paper targets at 15 meters… Other Firearms: Depending on where you are planning to work depends on the types of firearms you could encounter; in hostile environments you may need to have the rudimentary knowledge of how to operate belt-fed machine guns. Or, if you’re in an area where hunting is popular it might make sense to learn a little bit about black powder rifles and pistols, which in some places have a lot less restrictions on them than cartridge firing firearms. Tactical Firearms Training I have my own views of firearms training and the state of the firearms training industry but will try to keep them to myself as much as I can for the sake of this article. My basic advice to anyone looking at attending any firearms training courses would be is the course relevant and is the instructor experienced enough to teach it. The best place to get a good grounding in firearms training is in the military as you should be given thorough training, the bullets will be free, and you will also be getting paid for your time. There is no way you can replicate a few years military firearms training experience by taking a two-week tactical firearms course. One issues with those who have only had regular military training is that they are only used to dealing with a limited range of firearms. Personally, I only really started to learn and use handguns other than a Browning Hi-Power after I left the British Army and worked in South Africa, Eastern Europe and then joined a gun club in UK before handguns were banned. You must ensure the training you will be getting is relevant for what your going to be doing and is of a good standard. In the U.S. the general standard for training is what’s put out by the National Rifle Association (NRA). Most people don’t realize when taking a training course from an NRA instructor that it only takes one-day to become and NRA instructor or Range Safety officer. In the United States, it’s easy for a novice shooter to become an NRA firearms instructor, as I said it’s a one-day course, SERIOUSLY! With another one-day course they can become a Range Safety Officer, and after that with another one-day course a Chief Range Safety Officer able to certify Range Safety Officers… All without any experience of ever running a firearms course or any experience of actually working on a shooting range… I have come across NRA instructors who could not field strip their own firearms, Chief Range Safety Officers who had never used revolvers or shotguns. From their certifications you would expect them to be experienced professionals! Well, think again… You cannot gain the experience required to be a decent RSO or instructor by just attending a few theory classes, watch tacticool YouTube videos and belonging to Gung-ho online chat forums. The schools issuing these NRA certifications are making money, it’s business, but how many of their students then go on to market themselves as “firearms experts” after just a few one-day classes? I think this can be classed as fraudulent in anyone’s books. It’s just like taking a first-time driver, giving them a two- or three-day theory on how to drive, showing them a car, starting the engine and then certifying them to set up a driving school… Scary, right? Always verify the real-world experience of the instructors who you’re intending to pay good money for quality training. Firearms training can be very expensive so ensure you’re not wasting your money and understand that after just a few days training you’re not going to be at a professional level, whatever your certificates say! Ongoing dry and live firearms training and weapons familiarization is essential if your serious about working in hostile environments but learn to differentiate the difference between tacticool holidays and experiences and relevant training! Tactical Firearms Training – The Basics The post Tactical Firearms Training – The Basics appeared first on Circuit Magazine.

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