How to Load a Shotgun

Loading a Pump-Action Shotgun

Make sure the safety is on, the chamber unloaded, and the barrel pointed away from you in a safe direction. This is always the first step when loading or handling any gun. Consult your weapon's instruction manual to locate the safety feature.

Determine what gauge (bore diameter) your shotgun is so you can select the right size shells. Common shotgun sizes are 10, 12, 16, 20, .410 bore, and 28. Shotshell of one gauge may be fired in a shotgun of another gauge, but doing so requires a special tube. Otherwise it is best to just select the proper sized ammo for your weapon.

Place the butt of the stock on your left thigh while sitting. You can also secure the stock under your arm with the gun turned sideways. Make sure that the trigger and trigger guard are positioned on the side of the shotgun facing away from you.

Place a single shell against the loading flap just ahead of the trigger guard. The "business end" of the shell should be pointing toward the end of the gun barrel. The business end is the end of the shell that the shot comes out of and is opposite the metal capped end of the shell where the explosive charge is housed.

Using your thumb, push the shell straight up into the loading flap until you hear and feel a distinct click. When it clicks, the rim of the shell should have passed the magazine catch.

Repeat until the magazine tube is full. You can tell the tube is full when you attempt to load a shell but it won't go in.

Hold in the action release button and pump the slide backwards and then forwards with a reasonable amount of force to load the chamber. This will strip a shell from the magazine and load it into firing position. The shotgun is now ready to fire.

Loading a Break-Action Shotgun

Make sure the safety is on and the gun pointed away from you in a safe direction. Always treat a gun as though it were loaded, even if you know it isn't.

Find and engage the barrel breach lever, latch or button. This will usually be on the right side of the gun, where the barrel meets the stock. Unlike a pump-action shotgun, a break action has no magazine tube to load several shells at a time into. Instead, the gun breaks open to allow you to load a shell directly into the chamber of your barrel (or barrels). This means your gun needs to be reloaded after every shot, or every two shots if you have a double-barreled shotgun.

Open the break-action and lower the barrel away from the body of the shotgun.

Remove and discard any spent casings. Be careful: these may be hot if the gun was recently fired. Try not to let your hand touch the metal of the barrel.

Replace each used casing with a fresh shell. The business-end of the shell should slide into the barrel.

Bring the barrel back up and close the break until you hear and feel it click. Your gun is now loaded and ready to fire.