Shotgun loading Quads- weak hand or strong hand and why?

DoctorJJ · May 29, 2013

I'm fairly proficient at traditional weak hand loading and have ventured into quads. I started strong hand but have recently began to think about the advantages of loading quads strong hand. For those of you who are doing this well, lay it out for me. Thanks.

Spiff · May 29, 2013

Jesse likes weak hand because the remount is better for him. I like strong hand because it works better with weakhand and port loading, and the caddy takes up a spot on my belt that is normally unused. I also don't like throwing the gun all over the country in weak hand quad, I've got better control of where it goes strong hand. I think strong hand is marginally faster, but not enough to matter. It's personal preference and comfort level.

But, keep in mind that the last time I was on the clock, my best was loading 8 in 4 seconds par time. Jesse is loading 12 in 4 seconds part time. But, then again, there's that video of that dude loading 8 in 2.5 seconds par time strong hand.

jtischauser · May 29, 2013

When I first started quadding the strong hand loads felt more normal. I also felt like the strong hand gun dismount and mount would be faster. I also like Austin's take on the empty belt space on the right side of the belt. I can get 16 taccom quad rounds on my right side. That's 25 shot shells with a full gun. That covers most stages.

Now that I am somewhat proficient with the strong side quads I plan to learn the weak side quads as well. I don't think rolling the gun completely over and back for weakhand loading is any slower than the over the shoulder method for strong hand. Soon I hope to know exactly which is faster when I'm good at weakhand loading. If you have a monster Rocky Mountain 3 gun type 50-60 round shotgun stage you need 16 rounds on both sides of your belt and probably a tradition caddy or 4x4 caddy around both of your sides. Or you could get a best/chest rig to compliment your belt caddys and then load from the same side for all rounds.

DoctorJJ · May 29, 2013

Well, I'm pistol right hand and long gun left hand. I have space on either side that I can use. I've become faster with the quad load after just a couple weeks practice than I am with regular weakhand loading which I've practiced (not too consistently) for months. Quads are definitely fast. This weekend, Kurt said strong hand is more likely to result in an AD from when you bring that strong hand back to the grip.

Spiff · May 29, 2013

I could see that. In fact, I think there's a video of someone on this forum doing that very thing.

But I think there's an equal or greater chance of dropping the gun when flipping the gun either up or down for weak hand.

Anyway, both ways have their ups and downs, and it's really not that hard to learn both.

jtischauser · May 29, 2013

DoctorJJ said:
Well, I'm pistol right hand and long gun left hand. I have space on either side that I can use. I've become faster with the quad load after just a couple weeks practice than I am with regular weakhand loading which I've practiced (not too consistently) for months. Quads are definitely fast. This weekend, Kurt said strong hand is more likely to result in an AD from when you bring that strong hand back to the grip.

I got my driving finger in the trigger when I flipped the gun back when I first started dropping dueces. It's a non issue know because a kaboom made me very aware of my finger placement. I would say strong is more likely than weak but I wouldn't let that be a deciding factor for anything.

James Peel · May 30, 2013

I've got a question for the strong-handers: how in the hell do you not burn the piss out of your left hand after you've shot 10 rounds or more? I've gone to load-2's weakhand simply because of that problem.

jtischauser · May 30, 2013

Semi pro tips...

If the barrel is hot don't touch it.

DoctorJJ · May 30, 2013

I'm new to this but I don't change the grip on my forend at all. Just twist my hand over. That makes it quicker and more sure on the remount as well.

Spiff · May 30, 2013

Jesse Tischauser said:
Semi pro tips...

If the barrel is hot don't touch it.

This.

DoctorJJ said:
I'm new to this but I don't change the grip on my forend at all. Just twist my hand over. That makes it quicker and more sure on the remount as well.

But also this.

At the night match last weekend, I busted an 8 round quad at 11 rounds through the shotgun and another at 17ish rounds through the shotgun. I didn't get any burns, that I noticed anyway. If I make any contact at all, it'll be on the inboard edge of my left thumb, and he likes to get out of the way in the case of the hot shotgun barrel.

James Peel · May 30, 2013

Jesse Tischauser said:
Semi pro tips...

If the barrel is hot don't touch it.

In your video and Darby's it sure looks like at the very least the heel of your left hand is in contact with the top of the barrel. I can't rotate the gun over enough without making contact with the barrel.