A300 Ultima Patrol

[LHS]

...and here I thought the British put to paper everything we needed to know about Shotgun Fit over 100 years ago...FWIW, their dictum of having the forward-most portion of your cheek 1 to 1 & 1/2 inches BEHIND the rearmost portion of the heel of your hand that's likely to touch your cheek was good advice 150 years ago, is good advice today and will be good advice in another 150 years--UNLESS, of course, you LIKE getting "Popped" in the Cheek & want to develop a pretty good-sized FLINCH--Then, by all means, "Knock" yourself out!

I don't get popped at all, because I simply move my thumb out of the way. That simple little adjustment lets me have a stock short enough to square up to the target and reach the forend effectively, keep my posture squared to deal with any recoil that gets past my push-pull, and otherwise run a fighting shotgun how it ought to be run. This gun isn't meant for shooting birds, so I'll leave the ancient British to their sport where they belong.

[perlslacker]

...and here I thought the British put to paper everything we needed to know about Shotgun Fit over 100 years ago...FWIW, their dictum of having the forward-most portion of your cheek 1 to 1 & 1/2 inches BEHIND the rearmost portion of the heel of your hand that's likely to touch your cheek was good advice 150 years ago, is good advice today and will be good advice in another 150 years--UNLESS, of course, you LIKE getting "Popped" in the Cheek & want to develop a pretty good-sized FLINCH--Then, by all means, "Knock" yourself out!

I grew up shooting all the various clay sports at various levels of competition and while this is all true in that context, I'm learning that fighting shotguns are a very different beast.

Like, if I had to give any advice to people with my background getting into defensive shotguns, it would be "this isn't sporting clays, accept that a lot of your experience will be wrong in this context."

[Austin Millbarge]

Are they any other front sights available for the A300 patrol? I love the gun, hate fiber optic sights.

[mikey357]

I grew up shooting all the various clay sports at various levels of competition and while this is all true in that context, I'm learning that fighting shotguns are a very different beast.

Like, if I had to give any advice to people with my background getting into defensive shotguns, it would be "this isn't sporting clays, accept that a lot of your experience will be wrong in this context."

I'd agree with you IF we were all wearing Body Armor when we shot our Social Shotties, but other than that one situation, there is no reason that a conventional Shotgunning Stance/Mount/Shotgun Fit won't work with a Riot/Tactical/Social Shotgun as well as it does with Grandpa's Dove Gun...Shotgunning is NOT "Rocket Science", despite the protestations of those who would try to "Re-Invent the Wheel", and then sell the re-invented Wheel to the rest of us...

[LHS]

I'd agree with you IF we were all wearing Body Armor when we shot our Social Shotties, but other than that one situation, there is no reason that a conventional Shotgunning Stance/Mount/Shotgun Fit won't work with a Riot/Tactical/Social Shotgun as well as it does with Grandpa's Dove Gun...Shotgunning is NOT "Rocket Science", despite the protestations of those who would try to "Re-Invent the Wheel", and then sell the re-invented Wheel to the rest of us...

It's always good when someone skylines themselves onto the ol' ignore list.

[Cory]

I'd agree with you IF we were all wearing Body Armor when we shot our Social Shotties, but other than that one situation, there is no reason that a conventional Shotgunning Stance/Mount/Shotgun Fit won't work with a Riot/Tactical/Social Shotgun as well as it does with Grandpa's Dove Gun...Shotgunning is NOT "Rocket Science", despite the protestations of those who would try to "Re-Invent the Wheel", and then sell the re-invented Wheel to the rest of us...

That's more than a bit counter to those who teach shooting "social" shotguns for a living have to say. I see your a retired air traffic controller. Thats pretty cool. Some folks like LHS have a profession of teaching shotguns. It is their job, and were fortunate to learn from them here.

I'll agree that it isn't rocket science, but I don't think that it's the same as shooting clays either. There are certainly things other than body armor that make squaring up to the target advantagous. A bladed stance might work... but that doesn't mean it will work best, or that it will be optimal. Of LHS, TCinVA, and a handful of professional instructors have all come to the same conclusion then it seems pretty obvious to me that they're on to something.

Do you shoot 3 gun, or any competition that attempts to mimic "social" shooting with a shotgun? How are your times, hits, experiences with it? If your doing really well at that stuff I'm interested in reading about your process and practice.

[L-2]

Even after a couple of decades with the shotgun (retired LE work), I'll occasionally take a shot, forgetting to have my cheek down on the stock. The slap to the face is a nice, immediate reminder of what I did wrong.

On a related note, I do find the short Hogue stock to be just a bit short for me as I do get the thumb/hand poking into my face. I think that short Hogue stock is ~12.5". I think I'm more comfortable with a 13.0-13.5" stock length whether with or without body armor.

I've shot with longer stocks, but it wouldn't be my preference (I'm 5'9", btw), as most of the pool-shotguns were likely 14.0-14.5" stocked; Mossberg 590A1 with those older-school Speedfeed stocks which carried 4 extra rounds.

[WobblyPossum]

I'd agree with you IF we were all wearing Body Armor when we shot our Social Shotties, but other than that one situation, there is no reason that a conventional Shotgunning Stance/Mount/Shotgun Fit won't work with a Riot/Tactical/Social Shotgun as well as it does with Grandpa's Dove Gun...Shotgunning is NOT "Rocket Science", despite the protestations of those who would try to "Re-Invent the Wheel", and then sell the re-invented Wheel to the rest of us...

Body armor isn’t the only reason pretty much all defensive firearms use is taught and practiced from a squared up stance. Squaring up to the target also helps mitigate recoil and allow for faster follow up shots. The recoil from buckshot and slugs isn’t like the recoil from trap and skeet loads. Starting from a squared up stance also facilitates moving in any direction. The bladed stance required for most people to use 14”+ LOP stocks isn’t conducive to easy movement in every direction. Also a factor worth considering for defensive use that doesn’t matter when shooting clay sports. A third reason is that even without body armor I’d prefer to take a bullet straight on from a squared up stance. It’ll probably only penetrate one organ that way. Taking a shot into your side because you’re bladed could result in a single bullet penetrating both lungs and your heart. Again, not something you have to worry about when shooting clays.

[ChacaoPD1994]

Hi,

New here in the forum.

My wife and I ordered 2 A300 UP a month ago, because everywhere was out of stock or on back order, it took a long time to receive them, finally today we got them but unfortunately we got the wrong model and because we realized it was the wrong ones after getting them out of the FFL the store is not accepting returns except if we pay 25% restock fee.
We order the regular A300 UP and we got the Law Enforcement model with a fixed choke so now I will have to send it to a gunsmith in order to work on the barrels so we can screw different Chokes and can be used on tactical training, that is a cheaper solution than payment a restock fee.

[Jason M]

Hi,

New here in the forum.

My wife and I ordered 2 A300 UP a month ago, because everywhere was out of stock or on back order, it took a long time to receive them, finally today we got them but unfortunately we got the wrong model and because we realized it was the wrong ones after getting them out of the FFL the store is not accepting returns except if we pay 25% restock fee.
We order the regular A300 UP and we got the Law Enforcement model with a fixed choke so now I will have to send it to a gunsmith in order to work on the barrels so we can screw different Chokes and can be used on tactical training, that is a cheaper solution than payment a restock fee.

Welcome to the forum! There is a ton of good info from a ton of good people.

I wouldn't be in a hurry to send your new gun to be fitted for chokes. The barrel is probably just right as it is. While I don't have a A300UP, I have two 1301s. Both are the fixed choke LE SKUs. They pattern very well with easily obtained Federal FC loads (even 9 pellet) and Hornady loads. Training with field loads doesn't require a tight pattern. Quality SG training will have lots of dry manipulations with dummies to learn how to run the beast, lots of field shell usage for manipulations with boom to learn recoil mitigation, and a much smaller number of premium buck and slug for patterning/check of function/zeroing.. All SGs pattern differently. That final part is actually one of the lower round count tasks you will do. I suspect your stock barrel will do just fine. Perhaps wait and see before you spend money on mods.