The Outdoors Channel has this little segment going around about Jessie Harrison-Duff, a renowned USPSA competitor and Cowboy Action shooting participant demonstrating a pretty unique and cool way to hand feed a pump action shotgun. She uses the top load technique with a support hand, in addition to holding two shells in her firing hand, one shell in between her pointer and index fingers, and the other between her ring and pinkie finger. She says she learned this technique from her ex husband, Bill Abbate. The two split after Bill was convicted of child molestation charges back in 2013.

Although this segment was filmed back in 2009, I think it is a very worthy training technique for anyone dealing with shotguns. Competitively it has it’s advantages, but in an actual stressful situation like home defense, or what LE might face, this is a pretty tricky maneuver to accomplish with a million other things going on around you. In addition the technique isn’t taking into account any jams or malfunctions that occur and having to deal with them while also having shells in one’s hand. It’s probably best to stick to using shell pouches or holders to train with. The other thing I like about it is that it is applicable to all pump action shotguns, not just Western reproductions.

This is her “indexing” the last shell with her pinkie finger. The amount of training needed to get to this point of speed and precision is quite amazing to say the least. She’s already pumped, extracted, loaded, and fired by the time the first shell has even reached the ground. 

In this photo she’s completing the last top load before she transitions to the next two shells.