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Posted: 3/10/2026 11:45:17 AM EDT
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So, I mostly run the Velcro card system. They work okay, pretty inexpensive, and nice, low profile. I’m going to try out the Aridus Industries Q-DC sidesaddle system. It’s on the expensive side, but I want to try doing reloads under the receiver (needing the shells upside down). I like the concept and it also seems pretty robust. I hope the profile isn’t much bigger than Velco. So, if you’re using one, what are you running for a sidesaddle? ROCK6 |
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Esstac cards for me Attached File Attached File |
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I like the concept of shell cards and they are a great way to keep shells stored and at the ready, plus they fit standard AR mag pouches. However they suck on a shotgun as a side saddle if you do any kind of movement or find yourself transitioning from hot to cold climates causes the Velcro adhesive on the gun to loosen and come up. I ended up rigging up a Mesa Tactical side saddle for my 1301. I wanted a 8 shot saddle for the 1301 so I’d have a 100% spare reload on the gun. Problem is Mesa Tactical doesn’t make an 8 shot saddle. So I took an old Mesa Tactical Benelli M4 8 shot saddle and chopping it up to work with the 6 shot saddle base for the 1301. It has held up for around 600 shells now with no issue. Attached File Attached File |
| I like the Esstac options. When they begin to curve over time, I place them loaded and folded the opposite way into a .30 cal ammo can for a few hours to straighten them out. |
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Originally Posted By Tomac: I like the Esstac options. When they begin to curve over time, I place them loaded and folded the opposite way into a .30 cal ammo can for a few hours to straighten them out. I haven't had that happen too badly yet, but most Velcro "cards" do that. I just removed the loop velco attached to the 1301 (fucking messing PITA removal!), and installed the Q-DC last night. I only added two spare shell carriers since they're freaking $50 a pop! I'm going to die during a real gun fight doing a carrier "reload" as I'm fumbling to recover an empty $50 carrier  Just initial impressions, the system seems pretty solid. A little concerned the retention is almost too much on the shells, but I haven't done any drills yet with it. I wlill say this about ESSTAC's card system, I love how you can run it slick (no shells attached) and that it's relatively inexpensive to keep a dozen "cards" on hand for training. I honestly haven't done drills that knocked a velcro card off, but I do want to make my primary defensive shotgun (onboard reload system) as robust as posible. ROCK6 |
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants" - Thomas Jefferson
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Originally Posted By Gunnie357: I’ve had good luck with the tacstars myself Originally Posted By Gunnie357: Originally Posted By 03RN: Tacstar makes a lower profile one than the old square legacy one that I like. I’ve had good luck with the tacstars myself Same. People bag on them but I've had one on each of my Mossbergs since the late 90s or early 2000s, they stay loaded and they both still work. The only time I've had any issues with them is when the brass down shells (slugs) start to slide when shooting heavy slugs, but they fall out of the ESSTAC cards in the same situation. I put the ESSTAC on a Shockwave just because I wanted to be able to keep it as low profile as possible, the added width of the rigid style is my biggest issue with them. The heavy recoil of the Shockwave causes the shells to start moving, even when they're brass up, and the Velcro card will also start peeling off; yes, I have the heavy duty 3M Velcro on the receiver, the Shockwave is just violent. I have or have had them on a couple of Remingtons as well. |
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| OT but I’m a southpaw, so sidesaddle reloads don’t really work for me. I prefer a bandoleer slung over my strong-side shoulder so that shells are available on my weak-side torso. Actually I use the “belts” rather than proper bandoleers and as I pick and load shells, the weight shift drops the next set of shells down to my pick-up position. |
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Originally Posted By Makarov: OT but I’m a southpaw, so sidesaddle reloads don’t really work for me. I prefer a bandoleer slung over my strong-side shoulder so that shells are available on my weak-side torso. Actually I use the “belts” rather than proper bandoleers and as I pick and load shells, the weight shift drops the next set of shells down to my pick-up position. We all have our handicaps That sounds like it works quite well. I'm a southpaw, but only in writing; everything else I do is right handed to include wiping my ass which made me smile everytime I traveled to the middle east! ROCK6 |
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants" - Thomas Jefferson
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I bought the James Reeves "Elite Spankers". No complaints about the elastic, the problem is the velcro. I cleaned the side of my 500 with an alcohol wipe, then used the supplied velcro. Seemed ok for around the house. Then I swapped the 500 out for my truck gun. After a month, I pulled it out of the case, the adhesive on the gun side velcro had failed. I'm guessing it couldn't hold up to the hot/cold of the truck. I need to order another piece of velcro, either 3M or order an Esstec card and use that velcro. |
I haven't left my Shockwave in the truck but I have some of the 3M on my center console to hold a Maxpedition Sneak (not impressed as far as a holster, it works, kinda, to hold a can of pepper spray and a flashlight). It's been in there a couple of years now and seems to be holding up, but it's out of the sunlight and not holding much weight. The 3M on the Shockwave is holding up OK, but the shells slide in the Esstac card under recoil and after I think ten rounds (two reloads), the card had shifted on the Velcro. I think it's just a lot of motion in a sudden direction that the hook and loop just isn't as strong. You could try their industrial version, I haven't ever used it though. 
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Originally Posted By joemama74: I bought the James Reeves "Elite Spankers". No complaints about the elastic, the problem is the velcro. I cleaned the side of my 500 with an alcohol wipe, then used the supplied velcro. Seemed ok for around the house. Then I swapped the 500 out for my truck gun. After a month, I pulled it out of the case, the adhesive on the gun side velcro had failed. I'm guessing it couldn't hold up to the hot/cold of the truck. I need to order another piece of velcro, either 3M or order an Esstec card and use that velcro. This right here is why the shell cards as a side saddle suck. They are fine for an HD gun but if it is a gun you use outdoors you need to be aware of how well that loop adhesive holds. |
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Originally Posted By MK318: This right here is why the she’ll cards as a side saddle suck. They are fine for an HD gun but if it is a gun you use outdoors you need to be aware of how well that loop adhesive holds. Originally Posted By MK318: Originally Posted By joemama74: I bought the James Reeves "Elite Spankers". No complaints about the elastic, the problem is the velcro. I cleaned the side of my 500 with an alcohol wipe, then used the supplied velcro. Seemed ok for around the house. Then I swapped the 500 out for my truck gun. After a month, I pulled it out of the case, the adhesive on the gun side velcro had failed. I'm guessing it couldn't hold up to the hot/cold of the truck. I need to order another piece of velcro, either 3M or order an Esstec card and use that velcro. This right here is why the she’ll cards as a side saddle suck. They are fine for an HD gun but if it is a gun you use outdoors you need to be aware of how well that loop adhesive holds. And not just heat others have mentioned Velcro or hook and loop failures in extreme cold. |
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@nachodip I've been running dummy shells in an Esstac card for about a year now as front weight on my plate carrier. No degradation, but I'm not crawling through the dirt nor am I ripping the shells in & out. |
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I’ve packed a few full of mud and dirt a few times. Just made sure to do a quick swipe across the pants to knock the loose dirt off before sending them home to the chamber. Looks like op already has the cards. They do work well and also nicely fit in a mag pouch that holds AR mags. The early ones used elastic. The iteration made the last 7 years or so doesn’t. The style has changed a bit as the design has evolved. The new shotgun bandolier will be out eventually. (Hope I’m not fired for mentioning its existence or that I have a prototype in my house at the moment) |
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Originally Posted By NachoDip: The new shotgun bandolier will be out eventually. (Hope I’m not fired for mentioning its existence or that I have a prototype in my house at the moment) BUSTED!!!!! Looking forward to more on this...ROCK6 |
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Another Tac-star user, I've got several & they just work. I tried the shell cards but the glue couldn't handle the hot/cold temp swings in the trunk & would fall off & I hated how the shell holders would curl up. I'm also a lefty & I think loading from a side saddle is easier left handed than right because the side saddle isn't blocking my view. |
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Originally Posted By SNAFU-M1A: Another Tac-star user, I've got several & they just work. I tried the shell cards but the glue couldn't handle the hot/cold temp swings in the trunk & would fall off & I hated how the shell holders would curl up. I'm also a lefty & I think loading from a side saddle is easier left handed than right because the side saddle isn't blocking my view. I cleaned mine, put the Esstec velcro on it. So far it's held, but it's only been a week in and out of the truck. I'm curious to see the bandolier. But I've also been looking at the belts with the loops on it. Or the condor pouches with the loops inside the pocket, velcro on the outside. https://condoroutdoor.com/products/condor-shotgun-ammo-pouch Two of these on a belt with Esstec cards on the outside, that's a fair bit of ammo without having to have a special rig or rework my existing carrier, already setup for AR. |
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Originally Posted By dogtired: I found this rubberized plastic thing on Ebay with some 3M sticky on it. It holds the shells snugly. I am giving it a trial run on my cheapo Mav 88. It holds mini shells well. Called FlexSaddle. https://i.postimg.cc/HL77CgSg/IMG_5104.jpg Looks like something 3d printed. Not that that is a bad thing so long as they used quality filament. If they did the failure point will be that 3m tape if you expose it to any sort of heat and humidity. On the topic of shell cards, about 20 years ago I had some prototype shell cards made using heavy nylon backing and elastic using scuba webbing sewn in. It held the shells brass down under recoil since you had rubber holding on to the plastic hull of the shell. I had planned to have a bunch made but never really did anything with it. A buddy of mine sold some for a while locally but they never took off. Partially because they were more expensive than the Esstac cards and certainly more expensive than the dozen or so Chinese knock off of the Esstac cards. I’ll have to see if I can find one of those prototypes around and post pics. |
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I have several pump shotguns with sidesaddles ranging from an 870, a few Ithaca M37's and several Mossy 500's and 590's. I don't know the brands, but I have a few plastic sidesaddles that have metal mounting plates screwed to the receiver with removable plastic shellholders held in place with spring loaded metal detents. It would be useful if I had extra shellholders, but it's kind of useless to have that option without the spares. I also have an aluminum Trinity Supply sidesaddle on a Mossy 500. It works OK, but it sticks out too far from the side. It's fast for competition but I wouldn't use it for duty or defensive use. What I've been using most lately is the velcro type. They hold the shells tightly so I can run them upside down for reloading in the magazine. The way I set all of my sidesaddles up are the front two pointed up and the other 4 down. That way I have two pointed up for loading directly into the chamber over the top and the rest into the magazine from underneath. Back when I was an LEO, and now for home defense, I load the magazine tube with buckshot, and also buckshot in the sidesaddle as described above. Then I have 4 slugs in the Speedfeed 1 buttstocks (I don't like pistol grips on shotguns). I was lucky enough to buy 6 Mossy Speedfeed stocks before they went out of production. |
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants" - Thomas Jefferson
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