Here's the results of the Summer Shotgun Shootout:
The premise was to determine which method of loading the '97 Pump was fastest.
The methods used were:
- Single Loading from the belt into the breech. Method used by Tutler
and others. - (97x1).
- Double Loading, putting one in the breech and one in the magazine.
This is the method used by the Durango Kid on his video. - (97x2).
- Over the top, putting the shells directly into the breech over the
top. Shadow Creek can grab up to 4 shells at once, in his big meaty hand,
and does not have to go back to his belt as often! - (OT).
- Stoking the magazine tube on the clock - (Stoked).
Also included, just for fun, were:
- Mule Ear Doubles - (Mule)
- Hammerless Doubles - (SxS)
- Single Shot Shotguns - (Single).
Before the test, there was some feeling that the '97 Stokers' would have an
advantage. This proved to be false, in fact Stoking (on the clock) was just
about the slowest method of loading a '97.
This sample, although small, is probably not that far off in predicting the
quickest ways to load a '97.
Be sure and read the interesting comments at the bottom of the page, below the
table.
- The test was to load and shoot 6 shells at a 1' square target about 31'
away.
- All guns started empty, open at port arms.
- Misses added 5 seconds to your time and pretty much put you out of the
running.
| OA |
Shooter |
Style |
Order |
Time |
Club |
ST |
| 1 |
Handsome Valentine |
97x1 |
1 |
7.84 |
Nevada Rangers |
NV |
| 2 |
Mercury |
97x1 |
2 |
8.30 |
Silver City Shooters |
NV |
| 3 |
Capt. Fox |
97x1 |
3 |
8.48 |
Cajon Cowboys |
CA |
| 8 |
J. "Slim" Chance |
97x1 |
4 |
10.65 |
River Bend Rangers |
MN |
| 13 |
Spaghetti Slim |
97x1 |
5 |
11.23 |
Silver City Shooters |
NV |
| 10 |
Spaghetti Slim |
97x2 |
1 |
10.83 |
Silver City Shooters |
NV |
| 20 |
Sierra Kid |
97x2 |
2 |
35.73 |
Silver City Shooters |
NV |
| 11 |
Cliffhanger |
Mule |
1 |
10.84 |
Cajon Cowboys |
CA |
| 17 |
Borzoi Kid |
Mule |
2 |
21.19 |
Silver City Shooters |
NV |
| 18 |
Indiana Slick |
Mule |
3 |
23.51 |
River Bend Rangers |
MN |
| 4 |
Shadow Creek |
OT |
1 |
8.67 |
Nevada Rangers |
NV |
| 12 |
Two Dogs |
OT |
2 |
11.21 |
Cajon Cowboys |
CA |
| 21 |
Durango |
Single |
1 |
44.48 |
Silver City Shooters |
NV |
| 19 |
Old Scout |
Single BP |
2 |
30.24 |
Cajon Cowboys |
CA |
| 7 |
Doc Peabody |
Stoked |
1 |
10.07 |
Nevada Rangers |
NV |
| 16 |
Midnight Desperado |
Stoked |
2 |
16.90 |
River Bend Rangers |
MN |
| 5 |
T.L. |
SxS |
1 |
9.04 |
Cajon Cowboys |
CA |
| 6 |
Slugs |
SxS |
2 |
9.56 |
Up the Creek Gang |
LA |
| 9 |
Deadeye Dakota |
SxS |
3 |
10.82 |
Nevada Rangers |
NV |
| 14 |
One Eyed Rider |
SxS |
4 |
11.66 |
River Bend Rangers |
MN |
| 15 |
Kentucky Reb |
SxS |
5 |
15.41 |
Silver City Shooters |
NV |
Comments:
"I had the paramount privilege of watching our own CAS EOT World Champ,
"Tequila," shoot this past week-end in Texas and witnessed a real
exhibition. The guy got off six shots, loading his model '97 shotgun from the
belt, in 6.35 seconds. To prove it wasn't a fluke...we had him do it twice more.
Times were 6.4 and 6.8 seconds. (he musta fumbled on that last one!) The great
thing is, my hubby had the video camera out and got it on film. We play it back
nightly instead of watching TV. We're hoping it rubs off. The other great thing
is, he's one of the nicest guys I've met in the game.
P.S./ He loads left-handed over the top. So do I...now!"
A major Tequila Fan, "Aimless Annie"(Note from Doc
Peabody: Tequila's scores are not entered because he wasn't officially shooting
the SSS).
"I think the only advantage of stoking is when you have to move or reach
for the ammo. If distance is involved the stoking might make sense. Other then
that I believe I can double load as fast or faster . It also might be faster in
some cases to stoke from a box or prop. Loading from the belt is faster by
conventional means. It might be good to experiment to try the other
situations."
Evil Roy
"I think the smoothest, most streamlined reloading method would be from a
left shouldered '97, loaded & pumped with the right hand. A well skilled
shooter with this method would be impressive to watch."
Buckskin Frank Leslie
"I was running the timer for most of the shooters and the stokers were
typically taking between 12 - 13 seconds just to get the first shot off. Now I
am sure that this could have been reduced by some practice, but it still takes
an amount of time to get the shells in. I am of the firm belief that between the
various methods, stoking a '97 offers no significant advantage."
Jonathan "Slim" Chance
Thanks to all those who participated.
Doc Peabody, Painless Dentist & Proctologist,
(another over-the-top convert)