Manual Actions

[planeflyer21]

That shotgun-ammo video got me to thinking.

The first shots he fires, he lowers the shotgun to cycle the slide each time:

This is a very common practice and can be seen with all manual types of actions on longarms...bolt-, pump/slide-, and lever-actions.

Back in corrections in '97, tired of my shotgun quals sucking it (always passed but the score was unsatisfactory), I set out to learn why.  Not even sure of the source anymore, as those were pre-internet days for me.

At any rate, it was discovered that keeping the weapon mounted to your shoulder while cycling the action does a couple of things for the shooter.  It helps you to maintain your consistency of position shot-to-shot.  It allows you to stay focused on your target, which in turn allows faster followup shots.

While I initially learned this for the pump shottys at the prison, it was relearned for the lever-action rifles.  Watch how the Cowboy Action shooters speed shoot: 

Bolt-action:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92Wrv_vpP4Y

Pump: 

And just for entertainment: 

Jon