How To Load And Unload A Semi-Automatic Shotgun

Shotguns come in different styles. The two most common are pump and semi-automatic (semi-auto).

The one real difference to know with semi-auto shotguns is different manufacturers tend to have safeties and shell-release buttons in different places. For example, one manufacturer might put the safety on the top (back of the receiver), while most others put the safety on or near the trigger guard.

We’re going to talk about the Winchester SX4. This is a very standard set up in terms of the location of the safety and shell release button.

The first step in handling any firearm is practicing the rules of firearm safety and making sure you keep the gun pointed in a safe direction while you determine it’s unloaded and the chamber is clear.

To open the action of the gun, you will need to pull the bolt handle of the shotgun back and open the action. You will be able to see the chamber to ensure it is empty before you begin to handle the firearm.

For an SX4, you can find the diagram in the online owner’s manual. For a semi-auto shotgun that is not the SX4, you will want to consult your owner’s manual for how your action opens, where your safety is, and if there is a mag tube release button. 

There are two methods to load any tube-fed shotgun. One involves keeping the chamber empty until you are ready to shoot by only loading rounds into the magazine tube. The other involves loading the chamber and the magazine tube.

Method 1 - empty chamber

If you are loading the shotgun and want to keep the chamber empty, start by:

1 - Ensure the safety is engaged and the gun is pointed in a safe direction; 

2 - Pull the bolt handle back and open the action to make sure the chamber is empty;

3 - Close the action by depressing the bolt release button;

4 - Next, load shells into the magazine tube. You do this by depressing the lifter and sliding shells in past the shell stop that retains them in your magazine tube;

You can generally load 3 shells in a factory shotgun with a stock magazine tube. This means 2 in the tube and one in the chamber. If your magazine tube has an after-market extension, you might be able to load more rounds. This is what many people do to increase magazine tube capacity when they own a gun for home defense or competition.

NOTE: Be sure you are following hunting regulations if you’re hunting! For most bird hunting, you are limited on the number of rounds in your shotgun (not just in the tube, but in the gun itself). So check your state hunting regulations to make sure you’re following them.

5 - When you are ready to shoot, reach your blind or stand, or want a round chambered you will pull the bolt hand back to load a round into the chamber. You can then add a round to the magazine tube. For stock magazine tubes with a limiting plug, this is often the only way you can get 3 rounds in the gun: one in the chamber, two in the tube.

You should also be aware with the shotgun chamber empty if you take the gun off safe and pull the trigger, it will cause a round to drop onto the lifter past the shell stop. Then you simply pull the bolt handle back and rack the round into the chamber. This is not advised as a common practice, because it involves pulling the trigger potentially not aimed at a target. So it’s best not to use this as a technique. For example, if you are shooting and you pull the trigger and nothing happens except a shell dropping onto the lifter, you will know you never put a round in the chamber. 

Method 2 - Gun fully loaded with one in the chamber

If you are loading your shotgun and want to be “hot” or have a round in the chamber ready to shoot:

1 - Ensure the safety is engaged and the gun is pointed in a safe direction;

2 - Pull the bolt handle back and open the action to make sure the chamber is empty;

3 - Keep the action open;

4 - Next, drop a shell into the open action and hit the bolt release button to close the action and then load the round into the chamber;

5 - You can then load shells into the magazine tube. You do this by depressing the lifter and sliding shells past the shell stop that retains the shells in your magazine tube;

6 - Your gun is now fully loaded and you are ready to shoot.

Unloading

Just like loading, unloading the shotgun also can be done two ways.  No matter which way you unload it, you will need to first ensure the safety is engaged and keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.

Unloading by cycling the gun

The simplest way to unload is to just hand-cycle rounds out of the gun. This means that you:

1 - Ensure that the safety is engaged and the gun is pointed in a safe direction;

2 -  Pull the bolt handle all the way back and let it go forward to cycle the action. Repeat the process of cycling the action until all rounds are out of the gun. Pay attention that your safety is engaged and your finger is outside of the trigger guard when you do this;

3 - Inspect the magazine tube to make sure you do not see any rounds in it. Look for the follower - the piece at the end of the mag tube spring that the rounds compress against. You want to be certain you see the follower and not the rim/base of another shell.   

Unloading by removing rounds from the magazine tube

You can also unload by removing rounds through the magazine tube. This means you:

1 - Ensure the safety is engaged and the gun is pointed in a safe direction;

2 - Turn the gun so you can access the loading port (I find it easiest to do this by resting the buttstock on a table or against my thigh). Depress the lifter down against the top of the action. Then push the shell stop and depress it to move it out of the way so the shells can slide past in and out of the gun. Repeat until the magazine tube is empty;

3 - Next, pull the bolt handle back and open the action and eject the shell from the chamber. If your gun is completely empty, the bolt will stay locked back to the rear but you still need to check the tube;

4 - Inspect the magazine tube and make sure you do not see any rounds in it. Look for the follower - the piece at the end of the mag tube spring that the rounds compress against. You want to be certain you see the follower and not the rim/base of another shell.

Unloading by hand-cycling is probably the simplest method, but it’s noisy. If you want to be quiet while hunting, it’s good to know how to empty the gun from the magazine tube. You will still have to open the action and cycle the gun to remove the round from the chamber, but only one time.

We hope this helps simplify the process of loading and unloading your shotgun. Make sure that you are following Winchester’s social media channels for more tips!