SJ Hardware vs HSGI Velcro Shotshell Carrier Review

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manther

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First a little background.

I'm ex PPCLI and have been using shotguns for almost 20 years. I'm a certified Sig Sauer Academy Tactical Shotgun Instructor. I have also been building solid custom 870's for 5 years. A dozen builds later and more tactical shooting with Law Enforcement and Military Agencies I have seen side saddle adapt. I still have Mesa Carriers and being a little stubborn have always preferred them over anything else. However recently Velcro shotshell carriers have proven their worth. With many militaries and police agencies changing over to them. I decided to switch over and give them an serious trial period and well, my Mesa saddles are for sale.

So the question is who's got the best ones? I asked myself this samethjng and with he help of my military and police friends have run 2 types through the paces over the last 6 months and this is what I have learned

First the hsgi, I bought them from an Alberta company, Tactical Yoga.yoga. Price was 45 cad for one pack. You get 2 carriers and an molle attachment. The quality control is typical hsgi, good. I was able to load all the slots with ammo. Another thing I like about them is the life time warranty. The only Con about them is you will have to get the loop part to mount to the side of your shotgun. . I would rate the 4/5 because there is no velcro for your shot gun.

S&J, I have ordered these two different times now. The first time I was impressed with the quality control. Second time thought they were junk. I bought the 6 round holders both time but on the second order the stiching was not in the right place so the max I could put in there was 4. Two of my other friend have had the same problem. Customer Service for this was non existent I'm and now still waiting for a reply to that email. In the package came one shot shell carrier and velcro to put on you shot gun. Cost was 25 plus tax and shipping. I rate this product 3/5, due to quality control issue and price point the are a little more expensive than The HSGI

The versatility that the Velcro shotshell carrier adds is the way forward if you are using a shotgun as a tactical platform in the 21st century.

Hope this review helps you out.
 
The soft side saddles will never look as nice as a Mesa Tactical. But they do have a few advantages for my purposes.

Advantage 1;

One sidesaddle can be used on multiple shotguns. You can switch your sidesaddle from your semi-auto to your pump shotgun in just a few seconds.
An extra piece of hook velcro on each gun is all that's needed.

Advantage 2; Takes up zero room in your gun cabinet. Shotguns with hard sidesaddles installed on them take up a vast amount of space.
 
Sorry we have no record for an email from you we have sold 10,000+ of our dsc she'll holders overcthe last 8 years. We have had a hand full of defective items overcthe years.
I don't think we have hit 1% total over the 10k+ still in use
Feel free to email us with your order number
S&J
 
Also to be noted if you paid $25 for our dsc then you overpaid as they are between $17-$19ea we are also the only to supply the item with a strip of quality 3m brand velcro.
 
The Vang Comp version uses a metal plate with the loop material, that bolts on like a 'normal' side saddle, that way you're not gluing stuff to the side of your gun. I'm thinking of going with that - I guess you can use any 'holder' on this set up, so I'm thinking of giving it a try - has anyone used them?
 
That makes sense if you are installing it on a common shotgun, with a popular bolt/pin pattern. But if your trying to side saddle something odd like a shotgun from Turkey etc. ... thats where something adhesive like the S&J one really shines.
 
I settled on the HSGI shell holders as well, they mate up really well with the Taco mag pouches. They are really more of hybrid system, as the shell holder is hard, vs a strictly elastic loop system.

The only issue I've had, is the shell holders tend to curve in such a way that the attachment to the Velcro isn't always positive, especially in cooler weather.

If i could solve that issue, 5 out of 5.
 
Butcherbill said:
Good luck getting any kind of reply directly from s&j, let's just say customer service is lacking in that dept lol.
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Really? Not mine experience... Simon is quick in the response department.

OP keep us posted of your progress.

Cheers,
 
GreenBob said:
Really? Not mine experience... Simon is quick in the response department.

OP keep us posted of your progress.

Cheers,
Click to expand...

Yeah, doesn't sound like my experience either. I'm not great at online stuff, so I emailed S&J, told him what I wanted, his replies were fast, he took care of me and his products are great. I love my S&J shell holder, it works great and quality was excellant. The two times I've bought small things from S&J customer service was top tier.
 
Yep, I've always had great customer service and great products (especially the shotshell card) from S&J.
 
manther said:
You have the old HSGI carrier the new one is a lot better
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I see you are correct. I was not aware of the v2 release. I'll have to try them, though i really like the fact it's easy to replace ammo in the shot tray during ammo select drills vs with the elastic loop types.
 
I have a number of sidesaddle strips including a couple from S&J.

Nothing against the S&J but I recently got a new HSGI strip that is different from the others. Instead of fabric elastic bands they have plastic holders (otherwise they have the same velcro back for easy swapping). Because they are rigid they are easier to slide in and out I find they are just a tiny bit better in the performance. I haven't yet used them in competition but so far in practicing they are a slight improvement. I bought mine from Tiger Arms.

 
I ditched all my Mesa Tactical shell carriers; they just add so much bulk and weight. I went with 2 S&J 6-round DSCs one on the receiver and the other on the stock; because I like to support a Canadian company when I can. The only thing I initially disliked about the loops were that I thought they were difficult to fill. However, since then, I've changed my views and placed more emphasis on retention than how easy it is to place hulls inside the loops.
 
Sidesaddles aren't meant to replace belt systems. They are meant for topping up after you run dry and not taking your sight off the target or for adding a different load that you can access as needed. ex you are shooting buckshot but need to throw in a slug.
 
I have 100s of rounds through my SJ cards (came in my detachable shotshell carrier pouch) and they are still going strong, as my SOE cards (purchased around the same time) have been trashed (elastics no longer held the rounds under use/shotgun being packed)

SJ has my vote (never used the HSGI cards so cannot comment)
 
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