Heat shields on shotguns

Slater · February 16, 2005, 08:31

Are these really of any practical benefit?

izaakb · February 16, 2005, 09:28

1. They look cool. (hence, the name)

2. if you are picking up your s/g by the middle (i.e. the area fore of the receiver) and you do a LOT of shooting, then it gets hot. having a shield gives you a grip area without burning your hand. that's all. if you don't do this kind of shooting, see #1

tigerfans2 · February 16, 2005, 15:00

don't forget when you have to resort to the bayonet

yovinny · February 16, 2005, 17:01

Heat shields help prevent forearm or hand burns when you turn a hot gun over sideways or upside down to reload.

ThunderGod · February 16, 2005, 17:17

They also add weight, which is needed if you have a pistol-grip or folder. Reduces recoil into the web of the hand when shooting from the hip.

Cometa · February 16, 2005, 18:17

they do nothing but scare the bad guy

splogan · February 17, 2005, 20:57

The only reason I bought one was the remington top folder hits the top of the barrel and the heat shield takes the abuse not my barrel.

**W.E.G.** · February 17, 2005, 21:28

You always see them on "combat" shotguns.

Seems to me if you are in such heavy combat that you need a heat shield, you might actually be better off without one, 'cause the enemy is so close that you might need to scald him with your shotgun barrel when he jumps in the bunker with you.

shootist87122 · February 17, 2005, 21:40

They make a great platform to mount a lazer site, too!

Th0r · February 17, 2005, 21:49

Exactly! If a heatshield scares tha badguy, imagine what a laser/heatshield combo would do!

**BUFF** · February 18, 2005, 02:53

I grate and shred cheese with mine.

kotengu · February 18, 2005, 05:16

I bought one some time ago for my 18" 870, because I DO shoot a lot and my barrell gets hot. However, after I burnt myself on the heat shield (hmmmmm - THAT didn't work as designed), that piece of cool looking extra weight and nooks-n-crannys-to-catch-things-on went in the garbage.

I can burn myself withOUT the heat shield, and save on weight and complications to boot!

yovinny · February 18, 2005, 05:41

Shotgun heat shields were a design requirment from the Ordnance Dept. for the trench guns used during WWI.
This decision was based on experience aquired with using non-heat shielded riot guns, as the first early 97's were, and used in the Philippines after the Spanish American War and during Pershing's punitive expedition to Mexico in 1916.
Not only is a hot shotgun difficult to reload, but any bayonett use (and they did use those long 16" bayonetts then) requires gripping around the hot barrel also.
They get hot, but obviously not as hot as gripping the barrel.
So while they might be frivolous add-on's for todays armchair warrior's, they served a very well needed purpose, as most all USGI designed items do.

Cheers, YOOO VINNY

DABTL · February 18, 2005, 07:25

In World War I Winchester produced the Model 1897 shotgun in the familiar trench gun form with a heat shield.

The Model 1897 will slam fire every time if you hold the trigger down. So, as rapidly as you can work the pump it will fire. At close range it is devastating. At one point the Kaiser ordered any American captured with a trench gun to be executed on the spot.

This will make the barrel hot, very hot. To reload you wind up with a hot barrel in your hand or against your body nearly every time. The heat shield at least to some extent keeps this away from you.

MasterChief · February 18, 2005, 08:02

They make liberal weenies wet their panties.

Timber Wolf · February 19, 2005, 06:59

Quote:

Originally posted by MasterChief
They make liberal weenies wet their panties.

And that is reason enough to own one........or twelve.

February 16, 2005, 09:28	#2
izaakb Registered FALaholic #: 14913 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Pennsylvania, New York Posts: 1,504	1. They look cool. (hence, the name) 2. if you are picking up your s/g by the middle (i.e. the area fore of the receiver) and you do a LOT of shooting, then it gets hot. having a shield gives you a grip area without burning your hand. that's all. if you don't do this kind of shooting, see #1 __________________ "Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietam servitutem." "Praemonitus pramunitus!" "A well-schooled electorate, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and read Books, shall not be infringed." I am a Jewish carpenter.

February 17, 2005, 21:28	#8
W.E.G. Administrator Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 1211 Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Virginia Posts: 31,108	You always see them on "combat" shotguns. Seems to me if you are in such heavy combat that you need a heat shield, you might actually be better off without one, 'cause the enemy is so close that you might need to scald him with your shotgun barrel when he jumps in the bunker with you. __________________ . . . Ask me about the Mason-Dixon FAL Collectors Association.

February 17, 2005, 21:40	#9
shootist87122 Registered FALaholic #: 7202 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: NM Posts: 5,127	They make a great platform to mount a lazer site, too! __________________ "So in the Libyan Fable it is told, That once an eagle, stricken with a dart, said, when he saw the fashion of the shaft, it is by our own feathers, not others hands, are we now smitten." -Aeschylus

February 18, 2005, 02:53	#11
BUFF Old Fart Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 789 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 7,154	I grate and shred cheese with mine. __________________ BUFF

February 18, 2005, 05:16	#12
kotengu Registered FALaholic #: 1594 Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Baxter, TN, USA Posts: 3,096	I bought one some time ago for my 18" 870, because I DO shoot a lot and my barrell gets hot. However, after I burnt myself on the heat shield (hmmmmm - THAT didn't work as designed), that piece of cool looking extra weight and nooks-n-crannys-to-catch-things-on went in the garbage. I can burn myself withOUT the heat shield, and save on weight and complications to boot! __________________ "The way is in training." - Miyamoto Musashi

February 16, 2005, 08:31	#1
Slater Registered FALaholic #: 4697 Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Arizona Posts: 691	Heat shields on shotguns Are these really of any practical benefit?

February 16, 2005, 15:00	#3
tigerfans2 Registered FALaholic #: 5284 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Kansas Posts: 1,511	don't forget when you have to resort to the bayonet

February 16, 2005, 17:01	#4
yovinny Registered FALaholic #: 7679 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: NY transplant to central Illinois, Now in Kentucky Posts: 3,414	Heat shields help prevent forearm or hand burns when you turn a hot gun over sideways or upside down to reload.

February 16, 2005, 17:17	#5
ThunderGod Banned TROLL FALaholic #: 7196 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: North Texas Posts: 4,819	They also add weight, which is needed if you have a pistol-grip or folder. Reduces recoil into the web of the hand when shooting from the hip.

February 16, 2005, 18:17	#6
Cometa Registered FALaholic #: 15018 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Posts: 129	they do nothing but scare the bad guy

February 17, 2005, 20:57	#7
splogan Registered FALaholic #: 7427 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Japan Posts: 1,088	The only reason I bought one was the remington top folder hits the top of the barrel and the heat shield takes the abuse not my barrel.

February 17, 2005, 21:49	#10
Th0r Registered FALaholic #: 15660 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: SWFLA Posts: 329	Exactly! If a heatshield scares tha badguy, imagine what a laser/heatshield combo would do!

February 18, 2005, 05:41	#13
yovinny Registered FALaholic #: 7679 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: NY transplant to central Illinois, Now in Kentucky Posts: 3,414	Shotgun heat shields were a design requirment from the Ordnance Dept. for the trench guns used during WWI. This decision was based on experience aquired with using non-heat shielded riot guns, as the first early 97's were, and used in the Philippines after the Spanish American War and during Pershing's punitive expedition to Mexico in 1916. Not only is a hot shotgun difficult to reload, but any bayonett use (and they did use those long 16" bayonetts then) requires gripping around the hot barrel also. They get hot, but obviously not as hot as gripping the barrel. So while they might be frivolous add-on's for todays armchair warrior's, they served a very well needed purpose, as most all USGI designed items do. Cheers, YOOO VINNY Last edited by yovinny; February 18, 2005 at 16:21.

February 18, 2005, 07:25	#14
DABTL Registered FALaholic #: 138 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Texas Posts: 31,583	In World War I Winchester produced the Model 1897 shotgun in the familiar trench gun form with a heat shield. The Model 1897 will slam fire every time if you hold the trigger down. So, as rapidly as you can work the pump it will fire. At close range it is devastating. At one point the Kaiser ordered any American captured with a trench gun to be executed on the spot. This will make the barrel hot, very hot. To reload you wind up with a hot barrel in your hand or against your body nearly every time. The heat shield at least to some extent keeps this away from you. __________________ "The work begins anew, the hope rises again, and the dream lives on." Ted Kennedy 2008

February 18, 2005, 08:02	#15
MasterChief Registered FALaholic #: 5026 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: California Posts: 90	They make liberal weenies wet their panties.

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