As a shotgunner, I am always looking for accessories that try to do different things. One of the most common accessories that comes on a shotgun is a side saddle. It is a means to carry extra ammo on the gun and to keep the repeating claymore loaded. There are many side-saddle options, and we are looking at the latest offering from Savior Equipment.
The current crop of high-quality side saddles is typically made of a soft synthetic material and is designed to be mounted using hook-and-loop to the gun. These systems are simple and effective. You do not have to replace your bolts and risk reliability issues. These side saddles are typically the better, easier-to-use choice. Heck, while it is unrealistic in a firefight, you can even swap side saddles when one runs dry.
The Shotgun Card from Savior Equipment
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The Savior Equipment side saddles follow that route, but they do things a little differently. Savior Equipment makes soft goods that excel at firearm storage. Alongside those storage options are magazine pouches, holster setups, and accessory pouches designed to mount inside the storage solutions.
When I first saw these shotgun cards, I thought that was what they were for, but alas, I was wrong. Savior intends them to be used on shotguns, but they can certainly be tossed into a mounting solution. The Savior Equipment shotgun cards come in three variants: two-shot, four-shot, and six-shot.
I snagged the six-shot variants, and after using them, I might grab a handful of the four and two-shot options.
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What is Different About the Savior Equipment Side Saddles?
There are tons of shotgun cards out there. We have the O.G.s from Esstac, the Vang Comp stiff cards, the occasionally produced Raven Concealment side saddles, the Ibex Applications Lead Sled, and so many more. There are even uber-cheap options on Amazon. Each has its strengths and weaknesses.
What is different with the Savior Equipment side saddles comes down to spacing. Savior puts a lot of spacing between the shells. It is overly generous and makes the side saddles a bit longer than most. For my Mossberg 590 receiver, it fits fine, and it will fit fine on most shotguns. The only one that will have any issues is the Benelli Nova series due to its long pumps that overlap the receiver.
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That extra space allows you to easily grab one shell and pull it out with ease. You are not going to accidentally grab two or have another shell get in the way. This extra space can be extremely useful for reloading one shell at a time. The downside is that drawing two is difficult. Sometimes you want to load two, and that is tricky with the Savior Equipment side saddle. You need long fingers to get a grip on two shells with this thing.
Locking In and Performance
I have been shooting the Valhalla drill, which is focused on reloading from the side saddle, and the Savior Equipment has been my go-to option. It is a challenging drill, especially with a pump gun, so I need a good side saddle.
The extra room does make a big difference for the first two reloads, where I am putting one in the chamber directly, and then one in the chamber and one in the pipe. When we get to the third reload, which is one in the chamber and two in the tube, it slows down.
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Not being able to easily grab two slows down my final reload and ultimately does not provide me any additional speed compared to a standard side saddle for the Valhalla drill. While it does not offer advantages to my overall time, the first two reloads are noticeably faster.
Final Verdict on Savior Equipment
The Savior Equipment side saddles stick to the gun well. They are not going to accidentally peel off. Additionally, the elastic loops are quite tight and provide excellent retention for the shells. They do not move much at all, even with a lot of shaking and firing; the shells stay put.
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These shot cards are also quite stiff, much like the Vang Comp option. This stiffness keeps them from folding inward over time. This keeps them usable for a longer period of time. The Savior Equipment side saddles are overall a fantastic option.
They strive to do things differently, and I can appreciate a little extra room for my fingers. They are also quite cheap, coming in at $10 for a two-pack. You cannot beat that kind of price!
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