Is it safe?

[MikeBjerum]

The defensive advantage of the sound of racking a shell is overrated ... unless you are a movie producer. 

#1.  I agree that the safeties on a shotgun are not as good as a handgun, so one in the closed chamber is not the best idea;
#2.  A fun of any kind should never be just leaned - build or buy a rack that the gun will hang in or lean in securely;
#3.  Full magazine, one in chamber with action open - Just slide pump forward or hit release on semi-auto and you are ready.

An unloaded gun is only a club, so if you are not going to keep it very easy to use it will be worthless when you are aroused at 2:15 AM.  A gun that is stored in an unsecured way is poor practice since not only may it fall over with normal household activity, but it could very easily be knocked over in the act of putting it into use.

Just like setting yourself up to carry a gun, setting your shotgun up in the bedroom will require lots of trial and error and lots of practice.  There have been many threads on this forum discussing carry guns and holsters.  The common thought is that it is finding the right one that puts more handguns either in the safe or used as trade material, and why we all have the standard "box of holsters."  Good luck, and enjoy the quest!

[Rob10ring]

As far as shot, its a matter of personal preference. As for bore, if you are buying new, cylinder has always been the default option. It will handle shot and slugs. You get decent accuracy with slugs at hunting ranges (under 50 yards as well). I've never used choke tubes of any sort so I can't comment there. I would not get a PG only stock. If you want something more compact, I'd get a folder or M-4 style with a PG, probably the latter. I've looked at both, but I like the ablity to butt stroke someone as well..
FQ13

Follow-up shots are usually achieved faster with some sort of shoulder stock as well, because of added controllability. I actually prefer a standard stock for speed, but others argue that the addition of the pistol grip gives more one handed control, when opening doors and such. Shooting a pump gun one-handed kind of turns that gun into a single shot. Personal preference as always…

I do have a pistol gripped shotgun and have shot it a lot, but I would never choose that gun first in a situation where I'm stationary and covering an entry. It's great for going around the corner at the top of the stairs, but everything, operationally, is slower and using the sights is much more difficult - not entirely impossible, but almost there. It is a lot of fun and a lot of our guns are about fun, but it's not the best SHTF gun. I guess that in Mad Max world, it would go great under a trench coat, but I don't want to go there.

[tombogan03884]

I've got the Knoxx recoil absorbing stock on mine since I needed a shorter length of pull, it is M-4 styled and has a pistol grip to keep your hand away from the recoiling parts.

[Solus]

I've got the Knoxx recoil absorbing stock on mine since I needed a shorter length of pull, it is M-4 styled and has a pistol grip to keep your hand away from the recoiling parts.

Knoxx stock is great.

I was always an M14 Bigot since that is with what I was first trained..and qualified expert.  Hard to over come the feeling of confidence that gives.

However, after using long guns with pistol grips (full stock but pistol grip) like the AR and the Knoxx on shotguns, I find I need a .308 platform with a pistol grip. 

Seems I've seen a wall mount bracket that will secure a long gun against falling over or easily getting knocked over.  Can't find a link for it though.  Mossberg makes a Loc Box which has a lock, but doesn't seem to protect the trigger...but I might be wrong about that.

[Timothy]

Some time back, someone posted a matress contraption that hung your scattergun from a rack wedged between the boxspring and matress.  Made a little cradle to rest your shotgun into and was pretty simple to fabricate.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

Sportsman's guide had spring clips that attach to the back of a door or the wall to hold a shotgun.

[PegLeg45]

Sportsman's guide had spring clips that attach to the back of a door or the wall to hold a shotgun.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=676333

http://www.the-backup.com/

[Timothy]

http://www.the-backup.com/

Thanks Pegleg, that's the one I was thinking about.

Couple pieces of 12 gauge flat bar would do just as well with a bench vice and a hammer.... total outlay, about 10 bucks for the flat bar and a can of Krylon for 5 more..

[bafsu92]

I vote cruiser ready as well but then I also have small children in the house. My 12ga is also the only weapon in the house that isn't in the safe or a gunvault. I have a standard bifold door closet and put hooks directly above the door of the closet so unless you know it's there you'd never think to look for it. You open the closet and look in and see the clothes, shelves etc. but unless you stick your head in then look straight up you'd never see it. If there's a "bump in the night" I'd first get a pistol and light from the gunvault on the nightstand and make my way to the closet to grab the 12ga if I have time to slip on some shorts I'd slide the pistol into my waistband, if not I'd hand it to my wife. Unfortunately the layout of our house doesn't allow me to sit put and wait, I have to clear a couple rooms to check on the kids. My son knows to get under his bed at the first sign of trouble but my daughter isn't old enough to do this on her own yet. I'd go get her and deliver her to my wife first unless we continued to hear potential threats then my wife would follow and take a defensive position in my daughters room while I made my way to my sons room. Far from an ideal situation but we had the place before the kids. Hopefully we'll be moving in the next year or so and plan to build. I plan to base most of our design around home security when we do move.

[PegLeg45]

I have a standard bifold door closet and put hooks directly above the door of the closet so unless you know it's there you'd never think to look for it. You open the closet and look in and see the clothes, shelves etc. but unless you stick your head in then look straight up you'd never see it.

Good one, I've thought of trying that myself.