home defense shotgun

[fightingquaker13]

And despite what the "Gun Store Commandos" say, don't think you have to stick with a 12 gauge for home defense. A viable option is a 20 gauge pump or semi-auto from Remington or Mossberg. In fact, check out these podcasts: http://proarms.podbean.com/category/shotguns/
Listen to A and B. They give a very compelling case for a 20 gauge. And if you have a significant other who can't handle the recoil of a 12 gauge, this would be of great benefit to them.

I hope this helps....Good Luck!
 

Thanks for posting that podcast fullauto. It was very informative. I would highly reccomend it. Not only did I enjoy hearing Ayoob mention that pistol grip only shot guns be confined to "Rambo night at the range" (which has been my opinion for years, I seriously how do you aim one?), but I learned a lot about loads. The main thing I got out of it was the general consensus that for most of us non-rural types the shot gun belongs in the safe room. For this my very non-tactical merkel SxS will do fine. I need not feel underdressed wthout the Mossberg 500s that have been whispering seductively to me for a few years now. Its amazing how helpful hearing someone like Ayoob say you don't need it helps in resisting temptation.
FQ13

[Dharmaeye]

Personally got a Mossbery 500A and put on it a Knoxx recoil reducing adjustable stock and a weaver/ pic rail to mount a red dot. These two options make an excellent home defense shotgun.

[1776 Rebel]

Here is an interesting post from another blog. If you don't follow him, I suggest you browse his site. He writes well and does some very cool range experiments etc...In this post he fires buckshot from a fully rifled barrel and gets interesting results...like in not good.

http://carteach0.blogspot.com/2009/04/buckshot-fired-from-rifled-shotgun.html

[1911 Junkie]

I've never liked the feel of a pistol grip on a shotgun. I felt as if I had less control over it.

There's really nothing wrong with mossbergs and the market is pretty well saturated with them so you
can still find deals.

[fullautovalmet76]

Thanks for posting that podcast fullauto. It was very informative. I would highly reccomend it. Not only did I enjoy hearing Ayoob mention that pistol grip only shot guns be confined to "Rambo night at the range" (which has been my opinion for years, I seriously how do you aim one?), but I learned a lot about loads. The main thing I got out of it was the general consensus that for most of us non-rural types the shot gun belongs in the safe room. For this my very non-tactical merkel SxS will do fine. I need not feel underdressed wthout the Mossberg 500s that have been whispering seductively to me for a few years now. Its amazing how helpful hearing someone like Ayoob say you don't need it helps in resisting temptation.
FQ13

I was surprised to learn the Canadian Wildlife Service uses slugs to cull Grizzly bears..... 

I have #1 buckshot on the way too from Natchez. After Mas's presentation on load selection, I thought I would give them a try. And he's right about scarcity. I went to a couple of gun shops and none had them in stock.

They also have a podcast devoted to the Glock, which I'm going to post in another thread. I'm sure the 1911 crowd will be filled with eager anticipation for that one...... 

[Sponsor]

[tfr270]

Well, we went down to Bullseye and had great conversation with real gun people. I listened to and watch Ayoob on the shotgun before I went. They only had one 20g 870 there with a pistol grip and a recoil reducing stock. He did try to sell us on that, as is his job, but we both tried it on and didn't really like it. We both shoot standard stock rifles and the pistol grip didn't feel right to either of us. We'll try and see if we can get an 870 express in 20 w/ monte carlo stock so we both can shoot it. Then we got sidetracked....probably to the handgun forum...We got into the rental gun range with a Sp101, SW 636, Glock 9mm, and Sig 9mm...OMG. We had a blast. They rent shotguns too so next time we'll go down and try them out...What we learned was the small frame .357 vs. the med frame .357...the med frame .357 hands down for the wife and me. She needs to train on proper form for a semi-auto...they both did the muzzle flip and stove piped repeatedly. I did better on the semi-autos. So we learned that the good old 4" barrel revolver is the best defense for Sara as she can shoot that repeatedly and accurately.

[m25operator]

I did an 18" cylinder bore 870 with a pistol grip, and learned several things, with birdshot, normal loads, like dove loads, it was like a .44 mag in a handgun, with buckshot, not reduced recoil as it was not available then, it would recoil hard enough that the forend would come out of your weak hand, and to hit, you needed to point it with your eyes over the barrel, just like with a long stock, it was easier to pump with your strong hand, and keep the weak hand attached to the forend, but after a couple of rounds, the receiver kept getting closer to the body, until it hit you in the nose. the super short setup has it's place, but not in the home, I think the car and with a fold out stock, and if you go the pistol grip, get the forward pistol grip too.

[jaybet]

Well, we went down to Bullseye and had great conversation with real gun people. I listened to and watch Ayoob on the shotgun before I went. They only had one 20g 870 there with a pistol grip and a recoil reducing stock. He did try to sell us on that, as is his job, but we both tried it on and didn't really like it. We both shoot standard stock rifles and the pistol grip didn't feel right to either of us. We'll try and see if we can get an 870 express in 20 w/ monte carlo stock so we both can shoot it. Then we got sidetracked....probably to the handgun forum...We got into the rental gun range with a Sp101, SW 636, Glock 9mm, and Sig 9mm...OMG. We had a blast. They rent shotguns too so next time we'll go down and try them out...What we learned was the small frame .357 vs. the med frame .357...the med frame .357 hands down for the wife and me. She needs to train on proper form for a semi-auto...they both did the muzzle flip and stove piped repeatedly. I did better on the semi-autos. So we learned that the good old 4" barrel revolver is the best defense for Sara as she can shoot that repeatedly and accurately.

Hi TFR
It's a great idea to try all kinds of guns if you are somewhat new to the variety out there. My wife and I have shotguns but we do not rely on them for home defense. During the first couple of range trips with handguns my wife objected to the muzzle flip and casings bouncing off barriers and hitting her- she just doesn't like all that semi-auto action while shooting. She has settled on several revolvers that she loves, including a S&W 686 (that 4" barrel), which is her go-to. We have a Model 60 snubbie that she will shoot but doesn't like because of the recoil- it's tough on the hand. Her GP 161 (6") is big and heavy, and is used mostly at the range, as are the single action pieces.

While she doesn't enjoy shooting my semi autos, she fires them every time we go to the range and handles them when we are cleaning so that she's familiar. In a pinch she can operate any of them. We cycle through our handguns for bedside duty except for a few that aren't 100% reliable. If she can't easily operate the the piece, it is never used for defense.

That's the public discussion. We do, of course, have a couple of surprises lined up for any hapless knuckleheads that err on the side of stupidity.

[Hazcat]

TFR,

Another idea (depending on how tall ya both are) is a youth model (Batam) in the 500.

http://www.mossberg.com/products/default.asp?id=22&display=specs

[Michael Bane]

I believe the 20 works fine for self-defense...I have a 20 gauge 870 that I bought NIB years ago at a going-out-of-business gunstore for (brace yourselves) $100...I kept that as my primary SD shotgun for years (loaded with Remington #3 buckshot). I replaced it with a 12 gauge 870 from Hans Vang. The drawback to 20 is three-fold — the ammunition is generally more expensive and even in good times less available than 12 gauge; because LEOs are standardized on the 12, there's less high-end LEO ammo development  (such as the Hornaday TAPS I prefer or the superb Federal LE FliteControl buck or Federal LE low recoil slugs) for the 20; thirdly, there's no 20 gauge equivalent of the Winchester Extra Lite/Feather Lite 12 gauge shells, which make the best practice ammo. I have shot 20 gauge Win AA Target loads alongside Win 12 gauge Feather Lites and there's no comparison...the 12s have (to me) substantially less recoil then the 20s. (Cavaet...I have never tried the Remington Managed Recoil 20s, so I can't comment on them).

Although my first 2 choices for hardware would  DEFINITELY be the 870 followed by the Mossberg, I would like to point out the FNH Tactical Police pump shotgun, which is the old Winchester 1300 on steroids, or, if you're in a retro mood or are a cowboy action shooter, the newest generation of Chinese copies of the Winchester '97 pump. The cowboy shooters over the years have essentially debugged the '97, which was a very good shotgun to begin with, and the current Chinese copies are up to snuff and inexpensive. I've put more round through my cowboy competition shotgun than any shotgun I own (probably including my sporting clays Winchester X2).

Michael B