How bad is your home defender?

[Mastrogiacomo]

I'm going to get the 26" Remy 870 Express for myself -- I thought in wood. My father, who has a synthetic ADL, wants another long black gun. I'm considering getting him a HD 18." Is there anyway I could make a pleasant shoot or should I just get the 26" in black?

[Devonai]

Do you mean you want to shoot pheasants, i.e. the bird, or that you think the longer barrel will be more pleasant to shoot, i.e. less recoil? :confused:

[Mastrogiacomo]

The longer "26 will be mine but he's also expressed an interest in the Home Defender gun for the house. I'm wondering how user friendly it will be with a light load.

[Moondoggie]

My 26" 870 with a Choate 9+1 mag tube has very little recoil. Fully loaded it's very hefty...and will get heftier when I get around to adding a side saddle. I also put a pistol grip stock on it. Rapid fire from waist level is no problem...very easy to stay on tgt.

[Bridger]

Is the model you are looking at a pistol grip only shotgun or a full stock? I have a 18.6" barreled Mossberg with a normal stock that I find comfortable to shoot, other than the concussion after rapid fire. My girlfriend is about 5'5" or so and has a difficult time with the length of pull and distance of the pump from the receiver though, but she can manage it so long as she doesn't have to hold it up for long periods of time.

Many people will suggest a full stock rather than pistol grip only, myself included.

[Lee Lapin]

The 870HD is easily controllable for most folks when using the reduced recoil slug and buckshot loads available today. They kick no harder than many field loads but are quite effective at the ranges encountered in home defense situations.

lpl/nc

[wrench]

Hi Mastrogiacomo,
I have a 20" mossberg HD shotgun, 12 gauge, and find it OK to shoot with light target loads and reduced recoil buckshot and such. I am a 5'2" woman, and the one thing that helped a lot, was to switch the stock to a Hogue, with a short length of pull.
I've even shot trap with it-- talk about looks! :rolleyes:

[Preacherman]

At the very top of your "accessories" purchase list, buy a decent recoil pad for your shotgun. Remington offers the R3 pads (LimbSaver, rebadged) for their shotguns, and you can also get Pachmayr Decelerators or the Kick-Eez range. These make a seriously dramatic difference in felt recoil, and on a shorter-barreled gun, firing HD loads, can make a novice feel much, much more comfortable. Get the thickest pad commensurate with the desired LOP.

See here (http://www.remington.com/NR/exeres/00001647ficphovddhuqwzhq/Product+Category.asp?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2faccessories%2ffactory_parts%2fr3%2ehtm&NRNODEGUID=%7b45C60E4A-CCA8-4191-AF2E-F489C22A5AA2%7d&NRQUERYTERMINATOR=1&cookie%5Ftest=1) for more info (and a video) on the R3 pads.

[Plinkerton]

I have the Express HD. I shot it today for the first time using standard #8 shot 2 3/4 shells.

As far as the recoil, it really wasnt that bad. After 50 rounds, my shoulder was a little sore, but nothing bad.

I couldn't hit a damn thing with it though, that's for sure. I blame that on my awful clay shooting skills, and my short barrel. :D

Does anyone here consistantly shoot clays with an 18 inch barrel? I can't hardly hit anything for the life of me.

[Black Snowman]

I recently got a Mossberg Persuader and the recoil was suprisingly mild with 1 oz S&B slugs and 000 buck. You know it went off but it's not as punishing as say a lightweight 30-06.

[strambo]

Mine's bad...to the bone! :) :o


-Sorry, couldn't resist. Ima wimp so I have my 18" 870 stoked with Hornady TAP low recoil 00 buck. ;) It's quite manageable this way and the additional benefit is this particular load patterns 2.5" at 10 yards for me. I've come accross numerous reports of 2-3" patterns at this range with this load and 18" cylinder bore guns that mirror my experience.

[Remington788]

If your worried about recoil, try an autoloader. I have an 11-87 for HD and even with 3 inch 00 buck I can stay on target with rapid fire.

[Mastrogiacomo]

Thanks for the input. I'm going with the 26" wood with black barrel for the 870. I've given serious thought to just getting him that same gun in black -- what is it with that color and his gun choices?

However, I know he wants a HD Remy so I've been leaning toward the 20" model because I worry the 18" might have too much muzzle blast. I'm not interested in the pistol grips; they look cool but hurt like a bastard -- so I've been told. I might want to doll it up with a side saddle and certainly look for those recoil pads. Thank you for all the suggestions.

[MrMurphy]

There is also the Knoxx Industries Copstock, recoil reducing stock (uses a spring) basically reduces recoil to a slight nudge, even with full power slugs.

[hillbilly]

I have a Remington 870 in 12 gauge wearing a 20 inch barrel and a magazine extension.

My wife, who is 5-5 and of medium build, and she hates to shoot my Remington 870 12 gauge. She can do it if she has to, but can't shoot it for fun.

However, she now owns a Remington 1100 LT-20 gauge that she looooves to shoot.

And, that LT-20, with its youth stock and 21-inch barrel is exactly the same overall length of my Remington 870 with a 20-inch barrel.

Only the LT-20 is much lighter, handier, with significantly lighter recoil.

Semi-autos really cut the recoil down.

hillbilly

[JNewell]

There won't be any meaningful difference between the 18" and 20" barrels.

Remington used to sell an Express combo with a synthetic stock that came with a 26" or 28" barrel (don't remember which) and an 18" or 20" barrel (again, not sure which). The finish on the Express is a little more pedestrian than more expensive models but it's the same gun and every bit as fit for whatever service you could put it to.

[Old NFO]

It's also my competition shotgun, and is manageable with light recoil loads. I let a lady from my office shoot it at the range last month (she's 5'2" and maybe 110 lbs) She was able to handle it with birdshot, 00 buck and slugs but said the slugs, "Hurt a little bit".

It's a 20" HD barrel with a Surefire and Speedfeed TAC IV short stock.

[Marshall]

I recently got a Mossberg Persuader and the recoil was suprisingly mild with 1 oz S&B slugs and 000 buck. You know it went off but it's not as punishing as say a lightweight 30-06.

That's an understatement! ;)

[Bob F.]

What Strambo sid-for sure. Mine 870 HD's bone stock; pussycat with 1oz birdshot or TAP 00. Brutal with full bore slugs and 00! Gotta check on those aftermarket pads!

Stay safe.
Bob

[freeride]

http://img91.exs.cx/img91/4299/Shotgun.jpg

There's mine. It's an 870, and I'm happy with it.

[Marshall]

Freeride, what are you, about 8-9 feet tall? :evil:

[strambo]

Heh, looks like a bb gun down there. :p :scrutiny:

[foghornl]

Maverick 88 by Mossberg. 18-1/2" cylinder choke barrel, stoked with 3" Mag #4 Buck, also has butt cuff with 5 PMC slugs.

gotta take a new pic

[Motor-T]

Old NFO,

What application is that fore end designed for? I've read that the fore ends for the 500 won't work with the bayonet lug.

[sm]

I'm the rebel of this bunch as usual.

Bone stock 870 Express, 28" bbl. Loaded up with the old 1 oz Slugs of "yesteryear" .

Okay, I did have the J hook safety replaced to the bone stock type we used for 50 yrs...

It ain't the gun - it's the fellow using it you got to be concerned about. ;)

[45R]

870 Shotgun
TacStar +2 Ext
18" Barrel
Mesa Tactical shotgun Adaptor/AR stock, PG
AimPoint
Surefire


http://www.pbase.com/45r/image/34892193.jpg

[Sportcat]

45R,

Where did you get the pg and AR stock? How much?

[Tomac]

Here's mine:
Saiga-12 with Romanian folding stock, removable Bulgarian AK rubber recoil pad, PK-AS sight, TacStar weapons light, Tapco SAW-style pistol grip & loaded w/8rds of the Barnaul steel-cased 13 pellet #1 Buck load.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Tomac/FinishedSaigaS.jpg
Tomac

[Gewehr98]

A 20" USMC-issue Rem 870Mk1, except I used a synthetic SpeedFeed stock with Monte Carlo comb, to better align my eye with the rifle sights. Stoked with 3" Magnum 000 Buck.

http://mauser98.com/870-3.jpg

If you run out of ammo...

http://mauser98.com/870mk1leftblade.jpg

[Roland of Gilead]

28" Remchoke 870 Express Mag, +2 ext., choate combat stock, fiber optic sight, light mount. It has to pull double duty as a ranch gun, that's why such a long barrel. W/ full choke it'll group a killing pattern of #4 at 50 yards plus.

[gunhappy]

Roland of Gilead.....Hmmm...another Tower Junkie I see...did you read/like the final book.....I was blown away!!

My Defender is a Mossy 500 w/a short bbl(18.5 in)....love it!

[Old NFO]

What application is that fore end designed for? I've read that the fore ends for the 500 won't work with the bayonet lug.

Motor T, you're absolutely right :cuss: I had to shave off the bottom of the bayonet lug- I figure if I'm ever down to the bayonet, I'm in SERIOUS trouble...

You can get the 590 without the bayonet lug, but I picked mine up when the military was getting a big order of 590's, so I got one of the "spare" military versions.

[Dave R]

18" shotguns are not hard to handle, in my experience. Nor is their recoil noticeably worse than a 26".

I have shot quite a few rounds of skeet with my brother's 18" Winchester 1300. No problem.