[Big D]

Hey yall....over the past two years, I have continously upgraded my personal firearms, mainly my shotguns. For home defense I keep an 870 loaded on the rack and a Mossberg 500 Mariner with me in my truck. Although they are both awesome weapons, I feel as if I have lost my way in all of the "upgrading" I've been doing in fear of things to come. When I started shooting shotguns as a kid, my first shotgun was given to me by my grandad. I still have it to this day....a camoed H&R Mod 58 20 gauge. It is a light, handy, and a great little gun. I guess my whole premise to this is that sometimes we all forget the basics, and the simple, tried and true things in life (which is what I consider the H&R/NEF singleshot shotguns). Does anyone feel the same way? I just want to start getting back to the basics....start back using my 20ga, and maybe browse some pawn shops for a cheap singleshot 12ga that needs a good home.....

[rjsixgun]

I gotta agree with you on the "basic" shotgun. I love my 870, it's a plain old wood stock only up grade I did was put a 7 shot tube on it. But today you need your shotgun to look like an AR-15 or something with rails, lights and lazers, can opener, garage door opener, why? All those shell carriers and side saddles? Why? heck I go hunting with a pocket full of shells and always have left overs.
The latest craze seems to be door breechers on shotguns, well I dont plan on shooting my door anytime soon so I guess I can pass on those.

I guess I'm not Tati-Cool, but my 870 works for me.

[Milkmaster]

The best and quickest shotgun I own for HD is a bare bones model 1300 with a short barrel. No strap to get in the way. no flashlight, no glowing sights, no extended mag tube, no barrel shield, a few scratches, and lots of rounds down the tube for practice. The best thing is it fits me like a glove, is slick as snot, and shoots where I point it without a hitch. It is lightweight, and just as deadly as the fancy models. This is right for me! Others may need more, but for my HD uses it is the cat's meow. I doubt anyone who might be shot with it would know or care about the scratches!:)

[amkus]

When I first got my shotgun, I wanted to make at all tacticool with the retractable buttstock and magextentions, etc. However, I quickly fell in love with the wood fixed stock and foregrip. The only other thing I want to get for my shotgun is a flashlight. Using a flashlight in your weakhand makes operatating the weapon far too slow, IMO. Target identification is a MUST, particularly if you have other people living in your house.

[Bud Tugly]

I hunted for over 40 years with a variety of shotguns, but more often than not I found myself carrying a single shot. Light to carry, fast to point, and reloading for follow-up shots is awful fast with a little practice. Plus knowing you have to make that first shot count increases concentration.

'Course I've generally hunted grouse/woodcock/rabbits in thick cover so it's actually pretty rare that you get a chance for more than one shot, anyway. When I've hunted in more open country or for game that travels in groups I generally prefer to carry a double barrel.