Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
There's a lot of threads here on what shotgun to get, when to get it and how to use it.
Like all other areas of human endeavor,there's a mess of misinformation about shotguns and their use under dire peril.
Here's some opinions, forged over decades and from real word experience. I've been involved with shotguns for a long time.
Fighting shotguns do not need to be all black, camo or have doodads bolted on, though they can be. They DO have to be reliable and Well known to the User.
As far as reliability goes, I like the test first espoused by Massad Ayoob. 200 rounds of duty ammo fired glitchless. A failure rate of .5% is acceptable.
Fighting shotguns do not have to be new designs. One of the oldest repeaters, the Winchester 97, is still one of the better choices.
Nor do they need to be expensive. A used name brand pump like an 870,500, 37, 1300 can often be purchased for a few day's pay. These can give yeoman service for decades with a bit of PM and TLC.
And, while off brands made in Third World countries proliferate and sell at low prices, I recommend sticking to known brands made in the US, Japan and Europe. Mechanical Immortality for a pittance.
Fighting Shotguns do need to FIT the user. A stock fits if when mounted, he or she can use the sights without moving the head and neck and it mounts easily. And of course, the shotgun can be fired in comfort.
Both wood and synthetic stocks are available in fixed styles. While folders and adjustable AR stocks are popular, best results usually are with fixed stocks as well as they tend to be way more comfortable.Unless you have extreme storage issues, a fixed stock's a better choice. Wood is easier to make fit.
And, if more than one person may use the shotgun, it should be made to fit the smallest shooter. It's far easier for use a shotgun that's a little short than one that's a little too long.
And, might as well get this up where people can see it. Despite Hollywood and Net myth, a stockless shotgun with only a pistol grip is much less effective than one with a stock that can be fired from the shoulder. BTDT and got paid to do so. While some of these are used by Police and Military units for breaching, they are merely large, hard kicking and hard to control handguns with bad sights and extremely limited utility.
Shun them as tools.
Fighting Shotguns do not have to have double digit magazine capacity. While extended magazines have some utility for some of us, they add weight to the muzzle end, often more than can be handled well. Learn to load and run the gun, then decide if an extension is a good idea for you.
In fact, fighting shotguns do not have to be repeaters. Even a single shot can be deadly in trained, cool hands.
Optical and hologram sights really do not add much to effectiveness here. Shotguns are close range weapons.
Beads, open sights and peep or Ghost Ring sights are the common choices. I find beads the fastest, then peeps, then open sights but YMMV. All shotgunners should try all three and find which works best for them.
More to come.....
Like all other areas of human endeavor,there's a mess of misinformation about shotguns and their use under dire peril.
Here's some opinions, forged over decades and from real word experience. I've been involved with shotguns for a long time.
Fighting shotguns do not need to be all black, camo or have doodads bolted on, though they can be. They DO have to be reliable and Well known to the User.
As far as reliability goes, I like the test first espoused by Massad Ayoob. 200 rounds of duty ammo fired glitchless. A failure rate of .5% is acceptable.
Fighting shotguns do not have to be new designs. One of the oldest repeaters, the Winchester 97, is still one of the better choices.
Nor do they need to be expensive. A used name brand pump like an 870,500, 37, 1300 can often be purchased for a few day's pay. These can give yeoman service for decades with a bit of PM and TLC.
And, while off brands made in Third World countries proliferate and sell at low prices, I recommend sticking to known brands made in the US, Japan and Europe. Mechanical Immortality for a pittance.
Fighting Shotguns do need to FIT the user. A stock fits if when mounted, he or she can use the sights without moving the head and neck and it mounts easily. And of course, the shotgun can be fired in comfort.
Both wood and synthetic stocks are available in fixed styles. While folders and adjustable AR stocks are popular, best results usually are with fixed stocks as well as they tend to be way more comfortable.Unless you have extreme storage issues, a fixed stock's a better choice. Wood is easier to make fit.
And, if more than one person may use the shotgun, it should be made to fit the smallest shooter. It's far easier for use a shotgun that's a little short than one that's a little too long.
And, might as well get this up where people can see it. Despite Hollywood and Net myth, a stockless shotgun with only a pistol grip is much less effective than one with a stock that can be fired from the shoulder. BTDT and got paid to do so. While some of these are used by Police and Military units for breaching, they are merely large, hard kicking and hard to control handguns with bad sights and extremely limited utility.
Shun them as tools.
Fighting Shotguns do not have to have double digit magazine capacity. While extended magazines have some utility for some of us, they add weight to the muzzle end, often more than can be handled well. Learn to load and run the gun, then decide if an extension is a good idea for you.
In fact, fighting shotguns do not have to be repeaters. Even a single shot can be deadly in trained, cool hands.
Optical and hologram sights really do not add much to effectiveness here. Shotguns are close range weapons.
Beads, open sights and peep or Ghost Ring sights are the common choices. I find beads the fastest, then peeps, then open sights but YMMV. All shotgunners should try all three and find which works best for them.
More to come.....
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