Do You Keep A Shotgun Available For Home Defense

What roll does a shotgun play in your home defense preparations?

  • A shotgun is my primary HD weapon

    Votes: 66 30.0%
  • A shotgun is a secondary HD option (or barricade weapon)

    Votes: 93 42.3%
  • A shotgun is an reserve option, but not really part of the plan

    Votes: 40 18.2%
  • A shotgun plays no part in my HD plan

    Votes: 21 9.5%

  • Total voters
    220
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WrongHanded

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Shotguns seem less and less popular for home defense these days. Perhaps a fundamental shift towards higher capacity, easy of reloading, lower recoil, longer range capabilities, etc?

I've always kept one around for home defense purposes, but have recently become more interested in practice with actually running the gun, and have been doing some research towards that end. In doing so, I've found the stickies on this sub forum to be very informative in more ways than I was anticipating.

But it's brought me to wonder, given how effective 9 pellets of 00 buck seems to be at the sort of ranges one could reasonable expect to find in their own home - and the devastating wounding such a load can inflict - how popular are shotguns amongst THR members?

If you don't keep a shotgun for HD, why not? And what do you prefer instead, and why?
 
I am never very far from a shotgun. I save the 00 buck or slugs for when I go up to the cabin. In town I prefer #4 buck, or even a 1 1/2 ounce load of #4 shot behind a modified choke. Self defense distance inside the house is not going to be more than 7 yards anyway. Everyone is different, that is just my preference.
 
I have both a pistol and a shotgun loaded and ready while at home. I use my 410 Mossberg Shockwave and 410 Mossberg 500 loaded with 3" 000 buckshot which works well for me and my wife. We are both disabled so the 410 works better for us. I did enough testing that 5 pellets of buckshot out of a 410 gets enough penetration out to 25 yards and they will hold a nice tight pattern out to 15 yards. The pattern opens up to about 12-14 inches at 25 yards.
 
A shotgun isn't my 1st line of defense but is still an effective tool in the toolbox.

I still think a handgun is the better option INSIDE MY home. There is no place where a shot would be over 5 yards and closer to 3 yards is more typical where I live. If I were to use a long gun a shotgun wouldn't offer me any advantage over an even smaller AR or other small carbine in a centerfire cartridge.

But there is at least 1, usually 2 shotguns readily accessible if something comes up in the yard. From my home, on any of the 4 sides to my property line a shotgun is more than adequate, and I'm at the range outdoors where the pattern of a shotgun would be an advantage trying to hit a moving target. At 3-5 yards indoors it wouldn't be an advantage over a rifle, and the bigger more cumbersome gun might be more of a disadvantage compared to a handgun.
 
Secondary to EDC, but very much part of the plan.
I voted option #2.

There are neighbors very close nearby (apartment/condo living), so a rifle for defense would be a very last resort. A pump shotgun works well for my needs right now.
 
I have one available with some buck rounds (in the room with the rest of the hunting guns, deer mounts, etc.) Its a ithaca 37 with 20" smoothbore and rifle sights. I also have several 9mm Glocks loaded and ready for use conveniently hidden through the house so I don't have to walk around with a holstered pistol. In the event of an incident, handguns will be what is in play.
 
Guess I live a sheltered life or just in a good spot because I've never been that scared.

Oh, I wouldn't say people who prepare for unlikely but unpleasant situations are scared, necessarily. But people do suffer home invasions, regardless of the "status" (I suppose we could say) of their neighborhood. And whilst it may or may not be a daily occurrence, nationally speaking, it's far from unheard of.
 
Got one for backup and in case the local bears decide to come for some pie. Very unlikely but the law had to shoot one in 2018 about 8 miles away. First choice - Gaston's prodigies.
 
I do keep a 20 gauge SxS loaded with #4 shot that has a Mod and a Full barrel next to my bed but I also will be carrying a handgun during the day and that hadgun will be on the computer table next to my bed at night. In case of a home invasion (and there have been several over the decades somewhat nearby but so far not in my subdivision) I will be ever be doing room clearing or going to confront any invaders but will certainly try to where ever I happen to be a place to avoid.

There are also several loaded firearms in a quick open safe next to my bed that I can get to relatively quickly and easily.

Firearms though are the last and hopefully least needed resources.
 
I do keep a 20 gauge SxS loaded with #4 shot that has a Mod and a Full barrel next to my bed but I also will be carrying a handgun during the day and that hadgun will be on the computer table next to my bed at night. In case of a home invasion (and there have been several over the decades somewhat nearby but so far not in my subdivision) I will be ever be doing room clearing or going to confront any invaders but will certainly try to where ever I happen to be a place to avoid.

There are also several loaded firearms in a quick open safe next to my bed that I can get to relatively quickly and easily.

Firearms though are the last and hopefully least needed resources.
#4 shot is devastating at room distances. I like 1 1/2 ounce turkey loads.
 
Same Mossberg 500 has been at the ready since 2007. Keep it full of 15 pellet 00 buck and i'd pity anything that gets a belly full of that .
Yeah, my carry pistol goes in my drawer and would be quicker but if I have any amount of time I'll grab the shotgun . if I have zero time, 10 rounds of 45 acp will have to do.
I have small children so it's not like it used to be, propped up in the corner but it's still very quick to grab- under 10 seconds.
My alarm system passed away in january, a 110# German shepherd named Cletus. I trusted that guy to alert me if so much as a squirrel was on the driveway, never trained him for that it's just how he was. It was annoying to have a dog that barks at everything but I always knew if something somewhere moved. That left plenty of time to retrieve my shotgun. My tactics have changed due to his passing but the shotgun remains the "bump in the night" gun.
 
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