Single Shot Shotguns for Defense

If Magpul would just make a pistol-grip stock for that puppy...

Respectfully. My $265 Remington 870 Express is my HD shotgun. I have a couple single shot shotguns and they are in the gun safe.

Also, my Glock 23 is 2 feet from my pillow.

The mind set today is more is better. More as in rounds. The single shot certainly will get the job done! Although , one and done leaves no room for error. J s/n.

I guess I would consider something like my Marlin 120 12 gauge as my third line of defense, that is if it was the only gun loaded and available at the time that I needed it. Other than that my first line of defense in a shotgun would still be my Maverick 88.

I think we can all agree that a pump or auto is greatly preferred for home defense. But the OP was stating that if one was severely limited in the funds department and all that could be acquired was a single barrel, I think that's fine. When I was a pup many years ago I started with a Winchester 37 in 20 ga, and I became quite proficient in rapid reloading and getting multiple shots off at rabbits and doves.

I believe that in most HD situations there may be a single intruder, and even if there are more than one, the sight of the lead guy crumbling after a blast from a single barrel shotgun will likely change the minds of any follow-on bad guys. Of course that may not happen, but it's pretty hard to prepare for an absolute worst case scenario. Me, I like a Winchester 97 riot model which is behind the front door.

As someone said earlier, a single shot is far superior to a no shot.

I love them but my 870 class of 1982 is my go to. But I have them in the barn and wrapped in old blankets under the seat on my truck.

I was able to pick up a 'demo', but new H&R Pardener pump for $160 about 1.5 years ago. They are out there. Much rather have five loaded than one. My guess would be a $40-50 difference between the single shot and the Pardner.
Could I make a single shot work? Sure. Would I want to? Not if I had a choice.

I agree but they are very useful to have around the farm. Mainly cause if they walk off they don't cost much. Dad got one in the shop at 40 years old and it rest in a gun sock resting on 2 pegs over the shop door.

Respectfully. My $265 Remington 870 Express is my HD shotgun. I have a couple single shot shotguns and they are in the gun safe.

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Now that is a very respectful expression of a reasonable point of view, but a lot of folks can only afford the most basic of protection. I think the single shot shotgun fulfills that niche, although like many have pointed out an inexpensive pump is not that much more.

28"-barreled 20-gauge, above a 20"-barreled 12-gauge. Both were made in 1940.

Must be the stock design, because where the 20-gauge doesn't hold back on the recoil, the chopped 12-gauge is, simply put, "yeeHAWWW!"

Needs a light. Whether it's a single-shot 20ga or a SCAR-17, I want a light on the gun if there's a possibility that I may have to use it for defense. Target ID is crucial.

I think every time this type of thread comes up on single shot shotguns,folks need to look at this vid from Clint Smith:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NSLxxDWpOI

I agree they can make wonderful defensive tools for not a lot of money,not everyone can afford a Benelli or tricked out MSR.

Many cannot even pony up for a decent used pump gun in the Rem 870 or Mossy 500 class.

A good used single can be had for 40-50 bucks,sometimes less. A lot of single shots in the closet that could be better purposed as a HD tool, than a gun that will not be used for hunting.

You can use a baseball bat if you want to, but I'm not going to.

Virginian said:

You can use a baseball bat if you want to, but I'm not going to.

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And your point is????? Many Folks don't have the income for pump gun. Clint showed in his Thunder Ranch video if it all you got it will work. I love them to place around the farm with out worrying about Rust ,theft or Loss.

Deltaboy said:

And your point is????? Many Folks don't have the income for pump gun. Clint showed in his Thunder Ranch video if it all you got it will work. I love them to place around the farm with out worrying about Rust ,theft or Loss.

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It all comes down to such things as competency, practicality, budget constraints and willpower. You can use anything from your fists to a 50 cal to defend yourself, but at some point you're going to have to deal with what's right for you. And what's right and workable for you may not be what's right for others.

I've hunted small game and birds with shotguns all my life ... single shots to semi autos. They all work and they all can defeat an adversary. Dove is one thing; your life is something else entirely.

Is a single shot shotgun a viable defense piece? It can certainly thwart and attack, but do you really want to give yourself only one "shot" at survival? I don't and I'd guess with all the talk about high capacity magazines and follow up shots it seems to me most people want that second or third shot security. Maybe that 17th shot security.

If a single shot is all you have, and can get, then use it. But there are evidently better choices for most of us.

How is a single-shot impervious to rust?

very attractive gun. you have me thinking of getting one. i've been looking at double barrels but i believe in the one good shot line of thinking. i just practice more.
thanks for the write up.

Inebriated said:

How is a single-shot impervious to rust?

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Did not say that but if it gets some in storage Since I Am only into it for 40 bucks I'm not crying about it. On the farm we keep them wiped down it Tractor AT fluid. So I only got rust on a 22 that my cousin put up in untreated in a barn loft.

When I was a broke college student, my self defense battery was a Ruger Standard 22lr pistol and an H&R Topper .410 single shot. I put a five round cuff on the Buttstock.
The H&R .410 had a good ejector...I could press the barrel release next to hammer and the barrel would drop and really kick out the empty. It was pretty fast, and I felt pretty well armed with a round of .410 buckshot and the Ruger 22.

you can get 12 guage loads that are actually lighter recoil than many 20 ga. loadings. That being said, you made a good choice, and if you get really familiar with that shotgun, you can keep up a respectable rate of fire. Since the shell is ejected with some force, you will soon develope the habit of rocking the gun to the outboard side to avoid ejecting hot shotgun shells into yourself. That's a dead simple, easy to maintain, nearly foolproof shotgun. When you can afford it, back it up with a nice older revolver in good repair, or a new Armscor revolver [about the same price] and your are ready for almost anything.

The first shot gun I ever bought was one of those. I too chopped one down, big mistake, the recoil was unbelievably painful.

My wife and I raised 5 Son's, each one got a brand new one on their 6th birthday, usually a .410 or a 20 ga.. But because they shot the snot out of them, they usually developed problems of one sort or another, which the cost of the SG, often times out weighed the cost of repair. Just a rough guess, but I've probably had some where between 12 - 15 of them over the years, and in varying chamberings ranging from 410 ga. to 12 ga.. Great little shot guns for the money though.

BTW, I also chopped a 20 ga. down 18.5", and with 3" magnums it was still pretty uncomfortable to shoot, not as bad as a 12 ga, but still a hand full with a typical self defense shell. I wouldn't cut them down that much, maybe 22" would be better for such a light weight SG.

GS

They are some fun guns.

I moved out on my own when I was 19 years old. It was a rural area. State Police where the only ones to call if a problem arose. A 30 minute response time would have been exceptional (unless a trooper happened to be patrolling in the area). Most likely response time 45 minutes to an hour. I had a Sears branded single shot 20 gauge shotgun, and that's what I kept nearby for defensive needs. That was all I had for about the next 7 or so years. Never knew I should feel unprotected, and so I didn't. Truth is I never needed it, but I had grown pretty handy in getting off two quick shots while squirrel and pheasant hunting. That shotgun has since been handed down to my son, whose next birthday will be his 19th.

The recoil on these cut down single shots can be vicious with full power loads. I would recommend reduced recoil loads and in particular the mini-shell loads.

A good slip on recoil pad helps as well.

You can draw your own conclusions from informal testing on the mini shells as to penetration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtG6StDLorE

As I close in on my 50th year I would Cut down the stock and add a good recoil pad on any 12 gauge one.