Home-Protection...

XavierBreath, you said, "Replace the plastic safety button with a steel one". Sorry, I do not know how to do quotes here, but I just wondered where to get the steel safety button?

GZOh, I also agree with Justin's post. I am also new to a shotgun, having just bought my first a couple of weeks ago. I god a good deal at Big 5 on a Mossberg 500 Persuader/Crusier. It has a 20" barrel and holds 8 rounds. I got it foe $239.99. I think it is a great shotgun. I still need to practice with it, but I feel that it was money well spent.
I am not sure that there is a BEST SHOTGUN. Just get one and learn to use it. Between the Mossberg 500 and the Remington 870 Express, it seems to be a Ford vs Chevy deal. Either are good and will be a great gun. Handle them both and pick the one that feels good to you.

Ron

Justin nailed it.

Thanks, Justin.....

The other guns' barrels would just heat up to searing temps after two or three tubes full of ammo.

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I don't understand why you were touching the barrels.

I shot a few hundred rounds through my shotgun with weekend, and I have no idea how hot the barrel got. I never touched it.

Metal Mossberg 500 safety button

Oversized metal Mossberg 500 safety button

In case you prefer Midway USA, one more.

Be careful not to lose the detent ball when you swap them out.

not likely, no, but still very useful for extended practice sessions which are arguably just as important. I'm just saying I'd rather have a heat shield than not...

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As a newbie shotgun owner who has spent a few hours so far at the range shooting a few hundred rounds, I certainly agree with this comment. It's not like I intentionally try to touch the barrel, but when I do...ouch!!!

I have to ask though, why all the attitude against PGO shotguns? For a HD- only weapon, an 18" barrel with a PGO and a laser sight seems like the perfect HD shotgun setup.

Or not?????

I have to ask though, why all the attitude against PGO shotguns?

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It's a personal thing. I prefer to aim my guns by looking down a barrel at sights or beads. I'm more accurate that way. A defensive weapon is only useful if it can stop a threat. If you can't hit what you need to, the threat is not stopped.

If you want a pistol grip only shotgun with a laser sight, buy one. If you can consistently hit what you want with it at the distance you need to, then keep it. If you can't effectively and reliably stop a threat with it, then look at the gun objectively and decide whether you want something that you can use more effectively.

I couldn't hit squat consistently with a pistol grip shotgun fired from the hip. They are great fun though.

Here is another vote for the Maverick. I own 2 pump shotguns, a 7+1 20" maverick and a very nice old ithaca DS police. The Ithaca is a great shotgun, but its a bit more expensive than the maverick The maverick has had ~1500 trouble free rounds through it and for less than $200 I cant ask anymore from it!

Nut'in like the sound of a good 'ole pump shotgun racking the slide, in order to let a potential perp know that you are willing too take his head slap off~!

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Oh boy, there it goes.

Look, if you're going to rack a shotgun, let it be because you need to load a round into the chamber in preparation of a possible attack, not because you want to "let the perp know" that you're willing to throw down. If nothing else, the "perp" will be alerted to your presence, and not give a damn about you having a shotgun. Or, he (and possibly his accomplices) will coordinate to close on your position and attack you/open fire with their own weapons.

If you want to scare an intruder, get a dog. Failing that, stop counting on the sound of a shotgun being brought into readiness striking terror into the hearts of intruders.


And you know what I just realized? Unless the person is already -extremely- close to your position, it's pretty unlikely that they'll even hear the dang thing being racked. Try for yourself - turn off all the things that would make noise in your house, so that it's as close to how your house would be in the middle of the night. Have your wife (or husband, or girlfriend, or kid, whatever) stand in your bedroom (or whatever area you'd likely be in when deploying the shotgun) with the door closed.

Now go down the hall (or downstairs, where a burglar might first enter the house) and have the person with the shotgun rack it as hard as they can. I'll bet that what you hear (if anything) doesn't sound even remotely like a shotgun being racked. Couple that with the fact that not everybody is familiar with that sound (shocking, right?) and you've got a pretty ineffective "intruder deterrent".

Well I owned a Mossberg 500A 24inch barrel BDU camo and times became tough and I had to sell it. Lately I have been wanting another one and decided on a Remington 870 HD which is $299. I figure if I can't hit the prep in 7 shots well then he deserves to kill me whatever. I have heard that mossbergs are cheaper made than Remingtons but that might just be opinion.

Look, if you're going to rack a shotgun, let it be because you need to load a round into the chamber in preparation of a possible attack, not because you want to "let the perp know" that you're willing to throw down. If nothing else, the "perp" will be alerted to your presence, and not give a damn about you having a shotgun. Or, he (and possibly his accomplices) will coordinate to close on your position and attack you/open fire with their own weapons.

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Racking a pump shotgun to alert someone breaking into your home comes with the territory, every pump shotgun has the same characteristics. Whether it scares them or alerts them makes absolutely no difference. The "perp/perps" have made the decision to burglarize your home and you react. Racking a round lets them know the intended victims are armed and ready, they now have the choice to either fight or run, and it all takes place in a matter of seconds.

If you want to scare an intruder, get a dog. Failing that, stop counting on the sound of a shotgun being brought into readiness striking terror into the hearts of intruders.

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The first thing on a victims mind is fear. If racking a shotgun helps then more power to the victim.

And you know what I just realized? Unless the person is already -extremely- close to your position, it's pretty unlikely that they'll even hear the dang thing being racked.

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Unless you live in some type of Mc Manson they'll hear it. Buglers want to steal things not confront some homeowner.

Couple that with the fact that not everybody is familiar with that sound (shocking, right?) and you've got a pretty ineffective "intruder deterrent".

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Maybe the don't know. What the intruder does know is someone else is in the house and is doing something that the intruder didn't consider when breaking into a house.

Justin got it right but I would add two things.

The one thats loaded and ready to go.

My choice is remington 870

England firearms pardner pump 12ga it's a Remington 870 clone for only 180 $ brand new i have one with the 18 inch barrel and i love it i also have a 26" barrel with a mod choke for the same gun that i use for clays i have have put close to 2000 rounds though it with no problems and you just cant beat the price

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I bought a NEF after checking out the current crop of Mossbergs. The Mossbergs felt like the forearm was broken with all the loose play. I have always bought Mossberg but if that is as good as they make I will look elsewhere.

I'm with Justin to. The best shotgun is one that is reliable with your chosen defense ammo. You are the most important component of a shotgun. More important than any side saddle, extension or any fancy sighting system. Buy alot of ammo and above all get training before you buy any aftermarket parts. You'll be surprised on how well you do in a class with just an off the shelf shotgun.

Flip.

I don't understand why you were touching the barrels.

I shot a few hundred rounds through my shotgun with weekend, and I have no idea how hot the barrel got. I never touched it.

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During my normal course of practice, which includes a variety of positions (prone, kneeling, and standing), malfunction drills, select slug drills, shooting from cover, etc., I always end up getting a finger tip or two on the barrel and I can attest that after doing several six shot repetitions, my barrel is hot.

I applaud you for having the handling skills that prevents this from happening to you. I'm hoping that some day I'll be able to shoot hundreds of rounds and never accidentally touch the barrel either.

Rolling thunder drills with Louis Awerbuck will get that barrel hotter than snot on a skillet. And yes, I touched the barrel.

Flip.

For a HD- only weapon, an 18" barrel with a PGO and a laser sight seems like the perfect HD shotgun setup.

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In addition to it's other shortcomings, you won't be able to get off follow-up shots(in case you miss, or the perp keeps on attacking you) as quickly as with a stocked shotgun.

Dave Mccracken, if I'm correct, was in law enforcement, and they favor stocked shotguns for a reason.

And if the guy is new to shotguns, a 12 gauge's recoil is intense even with a stock, it would be far worse with a pistol grip.

And if you really want a pistol grip, at least get a folding stock for it.

What's the best shot-gun (reasonably priced) for home-protection (size, gauge, brand)?

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I don't know what the best is because I haven't owned them all.

Of the several that I have these two are pretty good.

The shotgun isn't my primary HD gun but these two are kept by the front and back doors.
Equipped with laser/lights the hit probability (for me) is greatly increased.

Remington 870.


Ithaca 37.

I'll add my voice to the Remington 870 crowd. Best general purpose shotgun out there.

In addition to it's other shortcomings, you won't be able to get off follow-up shots(in case you miss, or the perp keeps on attacking you) as quickly as with a stocked shotgun.

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Not always true.
I tested the speed with my PGO Ithaca and the speed of (accurate) follow
up shots were as fast and faster than (me) with a pistol, or my stocked 870. (laser not used)

Frankly I was suprised at the speed and accuracy with the PGO shotgun when firing as fast as I could.

Dave Mccracken, if I'm correct, was in law enforcement, and they favor stocked shotguns for a reason.

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Law enforcement favors a lot of things because most LEO are terrible shots. I'm speaking from experience as an ex LEO.
Only ONE of my partners EVER shot their guns except when required to on the police range.

I use the Remington 700 Tactical. It holds 7 rounds total of 2 3/4 rounds. I like the pistol grip and collapable stock (a la Ar-15). It's light enough, and the steel receiver is drilled and tapped for a scope base. I keep mine loaded with:

1. 00 buckshot
2. slug
3. 00 buckshot
4. slug
5. 00 buckshot
6. slug
7. 00 buckshot

Doc2005

I'm with Justin on this and it's why I'm selling my Beretta FP1200 "Doom Gun" to get one that I can hunt with and shoot a lot more.

I'm looking at a Browning BPS Upland since it's something that I can/will use a lot more and will therefore know better.

I would far rather have a gun that I know well and have shot a lot than the latest most tricked out thing going that I have only fired on 3 or 4 occasions.

In my house, you can hear the faucet dripping upstairs during the night.

At this time, I keep the 870 with the magazine full and the chamber empty with the slide locked. (Cocked.) This means you have to press the lever on the edge of the trigger guard to pump it. This is the compromise I need because I still have kids nosing around the house.While it isn't my preferred setup, I will absolutely accept as a side benefit the sound of the slide.

The only pistol grips I would use would be the Speedfeed style that has the grip AND the buttstock. In close quarters, you need the stock as a striking weapon.

Not always true.
I tested the speed with my PGO Ithaca and the speed of (accurate) follow
up shots were as fast and faster than (me) with a pistol, or my stocked 870. (laser not used)

Frankly I was suprised at the speed and accuracy with the PGO shotgun when firing as fast as I could.

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Why don't more 3-gun competiters use them then?

And let's not turn this in to a stock-vs pgo thread. Someone allready started one.

870 or 500/590, your choice.

For HD use you will probably want a fully stocked gun, PGO shotguns are more for looks or incredibly cramped places.

+1 on Justin's points.

When I was considering a HD shotgun, I looked to my 870 synthetic. I've cycled hundreds of rounds through it between my weekly skeet and trap shoots, and it's served me well in the field and with sporting clays, too. I can operate it so naturally, it was the perfect choice.

I just swapped the barrel with a 18.5" HD barrel, added an extended magazine and a TLR-1 light I can operate from the foregrip. Another necessity was a Wilson Combat oversized safety- I never had a problem with the silly j-lock safety my 870 came with, but I felt better eliminating that possibility.