Best for home defence

Aye. Use the search function, as there are dozens of threads asking about HD shotguns. Including one the first page of the shotguns sub-forum.

If you're on a budget and only wanna spend a couple hundred bucks, check out:

SAVAGE STEVENS "350"
INTERSTATE ARMS DEFENDER
H&R PARDNER PROTECTOR
MOSSBERG MAVERICK 88
NEW ENGLAND FIREARMS (NEF)

ALL of these have excellent "owner" reviews, and several come in 12 or 20 gauge, and with 18" or 20" barrels.

The Browning you have now wouldn't be bad.

I'd just add a bright light and laser to the shotgun to help you see what you should (or SHOULDN'T) be shooting and precisely where the shots will land.

A good light is a great idea. I don't care much for lasers. A shotgun is a pointing weapon, not something you aim. But I'm an old guy. This stuff is catching on lately.

My HomeLand Security shotgun is the 18-1/2" barrel Maverick 88 (made by Mossberg).

5 rounds of #4 Buck in the tube, plus 5 slugs in an elastic butt-cuff.

I second the Mav 88. Thats what I use. I suggest getting a light mount on so you can scare and blind whatever you are aiming at.

Get some buckshot for the A5. Then you can take your time while shopping for the pump gun, because you have the shotgun thing well covered already.

There are lots of good pumps. It is one of those design concepts that has really caught on, and no wonder: It's efficient, reliable and not too costly.

I'm well acquainted with the Mossberg 500 and the Remington 870. Both are good and I feel quite well armed with either.

Mossberg 500 with 20 inch barrel, I C choke, 00 buck. Proven peformance.

Even with a shotgun, at close range, you still have to be able to hit what you shoot at. Shotgun patterns don't emerge from the muzzle with a 20" or 30" diameter, they're pretty much bore size for several feet and spread out from there at various rates depending on a number of factors. People might call 'em scatterguns but at across the room range, that just isn't gonna happen.

The advantage IMHO that the shotgun has is in bore size and throw weight of its projectiles. Usually one good hit with a shotgun is a fight stopper - not that anyone can afford to take that for granted. A secondary advantage is that a good pump shotgun is generally fairly inexpensive to obtain compared to many other firearms, and many jurisdictions are shotgun friendly.

lpl

foghornl said:

My HomeLand Security shotgun is the 18-1/2" barrel Maverick 88 (made by Mossberg).

5 rounds of #4 Buck in the tube, plus 5 slugs in an elastic butt-cuff.

Click to expand...

You just described my exact set up. If yours has a heat shield and ghost rings, I'm checking the cabinet when I get home.

Here is my Mav 88 btw. I practice shooting cans about 5 to 25 yards with it. Sits by the bed. Along with a ruger SR9, Ruger LC9, and a Hi-point 45.

For me nothing tops my 870. It was my first gun, super durable, always reliable. I don't care for autos. I keep the chamber empty and squeeze the trigger to release the slide. This way when something goes bump in the night I dOnt have to depress the release I just give them the universal warning shot and go from there.

If it makes you feel better a only do it before I load it. Either way thanks for the recommendation.

I have a Stoeger 20" 12 gauge Coach Gun. I keep it loaded with 1 Win PDX1 which is a 1 oz slug topped with (3) 00 buck, the second barrel is loaded with #1 buck (16) pellets. It would be a rare occurance that more than two would invade our home where we live, the wife is a good back up and shoots a Rem 1100 20 gauge short barrel with #3 buck. That is our plan.
Jim

I prefer the Winchester pump guns. The recent model 1300 is nice, but I much prefer the 1200.

The Remington 870 or Mossburg 500 are freqent choices of police departments.

For indoor "social work", an 18 to 20 inch barrel is plenty, and easier to maneuver in tight spaces.

Here is a link to Buds gun shop. You can go there and compare and price shotguns you might want. They also have good prices. Don

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php