4+1... Enough?

[Ranger Roberts]

I went with "no, but enough for HD". With the recent attacks on our men in blue I would think they would want as much ammo as possible. I would. I never had to use a shotgun in a combat situation but I have had to with a pistol and a carbine. My personal opinion, carry as much ammo as possible without sacrificing speed and dexterity.

 

[Panzerschwein]

I went with "no, but enough for HD". With the recent attacks on our men in blue I would think they would want as much ammo as possible. I would. I never had to use a shotgun in a combat situation but I have had to with a pistol and a carbine. My personal opinion, carry as much ammo as possible without sacrificing speed and dexterity.

I understand. However, it seems as if some consider the superior handling of the standard capacity 4 shot tubes to trump having 2-3 more rounds at their disposal.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Jeff Cooper said, "There is such a thing as enough ammunition. There is such a thing as not enough ammunition. There is no such thing as too much ammunition."

Why would you NOT have the extra two or three rounds in the magazine?

 

[Fiv3r]

I would feel fine with a 4+1 for home defense. Before I moved to the AR to protect home and hearth, my first go to was an 870p set up as such. I kept a bandoleer of shells with the gun just in case I needed extra.

Before I switched to the 5.56, I moved to an Ithaca DSPS 20" that is an older model that holds 7+1 and slam fires.

If I were an LEO, I would probably opt for the Ithaca over the 870, but for HD the 870 does swing a bit easier than the front heavy Ithaca. I would rather have more rounds.

I'm thinking an 18" 4 shot Mossberg may be on my short list since the old 870 was foolishly traded off some years back, and I think a compact 12 isn't a bad thing to have on hand.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Mossberg only makes 6-shot shotguns, as in 5+1. They do not as of current offer a 4+1 model.

I think that perhaps, one of the new "side saddle" type attachments might be good for a stock 870P. One that holds 4-5 rounds of ammo situated on the left side of the gun's receiver shouldn't be to heavy or obnoxious, and would allow for rapid reloading of the gun's tube...

Hmm... perhaps one of these standard capacity 4+1 Remingtons might be in my future soon. I've a 9-shot Mossberg M590A1 trench gun, and while it stores plenty of ammunition, it is quite front heavy especially when loaded. I think but am not certain that a 4-shot Remington 870P would point more naturally. I do know that the Remington has a steel receiver as opposed to the Mossberg's aluminum one so that might cancel out the difference.

 

[lemaymiami]

Cooldil - if you add an elastic butt cuff shell holder for the stock to that 4 shot 870 you'll find you have not only the extra ammo but the gun isn't front heavy at all, and feels very light and maneuverable in your hands... That's the way I've been set up for years (matter of fact I still have the original butt cuff with spare rounds as a souvenir of my days on the street - and a brand new butt cuff on the nice new Express I have now...).

Every shotgun I ever carried on the street had a butt cuff on the stock and a sling - both were pretty handy and easily transferred to another weapon if needed...

 

[Panzerschwein]

Cooldil - if you add an elastic butt cuff shell holder for the stock to that 4 shot 870 you'll find you have not only the extra ammo but the gun isn't front heavy at all, and feels very light and maneuverable in your hands... That's the way I've been set up for years (matter of fact I still have the original butt cuff with spare rounds as a souvenir of my days on the street - and a brand new butt cuff on the nice new Express I have now...).

Every shotgun I ever carried on the street had a butt cuff on the stock and a sling - both were pretty handy and easily transferred to another weapon if needed...

That sounds like a good idea as well. Did you ever use a flashlight with you issued shotgun? I am having a hard time finding a suitable light mount that isn't one of the very expensive Surefire forend mounts.

 

[entropy]

I have two Shotguns of the type we are talking about; An Ithaca 37, which holds 4+1, and an 870 Tactical Magnum, which holds 6+1, and has a SpeedFeed III that holds 3-5 rounds, depending on length. (I can put 4 2 3/4" and Mini-Shell in it)

The Ithaca is in my room, the 870 is in my safe waiting for the Zombie Apocalypse or what have you. (I do take it out and run it through it's paces occasionally, and it is also a back up deer gun.)

I voted 4+1 is enough. I know what I can do with either shotgun, and I know what the ammo can do to to a live target.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

While I have and use a shotgun as a home defense weapon, and think that is really the best choice, I have to admit I've only seen a shotgun used in combat once. We had two in my company (A-1/61 IN) and had both of them in action one night during an ambush. But none of the enemy dead were killed by buckshot.

A couple of days later, a woman showed up at a MedCap with an infected butt. The medics round a single buckshot pellet in one cheek.

 

[Black Knight]

I am a police officer and our department has Mossberg 500s with the 5 round magazine. We have had no problems with them and they handled every situation like champs.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Still, I'm reminded of John Coffee Hays, an early Texas Ranger Captain.

The Texas Navy had a quantity of Colt Patterson revolvers (experts differ on how many.) Texas couldn't afford a navy and Sam Houston had to disband it, but being thrifty, he re-used everything he could. The revolvers were to go to the Texas Rangers, and Coffee was asked how many he wanted.

He said, "All of them."

If I'm buying a shotgun for carry in a vehicle, I don't see why I should ask for less than the max capacity. The worst thing that could happen is I'd have ammo left over after the fight ended.