The key is to get gun with ONE PIECE tube in something like Mossy 500 or 590. That gun is designed around the legendary Remington 31 action which the US Army said was the best pump action combat shotgun ever made. I would go with the all steel Mossy 590 they make wonderful pry bars. While I do not like guns that load and eject through same port for combat use the smoothest I have ever tested was Browning BPS with long mag tube. It had special finish which resulted in smooth stroking slide.I have a Remington 870 Express with a standard tube (4+1 capacity) and an 18" bead sighted barrel. I am debating whether to put a Scattergun Technologies +2 round extension on it. I would need to drill out the dimples.
The case for getting the +2 extension are obvious. You get 2 more rounds.
The case for sticking with the standard tube are that the gun will be lighter on the front end and faster handling. You could also say it might be slightly more durable with the standard mag, nothing to come lose. I think this is only a very, very slight factor.
Which would you go with and why? Are two extra rounds worth a slower handling gun?
What do you plan to do if you have no time for pants and belts etc.? Criminals don't knock. They enter. Your pants and no side saddle leave you for a sitting duck. Just a thought. I was very rudely awakened while sleeping at my shop about 12 years ago, and pants and shoes and socks didn't enter the picture. My neighbors commercial glass front door was shattered and he was firebombed. Yes, firebombed. With our front doors in very close proximity to one another, and nothing but drywall with no insulation, I couldn't tell that it was not my door, but his, that these criminals had smashed. Having said that, I made a decision that night, that my gun will always be fully loaded and ready to go. If I'm upstairs, it's upstairs. If I'm downstairs, it's downstairs. Shotshells on a pair of pants or belt that you have no time to put on will help you ZIP!!! Just my opinion, oughta' be yours! memphismarkI have tried my 870 with a +2 extension and I'm happier with with the standard 4+1. The effect on handling is significant. If 5 rounds and the ability to reload isn't enough then I'm in deep trouble.
I personally detest carrying spares on the stock for the same reasons of added weight. I'll carry my spares in my pocket or belt.
oldguy870 said:It is all about trade offs.
A lighter gun handles quicker. You can make a solid argument that, for up close and personal, SPEED is the key attribute you are looking for in a weapon. That means speed on target and speed of incapacitation.
If more ammo is so good, then why not a +6 round tube? +7?
Everything has advantages and disadvantages.
What do you plan to do if you have no time for pants and belts etc.? Criminals don't knock. They enter. Your pants and no side saddle leave you for a sitting duck
I'm amazed at the number of people who prefer a tube with less capacity, perhaps it's just because their personal shotgun doesn't not have an extension and so they are trying to justify it...
I have to agree with you on that. You can't even leave an old shoe outside at night or they'll steal it. I'm in Los Angeles area and it's expensive, but you're right, I gotta' get out of here someday.Firebombed! Memphis. Dude. You need a new neighborhood. Seriously.
Thank God no rounds were fired, they were gone pretty quick but that was a point I didn't make very well. Had it been my office door they smashed, they would have been on me in mere seconds. Just long enough to get thru the glass without getting cut up, and they would have been in! I was up 6 steps, no more that 7 or 8 feet away. Yikes!!! memphismark4+1 of a decent 12 gauge loading doesn't exactly make you a sitting duck.
In that instance of your next door neighbors shop being fire bombed, how many rounds did you have to fire?
The key phrase here is: 'on your waste'.....5 rounds of 00 buck in my gun with 21 rounds on my waist is "merciful"?
'Dat's wut'm talk'n bout!! Your AR comments make me feel much better. You've got me beat hands down now, but I'm gonna catch up some day. Hopefully this year I'll be putting an AR package together. FINALLY!!! "You go boy." If Zimmerman gets railroaded, which he very well may, you won't need it. But if he walks.......they'll hit the streets again. I'm just sayin'.Memphismark, I live in Orange County. We are practically neighbors.
My 870 is my defense gun during normal times. When firebombing starts being a problem in my zip code (a la Rodney King riots 2.0), I am converting my bullet buttoned AR15 to it's natural state with a 30 round magazine to deal with those types of problems. The gloves come off at that point.
In the mean time, 5 rounds on a quick handling 870 with extra rounds on my waist should get the job done.