Does anyone NOT own a shotgun?

Living on a farm in a rural area, I have shotguns for different purposes. Besides, I just like shotguns. Got "a few."
My most likely "home defense" scenario is after dark, the chickens start raising a ruckus and the horses sound nervous and The Wife "suggests" I go check things out. I go forth with a Maglite, a .38 in my pocket, and my SXS 20 ga in my hand, with #6 birdshot in one pipe and #3 buck in the other - that way I'm covered for possum to coyote.
Doing chores during the day, a .410 NEF Pardner single shot is nearby, I put a sling on it so I could carry tools and it at the same time.
Retiring at night, there's a 12 ga pump loaded with buck in the closet, a Mini 14 leaning against the headboard, and a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt on the nightstand.
No tacticool stuff for me, I'm just an old guy keepin' it real with wood and steel.

 

A lot of post on here from guys that say they don't own shotguns and some give reason why they don't own or want a shotgun. Currious why they read the Shotgun Forum? Seems to be of some interest to them or they would not be checking it out. Just an observation with no implied meaning what so ever.

 

That depends entirely what your looking at. Not many new production guns can range from 100 bucks to well into the 6 figures.

 

Perhaps because the thread started in General Gun Discussion and there's still a redirect from there? Some people also read the forum using the "New Posts" menu item which will list posts from sections they might not normally visit.

 

shotgun

I believe as sig does there in my mind is not a better hd gun

 

A dependable shotgun is the one firearm I would never be without. I get the most range fun with rifles and handguns are great for concealed carry and close in home defense. But the power and versatility of a good shotgun is hard to beat. Shotguns are what I started out shooting 17 years ago at the age of 11. In that time I've come to understand that a good shotgun holds its own when it comes to home defense, hunting, and fun (clays or tin cans). Unless your main concern is concealed carry or shooting past 100 yards, you should not be without a shotgun. If you aren't good with it, practice with it, just like you would any other firearm. I would suggest that Droid buy himself a factory 24-28" barrel, which can be had for under $100. It will give you the versatility to switch out the barrel to shoot clays or go hunting. For home defense it's fine how it is.

 

Rice paddy daddy - you have all the bases covered and that is bad news for anyone or anything that comes messing around your place. I'm sure you and yours sleep good at night. I do and the last thing I see before I close my eyes is the Meprolight bead on my 12ga glowing in the dark. So I sleep good 'cause that is Daddy's night light.

 

Jorg - thanks for the explination as I was unaware of a redirect. Maybe those guys will keeping coming to the shotgun forum and regain the love.

 

Not reading the rest of the replies, here's my answer to the OP:

I believe everyone should have an HD long gun. That said, if you want a rifle or handgun instead of a shotgun, go for it. When I get a private range, I'm going to make the switch from shotguns to rifles.

When I got started on guns, I drank the pump-gun coolaid. Then I found out that, while more expensive, semi-autos are a better design for HD. Later on I realized that I'd rather have a rifle, but the only local range I like won't let me use one...so for now I use a shotgun for HD. But I'm with you; eventually it will be a rifle instead.

 

"Daddy's night light"....

AI&P, that's classic. Thanks....

I admit I'm a bit puzzled by folks stating they have little use for shotguns.

Shotguns are versatile as heck. Use them on things from marmots to moose, geese to giraffes, turtles to terrorists, expect good results.

On hostiles, the one shot stop ratio's about 99%.

I like rifles also, there's close to half a dozen here now and a good friend is building me a policy statement on an AR platform.

No shotgun willl take out a hostile (or a whitetail) at 300 clicks, but used within its range limitations and with proper ammo for the job, they're unbeatable.

And, a reliable tool that will last generations is available for a few day's pay.

What's not to like?....

 

Well, my daughter doesn't own a shotgun, but she's only seven...

This is me. I can't hit much in the air/moving w/ one and never bothered to learn. I've got two guns that I can get to quickly in the dark -- a .357 revolver and a 12 gauge. Most of the time when an emergency happens at night I'm struggling to unlock a safe to grab a .22 or .223, so I probably ought to rethink that strategy. The revolver and the shotgun are for people at night or rabid skunks or such coming around in the daylight. The normal night emergency is my wife deciding I need to go protect her barn cats from something ('yote, or a tomcat after new kittens). Since I don't want to shoot up my barn w/ the shotgun I go to the safe (she considers it "life or death", but it's not my life)

Even though I don't use the shotgun much, I feel like I need one of my own. My son is wanting a 12 gauge, I'll probably buy a cheap "big box" Mossberg or Maverick for him rather than share mine.

 

I know what your saying, but I don't do any of those things. I should have just bought a cheap 500 or 870 combo and been done. I went the tactical route and kinda have a one trick pony right now. Who knows... Maybe I'll just spring for a longer barrel for clays and see if that as fun as most think.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

 

If all you want is a gun for SD then you could have just stuck with your pistol in fact most suburbanites will never get to appreciate the true worth of a shotgun, but for this country boy a shotgun was my best friend growing up and even though I shoot my pistols more now I'll always have a shotgun.

 

That gun will grab and hold an intruders attention a heck of a lot better than any gun sending a single projectile in his direction per trigger pull...long or short. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Get some practice with it and keep it. They might not be expensive, but for sure they're not getting any cheaper either. Just my .02, but i would rather keep the scattergun and save my pennies for my other wants.

 

Excellent! Now go shoot it.
One nice thing about the Mossberg 500, you can easily change the inexpensive barrels. If you should choose to hunt deer with slugs, or birds like grouse, geese or duck, a quick barrel swap takes less than a half minute.

Sure, the 500 ain't quite as light and tight as more expensive guns, but it sure is versatile!

 

I have a Mav 88 in 12 gauge. I was shooting trap one day at Remington. This guy came out with a $6000 gun in all the garb. Asked if he could join the round. Sure he could. He offered a wager of $5 per station. Okay.

I cleared the round, and he hit 10 out of 25. Love my $140 shotgun. Just bragging

 

I started shooting 30+ years ago. Over that time, my interests change. It doesn't mean that I won't do something. Rather, I might do more of one thing and less of another for a while until I want a change. As such, I think there is a core assebly of firearms someone should own if they enjoy shooting. IMO they are

1. one center fire pistol
2. one center fire rifle
3. one shotgun
4. one 22 LR rifle
5. one 22 LR pistol

This rounds out the different kind of shooting you can do. If you don't care for shotguns, fine, but I'd keep and own one of them.

 

I would ALWAYS pick up my shotgun before a 9mm handgun for defending myself. there is a reason Police Cars all have shotguns in the trunk.

 

Your average fudd here. I was raised on shotguns and rifles. Shot some of my uncle's handguns and got my first, a single action .22 "Hawes" at 16, but took up handguns in earnest in college and after when I was old enough to afford 'em and had a job. I was given my first shotgun at age 7, a JC Higgins .410. It was what I shot my first doves on the wing with at about age 10. I was given a bolt action .22 rifle at age 9 for my birthday, still have that one. I inherited a 20 gauge 870 wingmaster, a Remington M722 rifle in .257 Roberts, and much later, a Smith and Wesson m10. I bought a new SxS (still have) in college. I've NEVER been without a shotgun of some kind or another since the age of 7.

At age 14, on my own with friends, I got into duck hunting. I was raised on the Texas coast and had all sorts of places to hunt ducks for free. Such was not the case with deer and such. It costs money (lease or buy land) in Texas to hunt these critters. I hunted mostly squirrel and waterfowl as a kid, did kill a deer or 3 on my grandpa's Leakey, Texas lease and a day lease with friends up in Llano. I always considered myself a rifleman because I was better as a kid with a rifle than I was at wing shooting. I virtually LIVED with a .22 rifle in my hands.

Well, I'm an accomplished wing shooter now, still love my rifles and handguns and can shoot 'em just fine, but I still love the challenge of doves, ducks, and geese and the fun times afield with friends. I don't shoot at paper. I'm a sportsman, a wing shooter. It's what I do, and you can't do that with anything less than a shotgun. I only own 7, but that will grow a little as I am in retirement now and have little else to worry about, kids grown and working.

 

I don't have one YET, but I am seriously considering filing ATF papers and buying the tax stamp for a 14 inch barrel version. If its going to go boom, it might as well go BOOM.

 

It's not a move, but rather an addition except where single projectiles are considered safer for bystanders. If you really want to learn something stop looking to Hollywood for firearms knowledge and research it for yourself.

Refer to the above.


As far as the effectiveness of several .32 .33 or .36 caliber bullets compared to single projectiles... there simply is no comparison. I had a cousin shot with a .44 magnum... pretty powerful round releasing lots of energy into the body wouldn't you say? well he drove several miles before he succumbed to blood loss.

I had a friend shot with a .380 and he ran a block til he made contact with a passing motorist and then drove himself to the hospital where he passed away hours later after surgery.

I had a BIL shot with a load of 00 from a 12 gauge and he did not take a single step as he lay dead where he stood only seconds before.

My pappy told me about a gunfight at a gentleman's house he witnessed where a fellow shot at the homeowner with a rifle and the homeowner grabbed his scattergun loaded with 00 and returned fire and the distance separating them allowed enough spread that the guy holding the rifle was hit in the head and the heart with a single trigger pull.

Had either of the men that were shot with the .44 magnum or .380 acp been armed they could have returned fire perhaps killing those whom shot them, but the guy's hit with the shotguns and 00 never had the chance.

You can easily research the effectiveness of shotguns when compared to weapons launching single projectiles by simply talking to surgeons. It's easy for a target shooter to play armchair expert when he/she has never actually seen the results of what bullets do to tissues nor felt warm blood grow cold.

 

Well, everybody else has expressed an opinion...

Here's mine:

Life is a Three Gun Sport.

A man needs a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol.

Oh, you can play without all the equipment needed if you want to, but the team isn't going to the world series when the outfielders are catching bare handed.

Know what I mean?

 

Just admit you bought it cause you wanted to be cool....

You could attempt to shoot clays, might not fair to well with such a specific purposed weapon thou. However, you can easily, and relatively cheaply, ditch the short barrel and collapsible stock for a long ribbed barrel and a standard stock and fair better..

You can from shooting small game birds to the biggest game in N. America in the same mag tube.. No other weapon offers that flexibility.