Good home defense shotgun

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I'll offer a different option, the F&N Police Pump. Brand new for ~$350. Has rifle sights, 18.5" barrel, 7+1 capacity. I LOVE MINE.
 
A Taste Of Italy...

I'm going one step further. I own a Remington 870 and I love it. I own a Mossberg 500 and love it....I own a Benelli Super 90 and really, really love it...I'm just full of love aren't I? :neener:

You want a scattergun for under 500 smackers? Look into a Benelli Nova Tactical Pump Shotgun. It has all the features of the Super90 in a pump, plus you have a recoil reduction option as well. i have fired one of these shotguns and was very impressed.... I just saw one for $300.00 and change....
 
Just read the article and I'm still not sure which I'm going to get. I'm going to go to a pawn shop and look at both, then I'll make my decision.
 
Find relatives and friends who have shotguns. Get them to take you out with their shotguns and let you shoot them. YOU buy the ammo, keep it to light loads. Shoot every different make and model you can get hands on. Note what you like about particular ones, and what doesn''t work for you as well.

THEN make up your mind what you want to buy. Don't discover you made a mistake after you bought the gun based on someone's advice on the internet.





'Course, if you buy an 870, you won't make a mistake... 8^).

lpl/nc
 
Not spekaing from experience, but something so pervasive that it seems to be a general truth-->The reason not to get a pistol grip is that they are not as quick or easy to aim, and will not tame recoil as well, making follow-up shots much harder.
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Are you referring to a pistol grip only... or a full stock w/integrated pistol grip?
 
I would do that lee, but I don't know anybody that has any kind of 12 gauge. I have a friend that has some kind of 20 gauge, but thats a lot different
 
I have a friend that has some kind of 20 gauge, but thats a lot different
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Respectfully disagree.
Best kept secret is a 1100 20 gauge.
Bone stock, fixed choked Skeet or IC barrels.


Lee's point is the same one I and others have repeated umpteen bazillion times:

Try before you buy.

One has to actually shoot a variety of shotguns to see what fits them, how they do with the various platforms, controls and everything.

Get someone that knows about eye dominance, gun fit, and a seasoned shooter to assist with various guns to try [actually shoot] and to assist with picking a gun.

Get a bone stock gun [plain simple with full stock]and then get training with again a seasoned shooter/ trainer/ instructor.
These folks will then "read" your personal situation and if..."IF" you need curb feelers and fuzzy dice hanging off it , they will suggest so.

20 gauge.

MY serious situation shotgun is a Youth 20 ga single shot shotgun.
I prefer slugs .

I have, I know Lee has, I know others have and ARE using 20 gauge Shotguns for serious use.

Lady Friend uses a 870 pump shotgun in 20 gauge. She shot ~500 rds in 4 days, including low light , and 100 rds of buckshot, and 200 slugs.
She can take that bone stock 870 in 20 gauge and shooting a slug take the shot with a BG holding a knife to a hostage

One of our friends uses $85 JC Higgens 12 gauge pump and $95 JC Higgens 20 gauge pump - found at the Pawn Shop.

He has some nice guns - real nice. Still he just likes using these less than a $100 Pawn Shop finds - for everything.

hehehe...we was putting "cloverleafs" onto a empty Marlboro Red Cigarette box with slugs with both his pump guns.

There are shotgunners - and there are those that happen to have a shotgun Mentors
 
Well, the friend that has a 20 gauge is currently living 4 hours away, so it still doesn't do me much good:(
 
New or Used Remington 870 or 11-87 Police model or the Mossberg 590A1.

I'm not really crazy about the HD Remington 870's or the gussied up Tactical's.

Steve
 
Remington 870 ...
Mossberg 500 ...
Benelli Nova Tactical Pump Shotgun....
F&N Police Pump...
Winchester 1300 Defender...
Ithaca
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It's all good. I have a Mossy and prefer the lighter weight and the safety. Carry a Remmy at work occasionally and it's fine, but heavy.

You really can't go wrong. Go play with a few, hit the controls a few times, and shoot a few if you can.

Also, nothing wrong with a used shotgun. Very few get shot enough to wear anything out.

I wouldn't feel poorly armed with any of the above or any current 12g pump on the market.
 
I bought a Mossberg 500 in the home defense variant for not much over $200 if I remember correctly. It has an 18 1/2 inch barrel along with the 8 shell capacity (or 9? I haven't been home to see it for awhile :( )

It also came with the pistol grip, which makes it very short and very 'pointable'. This handyness also seems to translate into quite a lot of recoil, especially when shooting the 3 inch 00 buckshot I bought along with it. I'm not that big of a guy though and I was still able to manage without that much discomfort...it's just not something I'd want to go off in my hands if I wasn't ready.


For the price, it also came with a head shield...and I've been thinking seriously about putting on the Knox folding, recoil reducing stock (the COPstock I think).

I would endorse the Mossberg given my experience, but for $500 you can likely find something with a traditional stock that's a little more upscale (a nice 870 or a 590, perhaps).
 
cbm,

Sorry you don't have anyone to sponge off of in order to get hands on some scatterguns. You're hanging around with/related to the wrong kind of people, it seems... 8^).

Failing relatives and friends, then, I suggest you look around your area/region for gun clubs or even ranges that rent guns. A good gun club would be your best bet, many offer introductory lessons to new shotgunners as well as a variety of rental guns to try out.

And failing that, make sure you at least handle and shoulder the full gamut of major American makes/models before you make a decision. Getting the 'feel' of a gun is better done in live fire, but one does what one can.

It wouldn't hurt to note your general location either, as there might be a fellow THR member close enough to help out some...

lpl/SE NC
 
The Saiga 12 gauge shotguns are great guns, they are just not very traditional looking so it scares some away from them.

The downsides for me are the extended magazine and pistol grip that can more easily get caught on things, plus the magazines are fairly spendy.

But it is on my short list of purchases just to piss off the Democrats and anti-gunners.:evil:

Steve
 
The Saiga 12 gauge shotguns are great guns, they are just not very traditional looking so it scares some away from them.

The downsides for me are the extended magazine and pistol grip that can more easily get caught on things, plus the magazines are fairly spendy.

But it is on my short list of purchases just to piss off the Democrats and anti-gunners.
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The stock Saiga 12-gauges don't have a pistol grip, although a lot of people modify them to add one and make the gun even more AK-looking. Saiga does make a low-profile 2-round mag for it, but they're pretty hard to locate.

I'm a registered Democrat and I have a Saiga rifle in .223. I was pretty pissed off at myself when I bought it. In fact, I almost stopped talking to myself. But now, hey, I've decided to cut myself some slack.
 
Double barrel 12g coach gun with hammers. Handy, very intemidating, no safety to worry about, and costs about $200.00. Ask Doc Holliday.
 
under $500, 12 gauge

870P

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Any reputable maker (including Ithaca, Winchester, Benelli, Mossberg, Remington and Browning, to name a few).

I would personally go for an 18-21" barrel with ghost ring or rifle sights. The main reason the shotgun is known for close range defense, is because it has been pressed into such duty by those who owned one for other purposes. Better sights will allow more careful shots if you have time, and also allow long shots on turkey (if you get a shotgun with a choke) or deer (with slugs).

Of course, I personally believe reduced recoil slugs are the way to go for home defense. I saw a test of a (Federal?) RR slug three days ago, that penetrated less than 15" of gel. Ballistic gelatin allows deeper penetration that tissue, so the whole point is that RR slugs will not tend to overpenetrate, despite what some claim.

John
 
Home Defense

I use a rem 870 20ga youth shotgun.
The shorter stock and barrel work very well in the home.
Many gun dealers will tell you they sell youth shotguns more for home defense than for youths.
The shotgun has more uses such as hunting and trap shooting than combat shotguns have.

:) :) :) :)
 
Any US made pump will do well, The weak link is us. Shoot your shotgun of choice until it's a body part. Forgo the addons for now,

And follow my sig line...
 
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