H/D Shotguns?

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If they would remove the "ban" on SBR and SBS, then handguns would probably fall in popularity for HD. Just sayin'
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Nah....I don't think so. A SBS might be great but it doesn't fit on or in a night stand. I also haven't come across too many people that are lesser experienced shooters that like the recoil and blast from short shotguns and a lot of rifles.

It would be great for guys like us but you gotta keep in mind most people that have guns hardly ever if ever shoot them.....and don't usually even think about the tactics of defending their property. They go to the store, buy what they think they might like or what the guy at the store tells them (or what they read online) and they stick it in their drawer. For most people that's going to be a handgun. For me....I like variety (it's also a great never-ending excuse to buy more guns).
 
I don't really "train" with my shotguns except I do have this cheap clay tosser I like to shoot clays off of informally in the yard when I'm bored. I hunt with my shotguns, don't have any dedicated HD shotgun. I keep the handiest gun I have, also my favorite dove gun, loaded with 3 buck. It's a 20 gauge coach gun. I bought a green light to clamp on it as it's also my night time chicken coup raider medicine and it'll do on hogs in the yard, though so far, the only hog I've shot in the yard was shot with my .308. The 20, though, is handy, by the bed loaded hammers down (internal hammers, to cock requires opening the action.) All my other long guns are locked away.
 
I keep a Glock 19 next to the bedside ready to roll with a rack of the slide.

The reason why the Winchester M12 riot gun stays in the closet, is because I live in a tiny studio apartment and by the time someone could bash through the front door, they would already be staring at me in the face!

Getting a long gun into action in that scenario wouldn't be so easy vs. a small and handy pistol. If someone starts a poundin' on the door or I am otherwise given some sort of warning to an attack, I can then fetch the M12 from the closet.

Currently I'm looking into getting a Glock 21 and using it as a dedicated bedside and travel car gun. I love my G19, but the G21's .45 ACP chambering and still impressive capacity of 13+1 would give me more confidence. I plan to add some Trijicon night sights and a light as well, both of which my G19 currently lack.

This is what works for me in my situation. If I lived in a larger house or had an alarm system, I might well keep my M12 shotgun as the primary bedside gun. Again, since I live in such a small apartment I feel the need to have the smaller, highly maneuverable pistol in hand right NOW when awoken at 3AM to a meth head with a chain saw cutting through the door is more important than the increased effectiveness of a long gun. And like I said, if the tactical situation allows I will "use the handgun to fight back to my long gun" as is such a popular saying these says!

It's all about weighing the options on what works best in your situation. A shotgun may well be the best HD option for many, and for others something like a 5.56mm carbine works best. In my case, it's a handgun.

JMHO.

YMMV.
 
Inside of a home, inside of 25 yards, a 12 gauge shotgun is probably the most violent hand held weapon period. 00 buck, no birdshot, (#4 would be as low as I'd go). Slugs are in the side caddy if I have to. That said, I'd really hate to have to shoot one inside of a 8x12 room without hearing protection, for that matter, shooting my 9mm handgun wouldn't be much fun either. My wife has her 38 snubbie next to her on the night stand, my 9mm is next to me, the safe is usually open when we are home, the 870 loaded and ready next to the AR which is the last one I'll grab. If the kids were still here or the grand child is over, EVERYTHING is locked up or on my person.
 
At 2:00am it's no time for depending on controlled aimed fire when up to 3 home invaders kick in the door, it's time for a Shotgun period.:banghead:
 
a shotgun with 18" barrel at household distances puts a pattern about three to four inches wide. you still have to hit your target.
 
My primary HD gun is a SIG P229R with a SIG STL900 laser/light module mounted on it. Back-up to that is a Maverick 88 with an 18" barrel, a shell holder (with 5 rounds of #4 Buck), and a Limbsaver on the buttstock.
 
There was an elderly lady manning the counter at the Ole Tyme Country store when the Texas ranger walked in. She spotted the .45 strapped to his hip and asked:

"Your brought your .45, are you expecting trouble?"

And the ranger replied:

"No Ma'am, if I was expectin trouble I'da brought a shotgun."
 
PGT said:
a shotgun with 18" barrel at household distances puts a pattern about three to four inches wide. you still have to hit your target.
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Which is still 6 - 8 times larger than the "pattern" of a single .45 slug. Turn those near misses into hits!
 
Skribs said:
Note that the image presented is for a 5.56mm with common self defense round. A harder bullet designed not to fragment will probably go a lot further than buckshot or pistol rounds. It's all in bullet design, and the faster the bullet is going, the more control you have with it over what it does.
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Not true, look at the image again. It includes M855 which is a 62g military ball load with a steel penetrator. It penetrates less because of the high velocity relative to the light weight and density, it comes apart pretty fast when it hits something.

Bullet design is very important, but it isn't independent of caliber. A M855 type bullet design in 7.62 or 30.06 is a whole different animal and would indeed penetrate a massive amount through a structure.

The backyard video of birdshot barely getting 4" penetration in a small pork shoulder was not impressive either. An adult male is larger than that pig, 4" is barely enough to reach the vitals, you can't count on a perfect frontal shot. It will likely be at an angle increasing the distance of penetration needed to get into the vitals and their arms will likely be in the way holding a weapon.

How far does birdshot penetrate in a chest cavity after going through a forearm? (Can it fully penetrate a forearm?)
 
mgkdrgn said:
Which is still 6 - 8 times larger than the "pattern" of a single .45 slug. Turn those near misses into hits!
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OK, but make a 4" circle and hold it on your body where the center of the cirlce would be a miss. Would pellets hitting on the edge of that circle (the edge of your body) stop a threat? Not unless they they decided to stop.

Within the vital zone is completely different. Now, instead of (just) a 9mm-.45 cal hole through the heart, perhaps we get 2-3 .33 cal holes in the heart, 2-3 in the right lung, 1 hole in the upper liver and 2-3 in the left lung. Way more trauma in 1 shot (many more wound channels). This is the real terminal advantage to the shotgun, multiple wound channels to multiple organs at once. Faster rate of incapacitation. Even shot through the heart, a human can have upwards of 30s or more of conscious voluntary control left.
 
If you're going to a gun fight, take a shotgun. If you can't take a shotgun, don't go.
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Only Holiday had his shotgun, the Earps had their .45s. :D

Long guns are easier to place hits with, especially a shotgun with a rib/bead that fits properly. I don't shoot doves with a pistol, after all. Wouldn't try even if it was legal. One exception is my .410 Contender, but it's not a serious hunting pistol, not with the .410 barrel on it. :D. Have shot starlings and cow birds with it, though. (legal)
 
I do agree that fads do play a role in what we use and buy. How else would the gun companies get us to buy more stuff. Having said that, there are definitely certain situations where a weapon that can be operated by one hand for home defense may be desired such as having children that you may need to hold or move. Yes, a semi auto rifle or shotgun may work for that but a pistol is easier. Point being, no matter the fad, there will never be conformance to just one style.
 
My primary self defense/home defense gun is a handgun. If I use a shotgun for defense it is a 12ga. loaded with OO buck shot.

This decision was made based on my training and experience. Any thing that is a danger to me or mine that is 50yds or beyond I would be wanting a rifle.

This is provide as information only :D

"do as you see fit, 'cause ya will any way" :neener:
 
For me, it's always been the pistol for my primary HD weapon. For years now, it's also been my EDC, a 3" 1911 in .45 ACP, as I can't see using anything else but what I carry on a normal basis. I do, however, also have a Colt AR-15 and a Mossberg 930 SPX for HD, as I like to have all bases covered. Things happen, public tensions are ratcheted up at times, police warn about escaped convicts, etc. Not so much where I am now, but old habits will likely never die.
 
I have both a handgun (9mm) and a 12 gauge shotgun for HD. Handgun is in a keypad safe next to the bed, and shotgun in a safe in the closet. The handgun comes first only because its closest. Given time to access either, I'd go with the shotgun, but if me and the wife are both in bed and someone breaks in she gets the shotgun and takes cover behind the bed, I take the handgun and flashlight.
 
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