Have tactical shotguns "lost it"?

[12Pump]

I've been noticing the lack of love for shotguns lately, at least in the area of tactical use. In forums, they hardly get any mention anymore. There's even a dedicated site with forums about shotguns. Not much traffic in the tactical section there anymore. Oh, and on a certain police-centered TV show (there are lots of them), they had a bad guy who killed someone with a shotgun, and the investigators are like, "How many shotgun murders have we seen in this city? Maybe 2 or 3? Looks like we got a 'redneck killer' on the loose".

I remember when the SG was called the #1 home defender. It was feared within gangs because of its "street cred", or whatever they call reputation. It is far more plentiful that AR rifles, and far more accessible as well, both in price and ammo availability.

Have things really changed that much lately?

 

[Jlr2267]

I would guess the SG is still #1 HD weapon. IMO, the most devastating short range firearm a civilian can own.

 

[HammsBeer]

Yes, shotguns are out of vogue as an HD weapon.

Most everybody wants AR's these days, and for good reasons. Shotguns still have their place, but they aren't the "in" thing now.

 

[Fast Frank]

"In" or not, I have a Remington 11-87P over here that I find very comforting indeed when things go bump in the night.

Sure, tactics and techniques have changed with the times, but buckshot will always work as good as it ever did.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

Not a awful lot to talk about in HD shotguns. They are what they are.

 

[guyfromohio]

I suppose if I lived in a house without children or the risk that a child may enter, a shotgun would make a fine hd gun....loaded and ready. As much as I train my kids, teach them, and have confidence in their young judgement, I don't overestimate the underdeveloped mind's ability to reason. A loaded gun in a mini vault is far easier to put into battery than a locked shotgun (in my situation). Also....and sounding completely closed-minded, other than color and materials, a pump is a pump, an auto is an auto for limited hd use. Now, talking about sporting and shooting tens of thousands of rounds, the differences become far more apparent. I would have just as much confidence in my 870 as I would in your Maverick if it simply sat under my bed with six rounds in the tube.

 

[Swing]

(shrug) I don't give a rip what is "in". The venerable scattergun, properly loaded, has a very long track record of making interlopers take a seat, when so required.

 

[PowerG]

They seem to sell a lot of the "tactical" type shotguns at the local stores...for SD at say 30 yards or less it is a fearsome weapon indeed.

 

[RugerBob]

I think many affordable tactical shotguns came from Russia and other countries. Not imported anymore.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

I've noticed the trend as well...

A few years ago, every forum talked about how the shotgun was the be-all-end-all. Now every forum talks about how flawed the shotgun is and you need an AR15.

That said, I stick with my Mossberg 500 Persuader. I know 6 rounds of heavy buckshot defense loads can make most any problem disappear pretty quickly

 

[Officers'Wife]

(shrug) I don't give a rip what is "in". The venerable scattergun, properly loaded, has a very long track record of making interlopers take a seat, when so required.

Exactly, if a home invader was climbing the stairs with the light in his eyes and my SAIGA 20 aimed at him I very much doubt his reaction would be that nobody uses a shotgun for home defense anymore.

 

[Ash]

I keep a Savage 720 - their licensed version of the A-5 - at the house. I also keep a Ruger Mini 14 GB. Both do what I want. But, then, I don't feel the need to attach every gimmick I can onto a firearm. Simplicity, with smooth lines and no protrusions, works best for me.

Shotgun is fearsome and universal. it works fine for big baddies as well as armadillos or rabid racoons.

 

[USAF_Vet]

one of my go to HD guns is my Maverick 88. No frills. It's black plastic, with rails and an AFG, so that qualifies as tactical, right?

It's a simple point and click interface, as are most shotguns. Not much to really discuss.

 

[bannockburn]

USAF Vet

I share your viewpoint as to a basic, no frills HD shotgun.

 

[Sam1911]

Have things really changed that much lately?

Remember that we're in probably the most intense period of wide and deep firearms development and testing the world has ever seen. Millions of guns sold per year, hundreds of millions of rounds fired in practice, training, and competition. Lots of things hitting the market all the time and being tried, adopted, wrung out, rejected, etc.

Where as through most of the previous century there were a few simple themes in the gun world, and lots of "received wisdom" about what was good and bad and what worked for what task, the last couple of decades has seen a massive explosion in the shooting population, and a lot of the old ideas have been challenged as people try different things and test out old ideas vs. new ones.

One thing that has come out of that is the realization that a shotgun isn't necessarily the best defensive arm for all people. That isn't a rejection of the venerable old scattergun, but instead a more coherent understanding of it's pluses and minuses. Holding true performance of the platform up to measurable reality instead of adhering to the legend of "massive" payload and "the bad guy running when he sees that big hole at the end of the barrel," etc.

They still work just as well as they ever did, but a large portion of the population has come to realize that other guns are more suitable for them, and just as capable.

 

[fpgt72]

They seem to sell a lot of the "tactical" type shotguns at the local stores...for SD at say 30 yards or less it is a fearsome weapon indeed.

You have one heck of a house if you have rooms that are 30yards.....did you win the power ball or something.

Black plastic rifles are trendy, most people have zero idea what they talk about and what they really need. Shot gun at normal room distance the pattern is about the size of your open hand in rough sizes.

Shot gun in the bedroom....and it is staying there. If bad guy is outside and myself and mine are safe, no reason to take a shot....let him have the car or whatever, that is what insurance is for....but on internet forums, that is not macho or anything...so it usually does not go over real well.

 

[GAMEOVER44]

A good 12 guage slug would do more damage then any 5.56 or AK round would ever do. Shotguns are NEVER going anywhere and are the absolute BEST home defense firearm.

 

[jolly roger]

Got news for you. If, God forbid, you ever need to use a fancy AR with all sorts of add ons in a defense shooting it'll wind up in evidence for a GOOD long while. Therefore my HD arms are a completely basic AR and a Mossberg 500.

 

[oneounceload]

Pumps are predominant for HD because they are cheap, and they mostly go bang. Slugs and 00 buck will penetrate sheetrock more than an AR; an AR does gives you 30 shots before reloading, so both have + and - attributes. For many, the lighter recoil of the AR is something they prefer, while other prefer he lower sound pressure generated by the shotgun. Either will makes your ears seriously hurt in a small room.
Bottom line is use whatever you want and have the most confidence in.

 

[Creature]

GAMEOVER44 wrote:

A good 12 guage slug would do more damage then any 5.56 or AK round would ever do. Shotguns are NEVER going anywhere and are the absolute BEST home defense firearm.

And there you have it, folks. Who can argue with that?

 

[Averageman]

There are a lot of conditional circumstances, lot of legal reasons and recent changes to the laws concerning self defense. At the same time these changes have come in to play the options and variants available with the AR's have come readily available to the civilian population.
Because of all of these variables, not to mention individual conditional variables the AR has edged out the shotgun in many peoples minds.
I treat guns like golf clubs, it takes more than one to play the course and nothing is ever "One Size Fits All."

 

[pps]

Inside the confines of my home, 1 shot of 00bk will shred flesh and bone sufficiently well to stop an attacker if I do my part and my aim is true. I'm not sure there is really much to talk about with shotguns, just like in carpentry there really isn't much to say about claw hammers...they are what they are, and they work pretty darn well for the tasks they were designed.

 

[notaglockfanboy]

The whole "tactical" or "tacticool" persona never appealed to me in a rifle or shotgun. With that being said, I doubt if anyone show me one criminal who was stopped with a plain jane remiongton 870 vs a tactical mosberg that complained about the 870 not being "up to the times". They both serve the same purpose and will both get the job done.

 

[g.willikers]

If there is a reduction in the attraction of the tacti-cool shotguns, it might be due to the fact that they are not all that much fun to shoot.
Spending the day at the range with handgun and rifle is far more enjoyable for most folks, than a hard kicking defensive style shotgun.

 

[leadcounsel]

When I think Tacticool I think of bayonets, door entry muzzle attachment, folding stock or collapsing stock, or pistol grip only stock, eotech style red dot, etc. Tacticool tried to take something that was plain, boringly effective and make it something above and beyond....

There are levels of improvements, which I'll term practical-tactical, however. I have a few HD shotties that rest in my cabinet cruiser ready, and they have a varying assortment of lights and speedfeed stocks or sidesaddles, or extended tubes, some have pistol grip shoulder stocks...

Lights are obvious improvements to any gun. The pistol grip shoulder stock I can take or leave, adds weight and improves retention, but adds bulk/size. The speedfeed/side saddles are good for extra shells, but probably unnecessary if you have an extended tube.

The 12 gauge is certainly IMO the best value in home defense long guns - short range devestation with appropriate 00-04 buck. I've bought several servicable basic pumps for well under $300 in the last decade. What else can you truly get for anywhere from $100-300...?