Home defense semi auto shotgun

[FAS1]

1. Thread
   Best sight for a shotgun?
   Hey all, I have an older Remington 870 wing master from my dad. It is just a plain barrel with a bead sight at the end, not ribbed. The problem...
   Thread by: IronsightJM, May 2, 2020, 27 replies, in forum: Shotguns
2. 
   Post
   AR’s in New York
   I appreciate that thank you very much. Thanks for all the suggestions. I’m gonna try to start ordering some parts and get more educated on all of...
   Post by: IronsightJM, Apr 11, 2020 in forum: Rifle Country

Looks like the OP already has an AR and a pump. He was asking for a semi auto 12GA for under $800.

 

[kje54]

Hey all,

I’m currently in the market for a home defense shotgun. I would like for it to be a reliable semi auto in 12 gauge of course.

I was thinking just a base model of the mossberg 930. Heard they were pretty reliable for the price.

I also want to be able to have the option to put it in a foldable stock of some sort. I plan on putting a flash light, a sling and a front glow sight on it.

Would love to keep it under $800. Any suggestions?

I'd personally steer clear of folding stocks on shotguns, never been a good idea in my opinion. If you're concerned about length why not go with a bullpup? I have the SDS BLP M12PT Semi-Automatic Bull Pup Shotgun, 12 Gauge, they're available from around $300 - $400 depending on the retailer.



They carry 5+1 and mine has never had a hiccup. Extra mags are available on the SDS Imports site including ten round mags. It has an 18.5" barrel, overall length is 28.5".

Here's what it looks like from the factory.



The chokes are Benelli/Mobile pattern.
It's Turkish made and there are other Turkish brands that are similar but cost a little more. Just another option to consider.

 

[AlexanderA]

Why a semiauto? I would think a pump action would be simpler and more reliable.

 

[Boattale]

This is a 20 not a 12. I had it modified for my wife. Took 1.5 inches off the stock and had the barrel shortened to 20". It's 100% reliable and she loves it - all the women do. A used 1100 modified to suit you is my recommendation.

 

[entropy]

We "built" our own based on used Remington 1100s. Sold the barrels, stocks and forends and bought new barrels and magazine extensions as well as Hogue stocks. Less money than the Mossberg. Used guns have been pretty cheap and there is a ready market for the older barrels and the wood.

That said, if I had it to do over I would have spent the extra money for two Beretta 1301 tacticals. They are truly a superior tactical shotgun.

I lived and breathed Big Green for a long time, and I'm still a believer- I have an 1100 Competition and an 870 TB. The gun I traded in towards my 1100 Comp. was an 870 Tactical. But I will say the Beretta 1301 and Benelli M2, M4, and M1014, are the best semiauto Tac/HD shotgun made today. (A Rem. Tac13 with a brace would be hot on their heels, though!)

An AR with 55 grain frangible/expanding ammo is much better for home defense, and less likely to overpenetrate a dwelling believe it or not. Recoil is also far less making it ideal for youthes and the little lady.

A solid AR can be had for half the cost of a 1301. And it has the versatility to be effective out to 500 meters, and if set up correctly can be far handier than just about any shotgun.

Just another option for your consideration. Don't feel absoluely tied down to a home defense shotgun because they are tremendously overrated. Cue the cantankerous curmudgeons among us in 3, 2, 1... lol

In post #1, he mentioned he had an AR and pump. But I agree, it's nice to have an AR as an option. My pump shotgun (Ithaca 37) and 1911 are within arm's reach; the AR requires 2 steps to get to.

 

[Seedy Character]

Being made in Turkey isn't the problem some of the Turkish made guns are outstanding.

The key is made to spec and quality control.

Mossberg or any company buying parts, lists their specs and has their own QC.

 

[ChanceMcCall]

Why a semiauto? I would think a pump action would be simpler and more reliable.

The reliability issue is usually moot when talking about a tactical shotgun for home defense and there is no chance of short stroking under pressure. The delivery on follow up shots is going to be a whole lot faster as well. Many singles trap shooters use a pump but nobody I've ever encountered uses a pump for skeet or trap doubles.

Now if you are talking about riding around in a squad car or being used in actual field combat, then the reliability issue is well worth consideration. Those guns are often not cleaned or maintained properly. (I've seen shotguns (including pumps) where the brass in the gun had actually turned green.)

 

[Seedy Character]

This is a 20 not a 12. I had it modified for my wife. Took 1.5 inches off the stock and had the barrel shortened to 20". It's 100% reliable and she loves it - all the women do. A used 1100 modified to suit you is my recommendation.

View attachment 1058930

Rem 1100 is an EXCELLENT choices
I love my 4. 12, 16, 20, 20LW

None of them were $800

 

[entropy]

Many singles trap shooters use a pump but nobody I've ever encountered uses a pump for skeet or trap doubles.

Some of us did back in the day. I used an 870 for doubles, and any lost 2nd birds weren't because I couldn't work the action fast enough. But, true, these days O/U's are far more common for doubles.

 

[Seedy Character]

My buddy, that I have hunted with for 40 years, had 1 shotgun, 870 12 ga 2 3/4".

When steel shot was forced on us, had chambered reamed for 3".

Dove, quail, duck, goose, turkey, skeet, trap, sporting clays; he uses that 870 and is very good with it.

 

[Beacon]

I've got a Mossberg 590 that I carried on duty. It sits in the closet with a full magazine of #00 buck. I put a sling on it, and a 'shorty' stock. It also wears a sidesaddle full of #00 buck loads.

I recently decided that I wanted a semi-auto HD shotgun, and was considering the Mossberg 930, but after much internet research instead got a Beretta 1301 Tac. I read the Mossberg forum and saw too many complaints about the 930 to suit me. Also on various forums when the 930 vs 1301 question was asked, the 1301 was heavily favored. I wanted the green model but the guy in front of me bought it, so I got FDE instead, not that I really care. Black would have worked, too.
I have removed the magazine plug that came in it (weird that it was even installed, to my mind) and reversed the safety, as I shoot lefty.
When I get a chance I'll be putting a NordicComp mag tube extension on it, an Aridus Industries CROM, a Trijicon RMR, and a tac light. I'll do something ref a sidesaddle or EssTac, as well.

I got my 1301 for $1250, which is substantially above the OP's stated budget. If the 1301 is impossibly out of budget (mebbe put off purchase and save up for it?), then I suggest the OP look at a Stoeger M3000 tactical. The price is in the ballpark the OP outlined.
Tactical Firearms | Stoeger Industries
Here is what appears to be an honest review: Gun Review: Stoeger M3000 Freedom Series Defense Shotgun - The Truth About Guns
It is fairly easy to find other reviews of it online.
One thing to note: the Stoeger is an inertia semi-auto, not a gas-operated semi-auto. It will probably shoot cleaner, but the recoil will probably be a bit harsher.

 

[Beacon]

Seedy Character, I've got one of those Remington 1100 20LW shotguns. My father reversed the safety. I bought it with a vent rib 26" improved cyl barrel, intending to use it on dove/quail. As I recall I bought it one year right after Christmas, brand new, for $155. I traded that barrel to my brother in return for a vent rib barrel with a Poly-Choke on it. That shotgun was a dove-killing machine!!! It sits in my closet and will never be sold...ever! I love that gun!

 

[Old Hobo]

The big issue with semi-autos is finding the ammo it likes to cycle without fail. Not totally disparaging semi-auto shotguns, it's just always in one's mind.

Having purchased the shotgun you wish, try-out different brands of buckshot and slugs. Reality is that the shotgun may NOT like one brand for who-knows-what reason -- that ammo just won't cycle the action reliably . Inevitably, you'll certainly find a ammo brand/loading that cycles reliably. Too, while you are trying-out different ammo brands, you will also be getting-in needed practice and becoming familiar with your new shotgun.
.

 

[I6turbo]

Hey all,

I’m currently in the market for a home defense shotgun. I would like for it to be a reliable semi auto in 12 gauge of course.

I was thinking just a base model of the mossberg 930. Heard they were pretty reliable for the price.

I also want to be able to have the option to put it in a foldable stock of some sort. I plan on putting a flash light, a sling and a front glow sight on it.

Would love to keep it under $800. Any suggestions?

I agree with your choice of a short barreled semi-auto for HD. I have all manner of guns (ARs in various calibers, various types and calibers of handguns, and various types of shotguns), I am familiar with them all, shoot them plenty well. I'd go for my 18" barreled Auto 5 every time for a HD weapon in the hugely unfortunate event, God please forbid, that I needed something inside the house.

Beyond the endorsement of the semi-auto, I only suggest buying a quality gun that you like, and that you feel comfortable with. I've never owned them, but the Beretta 1301 seems to be good, I assume the 930, and others are as well.

FWIW, I am not a fan of equipping someone who is not intimately familiar with shooting a pump shotgun under stress, with a pump instead of a semi-auto. In my 55+ years of shooting, I've seen way too many people short-stroke, forget to pump, or otherwise commit operator errors with pump guns given nothing more than the urgency to take a 2nd shot at a passing dove or trying to break doubles in skeet-type shooting. I think that an occasional/inexperienced shooter with a pump would be far too likely to have issues with operating it in a potentially terrorizing situation such as a home invasion.

 

[wally]

I'd personally steer clear of folding stocks on shotguns, never been a good idea in my opinion. If you're concerned about length why not go with a bullpup? I have the SDS BLP M12PT Semi-Automatic Bull Pup Shotgun, 12 Gauge, they're available from around $300 - $400 depending on the retailer.

View attachment 1058866

They carry 5+1 and mine has never had a hiccup. Extra mags are available on the SDS Imports site including ten round mags. It has an 18.5" barrel, overall length is 28.5".

Here's what it looks like from the factory.

View attachment 1058867

The chokes are Benelli/Mobile pattern.
It's Turkish made and there are other Turkish brands that are similar but cost a little more. Just another option to consider.

I would agree with you if the these Turkish guns were better made and had replacement parts availability -- it seems every importer's batch is a different "model" with few parts interchangeable among them with zero effort to make replacement parts available.

I loved my SDS BP12, I could mow down 6 steel plates with it faster than I can with my 9mm "duty sized" pistol. I had some issues with it initially, they fixed it under warranty paying the shipping both ways, they wouldn't tell me what they did to fix it, but I was extraordinarily happy with it until this happened after a bit over 500 rounds through it:


Note the crack where the threaded section for the barrel nut mates with the upper. Rendered the gun completely non-functional and I got this as "technical support" from SDS Systems:

"We no longer import the M12 so if the part is not listed on the website it cannot be sold either. We have to request warranties from our manufacturer and can only do so if the customer has a receipt that is within warranty. There is nothing I can do."

Other than a few buckshot rounds initially, I've never shot anything other than 1 oz to 1-1/4 oz 2-3/4" "low brass" shells, mostly Federal "Top Gun" 1 oz loads.

 

[kje54]

I would agree with you if the these Turkish guns were better made and had replacement parts availability -- it seems every importer's batch is a different "model" with few parts interchangeable among them with zero effort to make replacement parts available.

I loved my SDS BP12, I could mow down 6 steel plates with it faster than I can with my 9mm "duty sized" pistol. I had some issues with it initially, they fixed it under warranty paying the shipping both ways, they wouldn't tell me what they did to fix it, but I was extraordinarily happy with it until this happened after a bit over 500 rounds through it:
View attachment 1122759

Note the crack where the threaded section for the barrel nut mates with the upper. Rendered the gun completely non-functional and I got this as "technical support" from SDS Systems:

"We no longer import the M12 so if the part is not listed on the website it cannot be sold either. We have to request warranties from our manufacturer and can only do so if the customer has a receipt that is within warranty. There is nothing I can do."

Other than a few buckshot rounds initially, I've never shot anything other than 1 oz to 1-1/4 oz 2-3/4" "low brass" shells, mostly Federal "Top Gun" 1 oz loads.

I've heard similar stories from a few people now which leads me to trust the more established Turkish brands that have headquarters here in the US. Doesn't mean the same won't happen with some of their models but the bigger brands appear to maintaining mostly the same models with only slight upgrades from time to time. These brands also tend to cost a little more but if that means it's not a "disposable" firearm then the extra cost is worth it.
Looking back I can see the pattern now, companies like Canik & Stoeger were making good inroads into the US market and suddenly almost every one of the other Turkish companies from small to large wanted in on the action. They flooded the market with what initially appeared to be well made but inexpensive firearms particularly in the shotgun area and we bought not looking towards the long term but at the immediate cost.
Stick with the bigger, established Turkish firearms and mostly the buyer should be safe in their purchase long term.

 

[JB111]

I admit I am a fan of the box fed Turkish made shotguns. I have several and the quality can vary greatly between them. Also, some of them are clones of each other with just a different name or a different hand guard, etc. My favorites (out of the ones I own) are the RIA VR80 and the Panzer AR12 *Gen2. Both seem to be fairly well built. If I had to choose only one it would be the vr80 because parts are semi easy to find online through retailers like advanced tactical and a few others. It also takes the most widely used magazine style and mags with capacities that range from 3 to 19 can be readily found. There is also a fairly large aftermarket for the vr80 because of all the competitive shooters in its user base. You can find over sized mag releases, competition trigger groups, mag wells, buffer stocks that let you use ar 15 butt stocks, a wide variety of hand guards, muzzle devices and various other parts. There is also American based customer service/service center for the RIA vr80 and VR60. I dont think any of the other box fed Turkish shotguns have that kind of backing. Also, there are people on youtube and on other forums that have documented putting several thousand rounds through their vr80's without any kind of parts failures. So take that for what its worth.

 

[I6turbo]

Why a semiauto? I would think a pump action would be simpler and more reliable.

And if you need a handgun for HD, be sure to buy a single-action revolver. You know, because they are simpler and more reliable.