I bought my very first shotgun today.

[Airman193SOS]

I have a goodly number of handguns (although you can never have enough), so I decided to take the plunge and get my first long arm.

Since it's my first I went with the basic 12 gauge Mossberg 500, although I got the 18.5" Tactical model with the adjustable stock because, well, that's what I wanted. I probably paid too much for it, but I was dealing with our brand-new local dealer who, while doing OK, is not exactly setting the world on fire with his volume, probably due to his location just out of town towards BFE. In that respect I consider it money well spent. I pick it up on Wednesday.

Now I'm going to have a shotgun. What do I do now? The obvious answer is to shoot it. I intend to do that. But what do I load it with? I'm not a hunter, just a target shooter. I obviously want to have it available for home defense just in case, so what's a good load for that?

I ask because while I am well-versed in handguns I know precious little about long arms. They've always been a secondary consideration for me. Ultimately, while I never mind the typical kibbitzing that these types of threads invite, I'm asking for advice. For instance, what should I expect to pay for ammunition? and things of that nature.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Zack]

It should be 2 3/4 loads? make sure read your manual. I buy 7shot and 8shot for my 20g. You can try buckshot if you want( like 00 buck 000buck I have never used buck so do not ask me ). Make sure your gun can handle like 3inch some ammo is 3inch I am not sure if it can. Read the manual

Grats on your first shotgun! enjoy the recoil

 

[Motodeficient]

Shoot everything through it! Get some birdshot, slugs, # 4 buck, 00 buck, try it all out. Get some cardboard and see how each load patterns. I keep my 12g pump loaded with 8 rnds of 2 3/4" 00 buck for home defense. It should be able to run 2 3/4 and 3" shells, but double check. It should say right on the gun.

 

[smhbbag1]

Motodeficient gave the only reasonable answer.

Hang silhouette targets at reasonable home defense ranges for you (probably 3-10 yards), and shoot targets at each distance with varying sizes of birdshot and buckshot.

This experience, even done only once, is priceless. You will have absolute confidence about how these loads perform in YOUR weapon. You will also be able to lay the targets next to each other, and just have a very accurate feel for the differences.

There are plenty of threads about home defense shell selection. I am in the camp for 00 (or 000) buckshot, but your situation may vary. Your house setup, likely shooting directions, occupants, who else might be using the weapon other than you (wife?), etc. can all make a difference.

If anyone is dogmatic about a one-size fits every man and every home approach with shell selection, don't listen. But reading the debate from all sides is very informative.

 

[erichtmobile]

Winchester bird shot at wal mart is less than $6 a box, run a couple boxes through to get the feel of the gun(safety, slide release, loading, etc.) Then experiment with buckshot and maybee some slugs

 

[Gunfighter123]

As others have posted --- start with Birdshot { size 6 - 9 shot } then try some Buckshot, I like OO , and then a few slugs ---- the Buck and Slug loads WILL KICK more then the birdshot.

Also think about attaching a item to carry spare ammo on the shotgun --- either a elastic "butt cuff" or a ridge plastic holder that mounts on the receiver --- these usually hold 4-6 extra rounds.


Edit ---- birdshot will be around $5-$6 for 25rds. ----- Slugs/Buck will be close to $1 for each rd.

 

[Airman193SOS]

This experience, even done only once, is priceless. You will have absolute confidence about how these loads perform in YOUR weapon. You will also be able to lay the targets next to each other, and just have a very accurate feel for the differences.

Oh, I know, I'm just trying to get a feel for what other people choose and why.

There are plenty of threads about home defense shell selection. I am in the camp for 00 (or 000) buckshot, but your situation may vary. Your house setup, likely shooting directions, occupants, who else might be using the weapon other than you (wife?), etc. can all make a difference.

I'm in attached housing, so something overpenetrative would be bad juju. I know that there are two different sizes of ammunition available, the 2 3/4" and the 3". Is that roughly analogous to the .38 Special/.357 Magnum difference in a revolver, or is it much more dramatic than that? When talking about buckshot and birdshot, if I am forced to fire my weapon at an assailant which will do the job while causing the least amount of damage to my home? I assume that from 10 feet they'll both be effective on an assailant, right? Because 10 feet is about as far away as I can get and still see the guy in this house.

My wife has never fired a shotgun, and it will be the very devil to get her to go to the range to squeeze off a round or two so she's not really a consideration. My son is 7 and will not be handling this weapon at all for a few years yet, but he will know it exists. The school he goes to has put quite the fear of guns into him, something I'm working to temper. At his age a little fear is a good thing, but not to the degree that the school has him up to.

If anyone is dogmatic about a one-size fits every man and every home approach with shell selection, don't listen. But reading the debate from all sides is very informative.

I find that one-size-fits-all suggestions are typically anything but, which is why I'm opening the floor up for discussion. As you say, it can be very informative. That is, until someone breaks out the "Extreme Shock is THE BEST out of your Deagle!!11!one!!eleventy-hundred!!

Fortunately for all involved it's a shotgun discussion, so there will be none of that. I hope.

 

[Gord]

Stay away from Winchester Universal birdshot, commonly seen as the lowest-priced value pack at Walmart and similar.

Remington or Federal shells are maybe a buck more per case, and the QC is much better. There have been many tales of woe resulting from Winchester shells + 870 shotguns here and elsewhere, and though you have a Mossberg you may as well just steer clear and avoid any potential issues.

Other than that, go out, familiarize yourself with the thing using birdshot promo packs (lots and lots of promo packs -- as Dave McC says, BA/UU/R!), then start in on buckshot when you feel you're ready for it. You don't need 3" magnum shells unless they're all you can find (which may be the case for slugs) so save your shoulder the unnecessary recoil and stick to 2 3/4" shells when possible. Do pattern your gun with whatever load you are planning to use for Serious Bidness, at various ranges - you need to know where your gun will throw that buckshot, and in what pattern, if you ever have to take a shot at someone for your life.

 

[Gunfighter123]

Hello Airman,
Well , you have opened a can of worms !!!! Many will tell you ANY SIZE birdshot is for the birds when it comes to HD ------ I can tell you to look it up yourself.
Do a "google" for photos shotgun wounds . I can also tell you how I keep MY SGs loaded for HD. The first 2 or 3 rounds in the TUBE , I load Slugs , the next 3-4 are OO Buck , and the Last round I load in the TUBE is # 4 Birdshot.
I have a small house and the longest distance would be a hallway at about 14 paces. The first shot I'd fire would be the Birdshot - at 14 paces or less , shot spread is about 4"-6" . If the BG is not down by the time I pump the gun , he/they get 3 or 4 rounds of OO Buck { 9 pellets x 3 rds. = 27 hits } , if things are still going to Hell , the BGs have probabily taken cover --- that is the reason for loading the TUBE First with Slugs.

 

[Gord]

Of course, the birdshot spread can easily be replicated using wide-patterning buckshot. The "look it up yourself" advice is well-given; if you want to know what most everyone here (including a lot of people who kick in doors or otherwise go into harm's way for a living) thinks about birdshot for HD, do a search. Those Google pics will look mighty impressive until you realize they only penetrate a few inches at best...

With regards to hanging stuff off your gun: don't worry about any of that until you've practiced with the gun in stock form for a while. After you've put a decent number of rounds downrange you'll be able to make a much more informed decision as to whether you feel it necessary or beneficial to bolt on a sidesaddle, extended mag tube, sling swivels, etc., etc. There will always be a weight tradeoff with anything you bolt onto the gun, and that is why I suggest running it for a while in stock form first - some people can handle heavy and bulky, others prefer simple, light and quick. Which one you will be is entirely up to your personal style, preferences and technique.

 

[Gunfighter123]

For what its worth ---

including a lot of people who kick in doors or otherwise go into harm's way for a living)

I think there is a difference between Offense and Defense with a SG ---- the people who kick in doors for a living DO NOT have their own children sleeping in the house whose door they are kicking in.


EDIT --- that is why I personally like a "mix" in the SG ---- first rd. birdshot , followed by the much more powerfull/lethal rounds. The SG is IDEAL for this -- not many weapons are.

 

[Armchair Bronco]

If you haven't done this already, you should head out to your local trap range and shoot 2 or 3 rounds some weekend. If you're new to trap, introduce yourself to some of the locals and ask one of them to mentor you through your first round. (At a lot of ranges, this is actually a requirement if you haven't shot trap before.)

Then set a reasonable goal for yourself, like trying to break 10 birds.

I see a lot of guys at the range shooting with fields guns or with short-barreled tactical guns like your 18" Mossberg. They don't hit as many targets as those of us with Winchester 101's and 32" barrels, but they seem to be having fun.

Plus, for a home defense situation, you want to have some practice shooting that gun at moving targets...although in a home defense scenario, the target will probably be moving TOWARDS you, not away from you as in trap!

EDIT: In terms of trap loads, I like to keep things light. Look for 1 ounce target loads of #7.5 shot w/ velocities below 1200 fps if you can find 'em.

 

[Gord]

the people who kick in doors for a living DO NOT have their own children sleeping in the house whose door they are kicking in.

That's a very valid argument, and it's nice to hear one in favor of birdshot for HD for once rather than the usual "IT'LL BLOW A DINNER PLATE SIZED HOLE IN THEM AND THEY WILL BE DEAD RIGHT THERE" bullscat. Smaller-diameter buckshot or even larger-diameter birdshot can be a great compromise between stopping power and penetration.

To answer Airman193SOS's question regarding 2 3/4" and 3" rounds: Sort of, but not really. The benefits gained from 3" magnum shells are all out of proportion to the extra recoil generated - in a bad way.

 

[Fred Fuller]

The best advice I can offer is to start putting some wear marks on that scattergun ASAP. I'd say you should start with the lightest 2 3/4" birdshot loads you can find while you're learning the gun. Forget the 3" stuff unless you are going after geese and turkeys later, and with a different gun.

RTFM (Read that fine manual) first thing, learn to field strip the gun and give it a good degreasing/cleaning to start with. There are a bunch of 'Shotgun 101' threads all together at http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=464149 - that would be a good place to begin a broader education on shotguns.

Looking for someone who already knows their way around a shotgun for some start-up hints and help might be a good idea too. I don't know what facilities you have available, but maybe there's a gun club nearby that could help.

It might be better to leave the riot gun you bought in the trunk your first time out, if you do go to visit a gun club. Some of them dislike short barreled shotguns, they say the riot guns are 'too noisy' or something. But many offer rental guns if you want to try busting a few clays, and chances are you can use the experience well even if it's a different gun than yours. Trigger time is trigger time, after all.

Think about looking for some professional training as far as defensive use of the shotgun is concerned. A lot of people insist they don't need it, and indeed many get by without it. Most of us get by our whole lives without ever producing a shotgun in a defensive situation too, but some good training is still the shortest approach to a steep learning curve you can manage. Shooting clay birds or paper targets is different than fighting with a shotgun in some fundamental ways. There's a good thread at the top of the page on fighting shotguns, and there are several good videos available from different trainers that cover the basics. I'd suggest Tom Givens' offering for beginners ( http://www.rangemaster.com/ and click on the red box for books and DVDs). Louis Awerbuck's is a classic ( http://www.paladin-press.com/product/40/Shoulder_Weapons ) and Clint Smith's is excellent ( http://www.gunsmagazine.com/webblastTRDS.html , see the short preview there too).

First and foremost, be safe. Any accident with a firearm is not good, but an accident with a shotgun is going to leave a huge ragged hole in something.

hth,

lpl

 

[Al LaVodka]

First, Sir, congratulations! A shotgun is the most versatile gun and you made a great choice. In fact, I don't think you can really overpay for a Mossberg as they are so well priced to begin with.

Now, I would recommend you see if you can swing a Basic Shotgun course through an NRA Instructor in your area -- a gunshop or the NRA can give you contact info. Take it with your wife. You can get much of it from the NRA's The Basics of Shotgun Shooting book -- small and full of diagrams.

As for ammo, the versatility of a shotgun is largely in the ammo selection and the choke of the barrel. Your barrel is dedicated to short distance home defense -- I urge you to by a common Mossberg 28" multi-choke barrel -- the newer ones are all ribbed and ported (way cool!). Essentially, smaller shot pellets are for smaller, closer, things and bigger is the reverse. As the choke gets tighter, it funnels the shot into a smaller diameter spray for longer and longer distances. The more verstile barrel will let you use this gun for general sporting and hunting and help prepare you for Home Defense. Do "pattern" the barrels and try some Trap shooting at the range.

As for shot selection of HD rounds, for your wife, the biggest pellet LIGHT loads you can find including low-recoil buckshot perhaps (but maybe not). For you, I recommend "Swan Shot." It is an archaic term but basically refers to #2 shot (.15 caliber) up thru #3 Buckshot (.25 caliber). The easiest to find today by far is #4 Buckshot (.24 caliber).

Good luck;

Al

 

[content]

Hello friends and neighbors // Fine shotgun hope you like it. Some great posts too.

I would measure the distances you are most likely to defend and patteren different loads from those distances in.

After you are comfortable with lighter loads:
IMHO Getting a feel for the maximum continually accurate offhand slug shots you can make is one of the best "pattern tests". You might be tempted to put on some padded clothes(I have a vest) but keep it as close to real life as possible.

Enjoy

 

[shockwave]

This is also my situation - my 500 w/18.5" barrel tactical cruiser is still new to me. I've put about 50 rounds through it and am starting to get comfortable with it. The range I visit has very experienced officers and I've found their guidance to be very helpful.

Once you're clear on the operation of the gun, have an expert watch your form, stance, and positioning and get some critiques. Practice until you're smooth and you have a feel for how the gun likes to shoot. With the Mossberg, I'm noticing that it likes a fast and hard rack. After another 50-100 rounds I'll be ready for some higher end instruction. It's pretty clear that this is a much better HD weapon than a handgun, so congratulations on your purchase.

 

[oneounceload]

The FIRSTthing you need to do, even before shooting it, is give it a thorough cleaning per your manual, THEN go out and have some fun

 

[rd2007]

You can get 100 rounds of #8 birdshot here for about $20, so definitely go out there and tear some stuff up. I had an awful end of week/beginning of weekend and went to the range to tear some stuff up. I brought everything but my SP101 and also brought my son's new M&P 15 and at least forgot about everything for an hour or so. Nothing gets rid of some anger and pain like a 12 gauge, that's for sure. I put 19 rounds through it and my wife finally got her first experience. She said that's enough for her unless she ever actually needs it...

 

[Gord]

She said that's enough for her unless she ever actually needs it...

In which case she probably won't remember how to operate the thing. If she suspects she may ever need to use it, she needs to practice with it at least occasionally.

I know your comment was probably meant to be lighthearted, but it's a point worth reiterating for the newbies... your big, shiny 12-gauge with $300 worth of mean-looking bolt-ons is not going to be very effective in your untrained hands if you don't go out and practice with it.

 

[rd2007]

I know and I will continue to ride her. Both her dad and I tell her to practice with the big guns and the little ones will seem like nothing. She works the other way, though. Really liked the Mosquito when I got it and now is finally spending more time with the G19 than that. She also handles the XDm without the issues she had before and she didn't mind my son's M&P 15 this past weekend; mostly because of the "cool sight" he has on it.
Her main issue with guns are the weight of them for some reason. The four she likes the least are the heaviest (SP101, AK, Cruiser, and AR). She's a woman, though, and we've been married for over 23 years, so I have learned to just nod my head and play the game... logic rarely wins the battle

 

[Fred Fuller]

rd2007,

Do yourself a favor and don't 'ride her' until you make sure the gun fits her properly... most shotgun stocks are too long for most shooters in the defensive shotgun role. While they might be fine for wingshooting or clay games, fighting with a shotgun is a different deal.

My wife is 5'4" tall, and prefers a 12.5" LOP stock (measured from the trigger to the middle of the butt/recoil pad). I'm 6'4" and shoot the same guns with no problem. But it's a lot easier to manage a too-short stock than it is a too-long one. And I wouldn't be surprised if the stock on your gun is too long for her. And a premium recoil pad properly fitted often makes a lot of difference too.

If it has an extended magazine, and she's trying to shoot it loaded full, there's a good chance it's too muzzle heavy to be comfortable for her too. My wife hates stuff hung on the gun out in front of her support hand, it makes the gun too heavy for her to handle comfortably.

You want her to shoot the shotgun, make the gun comfortable for her and don't give her a hard time about it. Try to make it fun for her, and if a 12 gauge is just too much for her, look into getting her a youth model 20 gauge...

fwiw,

lpl

 

[oneounceload]

I know and I will continue to ride her.

That's one way to turn her off of using it real quick. Maybe you should let her have a lesson with someone other than you or any other family member - their attitude is much different when it is a third party giving the instruction.

Let her get a gun SHE likes and that fits her, even if it isn't the same thing you like.

 

[shockwave]

Nothing gets rid of some anger and pain like a 12 gauge, that's for sure.

I hate to move slightly off-topic, but this observation deserves a couple of thumbs up. I was having some stress issues recently and an afternoon at the range gave me some much-needed relief. When you're firing the 500, you're completely focused on the task at hand. Therapy for the warrior set.