On Fighting Shotguns....

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"Yep. Ya can't go cheap for a decent light and mount."

Not necessarily true. I have found two flashlights for my shotguns that are very powerful and relatively cheap, The Coast HP-7, focusing light, 360 lumens, and the Coast PX-1, focusing, 310 lumens. About $34 each, Home Depot sometimes has them.
A barrel mount made by brazing two appropriate sized hose clamps back to back works great. You can easily adjust the light beam to your point of aim. The tail mounted on/off switch is easily accessed using your thumb from the fore end.
 

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"Yep. Ya can't go cheap for a decent light and mount."

Not necessarily true. I have found two flashlights for my shotguns that are very powerful and relatively cheap, The Coast HP-7, focusing light, 360 lumens, and the Coast PX-1, focusing, 310 lumens. About $34 each, Home Depot sometimes has them.
A barrel mount made by brazing two appropriate sized hose clamps back to back works great. You can easily adjust the light beam to your point of aim. The tail mounted on/off switch is easily accessed using your thumb from the fore end.

How many rounds have you sent downrange with them mounted?
 
Wow - I didn't realize that Dave McCracken had originally started this discussion in 2008. Great guy from what I remember and I'm sure he'd have appreciated the debate and learning. I still have the BA/UU/R pin he sent me back when I first discussed shotguns with him.
 
The "fighting shotguns" we were issued in the SO and at the academy were short barreled wood stocked Remingtons, Mossbergs, High Standards, Ithacas, Winchesters and Stevens. The Ithacas and some of the Mossbergs had rifle style sights which we were instructed to ignore. Each had subtle differences and we were required to know the differences and to be able to handle them all safely,
What they did have in common was they all came slick as a hounds tooth---NO "tactical" add-ons to get hung up on the cruiser, household furniture, etc...
That's how I was taught and since I survived, I'm sticking with it.
 
The one thing all our guns had added on were recoil pads! They were light, quick pointing guns and kicked accordingly. Recoil pads helped.
 
Nothing tacticool.
My 870 turkey gun and an 1100 magnum.
Old and proven performers (from my usage).
Kill critters dead. Proly do the same to any badguys.
 
Good article in the most recent Surplus Arms mag. It's a look at the Remington model 10 in WW I.
 
...Fighting Shotguns do not have to have double digit magazine capacity. While extended magazines have some utility for some of us, they add weight to the muzzle end, often more than can be handled well. Learn to load and run the gun, then decide if an extension is a good idea for you....

Not if the shotgun is based on something along the lines of the Saiga 12. The conversion put out by Tromix is the best "fighting shotgun" I have ever run.
 
I had a Winchester 97 for 37 years and believe it to be the handiest ever. There are surely others but I am not familiar with them. I am partial to the exposed hammer. Never had a mishap but heard they do occur. Thought about a re-make. The modern steel might be nice. Do not know if they are as good as the original.
 
I just read Mr. McCracken's opening statement written nearly ten years ago. I carried a shotgun for 31+ years. They weren't called "fighting shotguns" or tactical shotguns, or any other fancy name somebody has dreamed up. They were called shotguns or occasionally riot guns.

In the real world, the perfect defensive shotgun is just what Mr. McCracken described. Simple, reliable, light, familiar to the user, and easy to load on the move. My 870 served me well for the majority of those 31 years, with it's 18" smoothbore barrel and bead front sight only. Now that I'm old and crippled my shotgun is an 870 20 gauge as above loaded with buck and slug.

I also practice with my shotgun at least once a week, my CCW ( Commander size 1911 ) at least 2 days a week. I might also add that I shoot my flintlocks nearly every day. I may be old and crippled, but I am ready.
 
There's a lot of threads here on what shotgun to get, when to get it and how to use it.

Like all other areas of human endeavor,there's a mess of misinformation about shotguns and their use under dire peril.

Here's some opinions, forged over decades and from real word experience. I've been involved with shotguns for a long time.

Fighting shotguns do not need to be all black, camo or have doodads bolted on, though they can be. They DO have to be reliable and Well known to the User.

As far as reliability goes, I like the test first espoused by Massad Ayoob. 200 rounds of duty ammo fired glitchless. A failure rate of .5% is acceptable.

Fighting shotguns do not have to be new designs. One of the oldest repeaters, the Winchester 97, is still one of the better choices.

Nor do they need to be expensive. A used name brand pump like an 870,500, 37, 1300 can often be purchased for a few day's pay. These can give yeoman service for decades with a bit of PM and TLC.

And, while off brands made in Third World countries proliferate and sell at low prices, I recommend sticking to known brands made in the US, Japan and Europe. Mechanical Immortality for a pittance.

Fighting Shotguns do need to FIT the user. A stock fits if when mounted, he or she can use the sights without moving the head and neck and it mounts easily. And of course, the shotgun can be fired in comfort.

Both wood and synthetic stocks are available in fixed styles. While folders and adjustable AR stocks are popular, best results usually are with fixed stocks as well as they tend to be way more comfortable.Unless you have extreme storage issues, a fixed stock's a better choice. Wood is easier to make fit.

And, if more than one person may use the shotgun, it should be made to fit the smallest shooter. It's far easier for use a shotgun that's a little short than one that's a little too long.

And, might as well get this up where people can see it. Despite Hollywood and Net myth, a stockless shotgun with only a pistol grip is much less effective than one with a stock that can be fired from the shoulder. BTDT and got paid to do so. While some of these are used by Police and Military units for breaching, they are merely large, hard kicking and hard to control handguns with bad sights and extremely limited utility.

Shun them as tools.

Fighting Shotguns do not have to have double digit magazine capacity. While extended magazines have some utility for some of us, they add weight to the muzzle end, often more than can be handled well. Learn to load and run the gun, then decide if an extension is a good idea for you.

In fact, fighting shotguns do not have to be repeaters. Even a single shot can be deadly in trained, cool hands.

Optical and hologram sights really do not add much to effectiveness here. Shotguns are close range weapons.

Beads, open sights and peep or Ghost Ring sights are the common choices. I find beads the fastest, then peeps, then open sights but YMMV. All shotgunners should try all three and find which works best for them.

More to come.....
 
Need some help on a small military collection I inherited looks like world war 1 & 2. Starting with a couple of 1897 trench guns I need help with. I have bunch of other items also same vintage. For the trenches I have serial number and photos and any experts out and about.

Thanks in advance. Boocoo
 
274937_01_remington_870_20_inch_barrel_r_640.jpg Triple K.jpg
I had a Remington M-870, which looked a lot like this one, I had to add a magazine tube, but that was easy enough. It had a 20 inch deer slug barrel, and it fired a wide pattern. I had a 40 round bandoleer to go with it. It looked a lot like the picture there, and I kept 00 Buckshot in it. I can say that I was not afraid of anything when I had it.
And that was my fighting shotgun.
 
I bought a C.F.A. MODEL 1878 COACH GUN a while back. Bought it mostly because of the exposed hammers. I named it, The Head Eraser.:uhoh: With practice I have gotten better at reloading. Open both barrels and jerk it back and out goes the spent rounds and then reload. With practice it actually is pretty quick .
 
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