Self Defense Single Shot Shotgun

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If it’s what you’ve got, it will probably get the job done. It would not be the 1st gun I grabbed. Nor the 5th. It would be just fine if you also used it for hunting and needed it for bump in the night duty, and could not justify spending $350 on a pump, $500 on a Glock, $750 on an AR, or $1700 on a fancy .300blk AR pistol with brace and suppressor.
 
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Kleanbore said:
It may or may not get the job done. Considering the stakes, that's not good enough. Heck, "probably" is not good enough.
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I guess to me the question comes down to…. If I were so poor as to only own one gun, and it was an old 12ga single shot, that was probably free/inherited/found somewhere, and that I probably use for dinner getting, would I go buy a box of 12ga 00 buck? Or would I pull out the credit card so I could buy a pump shotgun or a Glock…. I’d probably buy the box of buck and call it a day, with a proviso that when I could afford it I’d buy a better gun.

I would not spend a hundred or two turning my single shot into some kind of “tactical” defensive shotgun.

One advantage of a single or double… manual of arms is extremely simple. If you needed to teach someone how to use it in an emergency, the break action guns are far less intimidating to a novice than a pump or semi. Not enough of an advantage to justify choosing one IMO, but it is there.
 
Because some members of your house might be good looking?

We all understand the financial issue. Churchill pumps are out there for $249. As far as those in the household who don't know how to - take them out, show them. I did.
 
There's fun guns and ones you plan to use when you really are in a lethal force, life or death struggle. Not time to put together fun guns. I would really like one of those Pedersoli double barreled 410/45 LC pistols. Could I use it - sure. Would it be part of my ready to go set - nope.

Fighting for your life and that of the loved ones is not time for conceits. You maximize your chances within your constraints. I like I repeatedly, pedantically and boringly say - you really need to run your SD guns in something that has a touch of possible realism. Plates are not such, while good practice in basics.
 
GEM said:
There's fun guns and ones you plan to use when you really are in a lethal force, life or death struggle.
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...and I get it that the OP is enamored with single shotguns. He's got a couple such active threads. He has a spare Pardner; apparently he has expendable cash to turn it into what I hope is a tactical toy. I just hope it remains a toy until there's no choice.
 
AK Hunter said:
If I were that poor & I have been. Why in the world would someone be breaking in to my house.
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Because even poor folks might have something that other poor folks want, and the criminals usually find out about it from your own "friends". I had more run ins with criminal activity when I was young and poor than I have once I improved my financial situation.
 
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Mosin77 said:
I would not spend a hundred or two turning my single shot into some kind of “tactical” defensive shotgun.
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Most poor folks I've known just take a hacksaw to the barrel to bring it down to 18.1". Some of them even cut the stock off at the pistol grip. But if they do, they need to watch the overall length as an 18.1" barrel on a break action shotgun doesn't have a traditional receiver to keep the gun long enough to keep the overall length more than 26".
 
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I have my Police Magnum model Remington 870 for the task of primary defensive long gun tactical weapon system platform.

I’ve got a few singles and this one doesn’t have a purpose and lays about. I think it would be fun to turn it into a similar setup as the man from the video and to practice using and reloading it quickly (which I enjoy doing). It would NOT be my primary but I could certainly see sticking it into my camping kit or to be used as a cabin gun with different sizes of shot on the stock for vermin and such.

I believe a lightweight, compact break down 20 gauge single with a flashlight mounted would make a great camping snake/varmint gun. Especially with the velcro side saddle to store different shells for different purposes. And if god forbid could be pushed into self defense from a 2-legged perspective though no it would not be ideal for the task which I fully acknowledge.

So yes, it would mostly be a “tactical toy” for me but could have some real world applications. But being a primary fighting long gun isn’t at the top and sorry if I pissed anyone off. My intention was to only share a fun idea with the members here. I ruffled the feathers big time. My bad.
 
I sold my H&R 088 and kept my RIA 12ga (same as pic in post #6) so I am down to a single, single shot shotgun.
I like that it will fit in a pack and accepts screw in chokes. Not super fond of the recoil from hotter loads. Recommend removing the front sling stud unless you intend to wear a glove while shooting.
It's also the only firearm in the house that I leave one in the chamber (wife doesn't like guns - or me :D).
Added a few pounds of lead shot to the stock so it can double as a club if necessary. ;)
 
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I think I mentioned using a double barrel as an impact weapon when I had to 3D realistic target opponents and after firing, the refs triggered a surpise third right next to me from concealment.

Also had to use a revolver as an impact weapon, when give a revolver of unknown load in FOF when jumped by two guys when I had used the three rounds. NO, you couldn't check the gun before the run. Surprise. We had trained on how to use a handgun for impact, should have known. Padded and armored opponents so you could whack them.

I was jumped by them when I had to go through a door and not pie it. It was revenge for a previous exercise when the instructor wanted to show how you could dodge a gun shot from the opponent's draw. Well, I'm left handed and he dodged for a right hander. Bang. The other instructor just laughed. So they jumped me lafer.

I'm too old for that now - I want lots of rounds.
 
Geez a lot of negative Nancy’s here. Single shot long guns have kept people sleep soundly for hundreds of years. They have their place. My dad gave me a single shot 20 gauge when I was a youngster for birds. I feel like I shot that the best as I knew I only had one shot. I’m not even going tell y’all what I used in college for home defense. I didn’t have much money and slept great. If I ever see another single shot for a good price I am going to pick it up.
 
dodo bird said:
Geez a lot of negative Nancy’s here. Single shot long guns have kept people sleep soundly for hundreds of years. They have their place. My dad gave me a single shot 20 gauge when I was a youngster for birds. I feel like I shot that the best as I knew I only had one shot. I’m not even going tell y’all what I used in college for home defense. I didn’t have much money and slept great. If I ever see another single shot for a good price I am going to pick it up.
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Because of my decade long ownership of my thumb cock Winchester 37A, it is exactly why I moved on to other guns to fulfill the self defense role as soon as I could.

I think that 36" barreled 12 gauge Winnie was just fine as an all purpose short range hunting gun. But when I chopped it to "self defense" length it suddenly was a last resort specialty gun.

Really all that shortened 37A became was the equivalent of a short baseball bat with the ability to blow a big hole in something. It certainly could be a menacing visual deterrent, but that's about all I can say positively about it.
 
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TarDevil said:
How often did you use it for self defense?
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Never thank God. Glad I had it though. (Poor college students don’t always have better alternatives). I was pretty good with what I had. Today is a different story. Not to mention a big dog.
 
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