Shotgun is being displaced from bedside duty

[the naked prophet]

I recently took out both the mossberg 500 and the AK clone I have, to shoot both at the range. (Mossberg 500 is 18.5 inch barrel "protector" model or something like that, with synthetic stock and forearm - AK is WASR-10 with collapsible stock and Kobra red dot sight) I can get accurate hits much, much faster with my AK. Not to mention, practice ammo is cheaper, as is the ammo I keep for defense (Win. Super-X softpoints vs. Remington #1 buck).

Is this a bad thing? I've always kept a shotgun close by the bed, but it just seems like I can't afford to practice enough with the shotgun to get good enough that I can justify keeping it next to the bed rather than the AK.

I like shotguns, and they seem more American. I just don't do as well with it. If I was taking a training course for self-defense, I feel that I would come out in the upper half of a carbine class, and the bottom rung of a shotgun class. I can't realistically afford both within a reasonable time frame, and my wife would participate with me in the carbine class but not the shotgun class. So the question is, do I take a shotgun class and get up to speed, or take a carbine class with my wife and become proficient?

Or is the whole question silly?

 

[obxned]

Both!

 

[Kar-el]

Buy a Saiga 12. Best of both worlds-shotgun with an AK action. I do have to put a pistol grip on it soon.

 

[TFin04]

I'd take a shotgun over a rifle in close range defense like a house would be.

You don't HAVE to shoot the expensive stuff for practice. Mainly, you're just looking to be proficient with the action, loading, etc. I shoot in 3 gun matches which gives me a ton of practice with both a rifle and shotgun. My moss 500 is definitely the long gun I'd want to have on hand in the middle of the night.

 

[Fred Fuller]

This may sound heretical, but here goes anyway.

It doesn't really matter that much what firearm you keep at hand. What matters is that you are good with it and have confdence in your ability to use it effectively. SOFTWARE matters more than HARDWARE. Use what you are best with, and if you are convinced that one weapon is actually more effective than others, then get good with the weapon you believe to be more effective- but do whatever it takes to get fully proficient with your chosen platform.

I don't think there is any substitute for good training and good follow-on practice based on that training to help 'groove' the skills initially learned in class. It doesn't have to be a world class high-dollar school halfway across the country- there are good training opportunities all over. Find them, and take advantage of them. Then practice, practice, practice. Once you have fully mastered a given skill set, look for opportunities to move on to higher levels- or study on a different platform.

But whatever else you do, don't fall victim to the Church Of Gun Bling. It isn't the hardware that matters- it's the software. If you are interested in 'go' and not 'show,' then your skillset should be the focus of your attention- not your hardware. Spend your energy on getting really good with your chosen weapons.

Including your wife in training opportunities is one of the greatest ideas possible IMHO. Her abilities are equally important, and her confidence needs building as much as yours does. The ability of the both of you to perform as a team is critical.

My wife's birthday present this summer was a slot in Louis Awerbuck's carbine class- taking it did her a tremendous amount of good in many ways. I played general gofer/armorer/magazine loader/etc for her so she could concentrate on the class. And it was only fair, it was her turn this year- last year she played the support role for me as I took Louis' shotgun class.

The question is most certainly not silly. And the point of training is to expose yourself to new skills, new instructors with different ways of teaching, different demands on students, etc. Where you "place" in class is totally irrelevant- there is no contest in training classes, the only thing that matters is YOU, what you learn and what you take away from the class.

hth,

lpl/nc

 

[nalioth]

When you are at the range, are you firing at targets that are the same distance as your bed is from your bedroom door?

 

[Correia]

Either one will do a great job. (and beat the pants off of a pistol). If you're far more confident with one than the other, run the one that you shoot better. At the end of the day, you're the one that is going to have to defend yourself, not any of us opinionated folks on the internet.

 

[CWL]

Arm yourself with whichever gun you are most efficient at and feel most comfortable with.

My only thought is that you will need to be fanatical about servicing the batteries on the Kobra, probably change them at regular service periods rather than waiting for them to give out to insure reliability.

 

[Scorpiusdeus]

While I basically agree with most of the Shoot what works crowed, I'm thinking over penetration with the rifle and I imagine this...

"Home Owner Shoots Intruder With Military Assault Rifle".

 

[halfacop]

So the question is, do I take a shotgun class and get up to speed, or take a carbine class with my wife and become proficient?

In my book - the SG is a much better home defense platform. So I would say to take a Shotty class and get up to speed. If your allready "On Target" with the rifle then you can spend time with that platform later on.

So take both - but if you have to pick........get training on the platform that you lack basic skill on.

 

[Feanaro]

Hone yourself on the platform you feel natural with, then work on your shotgun shooting. Normally, I like to work on my weaknesses before my natural strengths. But being middlin' with both platforms doesn't do you a lot of good when you can't use both at once. Better to be good with one, then work on the other, IMO.

 

[elkhuntingfool]

Silly question - but how does one practice at a range with a SD shotgun? I shoot skeet, trap, birds, rabbits, field mice, etc... pretty much year round (birds in season). But I'm unfamiliar with practicing for SD. What should one be practicing?

Thanks!

 

[halfacop]

But I'm unfamiliar with practicing for SD. What should one be practicing?

Typical range work for SD shotty practice would go along the lines of loading, reloading, change of ammo while always keeping your eyes on the threat.

Transistions from the shotty to a handgun and back again - would be good to be proficient at.

Shooting on the move and from barricades.

I could go on.................................here's a taste......................

http://www.handgun-shotguntraining.com/video files/stress fire shotgun.wmv

 

[Dope]

Personally the main reasons I stick to a shotgun for HD, no matter how good I am with a rifle or pistol are:

1) Legal. "Home owner shoots intruder with military assault rifle". "Home owner shoots intruder with specially designed hollowpoint bullets meant to kill puppies and babies"
2) Wall penetration. Buckshot in a shotgun penetrates far less than pretty much any pistol or rifle round but is still very effective at stopping a human. I live in a heavily populated area so this is a big deal.

You do what you have to do to protect yourself and your family, but these 2 issues are big enough to me to make me choose the shotgun.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with your choices. It will just really suck if someday you get put in the position of having to shoot someone to defend yourself. Get a jury full of people who have never even held a firearm and the prosecution starts using all of the scary words to describe your instrument of choice...scares me just as much as the possibility of the incident itself!

Dope

 

[Kingcreek]

You might want to re-evaluate the fit of that SG before you relegate it to HD semi-retirement. A SG with proper fit and function would be MY preference over an AK, but I also expect you'll want to use what serves you best. just don't give up on the SG prematurely.

 

[Mannlicher]

for years, I have used a Bushmaster shorty AR for HD. I have shotguns, but they have too many negatives for a defense gun.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Things might be different if i did it today, but my experience points the other way.

Back when I threegunned, I got first shot hits faster and scored a hair higher with a shotgun than....

An AR.

A SKS with mods.

And issue Mini 14s.

To this day 870s are my gotos. YMMV.

Do train with everything....

 

[sixgunner455]

Software. Shoot what works for you, what you feel more confident in your abilities with.

I prefer the rifle to the shotgun for defensive purposes. I use an AR.

 

[Srigs]

I perfer the shotgun due to less penetration through walls. Only you can decide what will work best for you but inside my home the shotgun is king.

Let us know what you decide.

 

[Gary G23]

I switched from a shotgun to a carbine years ago. 30 rounds versus 7 and the ability to reload fast. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[DawgFvr]

An SKS behind the bedroom door...a .45 ACP on the night stand...but my Mossberg 590 is my go to gun when my house is breached.

 

[elkhuntingfool]

An SKS behind the bedroom door...a .45 ACP on the night stand...but my Mossberg 590 is my go to gun when my house is breached.

High crime neighborhood? I figure my 45acp will/should do just fine. Hope I never have to test that theory.

 

[Papaster]

I'd say you're gonna have to evaluate what you're defending. If you're talking wide open spaces in the middle of nowhere with no neighbors or family members for miles, the AK is a valid HD gun. Especially if you anticipate out-doors combat with intruders. For in your house, with family members spread throughout, and neighbors on all sides, an SG w/ your trusted pistol will likely be a better choice. My bed side gun is a Taurus PT145. I'm in a very small apartment, and clearing it with anything longer than a handgun is unrealistic. A rifle would penetrate walls of 3-4 neighbors before slowing down. There's just too much at stake to use a rifle in my scenario. And when I get a little more square footage, and an intruder is more than a second or two from my bedroom, I'll add a shotgun to my HD arsenal. Not until I get my ranch with 40+ acres will I go to a rifle for defense.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I keep my Makarov velcroed to bedpost, SXS 12 ga. in near corner and Marlin Camp .45 w/10 rd mag hanging on wall hook. the big boys are there if I have to step outside I live 150 yds off pavement. I'm awful skeered of the dark

 

[buzz_knox]

"Home Owner Shoots Intruder With Military Assault Rifle".

""Home Owner Shoots Intruder With Assault Shotgun".

"Home Owner Shoots Intruder With Assault Pistol".

"Home Owner Shoots Intruder With Hollowpoint Ammunition".

"Socioeconomically disadvantaged murdered by Home Owner while looking for food."

If we play the "how will the media spin this" card, we will lose everytime. Make a rational and informed decision as to what will or will not give you the optimum chance of surviving a deadly force situation and the legal aftermath that is certain to follow.