single shot 12 ga for home defense?

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PT1911

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I own and really like the feel and abilities of my single shot 12 ga.. I was thinking earlier... how well would it work for a home defense situation or even an out of the home SD situation.

before anyone starts screaming to get a handgun or a pump or even a lever action for greater capacity, I have them all and know they would likely be superior, however, I am curious about everyone's thoughts on this...

thank you in advance.
 
If you like it go for it.

Just load a round with the most availible energy possible for your ability and lurk in one particular place after calling 911 and yelling for the BG to get the hell out of your house or get shot.

Get down close to the floor if you can around a corner of bed or something, that BG will be marching straight towards you with his weapon raised about man high expecting to see a standing 6 foot target to shoot.

Make that shot count. Use double O buck that way while the BG is feeling over hisself for holes you have time to reload.

I tell you this much, you will get one in, the phoomp of the reload will clue the guy in quick. if he is really stupid you will get a third reload. But usually ammo is effective yah? No need to worry.

I started off with a break.

I started off single loading my remmie, same with wife for her moss. When rounds load, fire load fire regular without dropping shells we transitioned to the mag tube and pump.
 
There was a segment done on Guns and Ammo t.v. (Personal Defense t.v. with Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch) about using a single shot or double barrel for self defense and how it can be a formidable weapon when you properly load and eject the cartridges. He shows you how to effectively perform that procedure with impressive results. Just an FYI
 
I will have to look into that.. seems like an interesting area to brush up on one's skills...
 
sm sold me on the platform for HD, search around and he has some good posts available. I might be able to help find them if you PM me, or he could help. He actually recommends the 20 ga youth model.
 
while it isnt the fastest at geting a new round in the chamber it is still a shotgun and i have heard few stories of it taking more than one shot to ward off a bg.
 
I own pump, double, had an auto (got rid of it!!!) and plenty of other choices.. just want to know all the options.. and I see potential for some real advantages...
 
Single-shots are idiot-proof, which is nice if you're an idiot.

It's also nice when you're trying to defend your life. Simple is good. Then again, pumps are simple too.

I'd use mine for defense if it was all I had, but it's not my first choice. It's not my last either.
 
Re: Single Barrel Shotgun.

Clint Smith is correct, you have to how to run the gun you have.
Awerbuck shares the same suggestion; one has to have a shotgun, know how to keep it fed, and how to make effective hits.

Clint Smith keeps a 20 bore shotgun beside.
Awerbuck travels with a break open side by side, and I have heard a single shot has accompanied him as well.

Yes, I use a Youth, H&R 20 bore single shot.
Mine is bone stock, from the factory which is 36" total length, including the 22" fixed modified barrel, and factory recoil pad.

I. Want. Choke.

This guns shoots some of the best pellet, buckshot, patterns and slug groups , and I have patterned a few guns, over the decades.

I can stand, with shotgun in hand, and you cannot tell I have that shotgun in hand.
I am 6', and the muzzle does not touch the floor. If I am answering the door, I can have gun in hand, and use gun with with either hand.
If I am near a door facing, or chair, or sofa, or anything, you will not see the gun, for sure...unless I choose to let you see it.

If I am in bed, or reclining in a chair, that shotgun is "handy" and my lessons, and sets ups ( you folks call these training and stages) included such lessons and many more.

I am older, and was raised before political correctness, 911, and long before the great equipment race.

When I was coming up, it was common , "how raised-what you do" , that there was a single barrel shotgun in the home, most often, a youth 20 bore.
Applicable to barns, sheds, and businesses too.


Any family member/employee /person could operate that shotgun. From kid, to teenager, to parent, to elderly, to temporary physically limited ( i.e. expectant mom, broken leg...) to permanent physically limited such as Veterans of previous wars, Polio Victims, wheel chair users to bed ridden.

We were concerned about Gun Control, and this was back when Eisenhower was President.
This was in a time when one could order firearms from the back of a Field & Stream catalog, and have it delivered to your door, C.O.D.

Folks had been in war, and seen first hand Gun Control, in many countries.
JFK had not been assassinated in Dallas yet, still folks were concerned with Gun Control, and concerns of "The Ruskies" coming, with a Cold War, and having their own supplies and being self reliant, even though there was Civil Defense.

Civil Defense , yellow and black signs, and drills. I swear as a kid, I did more CD drills than I did fire drills.

The single barrel had a proven history of putting meat on the table, protecting the property of pests, and keeping evil away.

No credit cards, and the only credit was signing a ledger, which was paid up, on pay day.
Folks did lay-a-way.

Folks shot firearms others had, to investigate and verify what fit them, and what they shot best, before they purchased a firearm. Be this a shotgun, rifle, or handgun.

Folks did not have a lot of money, they made do, patched up, or went without.
Again, no whipping out the credit card. Again, they investigated and verified for themselves, tools for tasks, they could afford.
Then they learned that "tool" like a body part, and became one with the tool.


The Single Shot also had a proven history of self defense, in countries, where rights were eroded, restricted, and denied.

i.e.
-No Repeating firearms.
-No Magazines
-One could not have what "Police" or "Military" used.

[This is the reason some countries today have the 32ACP, or .380 being popular. J.Q.Public, cannot have 9mm for instance, because the Police or Military, use 9mm. One would be wise to investigate , and check history, before they talk down to others , from other countries]

Gun Control Act of 1968 had not become - yet.
And folks not only continued to buy single shot shotguns in 20, 28, and .410, they hoarded them back.
Why these, and not 12 bore?
What gauge do Police and Military use?

While folks had 12 bores, and some were set back...concerns of Gun Control, Folks snitching and ratting them out were in the minds of folks.

History had taught them, neighbors would snitch , and rat them out, to "Police"/ "Military" for the "good of the people" and by snitching and ratting them out, they were "Good Little Boys and Girls" and "Good Comrades" and "Good Citizens"...etc.


Awerbuck travels, and not all areas of the USA are friendly to firearms, and firearm owners.
Awerbuck, has an interesting life history, he knows about a country at war, and civil unrest, and having to fight oppressive governments and peoples.
He carries a break open two barrel shotgun for very very good reasons.
If, he does carry a single shot as well, again, it is for very very good reasons.


Some of my Mentors were interesting people as well. As not all of mine were born in the South of the USA, as I was, nor were some born in the USA period.
Yes, some came from other countries, and yes, some of mine had served in war, and continued to travel to other countries to "fight" a Cold War.
Time would bring Vietnam and other Conflicts...and even today, our brave Service Men and Women see peoples "restricted" in firearms ownership and use.

i.e I had a classmate from Croatia. She was in the US, on a volleyball scholarship.
Her family were restricted to single shot .22 rim fire, and single shot shotgun , where she was born, and raised.

i.e. Ireland has a minimum barrel length of 24" for J.Q. Public.

Think about that the next time you whack a perfectly good and legal shotgun down, with a 26" barrel, with choke, to 18.5".

Now "if" Gun Control in the US, were to impose that 24" restriction, or impose "one must have factory barrel, and no mod". Then I am fine with my youth, shotgun with fixed modified choke, plain, 22" barrel.
The 18.5" , cut down with a hacksaw, would be illegal.

It does not matter how ultimate or extreme, or how many rounds a shotgun holds, if (a) one cannot run the gun, and (b) the government has confiscated your shotgun.


Just for what it is worth, and it is only worth what I am charging you for this.

A shotgun ( any firearm) is not a viable tool if the firearm has no ammo to go "bang" when the trigger is tripped.
All firearms have a "empty" and "need to be loaded" characteristic.

Some places in the USA, just as they do in other countries, do not allow for a firearm to be kept loaded.
Some places, such as New Zealand, requires gun and ammo to be stored separate.

The local "police" will not issue a permit for you to have firearms, until they come to the house, and see, and approve the secure, locking storage's; and, they do conduct inspections, both scheduled, and one is subject to random.

Q. How come a person with a single shot shotgun, can clear a plate rack faster than someone with a repeating shotgun?

A. Load one, shoot one and the single shot is making hits, while the person with the repeater is still loading up the magazine.



I don't have a problem with Benelli's per se', I do admit having a problem with the great equipment race and folks with attitudes of trying to buy skill and targets.

I do not spend time with Bennelis, so that is a training problem for me, I freely admit. Still dang! If I let a Benelli run dry, I am screwed, blued and tattooed, and am reduced to "shoot one - load one".

I can shoot a single shot faster than a Benelli, if I am going to be "shooting one, and loading one".

Meaning, grabbing a shotgun and getting into action , in a "restricted setting" gives some ...positives to a single shot, or double barrel.

Before IDPA, IPSC, and 3 Gun come to be, we had serious "set ups" and games if you will.
Folks run what they brung.

Do not tell me, a person with a bone stock, long barrel shotgun, cannot shoot serious, even indoors with such a gun.
I know better.

It would blow your mind as the Mentors sharing how to do this.
Folks that had been there, done that, and had used bone stock shotguns, with long barrels
Including using a single shot, or double gun...as they used what was local to blend in with the peoples to do what they were there to do.

A single shot shotgun is another tool in the tool box.
Like any tool, it is no better than the user of a said tool.
It is one helluva tool, in the hands of someone that knows how to use it.


-s
 
More Reality.

I chose to assist certain persons in my life; mentors did this. It made sense to me, to pass forward as I was passed onto.

Ladies, single moms, kids.
Battered, beaten, sexually assaulted, abused.

Add, physically limited (temp or perm) and elderly.

I can get a single mom, up to speed in 10 min with single shot shotgun, and if you give me 30, she will be up to speed with a revolver.

"Up to speed" means for the immediate, serious threat. Later, more lessons and instructions.

Go rip out a few finger nails, break some more, and get back to me, on how well you run your ultimate extreme shotgun or "anyone can rack a slide on a semi auto pistol, if you do it my way".

Break a few fingers, heck amputate one, cut some down to the bone...
Get back to me after you mess with your "ultimate shotties" and "master blasters in thigh holster semis with hi cap mags".

Have someone throw you down some stairs, shoot you in the leg, knife you, and get back to me.
For fun, go have the ER administer a rape kit, and oh heck, since you are there, some Resident needs practicing doing a 100 stitches.


In the blink of an eye, one can go from whole, to being physically limited.
In the blink of an eye, one can go from a nice life, to living in terror.

Even a healthy strong 25 year old male full of pissp-n-vinegar, can be limited in the blink of an eye.
That shotgun is too heavy to lift and operate. I do not care if it is a light gun that runs fast, or one heavy with heat shields, mag extensions, side saddles, light rails and optics.

That shotgun will not magically keep evil away, nor will it magically shoot all by itself to stop a threat.

I do not have a problem with makes, models and configs of firearms and ammo, be they shotgun, rifle or handgun.

I really do have a problem with "buying skill and targets" and I was doing before many were an itch in their daddy's britches , which pre-dates this <string of expletives> - the great equipment race.


Pay attention, as we continue to have new folks that want to be matriculated into the firearm community.

Some, are parroting information from teh Intraw3bz, some are parroting video games, and movies, and TV.

That crap will get you/others, dead, and dead is forever.
That crap will get you /others maimed/scarred and maimed/scarred is forever, both external and internally.
That crap will get you/others sexually assaulted/raped/ injured, and sexually assaulted/raped/ injured also stays with one for life.


I know for a fact, there are some THR members, real deal folks, that have been there and done that.
And
I know for a fact there are some THR members, that have hours upon hours of training and continue to train that:

-Keep a single shot shotgun
-Dedicated .38spl, with either 148 gr wad cutters, or standard pressure 158 grain loads (LSWC, or JHP).

Handy.

Why?

You have guns in the home/business that the "smallest" person in the home can use.

"Smallest", does not necessarily mean physically small, or "weak" , it also refers to experience with firearms, and being physically limited, be this limit be permanent, or temporary such as post op surgery , or something like a broken arm, leg, or even just a bad cut...or being down with the flu.


This is Reality, and Reality is Real.

Matter of commons sense , that if a lady, or single mom, kid, is in fear of life, or has been through a traumatic event, they need to keep it simple, reduce it down to the "smallest" components.

That single gal, maybe she is under age to legally have a handgun, or she commutes to college, or goes and checks on grandma...
Tee Total fear of a boy rejected.

That single shot is a tool in the tool box for her to have at her apt, in her car, and if it breaks down, she can have it at the hotel while family come get her, or her car is being fixed.

If you have never been stalked, you do not want to be.

That abusive boyfriend, husband/daddy, has sexually assaulted a girlfriend, fiance', wife, and kid.

Total fear, that person stated intent, in no uncertain terms, what they would do , and/or friends would do, if police called due to stalking, or filing of restraining order.

Total fear of that person or friends making good on intents stated, that one did call the police, and did file a RO, after they were raped, beaten, abused.
Which includes, someone in jail and getting out on bond, or out of jail or friends finishing what started.
Which includes kids being victims as well...

I and mine gave away single shot shotguns, and dedicated .38spl revolvers in standard pressure loads to these ladies, single moms.

10 minutes is an eternity , and 30 min is three eternities in "getting up to speed" with a single shot shotgun or revolver.

They have a right to stay safe, and while folks stayed with them, and assisted in getting them moved, the victims have a right to stay safe and have means on hand.

That victim, whole, hurt, raped, abuse, whatever, can safely operate a single shot, shotgun.
Revolver as well.

If a single mom, that mom is in full tilt boogie Protective Mode of her kids.
She wants to know, for a fact, what condition a firearm is.
Her and the kids life might be a living hell, still she wants to be able to feel in the dark, if a shell is in a shotgun or not, or ctgs in a revolver.

Those kids, they too want "safe" , until you have been in some situations, you cannot fully appreciate what feeling "safe" means.

Have you ever seen a child ask a mom, to show them a gun is loaded?
A child, that had had been burned with hot water, and cigars, and the mom cut, to where plastic surgery was needed to fix a breast?

I have.

That kid is afraid, more afraid for mom, than themselves. They are not afraid of the gun, heck the kid is afraid of daddy coming back to hurt mom and them again.
The kitchen knife block, saucepan, stove, and cigars are the "evil tools" , not a dang firearm!

This mom fought, and the "threat left", eventually...
She is not 100%, still she has that maternal instinct, a willingness to survive...
Her sister, is not all that familiar with guns, and that mom and kid, can get nap, knowing that sister can operate those two simple guns.

Our folks were there, still, having a sister/aunt, with them, helps with the healing.


Then we do have -
Folks geting hurt during tornado, hurricane, and other disasters.

Simple works.
 
I've been buying and shooting singles for most of my life. A single Winny 37A is my wife's weapon of choice (behind the night stand on her side of the bed). Hers has a 20" barrel with an IC choke tube.

One thing, until someone has actually fired a firearm inside a house, the "he'll hear you reloading" argument is meaningless. It's so loud, *you* won't hear your own reloading.

Keep a second shell between your fingers on your forearm hand and reloading is fast and easy even in the dark. Fire, break the action with your trigger hand thumb, grab the second shell into your trigger hand and slide your hand down the barrel until you find the breech and use your fingertips to guide the shell in as you push with your palm, close, recock with your trigger hand and regrip the wrist. It's all one smooth action when practiced.

Use a youth stock and skip the buttpads. Use a hard rubber butt plate or something similar. Rubber pads on too long stocks will snag on every piece of clothing you can find and makes shouldering the weapon difficult. You won't notice the sore shoulder until the next day.

rich
 
Keep in mind that the original firearms were mostly single shots, and had to be loaded from the muzzle to boot. Yet firearms still supplanted all other individual weapons of war, even given their cumbersome fashion of use at that time in history.

The same thing goes with single shots as with anything else- learn to run the gun. I've seen folks who could make a single shot sound like a semiauto for a few shots, and hit with it while doing it too.

A person would pretty much have to be a fool to underestimate a single shot shotgun, or the person carrying it.

lpl
 
they are cheap - and fool-proof. 2 big +'s.
best used as a back-up to a cheap revolver or semi-auto handgun if available.
real handy if need arises to 'go outside' for H-D.
practice rapid loading some holding spare shell in left hand.
 
I think rich, Lee and sm covered things pretty well.

One overlooked advantage of inexpensive single shot shotguns is that you can have 3 or 4 to stash around the homestead for the price of one good repeater. Having been surprised with the shotgun at one end of the house and me (needing one) at the other, having multiple shotguns seemed like a good idea. :)
 
It seems to me that I read somewhere a few years ago that the average number of shots fired when a shotgun was used in a defense situation was very close to 1, as opposed to multiple shots for a handgun.
 
practice rapid loading some holding spare shell in left hand.

I've shot sporting clays with a "single".

crossers on report(second clay sent out after 1'st shot fired) with a high
sucess rate.

Some of the "pumps and autos" didn't do aswell lol.

Plus it's great to get the funny looks and head shaking off
other shooters when you go to the stand to shoot.

Even better when you beat them with a second hand gun
that cost £20

So yep with practice a second shot can be taken quickly
if needed and there's less to go wrong with a "single" jams etc.
 
before anyone starts screaming to get a handgun or a pump or even a lever action for greater capacity, I have them all and know they would likely be superior,

Sounds like you pretty much answered your own question. I like the simplicity of the single shot, but Id rather have a coach gun or an over under in case I miss. It is possible to miss with a shotgun.
 
My first shotgun as a kid was a 20ga Winchester 37 break open. I was good enough to be able to get the second shot off at a running rabbit. My shooting fell off when I graduated from that gun to a Rem 870.
 
SM, you rock...

Regarding a DEFENSIVE shotgun:

I have no problem with Single shots if they are a reliable make, as short as they can be legally, with the over the stock shell carrier and possibly a shell carrier on the sling. I would also prefer a .20 to a .12 as recoil is a factor.

Grab some snap caps and train 10 or so min a day and BAM you are in business.

Defensive is important in this category, because the "attackers" are coming at you. Imagine you here a sound at 3:30 in the morning, you grab your single shot shotgun go to the door and yep, someone is coming through the door or window.

You swing to cover the hallway, and it will not take multiple rapid fire shots to protect yourself. Even so, you have five shots that with a touch of practice and no great finesse can be gotten off as fast as most "regular" pump handlers could match you for shooting accurately.

Watch the Clint Smith youtube.com video. I agree totally with him. It is faster to reload a single shooter than it is to reload an 870.

Would I go into the Demon City alone with one? Only if I had too, but that isn't "defensive" then is it?

EDIT:

Seriously people, stop with the ragging, he asked about it. Of course a gun that shoots faster and holds more bullets is going to be "better", but I would have 0 problem using a single shot and a high point to defend my home. Combined, that is about $230.00 to get two guns. Money matters and sometimes you have to take that into account when outfitting yourself.

All the serious "preppers" on this board know that beans are more important than guns. Once you get your preps in order, then go spend money on a "black rifle" in the meantime make your other preps...

That is my $0.02 anyway.
 
Interestingly enough, I was a die hard "12 ga or nothing" guy until I saw several deer killed with a 20 ga. It's the load that may have led one to believe that a 20 is useless. I now own as many 20s as 12s. :)
 
I would love to take everything you've posted and put it together in some kind of a collection.

I've asked him this before too...it appears he's too humble. There really could be a section (or compilation) on THR of "steve's wisdom," because it is totally worth reading in and of itself.
 
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