Heywood Case
Member
I am planning to buy a shotgun soon (my first) and have been enjoying the process of reading the archives, hanging out at the local gun shop, and pondering what will work best for me. I understand there is only so much that can be said about the various choices and most of it has already been discussed, but any suggestions would be most appreciated.
What is it going to be used for?
The primary purpose is home/camp defense. I love my revolver but if it ever had to be used at home there is too much risk to my neighbors. I live in an apartment building, and there is a direct line from the bedroom through a front window, to the next building about 40 yards away. On each side the walls are thinner. The secondary purpose is as a short range centerfire rifle. I've wanted one for a while, just because (I already have a .22 rifle). Space is limited, so it would be nice to have one gun serve both purposes. 50 - 100 yards is far enough, so probably no need for a rifled barrel. Third, after having read Dave McCracken's 101 series and many other discussions here, it seems like developing general skill with a shotgun (i.e., hitting small moving targets) is a thing worth doing for its own sake. In any event if you are going to have a shotgun for defensive purposes there is obviously a need for a great deal of practice, and that practice ought to include moving targets.
Other considerations
I've no expectations of hunting anything in the short term, but it's something I'd like to learn more about. I like to visit fairly remote backcountry areas, so portability is a good thing. Given the complexities of life, which are many, I prefer simplicity and versatility over perfection for specialized purposes. All other things equal, it would be nice if my girlfriend (like me, she has experience with handguns but not with shotguns) could also use the gun. I'm 5'9, 200 lbs, she's about 5'4", 150 lbs. Most likely she'll be more sensitive to recoil. Cost is important, probably no more than $500 is possible and it would be nice to spend less than that. There's a nearby range that has a 20" minimum barrel length, it would be nice to be able to go there.
What I'm looking at
The Remington 870 with the 21" turkey barrel seems like the "do everything" gun that gets mentioned most often. Obviously not as good as the longer barrel for things flying through the air, and who knows how well those clamp-on sights would work if I can't shoot slugs well with the bead. But people who have them seem to like them.
Remington 870 express, youth model (1" shorter stock, 20 gauge, 21" barrel). Shorter overall, easier to handle, maybe not much less recoil than the 12 gauge. Shorter maximum effective range with slugs, but certainly enough to meet my needs. Maybe easier for my girlfriend, although she thought the adult version felt pretty good in the store.
Remington 870 combo, with 28" field barrel and 20" improved cylinder barrel with rifle sights. This really seems good, except for the complication of changing barrels. That's not such a big deal, but I really like the idea of getting good with just one configuration. You can always buy more barrels later on. Costs more, but hardly excessive. Some like the rifle sights, some don't.
Remington 870 with either the short 18.5" barrel or the standard 28" or 26" barrel. Obvious tradeoffs, but either would be adequate for the primary use (no creeping around from room to room for me, thank you very much) and you can always get another barrel later on.
Mossberg 500 combo, with 28" field barrel and 18.5" HD barrel. I can't say I'm thrilled about the appearance of the Mossberg, but the price is right and I'm sure it would be good enough. Maybe less good for slugs, but with the lower price I could pick up another barrel easy enough.
The plan
Aside from this query, I'm planning to go with my girlfriend back to the local shop (owners are friendly and love to show what they have and discuss options) and just see what feels best. A nearby indoor range has a shotgun or 2 for rent, so I hope to do that as well. You can ony get so much from shooting at a stationary target indoors, but maybe it will help in figuring out what fits or what doesn't fit. Right now I'm leaning towards the 870 with the 21" turkey barrel, but the youth model 870 in 20 gauge is most intriguing. I could almost see being more comfortable with the shorter stock, and the lighter weight of the 20 gauge is attractive to me. Of course I'll also be looking for the Brister book some have recommended, and most important of all will be to find someone in the area to learn from (just south of San Francisco). Know any good instructors in the Bay Area?
Most likely any of these options would work out just fine, so it feels a little silly to be spending so much time worrying about the details. But it's fun, so I beg your indulgence. Thanks very much for any suggestions, and thanks for all the great information already posted here.
John
What is it going to be used for?
The primary purpose is home/camp defense. I love my revolver but if it ever had to be used at home there is too much risk to my neighbors. I live in an apartment building, and there is a direct line from the bedroom through a front window, to the next building about 40 yards away. On each side the walls are thinner. The secondary purpose is as a short range centerfire rifle. I've wanted one for a while, just because (I already have a .22 rifle). Space is limited, so it would be nice to have one gun serve both purposes. 50 - 100 yards is far enough, so probably no need for a rifled barrel. Third, after having read Dave McCracken's 101 series and many other discussions here, it seems like developing general skill with a shotgun (i.e., hitting small moving targets) is a thing worth doing for its own sake. In any event if you are going to have a shotgun for defensive purposes there is obviously a need for a great deal of practice, and that practice ought to include moving targets.
Other considerations
I've no expectations of hunting anything in the short term, but it's something I'd like to learn more about. I like to visit fairly remote backcountry areas, so portability is a good thing. Given the complexities of life, which are many, I prefer simplicity and versatility over perfection for specialized purposes. All other things equal, it would be nice if my girlfriend (like me, she has experience with handguns but not with shotguns) could also use the gun. I'm 5'9, 200 lbs, she's about 5'4", 150 lbs. Most likely she'll be more sensitive to recoil. Cost is important, probably no more than $500 is possible and it would be nice to spend less than that. There's a nearby range that has a 20" minimum barrel length, it would be nice to be able to go there.
What I'm looking at
The Remington 870 with the 21" turkey barrel seems like the "do everything" gun that gets mentioned most often. Obviously not as good as the longer barrel for things flying through the air, and who knows how well those clamp-on sights would work if I can't shoot slugs well with the bead. But people who have them seem to like them.
Remington 870 express, youth model (1" shorter stock, 20 gauge, 21" barrel). Shorter overall, easier to handle, maybe not much less recoil than the 12 gauge. Shorter maximum effective range with slugs, but certainly enough to meet my needs. Maybe easier for my girlfriend, although she thought the adult version felt pretty good in the store.
Remington 870 combo, with 28" field barrel and 20" improved cylinder barrel with rifle sights. This really seems good, except for the complication of changing barrels. That's not such a big deal, but I really like the idea of getting good with just one configuration. You can always buy more barrels later on. Costs more, but hardly excessive. Some like the rifle sights, some don't.
Remington 870 with either the short 18.5" barrel or the standard 28" or 26" barrel. Obvious tradeoffs, but either would be adequate for the primary use (no creeping around from room to room for me, thank you very much) and you can always get another barrel later on.
Mossberg 500 combo, with 28" field barrel and 18.5" HD barrel. I can't say I'm thrilled about the appearance of the Mossberg, but the price is right and I'm sure it would be good enough. Maybe less good for slugs, but with the lower price I could pick up another barrel easy enough.
The plan
Aside from this query, I'm planning to go with my girlfriend back to the local shop (owners are friendly and love to show what they have and discuss options) and just see what feels best. A nearby indoor range has a shotgun or 2 for rent, so I hope to do that as well. You can ony get so much from shooting at a stationary target indoors, but maybe it will help in figuring out what fits or what doesn't fit. Right now I'm leaning towards the 870 with the 21" turkey barrel, but the youth model 870 in 20 gauge is most intriguing. I could almost see being more comfortable with the shorter stock, and the lighter weight of the 20 gauge is attractive to me. Of course I'll also be looking for the Brister book some have recommended, and most important of all will be to find someone in the area to learn from (just south of San Francisco). Know any good instructors in the Bay Area?
Most likely any of these options would work out just fine, so it feels a little silly to be spending so much time worrying about the details. But it's fun, so I beg your indulgence. Thanks very much for any suggestions, and thanks for all the great information already posted here.
John
