i was wanting another shotgun again after i traded out of my HD one awhile ago. but i feel just fine and comfortable with 16 rounds of .45 at the ready in my FNX45. and i just added a TLR-2s to make it a bit easier than holding a flashlight.
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home defense
- Thread starter Rose13Bud
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I have 3 shotguns, but that's for in-case the SHTF for people who can't shoot, but I must tell you, ONLY you know what you feel comfortable with, but if you have a wife and she does not shoot allot, a shotgun is a good idea for home defense, just teach her the shot gun and let her get some range time, so she gets familiar with the gun.
Here are my suggestions.
I suggest that your pistol is fine, but if you want to add a shotgun and know nothing about them, be practical. Get a semi-automatic gun (the 870 mentioned I think is semi-automatic) because it'll take some of the work out of the equation. A pump can be hard to manage -- I can't do it under calm conditions.
Get a "brush gun." That is, one with a shorter barrel like you would use if hunting in the brush, rather than shooting at geese high up in the air. Get an open choke, which simply means the barrel is more open or "bigger" at the muzzle so the shot spreads out over a shorter distance. Modified or closed choke -- hope I used the right terms -- are for distance shooting.
Get a 12-gauge because it's more powerful and more versatile. You can hunt anything with a 12-gauge from squirrel and rabbit to deer. For home defense it'll give you the most power and the most pellets per shot.
Only use big shot if it's for home defense. Not rabbit shot. Buck shot with "high brass" which is just a high-power powder charge is good.
Make sure its magazine will hold many rounds. You can always buy a plug to limit the capacity for hunting, if you want to.
Don't get the tactical, black, pistol grip shotgun. You have no familiarity with shotguns, so get a nice wood one that would be at home in the field shooting birds. It'll be the same gun except for appearance. My reasoning is that you might actually want to go hunting, and you'll want to look the part when you do. But at home, the burglar won't care whether you use a hunting gun or a tactical one. Besides, there's something a little bit cool about defending your property with multi-purpose tools that just happen to be nearby.
My personal "arsenal" consists of a 9mm pistol and a 100+ year old 12-gauge side-by-side double. If you think you might need much more than that it's time to relocate.
I suggest that your pistol is fine, but if you want to add a shotgun and know nothing about them, be practical. Get a semi-automatic gun (the 870 mentioned I think is semi-automatic) because it'll take some of the work out of the equation. A pump can be hard to manage -- I can't do it under calm conditions.
Get a "brush gun." That is, one with a shorter barrel like you would use if hunting in the brush, rather than shooting at geese high up in the air. Get an open choke, which simply means the barrel is more open or "bigger" at the muzzle so the shot spreads out over a shorter distance. Modified or closed choke -- hope I used the right terms -- are for distance shooting.
Get a 12-gauge because it's more powerful and more versatile. You can hunt anything with a 12-gauge from squirrel and rabbit to deer. For home defense it'll give you the most power and the most pellets per shot.
Only use big shot if it's for home defense. Not rabbit shot. Buck shot with "high brass" which is just a high-power powder charge is good.
Make sure its magazine will hold many rounds. You can always buy a plug to limit the capacity for hunting, if you want to.
Don't get the tactical, black, pistol grip shotgun. You have no familiarity with shotguns, so get a nice wood one that would be at home in the field shooting birds. It'll be the same gun except for appearance. My reasoning is that you might actually want to go hunting, and you'll want to look the part when you do. But at home, the burglar won't care whether you use a hunting gun or a tactical one. Besides, there's something a little bit cool about defending your property with multi-purpose tools that just happen to be nearby.
My personal "arsenal" consists of a 9mm pistol and a 100+ year old 12-gauge side-by-side double. If you think you might need much more than that it's time to relocate.
The Remington 870 has been in production for 6 decades and is probably the most commonly used pump action shotgun on the planet. lol
I'm at a loss.
"The Remington 870 has been in production for 6 decades and is probably the most commonly used pump action shotgun on the planet. lol"
Thanks -- it's been at least two of those decades since I've seen or used one. Wrong choice, I suppose.
Thanks -- it's been at least two of those decades since I've seen or used one. Wrong choice, I suppose.
Not sure why . . . the guy asked for opinions and I have one . . .
By the way, my opinions are absolutely free, and they're worth every penny of it!
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Umm.....oh, never mind.
To the OP, apparently I don't know what I'm talking about but no one wants to say why (except for the 870 bit). Good luck to you . . . and me.
It doesn't matter -- shotguns are fun. You should have one.
Handgun, shotgun or rife? All have there good and bad points.
Handgun:
Good:
Easy to keep near you.
Easier to keep secure from children, but not out of reach in an emergency.
Light weight.
Easy to maneuver and use in tight spaces.
High capacity available.
Fast reload.
Bad:
Much more difficult to hit what you're aiming at. Especially under stress.
Poor stopping power.
Takes the most skill to use effectively in a home defense situation.
Shotgun:
Good:
Devastating power.
Inexpensive.
Reasonably easy hits.
Bad:
Lots of recoil.
Low capacity.
Slow to reload.
Least maneuverable of the three choices.
More difficult than a handgun to keep away from children, yet keep readily available.
Takes more skill to use effectively in a home defense situation than most people think.
Carbine Rifle:
Good:
Low recoil.
High capacity.
Fast reloads.
A bit more maneuverable than a shotgun.
Easy hits.
Good stopping power.
Takes the least amount of skill to use effectively in a home defense situation.
Bad:
Most expensive of the three choices.
Not as maneuverable as a handgun.
More difficult than a handgun to keep away from children, yet keep readily available.
My personal choice is to keep a handgun in a lockbox on my nightstand (I have a young grandson in the house on a regular basis) and keep a carbine within a few steps of the bed, but high enough to keep it out of small hands. I also have a good HD shotgun staged on high ground in the living room, but frankly, should replace it with another carbine. In fact, if anyone wants to trade a HD AR for a Mossberg 930 HD, PM me.
A HD shotgun can be a devastatingly effective weapon, but it takes a lot more training and practice to use it well than people think. The biggest thing going for them is that you can get a good reliable one for very little money.
Handgun:
Good:
Easy to keep near you.
Easier to keep secure from children, but not out of reach in an emergency.
Light weight.
Easy to maneuver and use in tight spaces.
High capacity available.
Fast reload.
Bad:
Much more difficult to hit what you're aiming at. Especially under stress.
Poor stopping power.
Takes the most skill to use effectively in a home defense situation.
Shotgun:
Good:
Devastating power.
Inexpensive.
Reasonably easy hits.
Bad:
Lots of recoil.
Low capacity.
Slow to reload.
Least maneuverable of the three choices.
More difficult than a handgun to keep away from children, yet keep readily available.
Takes more skill to use effectively in a home defense situation than most people think.
Carbine Rifle:
Good:
Low recoil.
High capacity.
Fast reloads.
A bit more maneuverable than a shotgun.
Easy hits.
Good stopping power.
Takes the least amount of skill to use effectively in a home defense situation.
Bad:
Most expensive of the three choices.
Not as maneuverable as a handgun.
More difficult than a handgun to keep away from children, yet keep readily available.
My personal choice is to keep a handgun in a lockbox on my nightstand (I have a young grandson in the house on a regular basis) and keep a carbine within a few steps of the bed, but high enough to keep it out of small hands. I also have a good HD shotgun staged on high ground in the living room, but frankly, should replace it with another carbine. In fact, if anyone wants to trade a HD AR for a Mossberg 930 HD, PM me.
A HD shotgun can be a devastatingly effective weapon, but it takes a lot more training and practice to use it well than people think. The biggest thing going for them is that you can get a good reliable one for very little money.
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