Your Defensive Shotgun

[RIKA]

Yeah, I know that the shotgun isn't the best for SHTF work but I keep one by my bedside because it makes me feel better. So lets talk about them.

Mine is a Remington 870 Express with the black synthetic stock. 12ga and 18in police cylinder barrel and Choate 2 shot extender. It has a leather butt cuff (copy of Milt Sparks Cold Comfort) that holds 7 extra rds laced to the stock. The mag is stuffed with 4 rds of #6 shells to save the spring. I have ghost ring sights to be installed later.

Okay, I've shown you mine (verbally) - now show me yours. :D

RIKA

[GBullet]

And I liked what you showed me!

It sounds like you have an excellent defensive shotgun. Birdshot is tops for indoors. It's plenty effective and lessens the chance of overpenetration.

[Half elf]

Mine is a S&W 916A 18.5bbl, 5 in the mag, loaded with BB 2.75 magnum express loads. I have no worrys about it as the lighter shot hopefully wont blow clear through my house. It is also my quail gun so i knew it is fast swinging and effective.

[John in AR]

Only shotgun I own is an 18 inch Mossberg 500. Paid $110 for it used 11-12 years ago, and installed a Pachmayr "Vindicator" forend and a sidesaddle.

Don't use or carry it much anymore; too much liability with a multiprojectile (read: indiscriminate) longarm for public use. Obviously, in your own house, it's a different story.

My nightstand gun is my daytime gun, a Glock 19; except at night, it wears an M3 light.

[Magnum88C]

I've got two.

1.) Remington 870 Police Magnum. Standard 4 round capacity. Keep 4 3" OOO magnum shells in the gun. Butt cuff carries 5 3" magnum 1-oz. foster slugs.

2.) Mossberg 590A1, with the bayonet lug. Keep 6 3" OO magnum shells in the gun, 6 more on the side saddle, and 5 3" 1-oz. foster slugs in the butt cuff. This gun patterns better with OO than OOO, which is the reason for the difference between it and the Remmy.

[Garand]

Mossberg M500ATP6SP that I bought fitted with a sidesaddle, but lately I'm getting more time with my Winchester M97 Trench gun. My 1905 Winchester M97 Takedown is currently being rebuilt by a gunsmith at the current time, am looking forward to getting it back. Lately I've been shooting shotgun in competition at least once or twice a month.

[DJetAce]

Mossburg "Maverick", 18 inch 12 guage, with 4 shot side saddle. I bought it cheep at a pawnshop for $125. And that was WITH the side saddle on it. I've put over 300 rounds through it and not a jam of any kind. Patterns well, and with slugs it will put every slug inside a IPSC 'A' zone out to 75 yards. Good enough for a constant truck gun.

[RIKA]

Well Melvin, it appears that scatterguns win among thinking persons for a home defense weapon. Eat your heart out.

RIKA

[brass hammer]

with choate pistol grip stock,modifed police extension from a 870,giving 8 rd. loaded capacity, 4 rd. side saddle,18" cyl bore,#oo buck(in gun) slugs(in side saddle) this is by my bed.

i would like to share, that there's a belgium browning a-5 light twelve in near mint condition, that lives in the gun safe[it was my fathers] he always thought it was to nice of a gun to hunt with! go figure?


mirror,mirror, on the wall
i am my father, after all!


thanks.

[84 C4]

Mossberg 500 with pistol grip and top folding stock, loaded with 6 3" Mags, #2 shot.

[41mag]

Another Mossberg-8rnds of 00 in the bedroom.Also an 835 w/6'S by the frt door & a Stoeger double near the back door.If it gets so bad that I need to reload I'm going through the window.

[ABCF]

Don't do much with shotgun these days, but I do have a couple of M870 12gs around.

The one that has the most miles on it was built by Scattergun Technologies back in '94 or '95. It is what used to be called a 'Border Patrol' model which was their 'fullhouse' gun back then.

The other is a simple, plain jane 18-inch cylinder bore with a short stock and XS Big Dot epoxied over the standard 'bead on pedestal'.

I've pretty much gone to a military style carbine for 'defensive longgun' status. For the last few years, that's been an AKM in 7.62 x 39.

[Hasher]

Benelli M1S90, 2 Scattergun Tech 870's, 1 additional 870 (also has surefire foreend., and a for fun Winny 1300 in 20 Guage.

All except the 20 have side saddles, Ghost ring sights, slings, and side saddles.

[arebindixie]

High Standard Flite King with a 20" bbl (no choke) and bead sight, loaded with 00 buck. Slugs, #8s, and #6s are in reserve. The slugs, #8, and #6 shot are kept for utility. As an aside, the shotgun provides the same versatility as an 18th century musket or fowling piece with greater firepower; while not ideal, it is a close range jack of all trades.

[neolithic hunter]

i keep a 18" 1100 with rifle sites over the back door, and have a 97 win. under the bed, have a 97 clone (Norinco) over the front door. i've made sure that a gun is over the door or within reach in every room in my house. :cool:

no i'm not parinoid, i just don't want to have some asshole kick my door down, and not be able to get on the offensive. it's happened before in this great land and several time out in the country. thats why i have a panic room built into the house for my wife and son and me if i need it. it also doubles as storm shelter.:cool:

[BigEd63]

Well I just acquired an 870 in trade and another that will be mine in 2 weeks that a shop is holding for me. Both will have 8-shot extensions and the Choate anti-jam shell followers. Plus maybe a few other goodies but nothing too extreme.

[Flinter]

Winchester Defender 12 gauge with black synthetic stock. The only modifications I've made are a larger orange bead on the front and a slippery, never where you need it nylon shell holster on the buttstock.

I like the gun but the stock has never fit me very well. I plan to change it out with a (shorter) Speedfeed stock some time in the near future. I'll probably add a sidesaddle shell holder to boot. Oh ya, it's loaded with #4 buckshot.

[Almadjian]

How about this: http://www.serbu.com/shorty.htm

Fits in your briefcase!

[tuna]

I don't have a true shotgun for defense. I leave that to my K frame S&Ws and Taurus Clones (same speedloaders and reloads for everything. However, scattered throughout the house are the shotguns that I bought but don't hunt with much anymore. So depending on where I am, I've got 2 H&R single shots (20 and 16 gauge), a JC Higgins in 12 gauge side by side, and an Ithaca M37 in 20 gauge. While they may not be the best, they satisfy the first commandment of gunfighting "Bring a gun, in fact bring several"

[RIKA]

If a person doesn't have children in the house then having several firearms scattered around is a good idea.

RIKA

[SatCong]

I think I've shown my Mossy before...
SatCong

[tuna]

If a person doesn't have children in the house then having several firearms scattered around is a good idea.

RIKA


Good point, failed to mention that my wife and I have no children, she has a carry permit and we make sure to do our "easter egg hunt" when we have friends with children coming over. Needless to say, my "play area" is off limits to children, since I know they will wind up finding the buck knife I lost last year.

[Rhino]

By bed-Mossberg 9200 jungle gun, loaded with #4 buck (41 22 cal pellets per round)
Livingroom- Mossberg 590 same load with M10 Bayonet
Truck 1987 Winchester same load
car- Stevens 311 18.1" slug left buck right.

Rhino

[robert garner]

Neolithic Hunter
I also keep a 97 and was wondering about the Chinese copy? good value
dependable etc. I need another project (LoL) and was considering a rifled
slug gun w/rifle type aperature sights,and like the 97's action
Thanks

[Garand]

I've been told that the Norinco requires a fair amount of work before it is suitable for competition, stick with an original M97.

[T. Daves]

I've just got a couple of 870s that are not to fancy, but they are what the wife grabs when there's a bump in the night.

[bravo30]

this is my saiga12 with a 20rd drum by wraith maker .... soon to be converted to pistol grip with all the goodies needed ... obviously this is a special purpose gun , to large and heavy for any practical use other then putting up a steel wall of buckshot
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z104/bravo301/P1010001.jpg

[Gunners762]

mitchell highstandard

[Sako338]

Remington 870

[cbass]

My mom bought this gun for me for my 30th birthday. I'd shot dozens of shotguns before and had ZERO reservations buying this one for 'bird and home' duty.

Remington 870 Express Turkey Special. Or some silly name like that. What it comes down to is an 870 with a 21.5" bbl. A buddy had one and I borrowed it on a dove shoot and smoked them all day.

Talk about an eye-opener. A bird gun should be 26 or 28"... BS. I embarrassed guys with "better" stuff and still do with that gun.

Anyway, I bought a true field gun so the 870 sleeps under me with #4 buck + 5 more in a stock butt cuff.

[mic214]

I have been a Remington 870 owner and user for many years, but being a "Lefty", I found that the Mossbergs just work better for me ergonomically. So recently I converted my Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag into an HD shotgun and I just picked up a 590A1. I think they make a great pair!:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y71/mic214/DSCN0158_edited.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y71/mic214/DSCN0162.jpg

[Gunners762]

mic214, they are nice shotguns. :dgrin: Nice Pair!

[Jorge_Banner]

Remington 870 Police, side-folding stock 12Ga MAG cal.
the side folding stock has an integral three shells shell-holder:

9552



High Standard 12Ga cal. w/pistol grip

[Step]

As everyone knows, or should know; we really don't want to blast someone with our home defense shotgun. Sure, if some crazed dude kicks down your door and comes charging into your home carrying a knife and makes like he's going to slice open your wife and kids blow the SOB away.

Otherwise don't shoot! Even in the obviously justified case above you may end up spending a large chunk of your change defending yourself.

What we really want to do is to scare the wacko away. While there is a little voice in many of us that whispers go ahead and pop the guy, even if he looks cross eyed at us that little voice is wrong.

So we want the perp who enteres our home to know that we are there, and we are armed with a shotgun, and we are ready and willing to do some target practice on his mid section. That being said we need a shotgun that has the loudest sounding action of them all. That "CA CHUNK" sound of the action opening and closing should reverberate throughout the house. The gun, in my opinion, that has the best CA CHUNK is the model 1897 Winchester. Old Model 12's are good too. Actually any good pump is all right.

My suggested load is bird shot goes in last, so it comes out first. About no. 7's will do. That way if the guy is close to you, you can open him up and not spread the shot further or deeper than his chest. The mess caused by bird shot at close range is beyond description; I've seen the pictures in coroner's manuals. In behind the No. 7's you might consider no. 2's or 4's. Don't put in buck, as you'll end up punching holes all over your house and maybe in your neighbor's too.

However, we must always keep in mind that if we really do shoot someone in our home we had better been darned sure that the guy had really bad intentions. Otherwise it's the shooter who pays - big time.

[Step]

In my opinion the best shotgun for a lefty is also one of the best for a righty. That's a model 37 Ithica pump. It ejects the shells straight down. You put'm in from the bottom too. It's a smooth action and one of the best pumps ever made. I think they're making them again.

[Tomac]

NEF Pardner Pump Protector w/+2 mag tube extension (making it 7+1), fiber optic bead, 4rd sidesaddle & TLR-1 taclight. It's kept stoked w/7rds of 00 w/4 slugs in the sidesaddle.
Tomac
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Tomac/ResizeofNEFPardnerPumpProtector002.jpg

[Skypilot]

I use a Remington 870 Express pump that I bought at Wal-Mart.

[ILstMyMarbles]

Started off as a Saiga 12 and then the conversion disease took hold of me. She's pictured with a 5 rd mag., but she has 10 rd. mags and a 20 rd drum coming. All in all, she's cost a pretty penny and was converted by the master-TROMIX. Looks alone will clear a room. She has a Short throw/ reset trigger, so bump firing is lightning quick. Equipped with laser, holo sight and Surfire tac. light. Stock folds. Everytime I take her to the range, mouths drop.

[Jorge_Banner]

Zombies are in for a nasty surprise, ILstMyMarbles. Now you need about ten mags and a vest to carry them.

[SurviveNthrive]

My home defense shotgun is a former SPD Mossberg with rifle sights, and the cadet stock I put on it. It's light and handy. I don't have a light on that, I have a remote that clicks on several lights and doesn't highlight me!

[ILstMyMarbles]

Jorge, I have 8 10 rd mags and the drum is on its way soon after it is produced.

As to the tactical light- it is intended for blinding the fool at night just before the second, third, fourth flash of light. Then it's lights out!

[Jorge_Banner]

Nice. Much faster to load than the tube ones.

[ubet]

I keep a Mossberg 500A with 5 00 buck in the mag and 1 in the pipe. Far as penetration is concerned: http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm