Combat shotguns/home defense shotguns

[.Dirty-.Thirty]

Do you that have a shotgun prefer for a quick opening pattern to maximize your chances of hitting what you aim at or do you go for the tighest shooting pattern?

[damienph]

Do you that have a shotgun prefer for a quick opening pattern to maximize your chances of hitting what you aim at or do you go for the tighest shooting pattern?

My 590A1 is cylinder bore. But it still patterns pretty tight with #5 or #4 at least up to 10 yards. At room length distances, I don't think that the choke would make much difference.

[madman4570]

Do you that have a shotgun prefer for a quick opening pattern to maximize your chances of hitting what you aim at or do you go for the tighest shooting pattern?

Prefer short barreled cylinder bore loaded with #1 Buck

[marlinman93]

Nothing gets the attention of an intruder like the sound of shotgun chambering a round! In most cases I'd guess that alone would send any sane person running, but if it doesn't the business end pointed their way should.
I don't personally think there's much use for these assualt/riot style shotguns for home defense. Any good pump that serves you well in the field will also do the job at home.

[MrMurphy]

You're not trying to hit an entire squad with one pellet each.... you're trying to give the one target you're giving your attention to the highest likelihood of a hit in the vitals.

Tight patterns are the desired result with a defensive shotgun.

Instead of one 9mm (.355) through the chest hitting whatever (lung, heart, guts, fat), it's one .33 pellet "with friends" (8 or 9 pellets) hitting that lung but also everything else around it within an inch or two.

Think of it as half a submachine gun magazine all arriving in the same spot at once.

As long as the ammo lasts, at short range a shotgun can put out as much firepower as an Uzi or MP5, though the 9mm will terminally perform slightly better (and further away) at room/hallway distance....not much difference.

Almost all shotguns are sporting designs or modified sporting designs. A few have been purpose built (the Franchi SPAS series, some Benellis, the Saiga, Neostead, Keltec) as combat weapons.

More or less in order of 'need vs want'

1. Light (do you want to accidentally blow away your 17 yr old son sneaking his girlfriend into his bedroom?) as target ID is a must... either an onboard light (preferred) or some type of in-house lighting

2. Ammo (sidesaddle, bag-o-shells, bandolier, etc if there's time)

3. Sling (dependent on your situation and size/location, but it gives you somewhere to stick it if hands become necessary).

[InTheWoods]

I use an 870 turkey gun with a 21 inch barrel and no sights (other than the beads). Having been an avid wingshooter for decades, sights only slow me down.

[damienph]

I don't personally think there's much use for these assualt/riot style shotguns for home defense. Any good pump that serves you well in the field will also do the job at home.

Now, don't be a spoil sport; the bayonet is for the ones who still aren't aren't scared off after hearing me rack the slide on that Mossberg.

[buckeyeshooter]

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 ... bbl001.jpg

Elibar side by side 3 1/2 inch 10 guage. Barrels cut to 20 inches.

[rjohns94]

do you load for that 10 bore? those brass shells? very nice, been thinking of getting one myself.

[buckeyeshooter]

I do load for it, both smokeless and black. I use it from time to time with black powder cowboy shooting. The shells in the photo are federal plastics. Rocky Mountain Cartridge makes 3 1/2 inch brass cases. I would love to have some but not at $10.00 per case. It shoots 19 pellets of 00 per shell and 54 pellets per shell in #4 buck.

[Modoc ED]

Nothing gets the attention of an intruder like the sound of shotgun chambering a round! ............................................. Any good pump that serves you well in the field will also do the job at home.

Both very good points. However; as far as sound goes, I'd be willing to bet that the sound of this 1-year old, 80-pound German Shephard/Australian Shepherd Mix (Coco) would rattle most intruders if not all of them - especially if she thinks they're after her ball/rope toy.



To back her up, my house shotgun is A Remington 870 pump equipped with a 20" Remington RemChoke barrell with deer iron sights.

[Gary]

Both very good points. However; as far as sound goes, I'd be willing to bet that the sound of this 1-year old, 80-pound German Shephard/Australian Shepherd Mix (Coco) would rattle most intruders if not all of them - especially if she thinks they're after her ball/rope toy.

My Black German shepherd tips the scales at 125 pounds. He doesn't like strangers. We have a security screen on our front door. When someone sticks an ad or something on the screen, Shadow goes ballistic. Scares them off.

[Hobie]

Taken together, HD shotguns get the most hits on my blog, there must be a reason!

I currently use a Winchester 120 and an Ithaca 37. A friend has a cut-down Browning Auto-5 (over which I drool). I've personally stepped back from "mods" even though I used to have a side-saddle on the Winchester.

I'd love to get my hands on your 37, Hobie!

I have a USGI M37 from 1967, but it is not in the "riot" configuration, I wish it were set-up like yours.

I'm loving the 37s more and more. I bought this one locally from a contact a Sxiguns forum member in NEW JERSEY gave me! Gotta love the internet.

I'm kinda looking for a ragged out 20 ga. M37 to use as the basis for a parkerized HD shotgun for the wife. Gonna cut the stock and put a Limbsaver™ recoil pad on it. Well, that's the plan. I tend to get distracted. My gotta-have list is much shorter now, some past distractions I might even sell but I am addicted and one never knows what will show up tomorrow!

[Charles]

I have an Ithaca Police Special, that was first used by the New Mexico State Police, the then by the Luna County, New Mexico Sheriff's Office and how is keeping my camp safe.

[madman4570]

Hey, I forgot
Maybe my 21" barreled 10ga 3.5" Mag Ithaca ROADBLOCKER would do???
A little heavy though?

https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/ ... x?id=54286

[Griff]

Which shotgun is your go to shotgun for home defense, or when things go bad shotgun? I'm currently finishing up mods on my latest and I'm liking what it is turning out to be but I was wondering what your shotgun tastes are. Pics appreciated!!!! Here is mine. Benelli M4, collapsable stock, choke tubes, extended mag, replaced bolt carrier, mag follower, foregrip and mag tube. Ghost ring night sights, eotech. I have a light for the foregrip rail. waiting on a side saddle and the bolt release large push pad. Ran about 50 rounds of buckshot and slugs through it today in about 5 mins to make sure the eotech was set as I wanted it.

I'm not a "shotgun=home defense" kinda guy. Especially if the bad guys are already inside! IMO, most (read "all"), need more range than a standard room 12x14 (or less) allows one to be. It is my opinion that a shotgun with any legal barrel needs at least 10 yards to be truly effective. Plus, if the bad guys are outside, I favor a shoulder mounted weapon that's a bit more precise.

I can miss AND reload faster with a 1911 than I can with shotgun! And with a two-handed hold I'm less likely to miss, plus I present far less of a profile if things deteriorate into a grappling match. I may rethink that when I figure out what exact bayonet fits my 1897 trench gun!

You asked for pictures, you get 'em! My "go to home defense gun" when the threat has already breached the doors:

(Note: I don't have a pic outside the holster. I could say that there's an ultra secret mod that makes this Commander undefeatable, but... the truth is, bluing doesn't react well to long extended periods of storage in sweat-soaked leather)!

Then, for when the threat remains out-of-doors, I have that proven tacti-cool weapon system that is so advanced, it's retro!

With it's 5-shot capacity, firepower isn't immense, but still, I don't consider it a problem; its ease-of-use is un-paralleled, plus having a "few" more standing by with more capacity and longer range capabilities, I have options. But, one of its best features, is the fact that very, very few people really even notice it, even when carried outside. And even fewer recognize its tactical capabilities. In fact, even our departmental sniper sneered at me... until I beat him, (him usin' an semi version of the M4), both score & time-wise on the rifle quals! Ok, I was younger then! Ok, ok, we restricted the course to five-shot strings! But, now that I have a few of those pvc "speedi-loaders", it might be a race!

But, since I live out in the country, sometimes longer engagement distances are called for. That capability is filled by other systems. But even those are relatively mundane.

[awp101]

Can anyone ID this shotgun?

You can follow this link http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _IOC_1.jpg and it will take you to a larger version if that helps.

All I know is I ain't about to fool with the Gurkha carrying it!

[guido4198]

It looks like a Remington 870. Don't know if that configuration is offered anymore. I had one in the late-1970's in Rhodesia. I put a magazine tube extension on it for a few more rounds. Kept it loaded with #4 Buck. The locals called it the "People-eater".

[Malamute]

Yes, looks like an 870 with the factory folding stock. I had one years ago, thought the stock was horrible and sold it. Kept the magazine extension for my old 870, the one I never use.


I'm with Griff, a rifle and sixgun take care of all my needs. Other than shooting clays and birds on the wing, I just figure I can do more with either than with a shotgun.

[jeepnik]

Gotta go with older 870 also. But these can't be Gurkas I don't see no knife.

[kimwcook]

Griff, I think you have my chaps.

[Pitchy]

After seeing that Rem. 11 auto posted i`m on the hunt for one of those, just left a local gun shop that had ten Auto fives .
Gotta find a good deal on one soon don`t ya know before they all get bought up
Aside from the self defense part of this there is the cool factor and gun disease that plays into all this.

[Griff]

Griff, I think you have my chaps.

If I do... then, Thanks! Oh, wait... you're weren't intimating that you wanted them back, were you? If so... then you're outta luck!

BTW, those were made by Jack Stewart out of ShowLow, AZ. A fine cowboy leathersmith. Nice, soft, heavy 16oz leather, they've turned mesquite thorns, and made the difference between riding and fallin' a couple of times. Full-length shotguns, no zippers, snaps or other modern niceties... hand stitched and laced, just the way they were made in the 1880s! The buckle in the middle of the back can be a tad uncomfortable with a high cantle tho'!

Here's a pic of me in 'em:

[kimwcook]

Don't have a tractor behind me but......I do have a levergun in my hands.

[Griff]

Gosh, they have the telegraph up there now? Great photo Kim!

[kimwcook]

Yeah, the locals were getting tired of packing makings for the smoke signals up the buttes and coulees.

[MrMurphy]

That does appear to be an older 870 with the factory folder, which is fairly useless.

[1894c]

Remington 870 Police Magnum--LE patrol shotgun

By the way we use 2 3/4" shells--standard LE stuff, slugs, 00 buck-shot, bean-bag, tazer to mention a few.