The shotgun is a American weapon. Split off from smooth bore muskets, the idea of firing a bunch of little balls of lead instead of one ball developed from an alternative load into its own weapon. The shotgun has evolved into a modern firearm with a variety of purposes, and here I’ll show those roles, the different options available, and what you can do with one for fun, sport, and defense.
Shot, Buck, And Ball
A single projectile is defined in caliber and grain. Conversely, a shotgun has the ability to fire a variety of lead, from a cloud of small shot to take down a dove or quail, up to a solid slug for hunting of bigger game.
There are many sizes of lead shot. Starting from the smallest, you have pest shot; that’s #12-#10 shot. Bird shot: dove and quail to turkey and geese, ranges from #8 shot up to #1 shot at the biggest. It then gets into B shot and BB shot (like a BB gun). The bigger the number, the smaller the pellets.
Shotshells and their loads, from birdshot through buckshot to a slug.
There’s some steel waterfowl shot, then we move into buckshot. Starting with #4 Buck at the smallest, we move up through #1, and then 0, 00, and 000. Pronounce that “Number 4 Buck” for #4, and “Double Ought Buck” for 00.
Shooting one solid ball of lead out of the shotgun was called ball. Now, they aren’t round and have grooves cut into them for some spin while in the air, so they’re called slugs. Slugs are typically used for deer hunting, but also are good for defense.
Gauge And Chamber
Shotguns are measured in terms of “gauge.” Gauge is how many lead balls that are the diameter of the bore of the shotgun that weighs a pound. There are, from biggest to smallest, 10, 12, 16, 20, 28, and .410, the last being a caliber. 10 gauge is obsolete due to magnum 12 gauges. 28 gauge is considered an artisan’s round, and 16 gauge splits the difference between 12 and 20, and is not as popular as either. .410 is a snake and critter round.
The 12 gauge shotgun is a man’s gun, and, unless you are a kid, old, or a woman, you should be able to handle one. The 20 gauge is its little brother and is for those people, and hunters who want to display mastery and make do with less.
Shotshells were 2 and 3/4 inches long originally. Starting around 1980, 3 inch long shells were developed, and the 1990s saw 3.5 inch magnum shells developed. Most 12 gauges these days will do both 2 and 3/4 shells, and 3 inch shells. Guns that will do 3.5 will also do the smaller two, as well. All shotguns will be stamped into the barrel with what ammunition they can handle.
Do not overpower a shotgun with a bigger shell above its rating.
12 gauge 3.5″ magnum, 3″, and 2.75″ shells
Lastly, there is “high brass” and “low brass.” This is a description of how tall the brass base of the shell is; low brass is typically light bird shot, and high brass is bigger bird, buck, and slugs. See the main picture for an example.
Choke And Barrel Length
Choke is a measurement of the constriction at the end of the bore, and it will adjust the size of the cloud of shot at the expense of the density of the shot in that cloud. Chokes run from no choke at all, called cylinder, through improved, modified, and modified improved to full. There is an “extra full” commonly called “turkey” named after the bird.
Barrels once had choke diameters machined in. Now, we have removable internal chokes, with sockets and threads to take a choke insert in the end of the barrel, and external chokes, which thread onto the end of the barrel.
Do not fire any sort of removable choke shotgun without a choke, you will FUBAR it. Run cylinder if you’re shooting slugs, full choke for deer and turkey hunting, and your selection will vary for wing shooting. Some barrels are specifically rifled for slugs; run sabot slugs, not rifled slugs, out of them.
Internal choke tubes.
Barrel length will mainly affect the handling of the gun. Wing shooting guns typically have long barrels to help following of the flying bird, whereas turkey guns and military style guns have short barrels (18 to 24 inches). A SBS (short barreled shotgun), as in “sawed off shotgun,” has a barrel under 18 inches and must have a stamp and form for it, otherwise it is illegal.
Actions And Magazines
The simplest shotgun is the break action. These are single barrel or double barrel in the side by side (SxS) or Over and Under / Superposed (O/U) varieties, and there are even some triple barreled and combination guns out there.
Girl holding a break action over and under.
Break action shotguns open with a lever, and the shells will extract partially from the barrels, or be thrown out. You then reload and snap it closed. The double barrel ones usually have one trigger that cycles between barrels, or two triggers. If your shotgun has two triggers, do not pull both of them at the same time. While the gun may be able to take it, it wasn’t designed to do it.
Girl running a pump shotgun.
Most “repeating” shotguns have a tube magazine slung underneath the barrel, although some have detachable box magazines coming out of the receiver. Manual action shotguns can be the pump or slide action, the less common bolt action, or the fairly obsolete lever action.
Levers and bolts are worked by the firing hand, while the pump action is worked by your support hand and the forearm of the gun becomes unlocked and able to slide back after you fire or push a lever.
The Terminator using a sawed-off lever action.
Semi-automatic shotguns are operated by the inertia of the recoil of the round going off, or an amount of combustion gas cycling a piston. Inertia guns are faster cycling, simpler, and harder on the recoil, while the gas guns are more picky on the power of the shot and require valves to tailor the gas to reliably run the action while not overpowering.
Aiming Versus Pointing
A traditional shotgun has one sight, called a bead, on the tip of the barrel. You look down the top plane of the barrel or sighting rib, track your flying target with the bead either on the bird or just below it (along with the appropriate amount of lead), and punch the trigger while continuing to arc the gun in one fluid motion. This is called “pointing.”
Wing shooting guns are typically patterned so that the center of the shot pattern is just above the bead at the intended range so you don’t cover the target with your barrel. Conversely, shotguns set up for hunting on the ground and defense will have sights more like a rifle, with a front blade and a rear sight, and be aimed in the normal manner.
Traditional bead sight.
The Home Defense Shotgun
Any shotgun will work for home defense, but a medium barreled pump action or semi auto 12 or 20 gauge is a good choice. Most tube shotguns will run 5 shells if you take the restrictor dowel out, and some have tubes out to the end of the barrel for more shells.
Add a side saddle shell carrier on the side of the receiver, or on a band around the stock, and you can carry a decent amount of shells with you. Use a sling. If you’re running a foreign gun, look up code USC 18 922r to make sure you have parts compliance if you are doing any modifications, and check your state laws before modifying any gun.
A tricked-out Benelli M4.
Use sights that you can see in the dark, or a light or laser on the gun to help with target identification and aiming. Be sure to do your thinking about the doors and windows in your home versus where your people will be ahead of time; buckshot and slugs don’t exactly respect drywall and will go right through.
If, however, you’re the only friendly in your place, shoot now and mud drywall later. A load for a defense shotgun is some form of buckshot (like 00 Buck) or slugs.
A tactical rear sight. Ghost ring aperture and tritium night sight inserts.
You DO have to aim a shotgun; it’s not a general direction thing. Any choke you run will have a pattern under a foot for the first 30 feet; it is quite possible to miss. A shotgun will run out of steam in about 50 yards for shot, and slugs will really start dropping after 100 yards, so it’s a “house and yard” gun. Consider your load for the distances; buckshot gets a good spread going at 15 yards or so, but slugs punch big holes.
Brands
I’ll do a brief brand rating for the shotguns to close out this one. I really can’t think of a modern junk brand.
Budget
These will work well, but may malfunction at times, and are missing some fit and finish of their more expensive brethren. I put Norinco, Baikal, Tristar, Stevens, H&R, Kel Tec, and Mossberg here.
Mid Range
These are solid guns that are the example of what a gun should be. Remington, Winchester, Ruger, Savage, Saiga, Franchi, CZ, and Stoeger go here.
Premium
Top end mass manufactured guns of the firms of Benelli, Beretta, Browning, FNH, Weatherby, Wilson Combat, Sig Sauer fit in here.
Best Guns / Bespoke
Some guns are truly expensive or custom made and are more works of art than firearms. Called Best, like London Best, Perazzi, Purdy, Krieghoff, and Fabbri are some examples of this ultimate field.
Some Purdy’s London Bests.
Conclusion
There’s a lot of fun to be had in hunting, and it’s a great skill to have and an experience to be shared. The competition community thrives, and you can find skeet and sporting clays on one end, and combat shotgun sports like 3 gun on the other. For home defense, the shotgun is a great thing with which to defend house and property from everything from rabid dogs, to home invasions, to drones.
“…just fire two blasts outside the house.”
The ammo is less expensive than many rifle rounds and it doesn’t usually sell out in a panic. Being a traditional American gun, it is less apt to get banned by Democrats and is even endorsed by Joe Biden.
Prices are generally cheaper than a comparable rifle, and the amount of lead you can dispense close up is fairly awesome. Every American home used to have one hanging over the fireplace; it’s a trend we should consider reviving.
Read More: A Beginner’s Guide To Carrying A Handgun
Excellent practical article!
Only forgot to mention one matter: no firearms collection or arsenal, whether primarily shotguns, rifles, or handguns … is ever complete without a Model 29, 44-Magnum!
Dang! Though I have over a dozen firearms, including rifles, shotguns, revolvers, and pistols, my collection isn’t even close to complete. I don’t have the .44 Magnum. I only have wimpy handguns like .357 magnum, 9mm, .45acp, and .40.
Check out this beauty … the 629, 44-Magnum, aka the Stealth Hunter; it, ahem, separates the boys from the men …
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_765962_-1_775662_775655_757896_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y
Looks nice, but I might just prefer the standard classic 629. I’ve never shot a 629 anyway (though I’ve shot a Ruger Super-Redhawk in .44 mag and liked it).
Revolvers are in a class of their own! Don’t get me wrong, I love my semi-auto’s, and have a large collection of HK’s, Sigs, and Walthers. But when it comes to a classic revolver … it’s like an 18yr old bottle of scotch; a Johnny Blue, to savour that smooooth flavour, if you catch my drift.
I agree. There is something special about revolvers. My favorite CCW handgun, is my S&W 642. That little baby slips so comfortably into my pockets. I know it only has 5 shots, but I still love it.
Somehow, I seem to love all guns. Sadly, I don’t have any lever action or break action firearms yet.
See the concealed carry article for mention of the S&W 29. I do own one, 29-2 blued, 8 and 1/8th barrel.
These are great articles Luke. Keep them coming.
What? No mention of Ithaca? That’s an awesome looking shotgun. At any rate, I don’t have an Ithaca. I have the Remington 870 with the 18 inch barrel. I purchased it for home defense. I used to live in a red county of a Blue state in a deep Blue region, and was able to get trigger time at a gun range where shotguns were permitted, and it was only 15 minutes from my home. Then I moved to a DEEP Blue city in a red state, and the nearest range that allows shotguns is much further away. I haven’t been able to get in any trigger time since moving here. My point is that when you purchase a firearm, make access to a gun range, for the purpose of practicing, a primary consideration. This will affect the type of firearm you purchase. There is no point in owning a weapon if you are unable to practice with it. There are ranges in my immediate area but they only permit handguns. I only possess a shotgun. I’m thinking of getting a handgun in order have a means of defense and a place to practice with those means.
My mistake. I thought Ithaca was dead. They’re still in business under new owners.
Impressive article. I have a Remington 870 and Hatsan Tactical Escort myself. For the most part I wouldn’t recommend them for home defense.
Once you’re done shooting up the guy, you’ll have a fuck load of drywall to repair. I recommend a 22 with a proper sight and high capacity magazine. Well-placed shots are better than spray-and-pray, especially here in Canada where the homeowner is thrown in jail while the criminals get off.
Have you seen the home defense ammo that is a slug with three pellets of buckshot behind it? Not as much drywall repair…
Slugs still do tremendous damage to drywall, trust me.
And possibly shoot your neighbor too.
Nice avatar by the way. Love that episode.
I think it would be easier to explain why you fired one round of 12 gauge to a court, than it would be to explain why you popped somebody with 15 rounds of .22lr. One well placed round of 12 gauge will generally do the job.
Frankly, either one will usually work just fine. I know my wife would be more comfortable with the .22lr. I generally just keep a couple higher capacity pistols (Glock 22 and Glock 19, and my carry gun S&W 642) ready for home defense. I can break out the shotgun, and AK if a riot breaks out in the neighborhood.
That’s assuming 1 round dropped them. A few 22LR rounds in the leg or shoulder area would do fine. Predominately non-lethal. One 12 ga bird or buck shot round would leave everlasting eye and organ damage presumably. Though I’m not too well-versed in shotgun damage vs 22 damage to the human body.
If you aren’t absolutely in fear for your life, then you have no business shooting (lethal force) someone. This stuff about popping people in the leg or shoulder is movie/TV crap. In a real life or death home invasion, you want to stop the attacker as quickly as possible.
Then how do you determine if an attacker is threatening your life in the dark in the middle of the night? Could it be a burglar who would run away if he knew you were awake with a gun? Could there be multiples? You have to learn to adjust on the change, and up here in Canada they have mag restrictions for shotguns. My 22 on the other hand can have a 110 rd drum mag.
Fact is, if I know my family is asleep upstairs and I hear a window break, I’ll be prepared to fire at the first sight of someone if they’re in my house.
The Canadian magazine restrictions might encourage me to use the .22
I love .22’s, and they will get the job done. They have a lot of good points. Lightweight, handy, low recoil, less expensive, not as loud, easy to get back on target, and my wife is able to use one.
Amen to that. I picked up a drum mag for my Ruger 10/22 a few months back. 110 rounds is amazing. Leaves little room for error if you fire some warning shots, and a few accurate & low-recoil shots on a body. I’d trust my accuracy with a semi-auto 22 over a pump action shotgun.
Your advice could get someone killed. First time I’ve downvoted someone.
Are you a firearms owner? Tell me now», what would you do in that situation Mr Armchair Quarterback?
Nice summary. I like the tactical Keltec KSG shotgun with ability to hold a dozen slugs with tactical design. However I much prefer rifles over shotguns. Better capacity and less recoil and easier to shoot well.
I will have rifle articles for your enjoyment here in the coming months.
Might I suggest a couple different types of rifle articles?
1. Defensive carbines AR/AK/Mini-14/SKS/Tavor etc.
2. Full power hunting rifles
3. Milsurp rifles Mosin/Mauser/Enfield etc.
4. .22 rifles
I’m good enough with my nunchucks.
Whatever gun you pick , just remember to call it your boom stick
I was watching ash versus evil dead recently and basically got obsessed with the shotgun used in the show. Started youtubing so many shotgun outdoor shooting vids.
Kind of wish UK had more of a shooting range and outdoor shooting range thing going on. Best we have is clay pigeon shooting and airsoft guns. I’m not kidding
Did fending off the Germans teach you all nothing ?
im not sure but i think guns were restrict pre world war 2 as well in uk
Britain started controlling firearms after WW1, because they were actually afraid of their own experienced solders who were coming back from the war. This English mindset makes me physically ill.
I think you need to seperate the English mindset from the mindset of the government/elites.
Not the same
Unfortunately, it is the same. As an American, I use to live in GB, and I never met an Englishman or Irishman who disagreed with their country’s insane draconian gun laws. Your average English subject has a Nanny State mentality that you and I, as free Americans, cannot even begin to grasp.
I am English lol
Then you’re one of the few Englishmen who is not hooked into the British Hive Mind. Be careful, THEY may be hunting you this very minute…
At the onset of the Nazi threat of WWII, the British Home Guard had
NOTHING to “guard the homeland” with. There are photographs of them
holding sticks, hoes… anything they could lay their hands on. The NRA,
various rod & gun clubs etc ran drives in the U.S. begging
Americans who might have a spare firearm of any nature they could
possibly. part with PLEASE donate it for immediate shipment to a
disarmed citizenry under dire threat by Hitler in the U.K. They ended up
with an odd assortment of donated firearms in a mashup of calibers
ranging from .22’s to shotguns, a hodgepodge of outdated surplus relics
and old wheel guns to try and fight a potential invasion with… But
hey, at least they now had SOMETHING better than an umbrella or a garden
rake with which to fight for home and hearth. We see today just how glaringly
little British politicians learned from the experience.
anon 1 – Please re-read my final sentence. “We see today just how glaringly little British POLITICIANS learned from the experience”. . .I suspect you didn’t notice the distinction I made a point in using,… unless you are contending the British Government is pro-gun ownership and the citizenry is not? .
I’ve never interacted with you before, and you’re replying to a year old post.
I see now that your comment was made over a year ago and I apologize. Coincidentally, yours was posted directly below my comment of.roughly 2 months ago and I mistook it for an unfounded challenge. Chronological order, obviously, is not a priority on this thread, regardless, the fault was mine in reacting without being absolutely certain. Again, I apologize and will pay more attention to posting dates in the future..
No worries, I agree with you on your positions so I was a little confused on that first comment to me, lol.
Very cool article. Unfortunately, where I live guns are pretty much impossible to obtain legally and having an illegal one carries a mandatory minimum of jail time.
After doing a favor for one of the local fire departments (got some construction done at a good price) I was given a gift of a firemans axe. Brand new, legit, NYFD fire department axe. Thing is perfectly balanced and large.
I leave it next to my bed praying someone breaks in one day. I find the axe superior to the bat in that a home invader probably a) realizes that a guy with a bat is a possibility and b) knows that if you step into a guy with a bat that the bat is not a meaningful tool….the guy breaking in isn’t a boy scout…he has been attacked with a bat before…..on the other hand, I will guarantee you that he is not ready for me holding an axe and smiling like it is fucking Christmas morning.
Where do you live that doesn’t allow at least a shotgun for self-defense?
Not without a permit that I may or may not qualify due to some stupid thing I did over 20 years ago– manhattan
I see.
This is just for Rifle/Shotgun you should see what it’s like for a handgun. I know 2 people already who went through the process only to be turned down for DWI convictions. And there is no way I even want to be in the same room with an illegal gun. I am not spending 3 (or 5 I forget) years in prison….
https://www1.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/permits/rifle_shotgun_permit_application.pdf
I was thinking about getting a salt gun. I bet that stings like a motherfucker. I am not sure the legality of them in nyc
Yikes! I blame the communists who call themselves Democrats there in New York.
I use to carry around a four inch wide 2 foot long cut Copper electric wire when I was younger. I wonder if shit like that is legal up there or would you get sent up to the big house for that?
It’s true. I love NYC…really I do….but there are some things that are a little nutty.
Not sure. I haven’t got myself into an altercation that has turned violent in over a decade. The ones I was in I was able to use my size, demeanor and dexterity to resolve before it got nearly far enough to throw a punch, let alone crack someone with a copper wire (which is a brilliant thing). When I was young and New York was a more dangerous place, I cut the handle off of an aluminum bat and then filled it with rubber cement and wrapped in electrical tape. It was short, crude and when it was used it put a very quick end to a fight.
Oh Marxville. That explains it.
Yeah , but it is obvious you made that bat, I would have hated to get caught with that.
That was the 80’s. Taxi Driver is not too much of an exaggeration
Parts are pretty much as you describe. Other parts aren’t. In terms of wealth redistribution it is pretty awful.
I can imagine.
Its much worse than you can imagine.
The top earners (I forget how many, it was less than 100,000 people) pay almost 40% of the taxes.
What could possibly go wrong if half of them decided to leave the city?
Consider a handheld electric taser. My wife got one as a wedding present. I of course had to test it first and let me tell you, that thing will drop somebody real quick.
I thought about it. Maybe I will when I am a little older. To be honest, the axe is mostly for show. I am still relying on a right cross. I don’t have a lot of danger where I live and I can still throw a mean punch.
Self-defense is as good as illegal in Western Europe. Of course, this only applies to the natives.
https://www.rt.com/news/323645-trieste-winchester-shotguns-turkey/
Axes get pretty messy and may look bad in court . A bat to the knees or side of the dome will stop almost anyone
I am relying a little on the fact that someone my size holding an axe and laughing will scare the fuck out of someone….and the blunt end of an axe will work just as well as a bat and the business end of the axe in the hip will pretty much immobilize anyone.
I dunno man, you should consult a cop or a lawyer about that. The self defense laws in the 5 boroughs are absurd. If someone breaks into your house, and you have a gun, you have to retreat into another room, lock the door and tell the intruder “I have a gun in here”. If a guy breaks in, and you whack him with an ax(and he doesnt have one) you might face charges. I believe its called “equal force”- if a guy comes at you with a knife, you can defend yourself with a knife, but not a gun…nuts for sure
I will look into that. I know a few cops and one of which thinks its great that I have the axe, but I never got into details. Maybe I should have two axes. This way if someone breaks in I can challenge him to an axe fight.
“I’ve been waiting years for you to show up.” (you toss him the axe).
bingo.
That would probably make most people turn and leave the way they came very quickly. However, I will be honest here, if the guy grabbed the axe and said “excellent” I might be really fucked
Every practiced with it? There’s quite some difference between thought and reality .
I actually have….in terms of cutting down a tree.
NYC self defense laws are fucking ridiculous. “Equal Force”….as if you are both engaging in an honorable duel rather than a predator going after you with the mistaken idea that you are defenseless.
I suspect that if some nutjob got near DeBlasio with a knife he wouldn’t be offered the same courtesy. One law for the elites and another for the plebes.
I’ve found the problem with bats is that you’ve only got one shot and you better make it count, due to the back swing. The length is nice to counter a knife but the knife is way faster. You better connect. something like a sawn off pool cue would be better, gives you length and maneuverability.
According to Bill Burr, you need to get a shotgun “with a good spread”
Funny video.
Poor gals at feministing site. The major headlines there have it that 1 of 2 women are sexually assaulted. This headline has been there for 12 hours without a single comment. I am worried that even her readers find her site boring. I implore all ROK readers to give the poor girl some clicks and comments. I wanred their readers about Hillary being a rape apologist, but my comment was removed.
Jessica Valenti needs your support. http://feministing.com/2016/01/21/doj-campus-survey-at-one-school-1-in-2-women-have-been-sexually-assaulted/
JV needs to show strong women defending themselves with guns. Fighting rape culture.
I love shotguns. The visceral sensation you get when you fire a tactical… awesome. Become one with your gun.
You can own a shotgun in England? How restrictive are the laws in Europe these days? I thought you had to be a hunter or be part of a gun club in own to purchase.
My understanding is that shotguns are one of the easier types of guns for Brits to own. I think the laws about shotguns are a little looser. I’m a Yank, so what do I know about it though? If I was a Brit, I’d be highly tempted to move to the Czech Republic. The CR has pretty good gun laws (similar to the U.S.), CZ guns are great, and I imagine CZ women are preferable to British ones as well.
So he should change his screenname to CzechyBob?
My shotgun is in America. You can own a shotgun but you have to jump through major hips to get one.
That girl with the break action is hot.
Playboy should merge its magazine with Guns & Ammo. Im sure it would be a hit.
playboy no longer has naked women in it.
No kiddin? How about Penthouse? Or do they no longer have pics of women about to fellate a dildo made out of blue ice?
sad. think i heard sommething about that. this planet is falling apart
Not sure about ph, but playboy made a whole thing about it with that old, herpes riddled, plastic cow Pam Anderson as their last nude model. Playboy turned from a men’s magazine to a forum for you go girls to get naked and be proud decades ago though.
yeah, see response to cheeseburger below.
past tense? au contraire. fell. this planet fell apart.
Playboy has transformed into a feminist rag.
Playboy has always been antigun and big government statist minded. Now, they don’t even have the naked girls anymore. That’s probably for the better. I’d rather pursue a real woman than waste my life fapping to pictures anyway. Wasted too much time doing that in the past.
Anti gun, pro big gov? Any links for that?
Its not that I doubt you, its interesting. Thanks.
Nothing particular, and perhaps I exaggerated. I do remember reading anti-gun stuff in there a number of years ago, and it pissed me off.
No thats cool… I coulda missed these articles, a “forest for the tits” type thing…
My father collected playboy magazine and ive read every magazine since 1962…middle school was awesome…lol.
Playboy is big government, anti gun, feminist garbage. Theres nothing conservative about playboy.
There’s a website that already does that sort of thing.
Asses and ammo
That’s a good way to permanently ruin Guns & Ammo.
I was always a fan of the break action. Because of its simplicity. They last forever, are easy to load. Low maintenence. Now expertise required. I got one for my 15th birthday.
In a SHTF scenario, you would certainly be outgunned by folks with AK’s and AR-15’s. But if guns are not your main interest, a good 12 guage with some buckshot will at least have you in the game.
A shotgun can take bird shot and take out small game. Can take out that deer in your backyard with buckshot. Believe me, you will crave meat during the apocalypse.
And need protection.
At close range (with the element of surprise), a shotgun could even take out that terrorist or cartel thug trying to plunder suburbia after a collapse.
Regardless of how sophisticated and vast your arsenal is, I recommend the humble break action. When I walk around in the woods on our family farm, I usually prefer my little .410 to my SKS or larger guns. Do not have to worry about rounds going too far and hitting a surrounding house.
With a little ammo strap, I have birdshot for a squirrel, home defense round for self-defense against wild animals and violent poachers. And a slug in case I see a deer.
(Don’t laugh. My best buddy killed his first deer with a .410 slug)
Have you seen the Taurus Judge in .410? That looks like a mean little revolver.
That sounds like smething my son would like. He is into performance, I like simplicity and tradition. I go for revolvers, single shots break action shotguns., WW2 bolt action. He tells me I buy geezer stuff. But that is good.
He wants to be an officer in the military and I am more into history.
I like the .38 special revolvers. Have a cheap Charter Arms thing. Gun store dude told me Charter Arms is no good. When I have the cash, I will buy me a Smith and Wesson. Keep Charter as a back-up.
Mossberg 12 gauage is cool too. Shoots several shells. Wanted to give my son something special when he graduated high school and turned 18.
Rite of passage.
You have a Mosin? I’ve got one, but it is my only WW2 bolt action. Someday, I’d like to get an Enfield, Mauser, etc.
Also, I just started reloading .38 special. My main concealed carry gun is a S&W 642 Airweight. Those are great pocket guns. I think your Charter is an ok gun. I’ve also got a couple of Rossi revolvers, which are also cheaper guns, but seem to work just fine.
I’ve been thinking about getting a garand lately. Just to see why Patton liked it so much.
When it comes to hand guns I am all about the Glock. I did see a .357 revolver the other day that held 7 rounds that was pretty sweet. I think it was a Taurus too.
Garands are excellent rifles.
I bought one for my father. Decently accurate with 45 Colt, and the shot pattern is retarded wide after ten feet. I hit an armadillo with it (and the surrounding ten feet) and it just sauntered off.
Lol, that Armadillo will probably never know how lucky he was.
Buddy of mine has one. Lots of fun. Load it with the shotgun shells and empty it on a steel coffee can. Yeah, it’s mean.
I hear those are popular in the south as wild boar defense.
You make a good point. One can jam a pump easily by short stroking it and it’s very awkward to check if it’s loaded or not.
The reason shotguns are number 1 for home defense is stopping power. What I mean by that is that a shotgun will incapacitate an intruder faster and more reliably than any other weapon. We want the time between pulling the trigger the first time and the threat being over to be as short as possible. Think knife attack. How many times do we have to shoot before he goes down? Can you always hit the heart with a rifle or pistol on the first shot?
We can’t reliably incapacitate the nervous system (head shot), so we have to incapacitate the circulatory system (blood loss). Getting shot with a single round of buckshot is like emptying a 9 round magazine of your concealed carry pistol into the target. It also increases the chances of hitting a vital area such as the heart.
My personal choice for home defense is a Mossberg 590A1 loaded with 9 rounds of 00 buck (20 in barrel 8+1).
I keep stocked on this stuff. Slug with three pellets of buckshot behind it.
That should suffice for most home invaders, including Grizzly bears.
I’m pretty sure that the best defense against the Grizzly is being with a buddy that you can out run.
i wouldnt bet on it…. my dad saw a grizzly bear hit point blank (within 5 yards) in the forehead with a shotgun slug. the slug ricocheted off the bears forehead, and ended up taking off a good chunk of the bears scalp. it ran off into the woods, probably more scared by the loud noise than the scratch it got on its forehead.
It probably cracked it’s skull, but a bears skull is very flat and extremely hard.
Grizzly bears meaning large gay hairy intruders. Most definitely an west coast problem
Can you fill a shell with rock salt ala Kill Bill or is that just a movie thing
Nope. Not enough mass. You’d have to shoot somebody at super close range and only then it would probably only cause a flesh wound.
However, you can get your ashes loaded into shells and bullets for the best damn funeral ever. http://www.myholysmoke.com/
Yes. Theres a guy on youtube that loads custom shells and post videos…you can even fill it with anything. Rock salt, nails, thumb tacs, ect. They even make fireworks that shoot out of shotgun shells.
These things are not effective for defense though. Just a gimmick
that is tremendous
It’s a gimmick and would probably do more damage to your gun than to the guy. Unless you’re shooting point blank or in their eyes (god forbid) it won’t do a thing.
That’s some wicked stuff. I love it.
That’s the truth. 9 pieces of 00 buckshot to the torso tends to hurt. That said, I usually don’t keep a shotgun loaded and ready to go. I generally just keep a bunch of handguns loaded for home defense. My big gun safe isn’t in the bedroom. The shotgun and the AK can be readied if a riot breaks out, or something. Maybe I’ll put one on “patrol ready” (5 in the tube, but 0 in the chamber).
21 #4 buckshot pellets can serve for a better spread. But yes, nine 00 pellets at .32 caliber get it done. The “double ought” is a little more lethal, so if you’re not looking to shred an intruder, go for the smaller shot size.
I think any buckshot will work just fine. You do get more pellets (and more damage potential) with a #2 or #4 load than a 00 load.
It’s just that those seem kind of harder to find. 00 is everywhere, and other buckshot rounds are a little less common (and generally more expensive).
The 00 may also give a bit more punch at longer range (but home defense is generally short range anyway).
9 rounds of .32 anyway, which is a considerable load. I trained with a Remington 870 at LEO Academy and it is a fine choice, but my personal shotgun is a Mossy 500 with a 18.5 barrel loaded with 00 Buck.
Only difference for me is 20″ bbl.
6 of one, half dozen of the other. I wouldn’t say no to either.
It seems to me that the stopping power is only up there when you can land a full load square on the dial. The stopping power of a 5-7 pistol is 90% or more but has better penetration to tag the fucker through a wall.
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A 5.56 round has good hydrostatic shock and something like a .308 will simply remove that limb from the equation, ending your target.
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Yes, shotguns can send a lot of lead downrange, but I personally would never rely on them.
There’s plenty of military and LE that use shotguns to clear houses, so it’s probably good enough for me. I absolutely agree that a .308 is a great choice, but a good semi auto 308 is much more expensive, and that’s just the gun, ammo is even worse. That being said, I’m saving up for an M14 lol.
I can only speak from my own experience and trust that the other guys know what they are doing; they just have to explain it to me.
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Price is certainly a factor.
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When I was in the Canadian military we made the transition from 7.62N to 5.56N – the C1A1 (FN FAL) to the C7 (basically an M16A2 on steroids). A lot of the guys were not comfortable with the change because of the perceived reduction in immediate firepower (we had to concede that the weapon was lighter and we could carry a fuck load more ammo for it). In terms of room clearing, if some shithead is hiding behind a table, door or wall, your shoot it and kill him. The 7.62N round has twice the penetration of the 5.56N (not to mention twice the effective range).
Give this some thought… Load the shotgun with 1 1/8 oz. 7.5 bird shot shells leaving the tube 1 shell short of full. Attach a shell carrier to the gun (they usually hold 6 and mount to the left of the receiver where easily accessible. The carrier gets 3 Buck and 3 rifled slug. If the situation calls for it you can slip either of your other two options into the tube and it’ll load first when you rack it.
The “street sweeper” is an excellent gun with a lot of variety to it and its uses. For those with tactical shotguns or looking to invest in one consider the duckbill choke:
http://www.tacticalshit.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/gator-3.png
This choke sends the shot out in a wide horizontal pattern. Excellent for zombie horde crowding a street.
The Remington 870 is one of the best pump shutguns imo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Model_870
I grew up target shooting. Quite satisfying to see a target hit, whether paper, bottles, rotten apples or cds. Cleanup not so much fun.
I like revolvers the most, (might be my inner cowboy) but it is quite something to see an AK-47 throwing chunks of sod into the air. My father once scared the bajeezus out of some new neighbors with it. Talk of shotguns makes me wonder how my grandpa’s antique shotgun is doing.
Revolvers save you the trouble of picking up all the brass that flies out. I recently started reloading, and went with .38 special for this reason. I could reload .380, 9×18, 9×19, or .40, (I have all those) but then I’d have to chase brass. This way, I just dump them out into my hand and then pocket.
I’ve been interested in ordering a highly customized open-bolt shotgun–like the aa12–with a particular design that allows for quick selection between loads with a sort of revolving mechanism. Would a bespoke gunsmith be able to make this in 2-3 months?
May be difficult to achieve.
As a private citizen you won’t be getting a full. Auto AA12 of any sort. Due to the Hughes Amendment no full auto firearms manufactured after May19 1986 can be transferred to civilians.
Could be done. But if you have to stop what you’re doing and rotate a mechanism to select different ammo you will be no faster at switching ammo than a man who trains with a pump action shotgun. Check out 3-gun competitions on youtube. Those guys run pumps and switch ammo fast!
Also, Check out the kel tec KSG. Its a shotgun with 2 seperate tubes. You can run 2 ammo types in a setup like this very easy.
I grew up clay pigeon shooting just about every weekend at my family’s camp. That is just good wholesome fun for the whole family.
Buy a quality gun and it will last many generations. I use my grandfather’s Winchester Model 1912 from 1926. Best shooting gun my family has ever owned. That gun has shot many meals throughout the years. Love that thing and can’t wait to pass it on to my future children.
Shooting clay pigeon’s is a lot of fun. I use to go to a church that had once a year “shoot out” picnics. The folks that hosted them had a large property where they set up a rifle range, pistol range, and clay pigeon/shotgun range. It was a blast.
There were some exceptionally beautiful young ladies in that church that really knew how to handle a shotgun. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I am a married guy. Those church picnics really helped my wife realize that guns are “normal” and nothing to get scared about. My wife is from a country where people basically aren’t allowed to have guns, so she’s always been nervous around them. Seeing all of her “church lady friends” having fun shooting was really helpful.
My best friend and is little brother growing up, both won the world championships of trap gun shooting in Vandalia, OH. I think they were in the oldest youth bracket.. 16-17 yo.
Just total badasses with shotguns. He’d spend hours using arrow charts to train your eyes to follow targets quickly, off into the far distances of the peripheral vision. He also spent between 1-2 hours every night reloading shells during the week. Their dad was a major bird hunter, having won the purse at live pigeon shoots in Canada (the animal rights activists freak out over those).. he won $75k once, and over $100k the last time.
Each of them had numerous days shooting 100 straight.
They all shot top-end guns.. starting with Beretta’s, then moving up. my best friend and his dad both shot Perazzi’s .. which has been the the long-standing “Bugatti” name of shots guns. His dad’s Perazzi, which was the most ornately engraved gun I’ve ever seen, was valued at just over $100k 25 years ago. His dad was one of the most masculine, intense, kind, and gentle guys you’d ever meet. Total no-bullshit kinda guy.. leader of the patriarchy type.
Of COURSE you need pictures of chicks with guns to sell guns to men. Of course.
On this website, they seem to put pictures of hot chicks in almost every article. It is kind of sad.
Ok, fine, ugly chicks for Bart.
Would you have preferred shots of men with shotguns? I like breaking up the technical pictures with some shots of people with guns.
Yes, actually.
All right, I’ll gender balance them.
Really good article, but I must say that I completely disagree with Mossberg being mentioned in a list of shotguns that may fail at times. I’ve owned three of them and none of them ever came close to failing. There is a reason that a lot of police departments use them.
Granted they aren’t insanely priced like some, for around 400 bucks you can buy yourself a fine piece of shooting iron.7 rounds of double ought buck and one in the hole can throw a lot of lead.
I have found Mossberg fiber optic sights to break, and I have also found that, when slowly running the pump to quietly chamber a round before going to a turkey blind, the action will drop the shell out the bottom. Other than that, they are fine weapons in my experience.
I’ve never used fiber optics on any of my guns so that definitely explains why I’d have missed that. Is that kind of like tritium?
My Glock has tritium sites that are now almost entirely faded. I need to get some new ones. Though in all honesty I think I preferred the standard white dots it came with since I have a light on it anyways. Can you see fiber optics good in daylight?
..and Mossberg also sells a version that comes with both the 18.5 inch barrel and a longer barrel (can’t remember the length). A little more versatility ..
I maintain that hitting the target with 20 gauge, #2 buck is better than hitting the ceiling with 12 gauge 00.
#2 buck is essentially an M-16 round. At in-house range, it’s moving at near M-16 speed. A 3″ 20 gauge shell has at least 13 #2 pellets. A hit ANYWHERE will rearrange an intruders priorities in short order. (Six -eight pellets in a thigh from even a poorly aimed shot will remind an intruder of something called a “femoral artery”.)
Hit . the . target .
Waving your dick around with a bigger gun is useless if you do not make contact.
Buckshot loads generally are at 1000-1600 fps, with magnum loads closer to 1800 fps. An M16 round, the 5.56, is shot at 2700-3000 fps, depending on barrel length. The high velocity of rifle rounds is what makes them tumble and fragment, causing massive tissue damage. Buckshot behaves like a pistol round, punching straight through.
The 20 gauge is still a fine choice, though I’d opt for larger buckshot. Penetration is what kills and you’re not guaranteed a square frontal shot.
My argument against larger buckshot is fewer pellets. It goes back to “Hit the target”.
At in-house range, I’m not really concerned with a square frontal shot. I think you’ll get plenty of penetration with a side hit to ribs or a thigh, even with #2 buck. Bear in mind, it’s #2 BUCK, not #2 SHOT.
My other concern is exactly what you mentioned, penetration. I DO NOT WANT penetration of walls and windows for home defense. I want penetration of the suspect.
A rifle or even pistol round could go through the wall where family members are. That same round could go through a window where neighbors and other friendlies are. Contrary to what Joe Biden claims, that will not be an issue with a shotgun round.
Good talking to ya.
What happens if you saw off the barell of your choke shotgun, thus removing the choke ?
Get a gunsmith to make those kinds of mods. If you shorten the barrel too much the shotgun could become an illegal NFA restricted gun. You’d probably destroy most of the gun’s value (if it had any before). A choked gun ought to have a “cylinder” option, which is equivalent to no choke.
Thanks.
You will revert it to cylinder bore, along with all Mr. Flory said. Make sure the barrel is 18 inches long or longer.
I suppose I’ll embarrassingly admit that I have a Mossberg 500, but it’s a 20 gauge.
Nothing wrong with a budget gun.
Particularly if it’s a gun you can hit with reliably. Its also far better than no gun…
Mossberg 500s are fantastic guns. 12 or 20.. doesn’t matter. When it comes to ANY weapon, or tool, lethality, reliability, and personal accuracy are ALL that matters.
Excellent article. I strongly suggest renting or borrowing different shotguns and testing one’s intended ammo before making a purchase. Make sure a shotgun fits you and feels natural and enjoyable to hold and point. A poorly sized and fitted shotgun is very hard to shoot well. 20ga is often a better choice for smaller framed shooters. Definitely take some lessons if you’re new to shotguns.
Also be sure to pick ammo that you can control. The recoil from 12ga slugs in particular is brutal.
Personally, I wouldn’t pick a shotgun as my first choice for home defense due to the muzzle-blast (would probably be permanently deafening), maneuverability and retention concerns, and the difficulty in checking the chamber.
There are several ‘recoil reducing’ stocks on the market as well as the simpler pads that can be added to the stock. Some of the recoil reducing stocks are also adjustable for length of pull allowing a better fit to you. You can also get 12 gauge rounds intended for self-defense with lower recoil.
A very informative article. It’s sad to think that we live in a society where most young men would rather pick up a video-game controller, though.
My son likes video games, but he also built his AR. They are not mutually exclusive.
I said most young men, not all.
The TL;DR version for what to buy if you know nothing about shotguns but want one for your home.
Remington 870 with a cylinder choke, short barrel and blued finish in 12g. Buy 3″ mag 000 buck and keep the mag loaded and the cylinder empty. Make sure you know how to rack the first shell in (there’s a release). If you hear some shit breaking off downstairs, pick up the gun, pump it, and start down your steps. Threat will probably run for their lives as they hear the shell rack into the gun. It’s a sound everyone knows and everyone who’s a bad guy fears.
Good article, just want to point people at a good, inexpensive, reliable gun
Solid advice on the gun. If you store it hammer down, the slide will be already released. It’s a good way to store it, but one should get it going immediately and not be concerned about scaring him off with the sound.
Great article. It is very informative for those new to guns. I’m very happy to see articles like this.
Do you guys have an article about rifles (or defensive carbines) coming out anytime soon? We’ve had a good one on shotguns, and a good one on handguns. Now it is time to complete the triangle.
Now in terms of reliability, I think some of the cheaper pumps (like H&R/Stevens/Maverick would be far more reliable than the midrange box fed semi-automatic Saiga.
I’m sort of the current gun writer for the site. I have about 25 gun columns planned, and I seem to be going at one gun column a month, although I do write some others. There will be an intro rifle column, and then there will be columns that build on them, along with others like storage (safes), cleaning, range use, something on the .22 LR, and more, provided they all pass editorial review.
Great! I think your order makes a lot of sense. Generally for most guy’s defensive purposes, a handgun should come first, and then a shotgun second, followed by a rifle third.
The .22 lr is wonderful thing in it’s own right. I love them, and have several. They certainly deserve an article as well. (Although some guys here may not feel that .22’s are “Alpha” enough for them) Nothing says cheap fun like an afternoon with a Marlin 60 or Ruger 10/22 and a 500 round bulk pack of ammo.
Sadly the only guns my wife is willing to shoot are my .22’s. She thinks a 9mm is a hand cannon.
Remember the good ol’ days when a brick of .22 ammo was like $10? Now it’s like $30 if you can even find it.
.22 is a great round, so fun to shoot. It can make the average shooter quite the marksman. I’ve heard louder air rifles too so shooting it doesn’t attract unwanted police visits.
I know. It is terrible. The $10 a brick ammo was only about 10-12 years ago. Ammo for .22lr has been almost impossible to find for the last 3 years. Fortunately I’ve still got a few thousand rounds of it.
I will never understand guys who drool over women who shoot guns.
Guys drool over women, and guys like guns. Put two and two together.
Male space. Give it some consideration.
I like to include pictures of women with guns in my articles. Seems to go over well with most people. In fact, I’ve been dared to sneak a topless chick in in an article, I figure if she’s covering herself with a gun, it will count. 🙂
It may just be an advertising thing, but I’ve only ever seen attractive women shooting guns, even in their amateur videos (I’m not talking about “amateur” porn either!)
straight beta
If you say so, tinkerbell.
I will never understand why I drool over girls with guns either.
I dont get it either. Women are supposed to be feminine. A girl running ARs is about as attractive as a girl covered in grease from changing out a chevy engine, a girl who knows everything about football, or a girl that wears jeans everyday.
Because when you’re at work while she’s at home with the kids, you better hope momma bear has some teeth to defend herself when you can’t.
Yeah. But that’s not drooling.
>not liking the gun-owning greasemonkey that can change their own oil
Is that sarcasm or are you actually the homogay? (Not that anything is wrong with that…)
It’s like a monkey with a chainsaw: they might cut down some trees but nothing good will come of it. That being said I think more women should learn to use hand guns, not get drunk, and then have no remorse about shooting some asshole who actually tries to rape her.
It’s mostly middleaged cuckservatives who dream of middle aged approaching-the-wall bad fake boobed bikini mom’s with guns.
Guns are for men and cooking is for women
It’s pre selection for not being a bitch. The thought process is girls don’t like guns, but guys DO like guns. Therefore a girl showing she likes guns is likely doing so to please her man (current or future). This demonstrates a willingness to bend to her man’s interests and therefore be a follower in a pleasingly feminine way. Notice how a guy taking up sewing and other female craps, err I mean crafts, does not have the same effect of making women drool (netherly) over them.
Might also be a good indicator of sanity. Girls that are really crazy will not be able to resist using a gun if it is in reach, therefore if she’s not in jail for murder by 25, she’s only normal woman levels of crazy.
For the pussies of the world though, they may just drool over any girl that seems to share one of their interests in the hopes that they won’t be sent to the man cave or even be forbidden from their hobbies completely once the ring hits the finger. Don’t be one of those guys.
I prefer to give them due respect. Slobbering all over a woman with a firearm… particularly one who knows how to use it?.. Bad idea.
A shotgun with buckshot is a fine weapon. The Germans appealed to the Geneva Convention to have them outlawed in warfare in WWI due to how effective they were in the trenches. If someone is breaking into my place, I assume they do not mean well and the last thing on my mind is fixing drywall.
And IF this is your home defense choice, I recommend having the front bead sight replaced with a night sight. Comes in handy.
The pictures of women with guns cheapen an otherwise decent article.
The original main image was a picture of a 2.75″ low brass round and a 3″ magnum high brass round, closeup. That’s why I refer to the main image in the sentence on high and low brass. I figured I had enough closeup gun pictures so I could show the various types in action, and I picked women since I’m not gay. Lever actions shotguns are so rare these days I had to go with a movie shot, which is how Arnold made it in there.
I’ll say this. The phenomenon of women sexualizing male space, men who promote this and why they do, and what it ultimately does to culture and civilization is probably better left for another venue, since this phenomenon is not limited to guns and is, in fact, a rather broad topic. At any rate, thank you for this article. I appreciate the writing. It’s explanatory and very descriptive. Also the graphic on the choke patterns is highly illustrative. I look forward to your future articles on firearms.
For main images we need a landscape oriented instead of portrait image. And as much as guys here are complaining, the article is getting more views and comments because of the main pic.
Duly noted.
Love my remington 870
Great article. Love my vintage Rem 870 pump.
Something to keep in mind when buying a shotgun. Know your state and local law. Some limit the number of shells a gun can accept. Even though it is possible to modify these guns to accept more shells do not as that makes it illegal and violating gun laws is generally a felony offense. Also be careful with detachable mags. Those are illegal in some jurisdictions.
If you purchase your shotgun in your jurisdiction is will most likely already be configured to comply with the law. But, if you buy one say out of state and transport it into your home state (or even transport it between residences in different states) make sure you know the law. I have seen more then person get busted in gun hating states for an illegal mod on a shotgun and they were completely unaware it was illegal.
Typically the only one who gets mad if you pull the plug from your shotgun is the game warden. He will fine you, or give you a “time out” from your hunting privileges for a year or too if it happens too often, but I never heard of it being a felony offense.
You have never lived next to a shitty liberal state with stupid gun laws apparently. Look up NY/NJ/CA. Used to be all pumps had to be plugged at 3 even when not hunting. Doubt it has changed but maybe it has. I know at least two guys who were charged with a felony for popping the plug. Pulled over and were stupid when the cop said “have any guns?”
I did not know that. Here in PA we can pull our plug to slug gun hunt (at least the last I checked) but pulling the thing out of an 870 is such a pain in the ass when you go to put it back in, I don’t do it as I rarely need more than a shot or two for deer hunting
Be careful even transporting long guns from PA to NY/NJ. You need a permit just to have them in your car, locked up, in the trunk, unloaded even. That is absent some specific exceptions.
Don’t go to NY even though close while at deer camp. NJ isn’t an issue as I’m in the western half of PA
If you are in the western half of PA be careful even going to OH or ML. OH is surprisingly anti-gun and ML has “high capacity” magazine restrictions.
If I went anywhere I’d go to WV to hunt. I carry into OH if I have to go there but I have both a PA resident CCW permit as well as a UT non resident. I’d take my crossbow into OH if anything.
I’m kinda boring these days, I don’t stray away too far from PA. Regardless of the risk, I don’t like spending money in states that are too far left, and that’s far too many these days. It’s their loss as I traveled a lot for business (educational seminars etc) in the past and still have opportunities now but don’t take them. I guess my individual measly expenses don’t amount to much, but if more and more patriots start withdrawing our business……
That’s the one thing I don’t understand that the NRA and GOA don’t do more aggressively . If they started becoming real open, like a full page ad in their paper mags as well as a well advertised link on their web page, publicizing about the areas and businesses that were closet anti-gunners across the country, that would save them a ton of money in PVF money because the gun owners would simply dry up the revenue stream.
Everytime I start reading an article about guns on a non-firearm related site, I’m always expecting to be let down by misinformation. Certainly not the case here. This was a well put together piece with lots of great information. I haven’t read it myself yet, but I’ve been told Elmer Keith’s “Shotguns” is a good read for those interested.
Also, I noticed you said you had more articles planned. Can we expect one on hand loading?
Yes, perhaps an introduction and then one more in depth.
After reading through the comments I would like to add, buckshot is a very effective round that can pass through walls and kill family members or neighbors. Outside it can easily strike and kill someone at 100 plus yards, it’s not like Call of Duty. In the unlikely event you have to shoot an intruder in your home you must be mindful of what’s BEHIND him. Birdshot (7-1/2) etc is very effective at the ranges found in a home with less chance of over penetration or a heavier load such as turkey loads would also work.
Tactical shotguns look cool but they won’t do anything that a plain old Remington 1100/1187/870 won’t do. They can be had with a relatively short (22 inch) barrel with screw in chokes for hunting/defense/skeet shooting. 1100/1187 express shotguns are about the easiest thing there is to strip and clean.
To get familiar and comfortable with your new shotgun get a flat of 7-1/2 shot(250 rounds) and head to the skeet range, it’s about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.
Edit to add , BUY AMERICAN MADE FIREARMS to keep their factories open.
If you are new to guns, want to get into hunting as well as home defense, and don’t have a lot of cash, nothing beats one of the “combo deals” offered by manufacturers like Remington and Mossberg. You get a shotgun from a reputable company, usually a pump 870 or 500, a field barrel, and a fully rifled slug barrel.
With it you can hunt both small game and deer out to about 100 yards with practice but definitely 25 to 50 yards, which is the range most deer are shot any way. You even get to hunt in many counties and states where high powered rifles are now illegal due too many homes in proximity to the hunting areas.
The scariest thing to an intruder is hearing the “klick- klunk” of a shot gun shell racking in the barrel. If that sound doesn’t scare them off you probably have a feel no pain psycho or dope head that can only be taken down with a shotgun.
Never try to be an “audio menace” with a pump action. That is one of the most persistent, and silly myths in the gun culture. Sure, he MAY hear you chambering a round, and sure, he MAY recognize it, and sure he MAY run off, but now he knows you have a gun, and your approximate location. If you find yourself in a home invasion, get the gun ready, make sure you are covering your loved ones, and be quiet and wait him out, preferably behind cover with a good rest.
I agree. Like my dad taught me as a kid, never peep your hole card. If they don’t know you have a gun, they’re apt to make mistakes, if they do know, they will be more cautious.
I’m glad someone brought this up. This is just my opinion and how I operate. I know this is as big a debate but here’s some food for thought.
I have a Samurai mentality when it comes to a firearm. If it comes out of its holster, someone’s getting shot.
Since every gun is loaded and should be treated as such (and the fact my sons are proficient in the use of firearms) a loaded and chambered shotgun is just another firearm.
Here’s something many don’t think about. Any weapon can have a malfunction. The last thing I want to do is give away my position with a malfunctioning weapon. If an intruder enters my house, he’s already signed his own death warrant. An intruders first indication they encountered a defender should be the first shot fired.
Something else to consider, old conventions are being proven wrong every day. We can’t rely on the past for an indication of future behavior. In the past it was thought good enough to scare away an intruder. Think about this for a moment. If you scare an intruder away your family won’t feel safe again in that house. Gangs, thugs and criminals of today are embolden. After such an event you’ll know that intruder is out there, watching your moves, trying to come up with a plan to come back. Better off to kill them or at least wound them to make tracking them down a possibility. Like I said, they signed their own death warrant entering your house. In the end, I’d like to have peace of mind and one less criminal.
I also say this knowing all the legal implications.
Another thing worth mentioning, as I can attest personally, is the psychological factor. Years ago, someone tried to break into the apartment I was living in. Simply pumping the shotgun was enough to send him running, as he knew the sound and knew what it meant. Home intruders might feel daring enough to try something if you have a handgun. No one messes with a shotgun.
Ive got this covered
Just got my certificate in firearms usage…..I get home and check out ROK….this article up…. timely and great info…. thanks…..
Mossberg is not a bargain brand. Their Maverick line is, but not the entire brand. The Mossy 500 is a common police and military choice, almost even with the Remington 870.
Shotguns are wonderful for home defense. You’ll also likely never hear correctly again firing one indoors, in a tight hallway, without serious ear protection.
Stand against the liberals and their hate of law-abiding citizen’s ears. Contact your representatives and make sure they know that your health means more than the Dindu Tribesman who just broke into your home to rape your grandmother.
H.R. 3799: Hearing Protection Act of 2015
Trivia: can a .41 magnum pistol chamber .410 shot gun rounds our do you need a special load?
It actually is bigger than 41 caliber. 45 caliber is what is the norm for a single chamber gun 45 colt/.410
I presume not .45 ACP but maybe a .45 revolver would chamber it?
Only if it was designed to shoot both. The .410 shell is much longer than .45 Colt. Taurus makes some long cylinder revolvers that can shoot both.
yes 45 colt
Interesting, thanks for the info.
I am ex military and my experience is with rifles. As a matter of analysis and logic however, shot guns are good for taking out small, fast moving animals at 40 yards or so, but are inferior to neutralizing human combatants in close quarters. Rifle bullets have better penetration and stopping power compared to either slugs or buckshot pellets. I suppose if you want to take them alive then bird shot, bean bags and rock salt are an option: shot guns are more flexible but certainly not more efficient.
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Having said that, I think trapshooting is one of the top expressions of marksmanship.
This is a good thing to bring the manosphere to the gun culture. (or in this case the gun culture to the manosphere) I love shooting. and will be going on my first Texas hog hunt.
The one thing about the gun hobby is that the culture is full of white knights and manginas and seem all to eager to sexualize it with cute women rather than the technical aspects of the sport.
Go for a solid mainstream model like Winchester 1300 Defender in 12/76 Magnum.Works fine,not expensive,ammo common,spare parts widley available,modding possible.You can shoot also 12/70 out of that gun.I wont spend more than 1000 bucks for a shootgun.Saiga 12,Mossberg SPX 930 should be the upper end.More is useless and wasted money.If you want look out for a pic rail on top to install an aimpoint or eotech for slug shooting when use it for hunting wild boar.There are also some turkish M16 style shotguns.Advantage as with the Saiga 12 ….magazines.No need for time consuming reloading.
Kel Tec is inexpensive, except the KSG, which chamber 13, yes 13 3″ shells, or 15, yes 15 x 2 3/4″ shells. Bad ass gun.
Great article.
Someone mentioned leaving a shotgun unchambered to have the effect of an intruder hearing a round being chambered. Made me think of one thing: if the trigger has been pulled you can pump a round into the chamber without using the release, but if you have cocked the shotgun without a round in the chamber, you WILL have to use the release to chamber a round.
Be absolutely certain you know what state you have left your firearm in and always leave it that way. Otherwise, you may attempt to chamber a round in an emergency and forget if you have to use the release or not. You may not have that sort of time…
if you like bullpups like myself ya gotta get the DP-12
https://www.slickguns.com/sites/default/files/GUN-DP12_B_0.jpg
https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/182310/957075254/wm_8102554.jpg
We are steel balls manufacturer in China,some of our customers purchase this ball use in shotshell,Hope we can have the chance to cooperate. amy email:[email protected]
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ab2116236e90c0d9cf4dcac492190c212d7faecc7a4a12a03b38fab2879da7ca.jpg
Know what you get from running out and firing your 2 barrel shotgun twice in the air? – (Besides being arrested for unlawful discharge of a firearm, perhaps reckless endangerment charges and similar)?.. You get the equivalent of two empty pipes in your hands in the back yard while home invaders are inside with your family.