Shotgun Question - Need your opinion!

Don't know anything about shotguns...
Just to throw in my experience as a female....My husband sawed-off one his shotguns for me.
Thought it might be easier for me to handle.

I've shot the thing many times, but I'm still scared to death of it. I just stick with my handgun.

Hey, thanks for the input. Any experience/information people have will help me make a more informed decision.

Being that it is next to impossible to own a gun in NJ, I am absolutely no help to you.

Mossberg or maverick (cheaper but made by mossberg) 12 gauge shotgun. Use 2 3/4 shells for less of a kick. Will also handle 3" shells. Buy one with either an 18 inch barrel or 20" inch barrel. The 20 inch will hold 8+1 shells, while the 18 inch will be a little lighter and hold 6+1 shells.

Buy a shock absorbing knoxx stock Go to cabelas and search for knoxx. The knoxx stock pistol grip and regular stock both have recoil reduction within them. I have a maverick 20 inch security shotgun with this stock installed and I am very happy with it.

[link to www.knoxx.com]


[link to www.cabelas.com]

First: Go to a shooting range and try out whatever
models they have. By all means, try a 12 gauge.

Then seriously consider a 20 gauge. Burglars won't be
differentiating between 12 and 20 gauge. You might even
look at a "youth model'. Same shells, same lethality, but
smaller (and lighter).

Suggestion:

If you have the funds: get a sighting rail with
a glow in the dark sighting bead.

go with remington 870 in 12 gauge

A Remington model 870, a.k.a., riot-gun, which I have among many guns is an excellent shotgun.

In my police work, all police cars were armed with the 870, for what its worth.

We used them on S.W.A.T. team raids and the Bomb Squad for a forced entry and for Robbery Armed suspects,Hostage take downs, et al.

Bottom feeders have a special respect for a shot gun especially when they hear you rack it.

Its like they just found JESUS.

A marvelous transformation before your eyes.

In close quarter combat though, as INSIDE a house, and being a women, no offense intended, I`d be careful on the use of a shotgun.

But if you must have one, I`d suggest a 20 gauge AND DON`T SAW IT OFF.

In brief, if you can handle a pistol and are comfortable with it YOUR GOOD TO GO!!

That would be my answer to my wife or daughter or mother.

LEGION

Check out the Beretta Extrema II.

WOW, no freakin' recoil whatsoever on this thing!!!

[link to youtube.com]

ENJOY!

Oh, and load with 00 and alternate with a slug or similar round every 3rd to give yourself some power just in case.

Its called BUCKSHOT, OP.

DO NOT BUY BIRDSHOT. From a far enough distance, all birdshot will do is dig a superficial 1cm hole, which will not stop anyone determined from harming you. You can use it as a first round though, as a "I'm not kidding" round, followed by buckshot.

#00 (called Double Aught), #000 (Triple Aught) are the biggest. I've read that #1 Buckshot is best for having the best ratio between having the most number of balls and yet having enough power to punch completely through a person [results from using ballistics gel].

Be sure its a pump shotgun, so you can reload immediately.

An excellent chart about shotgun ammunition;

[link to www.hunter-ed.com]

No offense taken. I do appreciate yours and everyone's advice - especially when they say WHY they recommend one thing over another. That gives me a lot of insight into attributes I may have not considered otherwise. Experience is better than book learning any day.

Remington used to sell an 870 Express Combo, 28" vent rib barrel w/interchangeable choke for hunting, and a smooth-bored 24" barrel w/rifle sights. Very decent, basic shotgun.

Unless you anticipate bird hunting, the slug barrel w/rifle sights is most useful. You might even consider getting the deer hunter model which has rifling in the barrel. These are great for use with a scope. A 1-4x Nikon or Leupold would be a good scope for your shotgun. Even better with an illuminated reticle or a trijicon reticle. Probably want a detachable sling-swivel for your shotgun.

12ga is most versatile, 20ga is easier to handle and shoot all day long. Not like you will do that with your shotgun.

I would offer that a .223Rem/5.56mm semi-auto is better all around defense or hunting weapon. AR-15 or Ruger Mini-14 with 6 spare 20 or 30rd magazines and a detachable scope will give you more range, less recoil and ammunition that is lighter and cheaper.

A short-barreled (18") 20ga with pistol grip is very versatile for home defense. Pump is good, automatic might be better. The coach/lumpara short double-barrel is a very effective close range weapon. Fast to reload, can keep one barrel loaded w/slug, other w/buckshot. #4 buckshot in 12ga has about 30 38sp size pellets. A cylinder or improved choke will give widest pattern at close range.

Good luck!

There are several gunnies here, ask one of them ;).

Omega has a certain...fetish for shotties, heh.

In pumps, 870,590 or the discontinued (I think) Winchester 1300 Defender,which is what I use as my cheapy.....and what I am holding in my avatar...

Definitely look into that knoxx stock. It makes all the difference in the world. It's a shock absorber for your shoulder!

"In my police work, all police cars were armed with the 870, for what its worth."

All the officers up here use Benelli.

A couple of years ago a young lady I work with was given a short barrelled (legal—18 1/4 inches I think) 20 gauge 870 by her dad because she was concerned about being alone when her husband was away on business trips. The two of us went to the range for her to get the feel of it. I'm NRA certified in shotgun instruction is why she asked me for the help. It turned out that, that was probably the perfect size for her to handle. She mastered it quickly and with no discomfort. Her dad is retired military and he knew what he was doing.

I think Legion (186213) is right on in calling the 870 the best choice. I have an 870 in 12 gauge, and love it. Also have a 12 by Maverick with a pistol grip, but it hurts to shoot, even with low base ammo. It sits by my bed, loaded with #8 shot (and a mandated trigger lock), chamber empty. Once the adrenaline starts to flow though, it's doubtful if it would hurt my hand to shoot it, if I could unlock the blasted trigger in time.

This thread was started about a close in, defensive weapon, right? I saw 'Home Defense”, in the thread title and figured if used, it would be indoors. If that is correct, then use #8 shot (bird shot), not buck shot. Up close, #8 will drizzle an aggressor and probably not go through the walls to mess with kids or neighbors in the next room. Buck shot is neat, but it can go through walls and mess up someone's day way down the block. If range is needed, then the buck shot is required.

Great advice. Me, I don't have that issue though, I am way out in the country and no other house for about 150 yards. No kids...dogs though, but if there is an intruder in my house me thinks they'll be busy,lol...

I use 00 buck, every 3rd round a slug-for vests....

oh please.. another stupid gun thread w/ the same 3 people making it 8 pages.

[link to www.youtube.com]



[link to www.youtube.com]

try the 12 ga out, you will want buckshot over birdshot for home defense, or else your wasting your time with a shotgun. Buckshot will cause more recoil, unless you get 2 3/4 reduced recoil loads.

try it out, you might be better off with a 20ga. Shotguns have nasty kick, and in the heat of a moment you may find it hard to handle, unless your a large woman.

better off getting a pistol imo

870 with 3" mags..It will do the job.

Stupid to you maybe.

I think OP is wise to ask for advice, and there are obviously several people here that know a thing or three about shotguns.

I would discount the moron that just told the lady to use 3" magnum shells though. They are fine for 6', 200 lb dudes to use.

Shhhhhh. be silent


Shot gun pistol .45 cal
Just the RIGHT size.
I will let YOU look it up.

Good thread.

I'm considering purchasing a self-defense weapon myself (hand guns are not permitted) so this info is helpful. Thanks!

do a search. it's been yapped over and over again endlessly. pistols revolvers shotguns etc. SSDD.

I just wanted to thank everyone who responded. Some of your comments confirmed some thoughts I had, while others have given me more things to do some homework on. For those who posted videos, they were great - I'm a visual learner. Thanks again guys, you're the best.

Hey OP... I'm a guy 5’5’’ 175lbs. I just bought the Charles Daily Field Tactical with Ramp Sight. 18.5 inch barrel in 12 gauge. It's light and the pump action fits well in a smaller hand. Comes to the shoulder quickly or under the arm for close range (less than 20 ft.) but keep in mind it's a 12 gauge and I'm male. For the ladies, I recommend 20 or 16 gauge,(same make and model -Bennilli also very good) using 3 inch magnum shot shells after bird shot.

Let’s cover some self defense basics. First consider the situation you may find yourself in. Worst case scenario you’re caught off guard while asleep at night with the intruder standing over you. In that case, you’ll need a handgun close by, under the bed within reach is good. .357, with 4 inch barrel or .41 S&W The most important factor using a firearm is control. If the muzzle-lift aka recoil is more then you can handle, especially after practicing several times, choose another firearm. Controlling muzzle lift doesn’t always mean just keeping your muzzle on target but it also means compensating for the next round. After spending a round, you should be able to bring your sights back into alignment with your objective as you’re squeezing the trigger to spend the next round.

Next case scenario, you’re lying in bed reading and you hear the backdoor crash open. 1. Exhale and focus on calmness 2. Reach for fire arm, chamber round, call 911, give the basics and tell them you’re armed and prepared to INCAPACITATE THE THREAT. DO NOT EVER SAY, I’M GOING TO SHOOT THE INTRUDER OR “I’LL KILL IF I HAVE TO” 3. Secure the rooms you are in put a chair in front of the door, lock the door and windows. If you have children go to their rooms and secure yourselves, children under bed… closets… get them out of the line of fire. Keep talking to 911 and yell to the intruder you armed and get the hell out! Keep 911 on the phone.

Experts will agree that the best firearm for any person is the one they are most capable with in placing a round of ammunition where it was deliberately intended. Typically, a shotgun requires little aiming because it releases several projectiles leaving the muzzle in a broad pattern. A 20 gauge shotgun round 1.8 oz of #2 or # 4 shot travels at 1375 feet per second at the muzzle. At less then 20 feet a 1oz wall of B-Bs, 6-8 inches in diameter, and traveling 1375 feet per second will collide with whichever objective it is aimed. Trust me when I say that is a lot of incapacitating power.

Next let’s talk about loading for in home self-defense. Over-penetration is BAD… VERY BAD! If in a scenario where a handgun is the best weapon of choice while within the four corners of your home, you’ll want to use a Hollow Point round, for several reasons. 1. Upon contact a Hollow Point round will expand thus slowing down the momentum while at the same time concentrating the energy of the velocity to the area of contact, thus delivering a debilitating blow to the threat objective. FMJ (Full Metal Jacket rounds) create the risk of over-penetration in so much the round may travel completely through the threat objective and end up in another room in house causing injury to a friendly, or even worse, exit a window and wind –up killing your neighbors $10,000.00 pedigree pet or even worse, injuring them or one of their family members. Remember that even a .22 has a range of 1 mile. This is why you should never use a hunting rifle in home defense, unless you are being pursued in an open field combat situation. In a scenario where you are going to use a shotgun, you will load as follows to avoid over penetration. Remember with a pump or semi-auto shotgun, “FIRST IN –LAST OUT”. So the first round that you will load into the magazine if you are using a pump or semi-auto will be a 1 oz slug, next will be a 3 inch 00 buckshot magnum, lastly #10 water fowl shot shell. If your shotgun holds 6-8 rounds you’ll load only 1, three inch 00buck magnum and 1 slug. If you’re in a situation that requires you to use more than 3 rounds from a shotgun you’re in deep trouble. Therefore it would be wise to affix an ammo holder to the stock or on the opposite side of the ejection port. In that holder there should only be 3 inch magnum 00 buckshot, because if it gets to the point that you need to reload your magazine, you’re in a situation where there is only going to be one survivor and whatever the threat maybe you need every advantage to make sure that one survivor is you.

It’s sad to say but because of how our Constitutional laws have been defiled by administrative rules and policy, law abiding citizens are now criminals just for purchasing a firearm, even though they may have purchased their firearm through a FFL (Federal Firearms Licensed) dealer. Therefore you must develop a creative mentality focused on self-defense and survival. Before you purchase a firearm, you should first consider all of the ways you can make your home secure from life threatening invasion and install as many deterrents as possible. This may sound silly but if you are going to purchase a firearm for home defense, we as law abiding citizens must give criminals as many warnings as possible and as many reasons to reasonable believe that invading our homes is a very bad idea and act of willful disrespect for the law. Because if you don’t, and you incapacitate an invader on to death or otherwise, you maybe charged in a civil case with legal action for damages. It also not a bad idea to ask your insurance agent for extra coverage in the event of while your efforts to incapacitate an intruder and avoid damage to your own property causes damage to your neighbor’s property. Secondly, Negotiations and diplomatic efforts get a lot of respect from District Attorneys and Law Enforcement. What I mean in saying that is, if you can call out to the intruders even after they have breached your locks, cameras, and alarms and tell them you are packing and they still insist, then you have done all that you could have done to avoid a lethal confrontation. However, some states look at charging the homeowner with recklessness if the armed homeowner/victim shoots the intruder and it can be proven that the homeowner had the option to escape without coming into direct contact with the threat.

I strongly encourage you to start by first writing down 50 reasons you need to purchase a firearm for Defense and Survival. They’re there and you may not be able to come up with 50, but you need to know that you know why you have that firearm and make damn sure you are only going to use it for only any one of those 50 reasons. It may difficult at first, but start with the mentality of preserving life; it’s much easier to have 50 reasons if you live rurally then it is if you live in a city. Nevertheless, make the effort.

Choosing to deploy a firearm for the purpose of self-defense whether in the home on the street requires a great deal of responsibility. There is no doubt that shooting someone can cause death and or serious injury that can last a lifetime. What if the person whom you think is an intruder is a dumbass teenage neighbor kid dressed up like a terrorist, breaks in through your teenage daughter’s window, playing stupid ass games to scare her? She screams; you grab your firearm; kick her door open… it’s dark because it’s at night and her lights in her room are off and all you see is a figure wearing a ski mask standing over your baby! What do you do? What should your daughter do? This is why roll playing these scenarios with your family is a very good idea, if you plan on using a firearm. Get as much information, instruction, and education about ammunition, firearms in general, and home defense from organizations such as the NRA, as possible. Learn the "Ten Rules o Firearm Safety"and know them in your sleep.I assure you that if you purchase a firearm and you DON'T practice to be able to discharge it from every position, accomplish every objective deliberately, and think ahead and roll play, you’ll be better off using a board with big rusty nail in it.

Best thoughts are guided toward you.

Respectfully

The 11th Hour Watcher

I would stick with a hand gun, and get a laser sight installed on it.

That's what I have.

i am confused, are you one of the three then?

not much to add here, pump is probably the best bet and in 20 gauge, follow the advice on ammo

other things you may want to consider, a good sling if you could end up walking with the gun, or standing for a long period, a side saddle, which holds six more rounds on the side of your gun, they also make one for the stock, your weapon will always have around 20 rounds with it
weapons mounted flashlight can help you identify a target, and temporarily blind them, giving you a split second more time to verify friend or foe, a cleaning kit

shoot a lot , keep your weapon clean, and practice practice practice working the pump action, you don't even need shells in it, you want to avoid a short stroke which could jam you

good luck :)