Best Home Defense Shotgun

[Dave McC]

Thanks for the endorsement, Bob.

There's a line of demarcation here between the PGO fans and the non fans. Oft the determinant is simply experience.

I've known plenty of folks whose workplace is in harm's way. Cops, soldiers, and people whose jobs require weapons and expertise in their use. NONE have PGO shotguns as their go to. Other than for breaching, there's not much use for them among cogniscienti.....

 

[nemoaz]

Agreed, cops and soldiers carry shotguns with stocks. Guys on TV's and wannabes carry PGOs. (I will admit to having previously wasted money on a PGO and other even more useless shiite which I'm too ashamed to mention.)

ATI and Upgrade don't go in the same sentence......

No truer words have been spoken.

 

[Rustynuts]

Yes, stock AND PG is better!

 

[King Ghidora]

Personally I wouldn't use a PGO shotgun for anything except to take to a flea market and trade it for a better gun. The ONLY advantage is you might be able to get off a shot in a tight space with a PGO gun that you maybe couldn't do with a gun with a stock but that is a very rare situation. The downside is so big it is no fair trade off.

Aiming from the hip is not something you can practice at and be good at doing it. You are either able to do it or you aren't. There are people who will improve some but shooting from the hip is something you're born with really. It's like shooting a 25 foot jump shot with a basketball. Some people can do it and others can't. A friend of mine was in the navy and they made a huge deal of the fact he could shoot a pistol from the hip. They changed his whole occupation because of that single fact. It's just not something everyone can do.

Then there's the recoil problem. Sure you can probably do it ok with no stress and when you have time to prepare yourself. But shotguns KICK and if you're hands and wrists aren't exactly ready you can break your wrist. And if you're under the huge stress of having a BG in your house that you feel you have to shoot then you're going to be thinking about something besides how you're holding your shotgun.

I've had shotguns put a bruise on me that lasted for weeks and I don't bruise easy. It depends a lot on the person of course but think about your 100 pound wife or your kid trying to shoot a PGO shotgun with 00 buckshot loaded. Do you think they can do it safely? I don't. What if you're not around some day but a BG is? Wouldn't you want your wife or teenage kid to be able to fire that one gun you have to protect your family? Maybe you live alone. Maybe you're not a 250 lb. guy either. Maybe you are a small guy. Bones break and shotguns can do it.

The advantages of a gun with a stock are almost endless. You can aim it much better. If you try to aim a PGO shotgun you're putting your arms in an even worse position. What if you need to make a long shot?

Here's something to try. Pick up a rubber band and shoot it off your finger at something. See if you can shoot from the hip and hit anything at all. Now try it while aiming at eye level. Shooting from the hip just isn't a natural act for many people and holding a shotgun with a PGO can end up hurting you.

At least get a gun with a stock and a PG. That way you have the option of shooting either way. The few inches you save by going PGO is not going to save your life except in very rare situations. Not having to shoot from the hip can definitely save your life. The chances of that being a factor are much higher.

I'll tell you what I did. I bought an 870 Express and I take care of it. It should last for years. I followed Scattergun Bob's advice on updating a few parts and made it a better gun. And I practiced with it until I could have a friend throw up a pop can and I could shoot it twice before it hit the ground. If you can do that you don't need a PGO shotgun.

 

[Caeser2001]

get the mossberg 500 and call it a day, unless you can get an 870 for the same price.

 

[flyby]

Mossy Mav 88 ..nice,reliable,compatible with most mossy 500 upgrades, stocks, barrels ..and can't beat the price...
https://www.rrarms.com/catalog.php?prod=G31023
https://www.rrarms.com/catalog.php?prod=G31046

 

[Slugthrower]

"Bet you could hit with the pgo if you had an aftermarket laser, or even a very narrow focused beam flashlite, installed on it.", Tom2.

That is provided that you have time to activate the light or the laser and if the batteries haven't gone dead from sitting in storage for a good while. Using a remote switch can help in the activation aspect, however that also causes the shotgun to have wires and protrusions that can possibly hang up on unforeseen obstacles.

It is best to leave all the nice little doo dads off a serious use shotgun or any firearm for that matter. Don't get me wrong, all those accessories are "cool" to play with and use. Relying on them to help save one's life isn't a very good idea, IMO as well as many others for good reason.

The extra compactness that a PGO gains it loses a lot of versatility. It is just as easy to tuck the stock of a regular shotgun under your arm, additionally it still give you the option to shoulder the shotgun for much better accuracy if needed. If you want compactness go with as short a barrel as you can within the legal limits of your area. Some localities will not allow AOWs.

The term in the military that is used quite often is "high speed, low drag" it does have a significant meaning to those in harms way.

 

[Jseime]

The Mossberg 500 is a great gun, I have one and I love it. Never jams never fails to fire just shuck it and shoot it.

I think that a pistol grip is a really cool looking add on and I've never used one so this is just speculation... I think that there is no need for it. At 4 am when something goes bump smash crash you can put the buttstock tight to your shoulder and aim more naturally or i think it would seem more natural for me.

 

[nate45]

Any shotgun will work, whatever you have...

a single shot, double barrel, pump, auto, 20, 12, 16 ga. can all be effectively deployed in a home defense situation. The 'best' one is the one you have and know how to use.

Don't believe me watch Clint Smith demonstrate.

Defensive Shotgun

 

[hihosilver]

12 gage autoloader w? 18" barrel and high cap"

Basicly, a 12 gage mossberg 500 18", but an auto loader. Does a high capacity 18" autoloader exist?

 

[.351winchester]

You can get a 20 round drum for a 19" Saiga auto or just the 8 and 10 rd. sticks. Anything comparable such as USAS or Street Sweeper is an NFA "destructive device" (classed with mortars, grenades, etc.). This is definately one to get now if you ever want one, more than anything else for legal and cost considerations, I think they stopped importing the 12 gauge too(?)

Otherwise, 7 shots max in a tube mag flush w/ 18" barrel. I believe the long OOP High Standard 10-B full cap held 8 and as a bullpup was still short OAL.

Have you handled the Mossy 930 SPX? That is my favorite shotgun, it's perfect. Basically a FN SLP with a tang safety, half or less the pricetag, and a Swedish massage of a buttpad. Check one out, you'll be bringing her home. I hate ghost rings but these ones showed me the appeal, still personally prefer a bead for HD but seriously this is a lot of combat shotgun for the money in fact I'd take this 550. Mossberg over a Benelli or Wilson any day. But that's me, that magic feel, balance, swing, whatever that people use to describe a British or Italian double, that's how this baby felt to me. You could always get the 930 HS and add a mag extension but by then the price difference would be little. Trust me you'll like the SPX, maybe fall in love like I did. I never considered owning an auto or trusting one for when it counted before but Mossberg hit a grand slam with this little cannon.

From what I've read here from every satisfied owner it probably wouldn't stutter with dove loads and dirty. O.F. Mossberg's past attempts at a full line of automatics came and went without notice but the 930s are serious 11-87 competition.

Do a search for the magazine dump video in this forum to see a bunch of hulls in the air at once. Impressive action to say the least, and proof that it's no slouch. I'll be giving up the 590 (never fired, stock decal still in place) I just bought and some cash for one soon as it comes in to one of the shops I frequent.

Keep in mind the A team shot from the hip all the time and they never hit anyone in years and years of gunfights. That should be a warning too you.

LOL

 

[johnwilliamson062]

Pistol grip shotguns look cool.
I might think about doing one in .410 as a toy.
One in 12 ga, especially with buck shot or slugs, ouch. Bound to hurt somehow.
Maybe I am a wimp (I only shot 3 rounds of trap Thursday and have a hellishly bruised shoulder).

 

[Tatsumi67]

I own two older Winchester shotguns, mostly for trap, and I'm looking into buying a used Remington 870, because you can do whatever you want with them. I have seen a few ranges that dont allow shotguns without a full stock, and with an 870 it can be built for any purpose, hunting, tactical, home defensive, tacticool, or whatever else you want.

 

[John Moses]

I have a Remington 870 and it is a good shotgun.

Having said that, the Mossberg has the safety right on top, I think a more efficient place than on the trigger guard.

BTW
the sound of the working of a pump shotgun is often enough to make grown men lose bladder control. That unique sound has precluded the use of the shotgun on many occasions.

As to whatever stuff you want to put onto it is up to you, but a basic shotgun is a fearsome machine and are incredibly effective at short range. Just look at the guys who burgled Joe Horn's neighbor. Two shots, two dead bad guys.

 

[RangerM9]

Saiga 12's are still being imported, a few have hit dealers lately, shipment is supposedly in country and going out to distributors currently. I hope to confirm soon since i have one on order!

i'm personally not thinking about getting a drum, too big, and too spendy

i also own 870s in 12 and 20. the 12 is a home defense gun, mag extension, but standard wingmaster stock. The 20 is my deer gun, i've hunted with both, and hvae never found 20 ga to be inadequate where i hunt, and it is so much lighter to carry around all day.

Additionally on a whim i picked up and H&R pump parder, essentially a 870 copy, made in China (groan all you want, that thing is better built than my father in laws 870 express!) It is compact, has 5+1 capacity, tapped for a scope rail, swivels installed, all stock configureation, 18 barrel with bead. all that for $140 OTD......can't beat it!

 

[Smitty in CT]

Basicly, a 12 gage mossberg 500 18", but an auto loader. Does a high capacity 18" autoloader exist?

That would be the Mossberg 930SPX, here's my SPX:

But for HD, I don't need the extra capacity and the SPX doesn't fit in the loc-box without serious mods to the loc-box.... so ... I have my 930 field gun with an 18-1/2" barrel at the ready:

 

[dabigguns357]

mossberg 500

I agree that you don't need a pistol grip for a shotgun.After firing my mossy i couldn't fathom shooting it with a pistal grip,but then i also use winchester 400 grain platnuim tips along with 3 inch 00 buck.Now on my wifes 410 i have a youth stock on it but thats about it.

 

[Rustynuts]

Basicly, a 12 gage mossberg 500 18", but an auto loader. Does a high capacity 18" autoloader exist?

mmm, I just showed you the Saiga! It's an 19" barrel (close enough!) with a 10-rd mag in my picture. You can also get 20-rd drums for it. If you don't like the 12-g kick, they also make 20 and 410 same style.

 

[Rifleman 173]

I would look around at some pawn shops in your area for a decent but used shotgun. If you take your time, you might just be able to find the shotgun that you want or need in one of those shops. The nice thing is that you can often get a shotgun for less than the asking price of a new one at a pawn shop. Just be very careful and carefully look it over before you buy it. Also try the action to make sure that it doesn't hang up on you.

 

[hihosilver]

Smitty in CT.....the day after I posted that question I saw the Mossy 930 SPX on the outdoor channel. Called my gunstore, but they acted like theyve never seen one, so I just thought they were too new. How do you like that SPX? reliable? Im thinking of going ahead and picking one up, if I can find one or have someone order one. Seems like the ultimate home defense gun to me.