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Getting Older. Shotguns make up for it.
- Thread starter Zorro
- Start date
g.willikers
New member
If you're referring to being able to point shoot your shotgun instead of relying on sights, that can be accomplished with just about any type of gun.
If you can do it with a shotgun, you can do it with handgun and rifle, too.
Not as easily, but plenty doable.
Although, if I could only have one shootin' iron, it would definitely be a shotgun.
The gun that really won the West.
If you can do it with a shotgun, you can do it with handgun and rifle, too.
Not as easily, but plenty doable.
Although, if I could only have one shootin' iron, it would definitely be a shotgun.
The gun that really won the West.
Model12Win
Moderator
This isn't Hollywood.
You can't just aim a shotgun in the general direction of the target and expect to blow it away. At close range and even long range, shotguns needed to be precisely aimed.
You can't just aim a shotgun in the general direction of the target and expect to blow it away. At close range and even long range, shotguns needed to be precisely aimed.
When I aim.....I miss!
Model12win.......
Have you shot much skeet or trap? Shotguns are not aimed, they are pointed. I can guarantee that carefully aiming in the clay target sports will result in single digit scores in a session of 25 targets.
#1 for a shotgun is fit, both for proper pointing and for recoil management.
Shotguns are not aimed, they are pointed. If your universe only includes slugs and buckshot, that's defense, not true shotgunning.
Model12win.......
Have you shot much skeet or trap? Shotguns are not aimed, they are pointed. I can guarantee that carefully aiming in the clay target sports will result in single digit scores in a session of 25 targets.
#1 for a shotgun is fit, both for proper pointing and for recoil management.
Shotguns are not aimed, they are pointed. If your universe only includes slugs and buckshot, that's defense, not true shotgunning.
If you're talking about defense - in my opinion no, a shotgun is not the answer.
As I get into my late 60's ...my eyesight and strength issues in my hands show up more and more - and while I shoot Skeet and Sporting Clays and am reasonably proficient with a shotgun / in my view a shotgun is a clumsy alternative for defense over a handgun. Most of the experts tell us defense will be most often in the 3 Feet to probably 24 foot range...where a handgun is probably optimal / keeping one hand free if necessary - when you can't do that with a shotgun.
As I've gotten older...training is the most important thing - and I go to the range and practice my Tactical drills a couple times a week now ( draw - and double taps / reload drills - draw fire 2 - reload fire 2 - reload fire 2, etc )...and as I've gotten older I've moved more toward the "shot placement issue" being the most important not caliber...so, for me, its a full sized 1911 in 9mm...( over anything in .40 s&W or .45 acp ).../ if I want to keep a revolver handy its an N frame S&W in a 4" in .357 mag ( fits my hands better ).../educe recoil, maintain some proficiency in keeping my split times down on my follow up shots - and I do that best with heavier guns with less recoil.
but shotguns, no - not for defense / for fun on clays, yes...( but I shoot way less 12ga now ...and a lot more 28ga / or some gague with 3/4 oz of shot vs in the old days with 1 1/8 oz of 1 oz of shot...to reduce fatigue and recoil.
As I get into my late 60's ...my eyesight and strength issues in my hands show up more and more - and while I shoot Skeet and Sporting Clays and am reasonably proficient with a shotgun / in my view a shotgun is a clumsy alternative for defense over a handgun. Most of the experts tell us defense will be most often in the 3 Feet to probably 24 foot range...where a handgun is probably optimal / keeping one hand free if necessary - when you can't do that with a shotgun.
As I've gotten older...training is the most important thing - and I go to the range and practice my Tactical drills a couple times a week now ( draw - and double taps / reload drills - draw fire 2 - reload fire 2 - reload fire 2, etc )...and as I've gotten older I've moved more toward the "shot placement issue" being the most important not caliber...so, for me, its a full sized 1911 in 9mm...( over anything in .40 s&W or .45 acp ).../ if I want to keep a revolver handy its an N frame S&W in a 4" in .357 mag ( fits my hands better ).../educe recoil, maintain some proficiency in keeping my split times down on my follow up shots - and I do that best with heavier guns with less recoil.
but shotguns, no - not for defense / for fun on clays, yes...( but I shoot way less 12ga now ...and a lot more 28ga / or some gague with 3/4 oz of shot vs in the old days with 1 1/8 oz of 1 oz of shot...to reduce fatigue and recoil.
g.willikers
New member
Even for defense, aiming can be way too slow, especially with multiple targets.
For relatively close distances, long guns can lend themselves to point shooting very well.
For the longer distances and hunting, then aiming is the way to go.
It's probably best to know to do both.
Never can tell what will be needed.
For relatively close distances, long guns can lend themselves to point shooting very well.
For the longer distances and hunting, then aiming is the way to go.
It's probably best to know to do both.
Never can tell what will be needed.
Short barrel pump shotgun for home defense. Same shotgun for jumping deer in heavy woods with a lot of undergrowth. For hunting open places definitely a rifle. I'm 59 and diabetic and I still use iron sights in some places but I am slowly switching to full buckhorns. I mostly use a 30-30 or a scoped 30-06 or for places with possible shots at 300 yards + a .257 WM.
Obviously shotguns are extremely versatile...that's why they've been so popular for so many jobs for so long. If you're talking about a SD/HD situation, yes, a shotgun would let you get by with a little less than perfect eyesight just a bit better than a rifle might. But you still have to be able to get on-target reliably and be proficient with it. You cannot just haphazardly point a shotgun in the general direction of a threat and expect to negate it. It's like any other firearm...if you know how to handle it in the circumstance you're in, and can do that well, you'll be a formidable opponent....or field shot, or competition shooter, etc.
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Arizona Fusilier
New member
Even though shotguns are "pointed" and not aimed per se, they must be pointed with more precision than is commonly acknowledged, particularly at close range. The spread of buckshot at ranges associated within the confines of a domicile, say 10 to 20 feet, is quite underwhelming, actually. Not until you back-up to 30 feet or so do you see much tactically significant spread, depending on what your shooting.
So no.......no order of magnitude advantage, in my opinion.
So no.......no order of magnitude advantage, in my opinion.