Home defense shotguns

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Ridgerunner665

New member
With age, comes change...


I'm not that old, 49, and my vision is still correctable to 20/15 in both eyes... but front sights and red dots are... well... more complicated than they used to be.


Realizing that my AR with the CompM4 optic wasn't as quick and accurate as it used to be....I got a Mossberg 590 SPX with the ghost ring rear and fiber optic front... it patterns great with plain old Winchester #1 buckshot hunting loads (silver box) .


It is purely a fighting shotgun, though I pray a fight never comes where I need it... I've done TONS of research (watched a lot of YouTube from trusted sources) on the role of shotguns in home defense.


Many of y'all know I grew up on a small time tobacco farm in northeast Tennessee... an old 16 gauge Victor Special was the home defense, and everything else, shotgun then.... I still have Grandads old 16,  first gun I ever fired.


I'll confess, I'm 3 servings into some good cognac, but it seems to me shotguns have been doing a fine job of home defense for a century or so... but there seems to be some who think they're not up to the task (YouTube).


I don't get it...


Properly set up and properly loaded, for use inside a home.... what beats a short stocked, short barreled 12 gauge?



P.S. Don't worry... I'm not gonna become the annoying drunk posting random BS, that's not who I am... but I chose to throw it in there in case my post seemed a little... rambly.



Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
 
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Rob228

New member
The primary argument is that a 16" barreled AR is going to be shorter and more maneuverable, less recoil, faster follow up etc.... If you make a living fighting inside a house then yeah an AR makes sense, if it's for when something goes bump in the night a shotgun is plenty good enough and will get the job done.
 
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bamaranger

New member
shotguns

A dose of buckshot or a slug on target pretty much settles all accounts. As long as the operator is capable, I see nothing wrong with the shotgun. Several secure bamahouse.

I have met folks who simply cannot manage a shotgun, most especially an all up 12ga pump. For such folks, some type of carbine is likely a better choice.
 
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MarkCO

New member
I picked up an 18" barreled Winchester SXP. 3" slugs at 1700 fps. :) It weighs 6.2 pounds. I am going to do a head to head against my FNH P12 (same basic design) this spring. I have high hopes for it.

But, I will say that of long guns, 12g Pumps are what students in my CCW classes like the least. 9mm PCCs are what they like the best. Hit rate and speed follow the same. Only if one is fully invested in the training with a shotgun would I suggest one, even then...not sure most will actually train enough to maintain the proficiency needed.
 
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FITASC

New member
An AR fired inside the home will be a LOT louder than the lower pressure shotgun - both will cause some hurt and potential damage, but how awake are you at 3AM dealing with moving shadowy figures?
 
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Rob228

New member
An AR fired inside the home will be a LOT louder than the lower pressure shotgun
Click to expand...

That is real talk, an unsuppressed AR inside is something you feel inside your soul not just your ears.
 
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bamaranger

New member
12 ga

I had occasion to conduct training with US BOP (Bureau of Prisons) personnel on 2 detail assignment many years back. Everybody (corrections officer, clear, cook.....everybody) was required to qualify with revolver, (that dates it) carbine (first evolution was the M-1!) and the 870 pump. We had female shooters in tears and leaving the firing line when attempting to qualify with the shotgun. Recoil was just too much for them with all up ammo. It was not unusual for the same individuals to have shot the handgun and the carbine very well.

Second time assigned, the BOP had switched to the M4 and the .30 carbines were gone, there were still problems getting females to qual with the shotgun. At my level, I could not advise on what happened to those personnel in the hiring process.
 
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Red Devil

New member
Well...

Start w/ one of the new Remington 12 ga. 870 FieldMasters. (~ $500)

Then, swap in a Mossberg 870 18.5" CYL Bbl. (~ $120)

... and you end up w/ somethin' like this:

Picture_002_1024_cropped.jpg


Then, get ya a few boxes of Federal FLITECONTROL Buckshot.

I got #1, but the #00 works fine, too.





Red
 
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MarkCO

New member
Start w/ one of the new Remington 12 ga. 870 FieldMasters. (~ $500)

Then, swap in a Mossberg 870 18.5" CYL Bbl. (~ $120)
Click to expand...

You want a guy to spend $620 when he can get a better pump in the Winchester SXP for $300? Okay then. :)
 
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Red Devil

New member
MarkCO said:
You want a guy to spend $620 when he can get a better pump in the Winchester SXP for $300? Okay then. :)
Click to expand...

Why yes... yes, I do.

Then, he would have Both a fine HD shotgun... AND a fine Field shotgun.

The new RemArms 870 FieldMasters look outstanding.

A Bargain.




Red
 
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musicmatty

New member
Great post and glad you’re enjoying your cognac! In my humble opinion, the shotgun is the most versatile of any firearm. Hard to beat something that can shoot a rifled slug with very reasonable accuracy along with hunting loads for food on the table and of course home defense loads.

cb2fd96e-90e6-45cf-895f-917d377f7f74.jpeg
484e5896-50ac-4aa1-93eb-9ec76e2c614b.jpeg
 
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shafter

New member
ARs are more maneuverable, offer better options for slings, lights, etc, and most importantly, there are many more training opportunities available for the AR platform than there are for shotguns.

Shotguns still work but they aren't my first choice.
 
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Hawg

New member
I fired my 16 inch AR once without earplugs outside. It hurt. I can't imagine firing it inside without them. My 20 inch 12 gauge isn't even close to as loud.
 
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Red Devil

New member
Hawg said:
I fired my 16 inch AR once without earplugs outside. It hurt. I can't imagine firing it inside without them. My 20 inch 12 gauge isn't even close to as loud.
Click to expand...

You would think that there would be an OSHA suppressor mandate.

8>)




Red
 
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BourbonCowboy

New member
I keep two shotguns by my bed: a Mossberg Shockwave (outfitted with a side saddle and #4 Buck minishells) and a Mossberg 500 (18" barrel, side saddle, Tactaload stock...and outfitted with both minishells and standard slugs in the Tactaload).

p1270741708-4.jpg


If something goes bump in the night, I will trust my life to either.
 
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