Oh no you didn't!
Cue the "You're crazy not to be locked and loaded when the bad guy comes to the door" crowd.
Home Defense
- Thread starter EdHershon
- Start date
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Oh no you didn't!
Cue the "You're crazy not to be locked and loaded when the bad guy comes to the door" crowd.
Joe Biden recommends!
Ranchero50
Ultimate Member
Pistol AR with a 10.5" barrel. Less length to deal with and better ergonomics plus it's probably quieter versus a boom stick.
Wynter
Active Member
If the Mossberg is too expensive, I recommend the Maverick 88. It's a "baby brand" of Mossberg.
As others have said, make sure that you practice to avoid user induced malfunctions. I am not the authority on home defense but like others are saying as far as shotguns go, the Mossberg 500s and Remington 870s are time tested and affordable. Plus 12 shells are very common and easy to find. Consider your surroundings when choosing which ammunition to use. Different types of shot will have different characteristics. But find something that is ergonomic for you and make sure that every family member who may be called on in an emergency to operate the shot gun gets practice time. You do not want to short shuck it in a home defense situation. I see some folks recommending AR pistols as well and they may be a good choice for a lot of people.
CrazySanMan
2013'er
Problem solved
I saw a really good video on home defense firearms once where the guy was saying he didn't recommend silencers on weapons at home because if someone breaks into his house and he has to use a firearm to defend himself he wants the neighbors to hear the shots and call 911. I thought that was a really good point.
Get the one where "you can go pump, or auto."
- Dec 27, 2012
- 30,179
I'm going to go against the grain here and advise you to buy a shotgun with a standard 28" barrel. It sounds like you're not a gun guy. Guns aren't dangerous but having a gun in the house where no one has experience operating it can be very dangerous. If you buy a "home defense" shotgun with an 18" barrel you won't be able to shoot it at a trap and skeet range. Even though shooting clay pigeons may seem intimidating, an outdoor range is a very good place to become accustomed to you gun. You'll want to be able to load it, operate the safety, and shoot it without hesitation. This happens best by shooting it regularly. Taking a shotgun to an indoor range is a dark, lonely, boring event. Taking it to shoot clay pigeons is invigorating.
Some here will say that a 28" barrel is clumsy inside the home in a self defense situation. I say that it is much less clumsy than holding a gun that you aren't familiar with.
A side benefit is that at your passing, someone will inherit a firearm that is useful for hunting, shooting clay pigeons, and home defense.
People here hate Dick's Sporting Goods but they'll be selling the Remington 870 on Black Friday for about $280.
Invicta
Active Member
- Sep 16, 2018
- 255
Some of what you mentioned is exactly why I would recommend either a handgun or AR for his purposes. Both will be easier to practice with and easier to maneuver in a house than a 28 inch shotgun. But ultimately it comes down to whether or not he is open to consideration on firearm type.
kbuddy
Active Member
Good question for the OP. Why a shotgun over other platforms?
Consider that you may need two hands. Will you potentially:
1) Call 911 while holding the gun?
2) Clear the house vs. staying put?
3) Hold a flashlight?
4) Move family members?
You’re welcome to come try out some shotguns, I’m about an hour south of you.
Biggfoot44
Ultimate Member
- Aug 2, 2009
- 33,108
OK , pbharvey has a degree of a point, and perhaps I took the OP too much at face value .
I won't belabor which is most best-est between handgun , shotgun, rifle , jumbo pistol . All are viable , and each one have advantages & disadvantages in particular situations . So a shotgun discussion is relevant .
PBH does have a good point , that practice and familiarity with a shotgun is important , and indeed lots more options with a Field Length Bbl than a pure defensive gun .
But a 28in bbl to maneuver indoors in defensive situation Sucks .
Instead , my revised recomendations are a two barell combo . Ie 18-20in defensive bbl and a full length field bbl for a package deal . Both Moss and Rem offer them , and they frequently are on sale for low prices from the usual big box suspects .
*********************
Put as much weight into the significance as you deem , but an AR Pistol has waaaaaaaaaay more muzzle blast than a shotgun .
I won't belabor which is most best-est between handgun , shotgun, rifle , jumbo pistol . All are viable , and each one have advantages & disadvantages in particular situations . So a shotgun discussion is relevant .
PBH does have a good point , that practice and familiarity with a shotgun is important , and indeed lots more options with a Field Length Bbl than a pure defensive gun .
But a 28in bbl to maneuver indoors in defensive situation Sucks .
Instead , my revised recomendations are a two barell combo . Ie 18-20in defensive bbl and a full length field bbl for a package deal . Both Moss and Rem offer them , and they frequently are on sale for low prices from the usual big box suspects .
*********************
Put as much weight into the significance as you deem , but an AR Pistol has waaaaaaaaaay more muzzle blast than a shotgun .
smokey
2A TEACHER
- Jan 31, 2008
- 31,496
Don't do this. You probably won't have the luxury to cycle up a continuum like that. If you need lethal force to stop a threat, you want to be sure to stop it as quick as possible. #1 buck in a flitecontrol wad (federal) is commonly thought of as the best defensive option. The smaller the shot, the more surface area it takes out, but the less it penetrates. The larger, the inverse. #1 buck crushes more frontal area than 00 buck, but still penetrates reliably to acceptable levels.
Count on the purchase of the actual gun to be one of the cheapest parts of the home defense process. You should also be investing in training, ammo for that training, medical supplies(such as a tourniquet, hemostatic dressing, and perhaps chest seals at a minimum), training for the medical supplies, a good weapon mounted light, and some system to restrict access if you've got kids/frequent guests.
KevinK
Ultimate Member
lowoncash
Baned
alucard0822
For great Justice
The best HD shotgun is the one you run through a class. Shotguns are probably the most difficult firearm possible to shoot, reload, and avoid jamming up in a stressful situation, add in the usual unweildy length and low capacity, and IMO it's a specialty weapon, where the tradeoffs don't usually outweigh the benefits of power and versatility. Of course, even a SxS would probably be sufficient in the vast majority of defensive uses, but generally they are far from ideal, especially if you lack the knowledge and techniques to run one competently. For most, I would recomend a semi over a pump model provided you are willing to learn to use it, semi-autos have lighter recoil, IMO can be just as reliable if maintained, are more reliable with newer shooters(harder to short-stroke) and can be a little more intuitive to run, plenty of good tactical models from Beretta, Rem, Mossberg, and others. Provided you run enough shells through to get used to it, ensure reliability, and practice reloading/clearing jams. A shorter 20-24" model with a mag tube as long as the barrel is a better choice for most that invest in the time and training it requires to run a shotgun for home defense.
Sirex
Powered by natural gas
I got a Mossberg home and field combo kit. It is a Mossberg 500 with a 18 inch and 28 inch barrel. Was not too expensive. I like the safety and the action release locations. As time went on, I did do some upgrades to the Mossberg. For Christmas and my birthday, and Father's Day and stuff I got eBay gift cards. I put a lot of 590 Parts on my 500, like the parkerized bolt, metal safety, a heavy barrel, the metal trigger group, a Speed-Feed stock, and replaced the pinned forend with a tube style Tactical forend. I ended up selling the 28 in fixed choke Barrel, and purchased a 26 inch barrel with adjustable choke. I mainly use it for home defense but I did do some clay shooting with it until I got my autoloader. I found it to be a very versatile shotgun. I just put a light and Laser combo on it and have been very happy with it. Pretty good bang for the buck in my opinion.
scout6
Active Member
I will agree that Mossberg may be a better fit here. Especially if one is not entirely familiar with the traditional push button safety, heck , even all these years I still have to think, is it safe right or left..... and then I have to double check myself visibly.
Mossberg is straight forward, and easily visibly verifiable in stance. Very easy to remember: Forward is shoot (like shot going forward). Back safe (as in shot stays in gun)
lowoncash
Baned
Oddway Otts
Active Member
For many years in my youth, my home defense shotgun was a bolt action 12 gauge, with the barrel shortened to 20 inches. I'd keep two #4 buckshot shells in the magazine and 5 double O in an elastic sleeve on the stock. Third shots were quick by just dropping the shell in front of the open bolt.
I don't have that beastie anymore, but at the Bel Air gun show, I saw one with a short barrel and a horrible blue/green stock for $100.00.
I don't have that beastie anymore, but at the Bel Air gun show, I saw one with a short barrel and a horrible blue/green stock for $100.00.
I will defer as I have not done any testing myself, but I have seen some presentations indicating that #4 Buckshot still preforms well in defense situations while going through less walls than 00 buck or .223. I do not know what the op's home situation is in that regards, there could be a couple miles of forest or an apartment with several children next door. Have you or anyone else with more shotgun experience than I have really dug into the effectiveness of #4? Thanks.
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