Lever action shotgun.

[Subdeacon Joe]

In a few months we may be in a position to start slowly buying a few guns. My wife has a lot of trouble with her hands now and is thinking shotgun for home defense, at least for herself. I asked what kind of action she wanted and she said "Pump." I asked "What about lever action?" and her eyes lit up at that. I did a quick search and they all seem to be in the $1200 to $1400 range. Any decent ones under a grand?

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

Just my dos centavos... Depending on your wife's hand issues, a good SxS might be the best bet. Doesn't require a lot of strength or coordination to operate, and the first two rounds are available at two pulls of the trigger. No slide or lever to operate.

[The Shoer 27979]

Hey Joe I don't know what lever action shotguns you were looking at, but my sons Chinese 87 you have to work the action like a rented mule, Not the best for if she is having hand problems.

[StirrupTrouble]

I don't remember the brand, but a couple of years ago a friend of fine let me fire his lever action shotgun at the range, and I must say that although it looked really cool, the action was really rough. Worked my tail off working the lever, though my arthritis may have been a factor. If it was me, I would go for a good SxS

[Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L]

Even one of Coyote Caps Special Edition ones require a lot of force to operate it correctly. Most people have to cut the stock down on them so they can lever it hard and far enough to operate. I'd let her try one before you buy it. I love mine, but it takes a lot of practice to run smoothly.

[Subdeacon Joe]

Thanks, pards. I was hoping that they had more going for them than looks. She can work a pump and like 'em, so likely that will be the way we go.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

Joe

 

I got the girls 97s , the 87 was just not up to the job ,

 

too heavy , action not smooth enough ,

 

Make sure it will feed from the tube

 

CB

[Seldom Seen #16162]

Although I have access to a variety of guns the most used one on our ranch is a H&R single shot 12 ga. shotgun. My wife and daughter especially love it. It is lightweight, mechanically easy to shoot, easy to load and reload and comfortable. Being inexpensive (I paid less than $100.00) it can be easily trimmed at both ends to fit your lady. It stands ready in a corner with a empty chamber. I have cartridge sleeve on the stock with five rounds.

 

Frankly with a little practice a single shot can be reloaded as quickly as a round can be chambered in a pump gun without the worry of shortstroking and jamming it in a stressful encounter.

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Thanks, pards. I was hoping that they had more going for them than looks. She can work a pump and like 'em, so likely that will be the way we go.

The pump is good if you want to give the bad guy a Warning ! ( Klunk Klunk )

 

The SXS Warning is with a bang and another bang !

 

The first bang was the only warning you git .

 

The second bang was to make shure you under stand MY POINT

[Barry Sloe]

We were able to pick up a used '87 at our local gunshop that had already been slicked up and it is currently our house (long) gun. I've always thought that if someone breaks into a home in the dark and hears the rack of: double hammers being cocked, pump slide, or lever being jacked; and they keep coming then they get what they've earned. Those sounds should be all the warning needed.

 

'Course there's also the 6" .357 and the Bond Arms .410.

 

Bottom line is your wife should have available whatever she is comfortable with.

 

And hope you and I never have to use these in defense of our homes,

Barry Sloe

[Subdeacon Joe]

We were able to pick up a used '87 at our local gunshop that had already been slicked up and it is currently our house (long) gun. I've always thought that if someone breaks into a home in the dark and hears the rack of: double hammers being cocked, pump slide, or lever being jacked; and they keep coming then they get what they've earned. Those sounds should be all the warning needed.

 

'Course there's also the 6" .357 and the Bond Arms .410.

 

Bottom line is your wife should have available whatever she is comfortable with.

 

And hope you and I never have to use these in defense of our homes,

Barry Sloe

 

Exactly. That is why we are going to do a lot of looking around. She had really been comfortable with a Taurus 605 she used to have, not a real heavy double action pull and a very crisp 2 pounds in single action mode. We will look at a wide variety of revolvers, pistols, SxS and pumps to see what works best.

 

Who knows, it might end up being a Beretta Tomcat (3032) with the tip up barrel for loading the chamber. Although she likes the bigger grips of the 92FS, or the Cheeta (84FS). 7.35 Browning will do the job up close and personal.

 

But, as you say, we hope to never use it except at the range. Neither of us has had to do it yet, and, if God is merciful, we will go to our graves never having to pull the trigger on someone.

[Rye Miles #13621]

Mossberg 500 Persuader in the home defense style.

 

mossberg 500 persuader

[Anvil Al #59168]

Self defense.

Hand issues.

 

I would want something reliable.

Would trust a pump a whole lot more that a lever SG when things are needed the most.

[Tom Bullweed]

I shoot an original 1887, and the previous notes about the significant work to cycle it are correct. Tactically, it also has some soft points: inability to load rounds without taking the gun out of battery and difficulty in making the gun safe with rounds in the magazine once you have cycled a few rounds.

No one mentioned the Winchester 9410 .410 lever shotgun, but they also go for $750 or more. They do have a hammerblock safety that could be useful.

I do not recommend longguns to people interested in home defense that are not regular shooters. The handgun is much easier to use in a struggle if they let a person get too close to them. A good quality DA revolver in .38 or larger is hard to beat. It can be kept close at hand, is very reliable and is easy to be trained on. Good quality ammo maximizes the limited number of rounds. Beretta used to make tip-barrel .380s (Model 84 and 85) that did not require the operator to cycle the barrel. These were larger versions of the Tomcat. They can be found online and in gun stores.

A longgun has many uses if your definition on defense includes living in the country and needing to put down a wild dog or such.

My $02 worth.

[Subdeacon Joe]

Thanks again for the advice. Most likely we will end up, at least initially, with a used double action revolver in .357 and a pump shotgun. I'll gradually expand it for my own shooting pleasure. But a revolver that fits her hand and a Mossberg 500 should cover us in the unlikely event of a home invasion.

We're in a mobile home park, so loads would likely be #4 bird shot for the shotgun, and something high expansion for the revolver.

As I said, we have some looking around to do, and it will be a few months down the pike. Just starting to do our homework now. I think she realized that a Beretta Minx in .22 short is somewhat lacking (that being a gun that I knew I wouldn't get a lot for, along with my Mossberg 46b .22 rifle).

[Utah Bob #35998]

Mossberg 500 Persuader in the home defense style.

 

mossberg 500 persuader

+1

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Joe Biden recommends the double barrel.