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Looking to increase my arsenal of firearms with a Home Defense Shotgun.

Which category would be best?

 

* Pump Action

* Semi-Auto

* NON-NFA

* Bullpup

* Break Action

* Lever Action

 

Based on what you have or your personal experience would be appreciated.

 

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I have 2 Mossberg 500 pump guns. I learned to shoot a shotgun with a Remington 870 and I used a Remington 870 in the Navy. I have had Mossberg 500’s in my home for nearly 40 years. I am used to a pump, but one of these days I plan to get myself a Benelli Tactical semiauto just because I think they are cool, reliable and there’s no pump to work. 
 

For an inexpensive home protection shotgun you can’t beat a Mossberg in my opinion. 
 

Oh, and that old urban legend that every tacti-cool billy badass likes to claim is BS. You know, the one about racking a slide and scaring off bad guys? Well, it is true. It happened to my friend. A good friend not prone to exaggeration. 

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1 minute ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Oh, and that old urban legend that every tacti-cool billy badass likes to claim is BS. You know, the one about racking a slide and scaring off bad guys? Well, it is true. It happened to my friend. A good friend not prone to exaggeration. 

 

I think you would agree a sample size of One is not very large. I believe there are two possible reactions at the sound. Run, or open fire if armed. Possibly a panicked fire. I always recommend if going with the plan of cycling an action, to do so from the best cover available.

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I have no knowledge of my own of the effect of RACK RACK.

 

But I came home one night from the 3:00 to 11:00 shift at about 2:00 in the morning, and when I opened the front door I found that my wife had rearranged the living room. I was standing in the doorway, just waving my mini mag around the living room to see where the furniture was now so I wouldn't trip on it, when I heard "click". Wasn't no big, loud, RACK RACK of a pump gun. Just the quiet "click" of the hammer going back on the Security Six.

 

Got my attention.

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I have never been in a self defense incident, so I’m using my imagination.  As a CAS competitor I have used a side by side double so much it is instinctive.  If I were going to rely on a shotgun for home defense, I would use my CAS gun with some extra shells in one of those elastic shell holders that slips onto the buttstock.  For the same reason that professional hunting guides in Africa prefer double rifles— you got 2 shots for sure.  I’m also used to shooting revolvers, so I might briefly consider one of those .410 revolver monstrosities.  Briefly.
 

My bedside gun is a S&W Model 10, but you asked about shotguns.

 

Hope you never need to use it.

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47 minutes ago, DocWard said:

 

I think you would agree a sample size of One is not very large. I believe there are two possible reactions at the sound. Run, or open fire if armed. Possibly a panicked fire. I always recommend if going with the plan of cycling an action, to do so from the best cover available.

I guess I didn’t do a very good job of making my point. 
My point was that the sound of a shotgun being racked might elicit a desired effect. Like a bad guy leaving quickly. 
 

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12 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I guess I didn’t do a very good job of making my point. 
My point was that the sound of a shotgun being racked might elicit a desired effect. Like a bad guy leaving quickly. 
 

 

I understood, and I agree, it might. The alternative is why it should be done from the best cover available, in case it doesn't.

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2 minutes ago, DocWard said:

 

I understood, and I agree, it might. The alternative is why it should be done from the best cover available, in case it doesn't.

Agreed :)

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+1 on the pump guns, 870 or 500 series. These are the toughest guns around. And yes, the goblins know the sound of racking. Stick with #4 Buck as it won't go through as much drywall as 00 Buck. I have seen what happens to a human being hit with #4, it will do the job. If you are left handed, the 500 series has a tang safety, so that is an advantage, but don't negate it with a pistol grip. I used a 870 for 20+ years on the job, so that is what is in the bedroom.

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Home defense?  Defense of the home against those outside?  Defense of occupants  or property from intruders already inside?  For use by experienced personnel or unsure,  panicked people.

 

Simple manual of arms.  Stone reliable.  Lightweight.  Compact.  Reliable.  Reliable.

 

18" barreled hammered double 12 ga.  (Just like the one you probably have for SASS already.)

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My recent advice to a firearm maeby was to get a Mossberg or Remington pump.  They could not afford more, and it does not make sense to depend on less quality in a self-defense situation.

The main two reasons for the pump were cycling a range of ammo (when ammo options are limited) and the stored option of a loaded mag tube, closed slide, hammer-at-rest.

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 I use a Remington 1100.  I'm not a shotgunner and didn't grow up using pumps guns for hunting.

 

Odd how carrying Condition 3 is bad but Condition 3 on a shotgun so there's a need to rack the pump is good.:huh:

 

Either way, you are intentionally setting out to have to do some additional fiddling with the gun before you can use it.

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2 hours ago, Perro Del Diablo said:

A very intimidating sound is a pump action being worked,

Perhaps.  The sound of working the action will reveal your position to the Intruder(s).

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Forty+ years ago, I could ill afford a "name brand" firearm, so I found a 60's vintage Montgomery Ward "Hawthorne Viking" pump somewhere - no idea who actually manufactured these. I cut the barrel to 18 3/4", and added a mag extension so it holds 6+1, 2 3/4", #4 or #2.

HawthornViking.jpg

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Remington 870 - 8 round mag extension with one in the pipe.

00 buck and the only sound anyone is ever going to hear is the "snick" of the safety being pushed off.

 

I'm a firm believer that announcing your presence is a great way to give up any possible edge you may have.

I ain't armed to play fair - issue warnings or offer opportunity to anyone who enters my home uninvited.

I am armed to defend myself and my loved ones from harm.

 

I have security doors - an alarm system - exterior cameras and a large German Shepherd.

After all that - anyone choosing to enter my home is not there to be my friend and I'm not going to give them any greater chance for survival than I have to.

Including racking my gun to alert them to what may be upcoming.

 

 

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There are very valid arguments for both chambered and unchambered rounds in a shotgun.

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My home defense story: Have kept a Wards Western Field (M'Berg 500) in bedroom closets since 1972. About 10 years ago heard a crashing sound downstairs, followed about 30 seconds later with another crashing sound. Grabbed the shotgun and headed for the stairs behind my wife who decided to go first (duh). Yelled at her to get out of my way. Slowly cleared the house. Then turned on outside floodlights, grabbed a flashlight and swept the yard; found nothing. Came back and harangued wife big time for getting in front of me and my loaded gun.

 

Bottom line is that we had a large and very heavy stained glass wall ornament in the dining room  whose chain decided to break, it fell and landed on a chair rail and then was stopped by smacking into a cabinet, where it lingered for a bit before dropping to the floor. 

 

Bottom line is this is why accidents can happen. My wife never paid any attention to me racking a pump. I guess each situation is unique.

 

 

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53 minutes ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

Forty+ years ago, I could ill afford a "name brand" firearm, so I found a 60's vintage Montgomery Ward "Hawthorne Viking" pump somewhere - no idea who actually manufactured these. I cut the barrel to 18 3/4", and added a mag extension so it holds 6+1, 2 3/4", #4 or #2.

 

If it is stamped "Made in France", net search indicates it is most likely a Manufrance-LaSalle Pump made by Manu Arm.

SOURCE

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13 minutes ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

 

If it is stamped "Made in France", net search indicates it is most likely a Manufrance-LaSalle Pump made by Manu Arm.

SOURCE

Ya, I remember reading about the Made in France thing before, but there's nothing on it but Hawthorne Viking, Montgomery Ward, gauge, and chamber length.

 

Last year, I heard a helluva ruckus out in my living room/kitchen, investigated, and found my cat had gotten into the garbage and had her head stuck in a clam chowder can, running around backwards bouncing off everything trying to get out of it. I got ahold of her, which was a mistake because all 108 needle tipped claws were out to kill. I let loose, grabbed some welding gloves out of the garage and caught her again, but her head wasn't coming back out. So out to the shop for some snips, caught her AGAIN, calmed her down a bit, snipped the mouth of the can and spread it enough for her to get her head out. Then she gives me the evil eye like the whole thing was my fault somehow, went and hid somewhere and didn't talk to me for two days.  :lol: 

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Many years ago I accompanied one of my LE customers to a large sporting goods store near Portland.

In the back of the store there was a restricted police supply section called "SNC" (Sorry, No Civilians).

While he was being fitted for body armor, I picked up a pistol-gripped Winchester 1300 Defender.

I added a 2nd pistol grip, a 6-round "Sidesaddle" and a Mini MagLite.

POI is the center of the light beam. :ph34r:

 

image.png

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The roommate I had my first year away from home heard the safety snick off on my pistol one night.  He worked 3rd shift and came home for 'lunch' about 3AM.  Instead of talking to me until I said something back like he was supposed to, he 'tried to let me sleep'. 

 

That, naturally, woke me up and made me wonder just who was rummaging around in the kitchen/living room.  When I came around the corner of the hall, I flicked the safety off and he said that when he looked up to see what the sound was that all he could see was a muzzle big enough to back a truck into and my eye over the sights.

 

For some reason, he didn't do that again and he was really good about talking loud when he unlocked the door late at night after that.

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Personally, my first and second lines of defense are not shotguns. They are handguns with night sights and lights. I do keep a loaded shotgun in the house between my first and second HD handguns. 

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10 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I guess I didn’t do a very good job of making my point. 
My point was that the sound of a shotgun being racked might elicit a desired effect. Like a bad guy leaving quickly. 
 

My uncle always used to tell the story of living in a apartment above a garage when he was a young man, and how the stairs were very noisy getting to it . One summer night with the windows open he heard someone coming up the stairs so he thought he better get a gun . 
He reached in the closet for a A5 he had in there . The bolt was locked back and he accidentally closed the bolt. “It was dark” Said he immediately heard rapid footsteps descending the stairs . While it was totally unintentional it had the desired effect 

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14 hours ago, Father Kit Cool Gun Garth said:

Looking to increase my arsenal of firearms with a Home Defense Shotgun.

Which category would be best?

 

* Pump Action

* Semi-Auto

* NON-NFA

* Bullpup

* Break Action

* Lever Action

 

Based on what you have or your personal experience would be appreciated.

 

 

Based on almost 30 years of competitive shooting at the local level, the choice is between a conventional  pump or conventional semi-auto.  One of the things to consider for both is the availability of after market support and accessories.  Avoid the "latest and greatest" they are usually unproven.  I once watched one shooter with a Striker revolver shotgun at a pin match, it was unreliable and he nearly blew off his foot when he had a ND.

 

In general a pump is slightly more reliable and will cycle a wider variety of ammo, but under stress or lack of experience the shooter may short stroke the action causing a jam which will take seconds to clear.  A semi-auto is much faster, but can be ammo sensitive.  I've see experienced shooters with a semi-auto clear a table of 5 bowling pins in under 2 seconds using buckshot.  The best time I heard of with a pump was just under 4 seconds.

 

Regardless of what you choose make sure that the gun will reliably cycle your chosen home defense load.  An example is the short Aguilla 12 g buckshot loads, not all guns will cycle the very short shells reliably.

 

In a pump Remington & Mossberg are good choices, I prefer the Mossberg because of the tang safety.  The Benelli Nova might also be a choice, Benelli makes a quality product, but do your research.

 

In a semi auto, again with Remington (11/87) and Mossberg's new semi-auto.  Also Beretta's 1201 or one of the Benelli's are also good choices.

 

My choice is a Mossberg 500.  I've fired a number of semi-auto's and I couldn't keep the muzzle from climbing while shooting very fast.

 

 

 

 

 

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Mine is a 20" 870 with full extended magazine, #1 buck.
FBI studies show #1 buck gives the most tissue destruction.

The backup is my 20" SASS SxS.
For some reason (Hollywood?) the SxS looks more "intimidating."

Side question:  if you defend yourself with Lehigh bullets, or Critical Defense types, are these considered "terrorist" bullets, etc?

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Mossberg 12 ga Shockwave with Crimson Trace laser sight.

411716F8-5646-46B3-8446-CBBFA4ADC440.jpeg

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