Best home defense shotgun

[Hamilton Felix]

I do see your point. Personally, I'm in favor of shooting the crazy while he's still down the hall. I think anyone can benefit from a little basic training in how not to hold the gun or proceed through the house. Stick a gun barrel past the corner first, and you're asking for trouble - that sort of thing.

Ya know, all this talk has me curious about length of the 870 Youth Model barrel. I'm going to have to ask my daughter to stick a tape measure down hers.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Blitz, while I would agree that perhaps those "recoil sensitive" folks may want to consider an in close fighting weapon, how the he,double hockey sticks are they gonna hit em at 40 yards? You and I both know that there are trade off's.
It's like you said earlier,,,,Actually there is a 5 pellet load now for the .410,
Winchester Super-X 410 Gauge 5-Pellet Buckshot Loads at MacksPW.com..
3 shots fired. Range, 15-60 feet, duration of fire, 5 seconds. Damn!
My wife knows how to operate any weapon in our household, long or short, and is handy with em. hey just for grins and giggles, Mama just finally got her cow elk on the last day. Sorry to steal the thread, but dang that girl can procrastinate!
I think that it boils down to whatever one's familiar and comfortable with, If adept with their weapons of choice.
It isn't my 1st choice, but I'm not turning my nose up at the .410 either, that "little girl" can be pure poison.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I do see your point. Personally, I'm in favor of shooting the crazy while he's still down the hall. I think anyone can benefit from a little basic training in how not to hold the gun or proceed through the house. Stick a gun barrel past the corner first, and you're asking for trouble - that sort of thing.

Ya know, all this talk has me curious about length of the 870 Youth Model barrel. I'm going to have to ask my daughter to stick a tape measure down hers.

The shorter the barrel of that sort of shottie is and the shorter the defender's "temper" is the better..

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Blitz, while I would agree that perhaps those "recoil sensitive" folks may want to consider an in close fighting weapon, how the he,double hockey sticks are they gonna hit em at 40 yards? You and I both know that there are trade off's.
It's like you said earlier,,,,Actually there is a 5 pellet load now for the .410,
Winchester Super-X 410 Gauge 5-Pellet Buckshot Loads at MacksPW.com..
3 shots fired. Range, 15-60 feet, duration of fire, 5 seconds. Damn!
My wife knows how to operate any weapon in our household, long or short, and is handy with em. hey just for grins and giggles, Mama just finally got her cow elk on the last day. Sorry to steal the thread, but dang that girl can procrastinate!
I think that it boils down to whatever one's familiar and comfortable with, If adept with their weapons of choice.
It isn't my 1st choice, but I'm not turning my nose up at the .410 either, that "little girl" can be pure poison.

Any real weapon is better than none.. and what is the best weapon may depend on who we talk about.. so sure, I agree but many times we can upgrade and I want to see the good people do that, but I am a dreamer, too

 

[Hamilton Felix]

Yep, the absolute best defense shotgun is the one that's in your hands when the goblin attacks.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Having said all that I think the 12 GA 3 inch with good buckshot is more than enough medicine for any living bipedal assailant.. the 2.75 inch is fine, too. The 3.5 and the 10 GA are overkill but of course they will do the job, simply slow down your followup shots if there are more than one bad actor

 

[Hamilton Felix]

I did love the one picture I saw of the unfortunate little gal in OK, who had her husband die on Christmas Eve, then had goblins come after her until she stopped one with a shotgun while on the phone to 911. With the low camera angle in the picture, the muzzle view of the double 12 gauge made it look almost bigger then she is. Just the view you want the badguys to see.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I did love the one picture I saw of the unfortunate little gal in OK, who had her husband die on Christmas Eve, then had goblins come after her until she stopped one with a shotgun while on the phone to 911. With the low camera angle in the picture, the muzzle view of the double 12 gauge made it look almost bigger then she is. Just the view you want the badguys to see.

Here is her interview.. the girl didn't want to think about the real reason they were breaking in while stinkin drunk, and it was not about her child. Just take one look at her and they knew she would be alone

Okla. Woman Shoots, Kills Intruder: 911 Operators Say It's OK to Shoot - ABC News

 

[Hamilton Felix]

I'm sorry all this crap happened to that little gal. But it's a graphic demonstration that it's just plain difficult to rape someone holding a loaded shotgun.

We can only hope the word gets around.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

The old expression is you can't rape a .38

 

[Ought Six]

Mine is the HK/Benelli M1 Super 90 Combat that I purchased new in '93.

I have the same. It is a great shotgun.

 

[deen_ad]

Interesting, deen_ad, is this also true for the 1200? I ask because the shotgun on my side of the bed is a 1200 Marine Stainless with rifle sights, sling and Sidesaddle carrier. The one on her side is a black 8 shot 870 with SureFire's really nice bright forend light.

Mine is loaded with slugs, with buck in the Sidesaddle, ever since last time we had a bear in the back yard. Hers has buck with slugs on the Sidesaddle.

I'd agree that "best" is what works well for you. I happen to have the shiny Winchester and it works for me. She hauled around an 870 when she was a cop, and she's happy with that. My sidearm is a 1911. Hers is a revolver (I was going some to get her to buy into a J-frame for concealment; she favored the M66 she used to carry on duty).

Heck, maybe you're a SASS competitor and your external hammer coach gun is familiar and reliable. I say use what works reliably for you, the one in which you have confidence.

As far as I know it's only the 1300, check the Aguila website, that's where I found it for the 1300

 

[Boedy]

1 vote for the Rem 870 with Knox stock... but really almost bought a mossy also as I think they are pretty close to even. 870 slide felt a tad smoother and as I knew I was going to put the Knox stock on it I didn't care for the safety position on the Moss.

 

[zweasle]

I like the idea of the 870 youth model in 20 guage for my wife, my 9 year old son could even get some use out of it. Then I could get something that I could use, something with a little more fire power. I do like the Benelli M4 ... tax returns are coming soon

I can't say enough how much this has helped me out, at first I was only thinking of what was going to be the most bang for my $$ ... but I now see I need to be looking at the whole picture. I understand the idea that a long rifle/ shotgun can be more easily wrestled away, but if an intruder got that close to my wife I don't think she would have a chance no matter what she had in her hands. The bottom line is I want her to have some since of security when I'm not around and to feel conferrable with the weapon of choice and most importantly not to let anyone get up the hallway. I don't want her to have to think too hard in aiming a weapon; she would be better off if it was just point and shoot.

 

[beavernation]

Zweasle, keep in mind that at spittin distances pointing and shooting a shotgun works about as well as the same thing does with a handgun......teach her and your son how to get the gun up on the shoulder look down the barrel (either a rib or some sights) and methodically fire the weapon.........Fire a load of buckshot at 5 yds sometime and see how small the "pattern" actually is......Good luck with the new purchases......

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Actually at 6-8 feet or less the stress fire instinctive shooting works quite well and it does not require using the sights per se. It does require training under stress and lots of practice and I do not recommend it for beginners

 

[madmax]

I like the idea of the 870 youth model in 20 guage for my wife, my 9 year old son could even get some use out of it.

I've got one for you

 

[Steve06]

A Remington 870 or a Mossberg 500 would do just fine. In a home, a bead sight would be just fine.

 

[chemist]

+1 for the Knoxx stock. Makes it easy for sensitive folks to train without developing a flinch.

 

[soberups]

If she is going to rely on a shotgun for HD then make it absolutely clear to her that the she and the weapon stay in the bedroom or other "barricade" position. Going room to room to investigate a noise with a long gun is a good way to have it taken away from her. Thats what handguns are for, if she is relatively untrained then her best bet would be a steel framed 4" revolver stoked with .38+P hollowpoints. Keep it simple.