Mossberg 500, Home defense, short barrel. Pistol grip or standard stock.

[CoastRange57]

Another Ford versus Chevy case. Personal preference, but with very tactical implications. My nephew bought a pistol stock 12 gauge for "home defense" use so his 105 pound wife could defend herself. He brought it out to my range, shot it, gave it to me, I shot it, and damn near sprained my wrist, as well has having about zero muzzle control. That told me everything I needed to know about that set up and why I would never see the need to spend money on it. 2 rounds and I was done.

I do not do waterfowl, upland game about once every three years, but trap a lot. I have went to a 20 gauge for that, and I can still put as many down as the 12 gunners can.

Tactical research will show you just how few people or agencies use pistol grip shotguns.

 

[CoastRange57]

Y

Pistol grips look cool in movies, they by design make the weapon off balance. That alone should end the discussion.

And not off balance by a little bit, but a lot to the point of control handling. Completely impractical in my opinion.

 

[revjen45]

"Yes, at a minimum your ears will be ringing... if not bleeding, maybe even cause tinnitus."

My ears already ring real loud, all the time. Right next to the bed (& the pistole de boudoire) is appropriate hearing protection.
I may choose a 30 shot carbine or a 12 ga for repelling boarders - both require mouse ears.

 

[Netspirit]

20ga, stock + pistol grip + Limbsaver. Something like this:



I bet Mossberg has a similar model if you are into Mossbergs.

 

[Riot]

20ga, stock + pistol grip + Limbsaver. Something like this:



I bet Mossberg has a similar model if you are into Mossbergs.

<broken link removed>

 

[U201491]

Had T for awhile, funny how firearms will do such a thing.

WEAR HEARING PROTECTION OR TAKE THE CHANCE I GOT T IN MY 40'S SO ALL YOU HOT SHOTS WHO THINK NO BIG DEAL IT TOOK ONE TIME AND NOW HAS NOT STOPPED. PAIN IN THE %^%

Yep, funny how that one time after years of shooting, you stop and its like all sound has left the earth.
Lost most of mine in the corps, and one day had forgotten my hearing protection at home, but shot anyway. That was tha last day I had even a little bad hearing left.
Drove 40 miles home in dead silence thinking it would come back. Never did. Told them about it at the VA and my history, and they fitted me with a nice set of hearing aids. I can at least carry on a normal conversation again.
I was getting pretty good at reading lips though.
I see people without hearing protection when shooting and cringe.

_______________________________
At my age I shoot forward a lot better than I run backward.
Rearward movement is only used for a forward Advantage and better sight alignment !

 

[CHLChris]

Those Knoxx recoil-reducing stocks don't actually reduce recoil. Physics are still physics. They simply redirect a portion of the impulse from the direction of directly back towards your shoulder to upward toward your cheekbone. I put about 30 rounds through a Mossy 500 with a Knoxx stock and immediately sold the stock.

I've actually gotten much simpler over time. I transitioned from a really cool-seeming red dot on a rail to a Trijicon bead on the end of the barrel. I went from a pistol-gripped Knoxx stock to the original stock.

Looking cool is definitely NOT the same thing as better utility.

 

[Stomper]

Yep, funny how that one time after years of shooting, you stop and its like all sound has left the earth.
Lost most of mine in the corps, and one day had forgotten my hearing protection at home, but shot anyway. That was tha last day I had even a little bad hearing left.
Drove 40 miles home in dead silence thinking it would come back. Never did. Told them about it at the VA and my history, and they fitted me with a nice set of hearing aids. I can at least carry on a normal conversation again.
I was getting pretty good at reading lips though.
I see people without hearing protection when shooting and cringe.

_______________________________
At my age I shoot forward a lot better than I run backward.
Rearward movement is only used for a forward Advantage and better sight alignment !

You can read lips?!

Quick, what am I saying here? --->

 

[Riot]

Quick, what am I saying here? --->

You're asking if it's still fashionable to wear your underwear on the outside or not....

 

[Stomper]

You're asking if it's still fashionable to wear your underwear on the outside or not....

NO... WRONG! I was asking if wearing it on my head makes me look fat.

 

[ejmpnu92]

Prefer the full stock.
dislike the pistol grip.

Stomper.... yeah it does....

 

[U201491]

You can read lips?!

Quick, what am I saying here? --->

You wish you would have done it sooner.?
Or
What was I saying ?

 

[Netspirit]

Both stock and pistol grip. Each has advantages that you will quickly realize.

 

[Misterbill]

Standard or collapsed stock ALWAYS.

Look, the gun you depend upon for your life and more importantly, your family's, should be something you practice with, a LOT.

NO ONE, an I mean NO ONE I have ever known has practiced anything like " a lot" with a pistol grip shotty, because it hurts like Hell to shoot the Sucker more than a few rounds at a time.

Train like you'll fight, you'll fight like you'll train.

Train with your SBS or collapsible-barreled Shotty. Better yet, train with a pistol, which is always my FIRST recommendation for home defense because of it's versatility. Leave the long guns for your safe room. If you HAVE to move, a pistol or SBR (federal NFA Item) is your best bet by far, with, all things being equal, probably the pistol being your best choice. (My opinion only).

There's three different scenarios within the home:

1. BG comes in while your all awake and ready. -Use the pistol on your person or that's close-by.

2. BG comes in while your sleeping and you have kids you need to wrangle. You need to secure the kids FIRST. you also need to negotiate doorknobs, corners etc with NO BACKUP. -Pistol is your best bet with SBR being a close second.

3. BG comes in at night and it's just you and your wife/GF in your bedroom. -Call the cops and in the meantime, shoot anyone invading your "safe area." -Shotty or Rifle, depending on your preference, in this scenario, only the "multiple armed intruder" really pushes hard for the AR/AK/Mini-14 semi-auto mag-fed rifle.

Home defense is a multi-layered thing that takes more than an internet post can really help you with.

I would highly recommend Seattle Firearms Academy or my own classes if you're on the east side.

Hope that helps.

-Bill