Who Knew That Shotguns Were This Doggone Easy?!?

[Andy54Hawken]

You are absolutely correct Andy. I still find it fascinating that my old 68 year old 870 has captured my fancy and stoked my imagination. Gotta be a message in there for me somewhere but I haven't figured it out yet. I have started shopping around now for accessories to hang on it. The problem being that the gun is perfect as it is. As soon as the new 18.5" barrel arrives it will begin its new assignment as the home defense armament. I'm considering adding a light to it and a stock attached elastic bandoleer thingy for extra on board ammo. Oh, another reflection is that for being 68 years old it really wasn't all that dirty. Heck I dirty firearms up worse than that in a week end's range trip. I was flirting with the idea of the Extar ep45. That's definitely off the table now.

Those elastic ammo carriers are nice...as you always have ammo with the gun.
I have found that some are more slick that others and don't stay in place ...also the recoil may make the ammo slide in the loops...with at first isn't really a big deal...but later when the elastic stretches ...your ammo can fall thru.
My advice...try a elastic carrier , to see if you like it...it can change your gun's balance...then when it wears out, if you liked having your ammo there , get a leather one.
Just be sure to take the carrier off time to time...as leather can "dry out " the wood stock and leave a outline of the carrier on the stock....
Andy

 

[bgdawgrr]

Big fan of #1Buckshot if you can find it.
The Box O' Truth #56 - Federal Flight Control #1 Buckshot - The Box O' Truth

 

[Cerberus Group]

Big fan of #1Buckshot if you can find it.
The Box O' Truth #56 - Federal Flight Control #1 Buckshot - The Box O' Truth

Yep, I posted that earlier.

 

[shooter777]

I'm surprised that no one mentioned that should take a defensive shotgun class. Don't just shoot birdshot but shoot your self defense loads to see how they pattern. Get one of those Surefire forend/light combos, a side saddle and you are set. If you're going to run flight control ammo you need to see the pattern and spread at your home defense distances.

 

[Mygrainman]

Give me an A5...

Can't go wrong with a solid pump shotgun tho.

A5 is a Browning design, and a mod12 is based on the 97... also a JMB masterpiece...
I say get em both!
When you can hold the release button with the muzzle pointed up in the air and the action slides open with nothing but gravity assisting... you know it's a fine Firearm... I miss my Model12.

 

[Flymph]

A5 is a Browning design, and a mod12 is based on the 97... also a JMB masterpiece...
I say get em both!
When you can hold the release button with the muzzle pointed up in the air and the action slides open with nothing but gravity assisting... you know it's a fine Firearm... I miss my Model12.

I was mistaken and thought of the Remington model 11 for some reason... the model 12 looks like a fine gun too.
Closest thing to that I have ahot recently is a Stevens 520, which are a lot of fun. I'm ever so tempted to get the 520-30, but I like Winchester 1897's as well... tough choices really.

 

[Mygrainman]

I was mistaken and thought of the Remington model 11 for some reason... the model 12 looks like a fine gun too.
Closest thing to that I have ahot recently is a Stevens 520, which are a lot of fun. I'm ever so tempted to get the 520-30, but I like Winchester 1897's as well... tough choices really.

Rem model 11 and the Browning A5 are the same thing...
Model 12 is a timeless classic, another unfortunate victim of 1964 Winchester.
Gotta have an auto and a pump...
Today I'd id go Mossy...JM pro930, and a 500...

 

[Flymph]

Rem model 11 and the Browning A5 are the same thing...
Model 12 is a timeless classic, another unfortunate victim of 1964 Winchester.
Gotta have an auto and a pump...
Today I'd id go Mossy...JM pro930, and a 500...

Yep, except Browning A5's were made better, so obviously I was trying to be snarky and failed.

Yeah, you're likely better off going modern if you're only going to have one. Early shotguns can be fun, but also a lot more complicated than newer models. I will admit that I like to slam fire pumps tho, but they just don't make them like they used to.

 

[ma96782]

You make me feel GUILTY.
I mean about, when was the last time that I cleaned my shotguns?

Aloha, Mark

 

[Hal OPeridol]

Always had a shotgun of some sort, first gun ever fired was a beauty engraved 20ga double of my dads when he first took me squirrel hunting (yes, we ate squirrel, I AM from Kentucky). Currently have that same shotgun now since mt Dad passed.

Currently have a short barreled 12 ga 870, a 20 ga 870, a 16 ga Winchester double and an Ithaca 12 ga Deer slayer Police Special. Saw a High Standard Flight King riot gun today I may have to pick up.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Saw a High Standard Flight King riot gun today I may have to pick up.

A High Standard Flite King Riot Gun ...would be a neat one for sure...
Andy

 

[B80 Hunter]

Darn I wish I still had my 870 Wingmaster. For home defense, I doubt it matters whether you shoot a Winchester, Remington, Ithaca, Mossberg, etc. Merely caulking the pump action gun is going to scare away any (semi-intelligent) intruder. And if the pump sound does not do it, the first shot will. The intruder is not going to consider what brand of shotgun you are shooting. The Bruce Willis movie gun sequences just do not touch us common folk.
Anyway, the reason that I like the Remington 870 is 1. availability, 2. reliability, 3. balance. This is from a guy who has shot quite a few waterfowl and upland birds with the gun. Even dirty and wet, it works (but so does the Winchester Model 12, Ithica 37, and Mossberg). Pump guns are just so darn reliable!!! Plus I had a casual shooter friend who went 100 rounds straight in skeet with a 410 870 pump (while I struggled to hit 75 with an auto 12 gauge!!)

 

[U8395279]

Yep, I posted that earlier.

Big fan of #1Buckshot if you can find it.
The Box O' Truth #56 - Federal Flight Control #1 Buckshot - The Box O' Truth

Yes, that load (LE132-1B) is hard to argue against. A load of 15 #1 Buckshot will give you much better pattern density than 9 00 Buckshot. And #1 Buck still has plenty of penetration and energy.

It is a difficult load to find, however. Here is one place that has it:

Federal LE Tactical 12 Gauge Ammo 2-3/4" 1 Buckshot 15 Pellets

Here is a pretty good video from YouTube demonstrating it:

 

[U8395279]

Buckshot ammo, even the lower recoil shells, kick way too much in a pump action shotgun. It is much, much easier to shoot Buckshot from a gas operated semiauto, as the gas action softens the recoil so very much. Between the lower felt recoil and the fact that all you have to do with a semiauto is continue to pull the trigger, it is dramatically easier to get follow up shots on target with a semiauto.

 

[Cerberus Group]

Yes, that load (LE132-1B) is hard to argue against. A load of 15 #1 Buckshot will give you much better pattern density than 9 00 Buckshot. And #1 Buck still has plenty of penetration and energy.

It is a difficult load to find, however. Here is one place that has it:

Federal LE Tactical 12 Gauge Ammo 2-3/4" 1 Buckshot 15 Pellets

Here is a pretty good video from YouTube demonstrating it:

Thank you for posting that. I've first hand seen the results of the #1 Buck round, it really surpasses 00

I think a lot of folks are stuck on 00, as its been the standard for so long.

 

[Tony617]

I use LE132-1B in my pump shotguns. I have an SLP as well but I use LE127 9 pellet 00 buckshot instead. It is like shooting slugs at 7-10 yards with the flitecontrol wads.



7 yards with LE132-1B. 5 rounds were used.

 

[revjen45]

1) 'New ones have plastic trigger controls and guard. Aren't quite as rock solid as the all metal ones."
Apparently, the only problem with the plastic trigger group arises when it is removed and replaced repeatedly.

2) My choice for the fusil de boudoir is 1 rd of 3" #000 (CRUNCH!!) followed by 7 rds of S&B #00 (12 in each one CRUNCH * 7).

3) It's probably a good idea to have the choice of a carbine as well as a shotty.

 

[Capn Jack]

This is my, "Frankengun". It's a Winchester Marine SS Riot 12ga all, "Bubbaed up with Camo tape.
The 32" full choke was bought on E-Bay, for turkeys.

Try getting out of a jeep in a hurry with this thing...
Couldn't find a magazine spacer at the time, so I made one out of PVC.

 

[Pops1911]

Took my renovated 870 out for field trials today. Impressive. Was shooting magnum loads with 12 [not 9] 00buck pellets. With the short barrel it was leaning very heavily towards the snappy side of recoil. The firearm performed flawlessly as any of us would expect. Happy camper here. The wife, after watching me shoot the snappy magnum shells, declined to take her turn on the firing line today. This is a lady who can shoot her 45acp one handed all day long. Can't say as I blame her. Sore shoulder tonight even with the new Limbsaver recoil pad. I will stick with regular loads going forward shooting only 9 00buck pellets from here on out.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Took a 870 to the jungle, had one patrolling the iron curtain.
Would I bet my life on one, I have.
Heck I was even on the Army's trap team for a spell. Had to use an 1100 for matches tho.
No love for pumps in the trap and skeet world

Right now I have a gals 1897 Winchester made in 1920 spread across my work bench.
A screw fell out 40 years ago, jammed it up tight. Its all better now simple as pie.