Home Defense - Semi Auto or Pump Action Shotgun?

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Like the title says....

If you had to choose (or maybe you have experience with both) what would you protect your family and house with? Also, being in MA - is there anything I need to worry about when it comes to semi auto shotguns? Sounds like a stupid question but we live in a stupid state.

Mossberg 930 SPX? I like the appeal of a semi auto.
 
Can't speak on the laws of a semi shotgun. Not sure if there are any. But personally I would go with a pump 12ga for home defense. I have shot a semi and had a few failure to eject. Just something you don't want to think about in a life or death situation.
 
I love my Saiga 12 and it has always performed flawlessly. For HD, the OAL is a bit much for my taste. Same with the Mossberg 500 I used to have.
 
I'd go with a trusty old 870... if I wanted to use a shotgun. My AR handles much better around the house, weighs less, and I shoot it very well, so that is what is the go to "Home Defense" gun.

Mike
 
I gotta believe that the racking action of a pump action shotgun would stop/ sober me up in an instant and is probably unmistakeable as a don't **** with me sound.
 
I gotta believe that the racking action of a pump action shotgun would stop/ sober me up in an instant and is probably unmistakeable as a don't **** with me sound.

 
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I just call Marsha and she has some nice boys come over to draw lines around the dead bodies after the scumbags get away. It's very reassuring.
 
Auto. Only failures Ive had with my 1100 in twenty years have been when I left oil on the slide tube after cleaning. Of course the manual says not to do that.
 
I'll take my double over either option as the failure rate is negligible.

This is assuming that the three 30-round mags of 5.56 have been expended, of course.
 
Get a Mossberg or Remington Pump.
Load with 00 Buck
Attach a good flashlight
Secure with a Santa Cruz lock by the bedside
Lock your bedroom door.

Or buy a claw hammer.

From the tv show Gun Stories.
"The only thing more reliable than a Remington 870, is a claw hammer"
 
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Why not two in one?! Benelli M3

Because it is stupid. I've used one. It is needlessly complicated. At 0-dark-30, do you really want to wonder why it didn't cycle after you fired a shot? Is it empty? Jammed? Or did you just knock the selector from auto to pump?

I saw the owner of that M3 get confused by the selector on the range, on a nice sunny day, with no one breaking down the door.

A pump is fine. A semi is fine. The M3 isn't fine, IMHO.
 

WHOA DUDE! Be careful throwing that around, I almost crapped my pants reading that post.

I have a 930 that was an SPX, it is a pretty awesome gun, but I use it for action/3gun stuff. I am picking up a 590A1 next week from ACME for a HD shotgun, mainly because I don't have one. Primary HD gun for me is my Glock21 or AR if I am sure I need need a HD gun.
 
If you're going to buy it, try it out, and throw it in the closet, definitely pump. Decent reliability on a semi-auto seems to be a crap shoot. I'd need a *lot* of trouble free shells through a semi before I'd trust it.
 
Late to the party but....I use what I have confidence in for my home defense shotgun. I use an 870 pump. Shot trap with an 1100 long enough to see a malfunction every so often, so......pump gun for me.
 
Buck shot usually wont go through walls and kill your neighbors.

Baloney. Anything that will reliably ventilate a perp will also go through walls. 00 buckshot will reliably penetrate standard light home construction. Even birdshot will penetrate sheetrock at close range.

These fellows shot 00 buckshot at sheetrock walls from a distance of 12'. The 00 buckshot completely penetrated all three walls:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOUyLz8Rsr8

Here is a video made at Gunsite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYHBmNI8154

And there are plenty of similar videos if you want to look for the experience of others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXz_Aftj8rE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyyYxYFvwfE
 
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OK - Pump it is....

I'm more of a hand gun guy so are there any pump action shotguns that are more universal for adding components to it like a light? FS carry a wide variety or am I better going to bass pro shops?
 
OK - Pump it is....

I'm more of a hand gun guy so are there any pump action shotguns that are more universal for adding components to it like a light? FS carry a wide variety or am I better going to bass pro shops?

870 or 500/590. Anything you want to hang off one of those is out there. I am partial to the 590 because I have a bunch of 500/590 crap in the basement already. If not, I would look at the 870 with Magpul's new forearm for adding a light.
 
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