Perfect home defense shotgun

[40 Creedmoor fan]

Beretta 1301, the Tactical version, not the competition one. three reasons:

1. It's short.
2. It's semi-auto. When the adrenaline kicks in, pumping after every shot is not something you will remember to do UNLESS you practice a LOT. Pumping action needs to be at a subconscious level. Semi-auto is another way to remove reloading from the equation.
3. the recoil is lower when compared to a non-semi-auto shotgun. If your spouse shoots, a semi-auto will be something she might be able to handle as well.

If you can afford the price, 1301 is a great home defense option.

 

[ScottS]

That doesn't have to mean a duck gun. It can be an 18.5" cylinder bore, 5+1 3" capacity. I wouldn't add anything except maybe a fiber optic front bead

18.5" seems long...unwieldy.

 

[Marty McFly]

18.5" seems long...unwieldy.

View attachment 515985

14?

 

[ScottS]

14?

Yup.

 

[AHM]

Pre-dug woodland graves will get you through times of unwanted visitors ...

While reading an article on RedState,
an inline ad shows that there is a convenient alternative.


How they knew I was a prospective customer,
I have no idea.
@cams

 

[weekendracer]

As we all know, if you use a firearm in self defense, you will be on trial. So will the gun you use.

While folks are running around tacticooling their scatterguns with all kind of accessories, I say that blue steel and brown wood are the best defense in court, after you've defended your life.

That doesn't have to mean a duck gun. It can be an 18.5" cylinder bore, 5+1 3" capacity. I wouldn't add anything except maybe a fiber optic front bead.

Mine is a a Winchester 1300, but that one isn't made any longer. Here's a Mossberg 500 that serves the same role.

https://palmettostatearmory.com/mossberg-500-retrograde-12-gauge-pump-action-shotgun-walnut-50429.html

Are you one of those guys who 'never shot a perfect qual' because you thought an attorney would 'use it against you' if you were ever in a UoF event?

Serious question. The only thing I wouldn't put on a gun is some of those crazy dust covers or actively have social media where it appears you are looking for an opportunity to shoot someone.


This kind of stuff.

 

[drgrant]

I feel like you're in seriously deep doo-doo if the bad guys don't run for the hills after the first round or two, regardless of caliber.

IMO none of this matters because most bad guys are going to get shot with a handgun not anytihng else just due to convenience alone. Unless of course you're lucky enough to just have like shotguns sprinkled all over the place.

 

[gerrycaruso]

I wouldn't use a shotgun but that's what the question is about. I'd go with a 12 ga. semi auto. Few people practice enough with a pump to be reliable under stress.

 

[StevieP]

I have a .357 Magnum revolver in the nightstand loaded with Hornady Critical Duty.
Carry gun in a holster isn't far away, loaded with 15+1 rounds of Critical Defense.
AR surreptitiously yet securely hidden within easy reach but out of sight. Multiple mags loaded with different loads for different threats (53gr superformance varmint ammo for critters, 62gr Fusion for "defense").

My Remington 870 is right there too.

My shotgun is set up just as the OP suggests. 870 Express Combo. Wood stock. 3" chamber. 18.5" Mossberg branded barrel for the 870 (I also have 21" rifled slug barrel and 26" vent-rib barrel with various chokes). Currently loaded with Winchester PDX1 Defender ("buck and ball") rounds. I also have 00 Buck and some 2 3/4" Remington "ultimate home defense" rounds loaded with BBs. This is an excellent MA-compliant coyote hunting load too, btw, if you can find it.

 

[M60]

I feel like you're in seriously deep doo-doo if the bad guys don't run for the hills after the first round or two, regardless of caliber.

Lol. You need to have more faith. If the first 1 or 2 rounds don't make them run for the hills, my M1 Super 90 has 6 more at the ready. Nobody survives 8 rounds of buckshot. Nobody. That's 72, 30 cal., lead, projectiles, at in home distance. No to mention, that if you have any sense, you've been reloading during the intrusion.

 

[M60]

IMO none of this matters because most bad guys are going to get shot with a handgun not anytihng else just due to convenience alone. Unless of course you're lucky enough to just have like shotguns sprinkled all over the place.

I sprinkle with three. A M1Super 90, a Beretta 1300 and a older, Remington 870 Police.

 

[Kevin_NH]

I feel like you're in seriously deep doo-doo if the bad guys don't run for the hills after the first round burst or two, regardless of caliber.

FTFY. Also acceptable are "salvo", "fusillade" and "broadside"

Kidding aside, the Gary Fadden incident demonstrates that some folk don't learn from observation.

Unless of course you're lucky enough to just have like shotguns sprinkled all over the place.

I sprinkle with three. A M1Super 90, a Beretta 1300 and a older, Remington 870 Police.

My preference is to standardize, although for an unfinished basement or the like, a "marine" variant may be called for.

 

[Yazz]

IMO none of this matters because most bad guys are going to get shot with a handgun not anytihng else just due to convenience alone. Unless of course you're lucky enough to just have like shotguns sprinkled all over the place.

Well at least the first shot.

 

[Broc]

As we all know, if you use a firearm in self defense, you will be on trial. So will the gun you use.

While folks are running around tacticooling their scatterguns with all kind of accessories, I say that blue steel and brown wood are the best defense in court, after you've defended your life.

That doesn't have to mean a duck gun. It can be an 18.5" cylinder bore, 5+1 3" capacity. I wouldn't add anything except maybe a fiber optic front bead.

Mine is a a Winchester 1300, but that one isn't made any longer. Here's a Mossberg 500 that serves the same role.

https://palmettostatearmory.com/mossberg-500-retrograde-12-gauge-pump-action-shotgun-walnut-50429.html

Is there a case where someone was convicted because his/her gun looked too scary?

 

[Broc]

i agree. and i'd rather have 'em take a 200 dollar shotgun than a high dollar benelli. no one is gonna know the price tag so if you have $1500-2000 to toss away, so be it.

If you shoot someone at home, what are the chances the PoPo will only take that one gun and not your entire collection?

In my opinion it is pretty simple:

Home defense = reliability.
If a reliable gun costs $1K, then spend $1K.
If it costs $300, spend $300.
Whatever color it is.

F*ck what they do with the gun, they can melt it for all I care. The scary part is what comes after shooting someome. Name on the paper, probably lose your job, victim's ghetto family, all your savings gone, face possible prison time ...

 

[Tinkermatic]

I wouldn't use a shotgun but that's what the question is about. I'd go with a 12 ga. semi auto. Few people practice enough with a pump to be reliable under stress.

It’s pretty simple. Pullrack.
Pull the trigger, rack the slide. Paul Harrell has some great videos on it. Additionally, storage is an issue (for me, at least). Shotguns aren’t typically drop safe and I wouldn’t want one leaning against the bed with a round in the chamber. I go “cruiser ready” and feel pretty good about it.

This is, at it’s core, a personal decision and I can’t stress strongly enough that everyone should be making the decision they feel best suits themselves. Then, train for that rare instance as if it were a regular occurrence. AR, revolver, shottie (pump or semi), whatever. Just be comfortable and proficient.

 

[KBCraig]

A perfectly fine choice but call me skeptical that a wood stock makes any difference in your potential legal jeopardy. I don't think shooting bad guys with a "duck gun" buys you a whole lot of good will vs. anything else.

In a justified DGU, hopefully there won't be a criminal trial.

I was talking about that other trial, where everyone who ever knew him sues you civilly.

That's the trial where it really pays to not look like you had a killing machine and were just looking for the opportunity.

 

[KBCraig]

I have a cheap green fiber optic snap on sight on my 870. It works well and grabs almost any light in the area.

View attachment 515976

Same one I have on my 1300. There's a notch on the front that snugs nicely up to the factory brass bead.

 

[Repeater1988]

I have the mossberg 500 with the stream light racker and i gotta say it’s a pretty mint combo.

 

[KBCraig]

When the adrenaline kicks in, pumping after every shot is not something you will remember to do UNLESS you practice a LOT. Pumping action needs to be at a subconscious level.

Okay, here's where I have to admit my privilege.

I grew up shooting a pump .22 (my grandfather's Winchester Model 62), and from the age of 10 I was free to wander the woods with it, or bungee it to my bicycle handlebars and go to the shale pit for some plinking.

Shooting a pump is as instinctual to me as it's possible to be.

I forget that not everyone has that background.

 

[Kevin_NH]

In a justified DGU, hopefully there won't be a criminal trial.
I was talking about that other trial, where everyone who ever knew him sues you civilly.
That's the trial where it really pays to not look like you had a killing machine and were just looking for the opportunity.

Most reasonable states have something like our RSA 627:1-a

 

[Deleted member 12999]

I'm too busy too worry about the OP. I have enough guns, and they are all bedazzled to do their jobs as efficiently as possible. If someone wants to hurt me, my family, or my dog.... Ill grab the closest one and get to work.

 

[KBCraig]

Are you one of those guys who 'never shot a perfect qual' because you thought an attorney would 'use it against you' if you were ever in a UoF event?

Serious question. The only thing I wouldn't put on a gun is some of those crazy dust covers or actively have social media where it appears you are looking for an opportunity to shoot someone.

View attachment 516015
This kind of stuff.

LOL, no. I always shot my best, and I was always in the top 3-4 with pistol. Shotgun (870P), rifle (M16A2), and SMG (Colt 635) were always a gimme for perfect scores.

I do agree with you about adding the "killer" stuff, which was the reason for this post.

 

[KBCraig]

Kidding aside, the Gary Fadden incident demonstrates that some folk don't learn from observation.

That's a perfect example of prosecutorial abuse.

Gadden was 100% legally justified in using force, but he was prosecuted because he used a "machine gun".

 

[Tinkermatic]

Okay, here's where I have to admit my privilege.

I grew up shooting a pump .22 (my grandfather's Winchester Model 62), and from the age of 10 I was free to wander the woods with it, or bungee it to my bicycle handlebars and go to the shale pit for some plinking.

Shooting a pump is as instinctual to me as it's possible to be.

I forget that not everyone has that background.

You don’t necessarily need the background. As they say, you don’t rise to the occasion, you fall back on your training.

 

[Kevin_NH]

That's a perfect example of prosecutorial abuse.

Gadden was 100% legally justified in using force, but he was prosecuted because he used a "machine gun".

I was mostly commenting on the deceased's reaction to Gary's warning shots burst.

 

[M60]

FTFY. Also acceptable are "salvo", "fusillade" and "broadside"

Kidding aside, the Gary Fadden incident demonstrates that some folk don't learn from observation.


My preference is to standardize, although for an unfinished basement or the like, a "marine" variant may be called for.

The M1 Super 90 and the Beratta both function identically. They even share internals, since Beretta was licensed by Benelli to use their inertia system. Now Beretta owns Benelli. Most longtime shotgunners have alot of experience with pump shotguns. For some years, I had the three shotguns I've mentioned here, along with a Mossberg, Marine coat 590A1, but I recently sold the Mossberg, believing that I don't need the 4 shotguns.

 

[kalash]

IMO none of this matters because most bad guys are going to get shot with a handgun not anytihng else just due to convenience alone. Unless of course you're lucky enough to just have like shotguns sprinkled all over the place.

Depends on the situation, I think. If I'm checking out a noise, I take the handgun; if I wake up and hear voices and footsteps, I'm sitting in the bedroom with a long gun.