20 Bore Defendashottys?

M

Model12Win

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Anyone own a 20 bore defendashotty? (defensive shotgun)? I am seriously contemplating the Mossberg's 20 bore Model 500:

http://www.mossberg.com/product/500-tactical-8-shot-54300/

54300-catalog.jpg


8 shots of 20 pellet #3 buck, seems like it would do the trick. I'd put a tac sling, Elzetta light, and an Esstac card on it.

A little unusual but lower recoil than a 12 bore and ever bit as effective at close range, plus it's just a little bit different.

Thoughts? Stupid? Cool?
 
I think a 12ga loaded with low recoil ammo would be just as easy to shoot well, plus the advantage of more versatility.
 
When I look at shotguns as defensive weapons I always look at what is the cheapest I can get because they are all pretty much the same. Today I can go to my local pawnshop and buy a Wingmaster 870 in good shape for $150-175. I can then add a mag tube if I want and even better sights if I think I need them. I am only out $250.

This gun retails for $509.
 
A Mossberg 500 youth model in 20 ga. will accomplish pretty much the same thing, and the street price at the moment is well under $300...
 
For that price I think you're wasting your money unless you want a new gun and 2 shell capacity more. Get the mossberg 500 youth 20 gauge. Most of those defensive shotguns hype a 12 inch length of pull stock which a youth or super bantam will do for free. Got mine used/like new for $200. Why because kids grow out of them so they barely get broken in.
 
That's what my wife has. It's one of the 2 guns she owned when I met her. The other is a Springfield XD in 9mm. She's got about 20 now.

She shoots the Mossberg well and has killed a lot of different varmints around our place. Her #1 favorite "go to gun" is now her AK-47, but she grabs the Mossberg quite often too. I'd bet about 25 skunks, raccoons, coyotes, foxes and feral cats have been blasted from a round fired by her with the Mossberg. I have no doubt at all that she would hold her own if the target were a bad guy trying to get into the house.

Some people should be high on the "don't mess with list"

She's one of them.

But to answer the question, the Mossberg 20 ga with the extended mag is just fine and has never let us down.
 
20 ga

I have recommended a 20 ga pump to more than one household where women and competent youngsters might have need of it as well as hairy chested he-mans.
 
Something to think about. That shotgun weighs 6 lbs. A 12 will weigh at least 7 and as much as 8 depending on exactly which model you choose. A 6 lb gun is a joy to carry around, but even with 20 ga loads is going to kick. Quite possibly more than a 7.5 lb 12 ga.
 
I am "wasting" money as we speak.

I picked up a Mossberg 500 Persuader (20 ga) a few days ago (after I had ordered a 590 Shockwave 12 ga (has not been shipped).

The Persuader had a pistol grip and had a bit of a recoil so I put a Shockwave Technologies Raptor grip on it last night as well as a rail and I had an unused Streamlight TLR 4 that I put on the rail.

I am going to put a few rounds through the Persuader today.....20 ga # 8 and I also got some 20 ga low recoil #8. I will graduate to the 000 or 0000.

I should get the Shockwave 12 ga in a few days and I have the mini shells and the low recoil shells on hand for it.

And dang, just a few weeks ago I said that I had bought my last gun. Now two guns later.

And I do not know why I have never thought to put a Raptor grip on my Remington 870 Express Magnum even though I can not find a short barrel for it because it is left handed.

It is fun being a senile old man!
 
Just found out from Mossberg this model has a pinned forend. Problematic. I won't be able to use the stick on Esstac 7 round 20 gauge velcro sidesaddles since they go to the end of the receiver, the forend will overlap and hit the saddle. There is a Tacstar 4-shot 20 gauge plastic sidesaddle but it isn't ideal... more to chew on...
 
I have recommended a 20 ga pump to more than one household where women and competent youngsters might have need of it as well as hairy chested he-mans.
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True for the youngins and wimmin-folk, ... but any red-blooded, hairy-chested he-men are grabbing a 12ga pump that's been properly downloaded with low-recoil buckshot.

Saves wear-n-tear on the shoulder since they have to work the next day.
 
Something to think about. That shotgun weighs 6 lbs. A 12 will weigh at least 7 and as much as 8 depending on exactly which model you choose. A 6 lb gun is a joy to carry around, but even with 20 ga loads is going to kick. Quite possibly more than a 7.5 lb 12 ga.
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Most likely more....1-2 pounds is HUGE when it comes to helping reduce recoil
 
Recoil

If 1-2 pounds is HUGE than 35 pounds must be inconceivably large. Like blow you backwards out of your shoes out of (or in through) a window, maybe even a wall.
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Different things.....the 1-2 pounds is the weight of the gun. The 35 pounds is the difference in actual recoil.
You were to fire that 3” slug load out of an eight pound gun and then fire another from a six pound gun. The six pound gun would have about 17ft.lbs more free recoil than the eight pound gun.
 
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I could understand some special cases here and there, but I never realized there were so many soft shouldered shooters around. I agree a 20 gauge can be hard on the shoulders, but it takes a little while. If you need to defend your home with 75 rounds then I think you got bigger problems than sensitive shoulders.
 
I recently bought a 20 g. 870. It has a 21" barrel and will chamber 3" shells. Federal makes 3" shells with 18 pellets of#2 buck. The camo paint scheme, I'm not so crazy about but I can live with it. It was about $370.00 at Wal Mart.

The downside for me, I posted here awhile back. The butt stock comb doesn't fit me very well.
 
"...would do the trick..." For what? #4 Buck is better than #3. 24-6mm pellets in 2.75" 20 gauge. No flashlights or anything else is necessary.
"...they are all pretty much the same..." Yep. Buy 'em based entirely on price. LOP can be adjusted without much fuss on any pump gun. The rest is the same. Just like a Maverick 88 is exactly the same thing as a Mossberg 500. And an 870 Express/SPS is exactly the same as a Wingmaster.
 
I’ve got a 20 gauge Mossberg 500 but it’s labeled as Westernfield if I recall right. Good gun, barrel was bent and bent back, looks like a very flat rainbow. Shoots very straight still. I don’t see the need for the guns labeled “defense”. It’s nothing special, just preexisting pieces on a regular gun. Youth stock, slug sights, and a longer magazine. And all for a higher price. You can get these guns used for $100 if you shop around but under $200 all day. Maybe if it was something special about it th high price could make sense but the 500 is a cheap pump gun, good guns but not expensive. Imagine a cheap economy car but with leather seats and fake chrome trim. Stuff like this is the Cadillac Cimarron of the gun world. Might be great but it’s nearly the same as the model half of the price.
 
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