Best price/quality wise shotgun for home defense

Mossberg is a pretty well known brand for shotguns. My local stores sell the Mossberg500 with 8-shot capacity for $319 (used to be $299, no thanks to inflation). Thats a pretty good price IMO.

Budsgunshop.com is a good place to start online.

If you had the extra money lying around, I'd recommend the Benelli M4 semiauto shotgun. But it retails for $1600 !!!
 
Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 are solid choices. As far as where to buy them, field models are found just about everywhere... Wal-Marts that still sell guns, farm/fleet stores, sporting goods stores, and gun shops of course. The more specialized stores may have more variations of these guns (barrel length, magazine capacity, etc) than a department store.
 
three choices:
Mossberg 500
Mossberg 500
Mossberg 500
anyone else besides me think i have a one way thought process?
 
Nothing wrong with a Maverick 88 from Walmart for $177, it's essentially a Mossy 500. I keep mine for HD and swap the barrel out to shoot trap.
 
Mossberg 500's are priced pretty well. Nothing wrong with the Maverick 88 (I have one of those and a 590a1) but for the few extra dollars you get some better parts
 
i see used mossbergs and remington 870s all the time for great prices. You can probably find one someone has already put the goodies on and still get it cheaper than buying the gun new by itsself....check out armslist.com
 
Remington 870 and either Wal-mart or the Academy right by you would be tough to beat.

Nothing wrong with a Mossberg 500 either but I like the 870 better.
 
Mossberg is the least expensive gun that will get the job done. An 870 is a bit more expensive and worth the extra. It is in my opinion the value for the dollar winner. Nothing wrong with Browning, Ithica or Benelli pumps either. Same for the older Winchesters.

There are several others out there that may well be as good, but have not been around long enough for me to endorse. That would include Winchesters newest version of a pump.
 
Whatever you get, and I do not feel like getting into the Ford/Chevrolet argument, consider whether or not the gun will accept other barrels as well as there availability. You will find that Mossberg and more recent Rremington 870 shotguns sold as security or tactical models (something like than) have a longer then normal magazine, because of which you cannot exchange your short security barrel for a field barrel. The problem is that the barrel lug on most barrels is located so far from the muzzle that it will not match up with the end of extra capacity tubular magazines.

FWIW, a standard Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 will so the job. The Maverick 88 is probably fine, but I just don't like made in China guns even if the are marketed by U.S. companies.

As for the Turkish made Winchesters, I don't know much about them.

Perhaps more important than choice of gun are two things; strategy and competency. Decide on a security plan (for example I will not go downstairs and clear rooms, wait upstairs patiently for police, decide on lighting as in to use a gun light or not, where to wait for police lilke at top of stairs or in master BR) and competency means trigger time and perhaps some classes. Spend the money on targets and ammo instead of fancy dodads.
 
"but I just don't like made in China guns"

Huh???? Which ones discussed above would those be??? No "China guns" have come into this country since about 1994! Some of the Maverick parts might not be made in the US, but they are assembled in the US by an American company.
 
Huh???? Which ones discussed above would those be??? No "China guns" have come into this country since about 1994! Some of the Maverick parts might not be made in the US, but they are assembled in the US by an American company.
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The NEF Pardner Protecor was discussed. Others that these discussions often turn to are the Norinco Hawk and the Stevens 350. I didn't mean to suggest that the Maverick is made in China, which is why I said it was fine. I believe some of its parts are from Mexico.
 
If you can find a used bps, (I did), the amazing action and ergonomics make repeated shots much, much quicker. It is the most confidence inspiring thing imaginable. It's my HD choice because of that very fact. They cost a little more but I can empty the magazine accurately in about 1/2 the time of what it took with other pumps. This seems to be the consensus of the buddies who shoot with me and my son. I've noticed my son always seems to make a mistake and pack my bps whenever he and his buddies have some sort of bet or competition going on, especially if girls are going along:D
 
You can get great deals on used Winchester 1300's. The Defenders were great shotguns. Still a ton of parts available and probably a little better made shotgun than the current 870's or Mossbergs.
Ive been playing with a 1300 Practical lately and its slicker than snot. By far the smoothest pump gun I have ever run.
 
I had a 1300....until my cousin convinced me that he absolutely could not go on without me selling it to him. I still sorta regret doing it, but he's a cousin that I actually like and we shoot often together.

Your comment they they are "slick" is dead on...the Winchester 1300 design uses a interesting bolt design that is very strong but unlocks quickly and easily. My 1300 seemed to almost cycle itself, like it was on ball bearings.

I miss that shotgun...
 
Tactical shotguns

I'm personally a huge fan of the Remington 870. I own both a hunting, and tactical model of their shotgun. I also own a Stevens Model 350 (China made, imported by Stevens brand), and it's been a flawless gun. I bought the Stevens back in 2010 brand new for $175 on clearance from a local dealer (they have the same gun in stock again, but are selling it for $249.99). I recently picked up the Remington 870 tactical up from a local Walmart for $348.00. Plus Remington has a mail-in $30 mail in rebate going on right now...

http://www.remington.com/pages/news-and-resources/rebates-and-promotions.aspx

I also have a used Charles Daly 12ga that started out life as a 28" barrel hunting model. I cut the barrel off at 19", and turned it into a "HD truck gun"
 
Used Winchester pumps can be had for $200-$400.
Used Mossberg 500s can be had for $125-$300
Don't overlook double barrel guns, they have some benefits over pumps. Quick loading and unloading, and quick fire. Lighter and more reliable too. Only downfall is only having 2 shots. If you are on a tight budget, used H&R single shots can be had for as little as $35.
 
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