Good shotguns for home defense?

Practicaly any pump in 12 or 20 gauge that is reliable would serve the purpose. Mossberg has the best prices for quality guns. Personaly I recommend 2.75", #8 bird shot for home defense. In the event that the gun must actualy be used bird shot in that close of quarters is effective and does not penetrate walls quite as badly as buck.
BTW, welcome to TFL Murray. It's good to have another retired LEO here. Some times back up is needed in the General Discussion Forum. :D

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Gunslinger

We live in a time in which attitudes and deeds once respected as courageous and honorable are now scorned as being antiquated and subversive.
 
Murray, there's plenty of choices out there, any reliable shotgun of at least 2 rounds capacity will do nicely. If you are a retired LEO,how about whatever was your duty shotgun? You've trained and qualified with it for years.

And, it's probably an 870, one of the all time greats(G).

As for loads, anything more lethal than breath mints will work. Smaller pellets than buck tend not to overpenetrate. Buck does.

Lots of old threads here on this,scroll on down and have fun...
 
MurrayNevada; I've got a rem 870 HD and my buddy has a mossberg 500 with a short barrel. They appear to be both good guns so take your choice. We were blowin' stuff up one day with some bird shot and I was NOT impressed! Penitration was terrible! We changed to number 4 buck and these loads were alot better. I understand the concern about home defense but if you touch off a round of birdshot at mr. bad guy and he's wearing a bunch of winter clothing I think penitration will be questionable. Welcome and good luck. j.s.
 
I would recommend teh M1 or M3 Benelli Super90. I have the M3 version (can shoot both as a semi-auto or as a pump).

I would not go the the Mossberg 500s - I invesitgated one (Marine version) very seriously and found out that the gun stores who carried them also told me they had lots coming back due to problems a=or malfunctions.

Jthuang - nice article on defense shotguns. You might want to warn people about sidesaddles w/ the Benelli (recoil mechanism may not be as reliable with this added weight in the case of the Benelli)
 
mckysdad,

Thanks for the note. I believe that if you add both a sidesaddle and Surefire Responder, the weight is enough to make the Benelli shotguns unreliable with tactical or low-recoil loads.

I have a Responder on my Benelli M1S90 and it works just fine with Federal Tactical buckshot and slugs. It also works flawlessly with light field loads.

I am not willing to tempt fate, at this time, by adding a sidesaddle. I understand that Benelli makes a special recoil springs for users of low-recoil loads with the aforementioned modifications but I haven't gotten around to buying one.

Justin

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Justin T. Huang, Esq.
late of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
 
I Like Mossbergs. Without a doubt the best value in shotguns today. I've had a 590 for several years now and also have friends with 500s. None of us has ever had a problem. Well made, reliable and inexpensive. What else could you want?
 
MurrayNevada, let this thread run awhile, and see what you turn up.

My guess, ultimately, is that many, if not most folks will suggest to you that a Remington 870 in 12 gauge is the most common, most readily modified, and most reliable shotgun for this purpose. Some folks use #6 or #7 birdshot for the first two rounds, followed by 00 or #1 buckshot (#1 has more pellets, so some prefer it). I also keep 2 or 3 slugs on the sidesaddle.

Common accessories include sidesaddles, magazine extensions and foreend lights.

Also, see http://www.vangcomp.com .

Finally, once you get the shotgun, take a tactical shotgun course. And, if possible, try the gun before you buy - perhaps a friend can take you to the range?

Like Chevy / Ford discussions, there are of course various opinions on such a question, and reasonable folks will differ somewhat on the question.

Consider searching TFL for additional threads on this topic - it is perhaps the most common shotgun discussion.

Good luck. Regards from AZ
 
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