Home Defense 20 Gauge Automatic

J

JustThisGuy

New member
I'm hoping to get some advice on what 20 Gauge shotgun to consider for Home Defense.

I live and work in high threat environment. Primary design threat is Home Invasion, multiple intruders. Ancillary equipment includes comprehensive alarm system, and interior/exterior CCTV with monitors in every room, and safe room with redundant communications.

The criteria I have include:
- 20 Gauge so that my 5'-0" 100 pound wife can handle it as easily as can I
- Short stock (same reason as above)
- Automatic so the pump won't slow down rate of fire on multiple intruders
- Large capacity magazine

Thank you for your insight and kind help.
 
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My wife is about same stature. We bought her a 20 gauge Mossberg 500 pump. Should work well for all intended purposes. I've already hunted deer with it. :D
 
I have a mossberg 500 20 ga pump with an 18" barrel and a hogue 12" LOP stock. It's great for a shorter person, i'm only 5'4" and my wife is 5'0 and we can both shoot it very comfortably. Another option to consider is a knoxx specops recoil reducing stock, it adjust from 11" to 15" LOP and really takes the edge of the recoil. The knoxx and hogue stocks are both listed for the mossberg 12 ga only, but they mount right up to the 20 ga without any problems. I have and use both regularly and switch back and forth.
 
When it comes to semi-auto shotguns, I have only used Remington and Brownings.

I have a Mossberg 500 pump that I like a lot and I can cycle it almost as fast as my sem-autos but it takes practice....

The Remington 870 pump series is also excellent.
 
For my wife (about the same size as yours) I put her on a Remongton 870 20ga youth pump. It has a shorter youth stock and is easy to shoulder and my 14yo can use it as well. As for rate of fire, a fast miss is still a miss VS a aimed hit. Not to undermine your first post but, Secguru from Beirut, Lebanon asking for advice about a 20ga shot gun for your wife,,,,is your real screen name gecko45?
 
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Thanks for this info.

I primarily work in the Middle-East. My wife is stateside. Due to the nature of my work, she especially is concerned that the threat could follow me home, thus the measures already taken, plus others not mentioned. No, I am not gecko45.

The Saiga 20 is interesting but unwieldy. I am concerned that she may not gain adequate proficiency on a pump action. A semi-auto eliminates that concern and lets her focus on the target, not the weapon.
 
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What if the auto jams? Then what? Get a pump and train your wife how to use it...After the first BG falls the others will head for the high country like the cowards they are...Even a DB would do the job...Who is going to stick around and argue with a frightened trigger happy woman pointing a shotgun at them?
 
I think that a 20 gauge Remington 11-87 would fit the bill perfectly. If you can't find a short barrel for it, you might get a gunsmith to cut one down.
 
I would go with a pump over an auto. A good way to go is the 870 youth. It has a short stock and short barrel. I bought one for my son when he was younger and traded it for full size 870 with 28" barrel. I wish I would have kept it for a home defense gun.
 
Thanks

Thanks for all the great comments.

The next time I'm stateside, we will look at the Remington Youth Model or the 1187 or their equivalent Mossberg models.

I've asked her to get into a training course before I get back.

The Saiga seems unwieldy due to its clip vs. a standard shotgun magazine.

Thanks again to everyone.
 
As you can probably tell by the responses, there aren't a lot of compact semi-autos out there. Someone already mentioned the Remington 11-87 which is a semi-auto that can be had in compact (youth) size.

Another one is the Mossberg SA-20 Bantam. I myself have a pump for defense, but I can see the logic of a semi-auto for someone who doesn't normally use guns. A person is probably as or more likely to shortshuck a pump than have a semi-auto jam. The semi-auto will also take a little kick out of the gun.

Either way, she should practice enough that she doesn't have to think about how to operate the gun should she need it in a dangerous situation.
 
I have a Turkish 20 guage auto made by "Huglo" for CZ called the 720. After an initial break in, I've found the gun to be very reliable with low brass field loads to 3 inch magnums. Might be worth a look since they are made in your region of the world. I am not that impressed with the way the trigger group fits or the feel of the trigger, but the gun is light and has worked well on several hunts. Would work well for a closet gun in case of self defense once you are very familiar with the gun. It was also half the cost of a Remington or Browning.

Reminton 1100s are wonderful guns and there are some aftermarket extended magazines available for 20 guage. Remington has a home defense version of the pump action 870 in production, and the mossberg 500 is a great gun. 20 guage hunting shotguns are very popular in the U.S. and there are a ton of good choices. I've handled some Franchii guns that appeared well built as are Browning Gold, Beretta Urika, Benelli etc.

If you can find a Remington 1100 Youth 20 guage auto with 21 inch barrel you will get a vent rib, screw in chokes and short stock which will fit your wife. Buy an extended magazine tube with support clamp and go out and shoot the gun several hundred times to make sure it functions reliably. rc
 
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