Home Defense Shotgun suggestions

All the info that I have seen suggests that 20 Guage has lots of stopping power, with lots more controllability that the 12 guage. For the smaller statured folks, the increased controllability, and less painful recoil will easily beat out the advantages from the additional power of the 12 Guage.
 
If you are planning to do much "fun" shooting, you should also consider the cost of feeding your new pet. The real deals on shotgun shells seem to always be in 12 gauge. 20 gauge, even though it is a smaller shell is often more expensive to buy.
 
Pipper:

There are many quality defensive shotguns on the market. The best is not the most expensive and the cheapest is not the worst given attention to subtle variances and needs. Choose what you like best based on reliablilty, quality, and durability. Use what you choose and practice until you are extremely proficient. If you do not practice you are just a fool with a gun. Fools die every day so do not be one! My personal top two choices would be the 870 platform or the 500/590 family. Based on 20+ years of personal experience and having owned and extensively used both types I have and always will stick with the 870 in 12 ga. Regardless of my intended use (and there have been many) the 870 has never failed to function and has never let me down. As long as I take care of the weapon in regards to cleaning and treatment and so long as I stay well trained in the use thereof it has palyed its intended role perfectly. I find the 870 lighter and faster than the 590 but on par speed wise with the 500. I think the 870 is a bit better made and therefore more durable than the 500. Either format would be a top rated choice for personal defense. My own 870 tops out at only $350.00. I use the HD model in factory std. barrel length. Have added only a Tac-star side saddle which mounts on the receiver, a Tac-star shortened and ribbed fore-end (the factory fore-end is too long to function with the side-saddle as it makes contact when chambering or ejecting a round and a high impact polymer follower for magazine verification and durability. The only other modification I will make is a 2 rd. mag extension and steel heat sheild for the barrel. The heat sheild is is only for looks/intimidation and does nothing to add to or take away from the weapons ability to function properly. I find my self set with an accurate, lightening quick, short weapon with 11 rounds of available persuasion. Again, buy wisely, modify adequately but not excessively and practice, practice, practice.

Good luck, stay alert and be prepared.

Fear the government that fears your guns.

max-ex
 
Mossberg 590, it is the king of pump guns. It is a military issue gun, 20" barrel (18" is optional but you lose 2 rounds) and 9 shot capacity. The most important thing is that it comes stock with ghost ring sites and a hard assed parkerized finish! Let's see, can the same be said about the Remington 870? NO! The 870 Police may have a parkerized finish but it lacks the fast ghost rings. The Mossberg was the only 12 gauge pump to pass all Mil-Spec testing, I think it had to shoot over 5,000 rounds without a malfunction. This gun is going to run you anywhere between $350-400, well under your $500 price cap. Oh, yeah, Mossberg also includes the Speed-Feed stock as an option (the stock is synthetic and holds 4 shells internally in the stock) and Mossberg backs the 590A1 with a 10 year warranty!
 
First,during my career with the Md Dept of Public Safety, I taught hundreds of Correctional Officers to shoot shotguns. Here's a few thoughts on same and Home Defense.

The only folks who ever made it past minimal competence(load and fire w/o horrible accidents or ineffectiveness) were those who liked to shoot and practiced. Maybe half of our officers were only paper qualified.

While other shotguns were suggested and tested from time to time, the only one that demonstrated durability and reliability was the 870. Tower weapons get abused, and the 870s would just keep on working. The old Winchester 97s and 12s would too, but they were and are more collector's items than weapons these days, unfortunately.

So, for Home Defense, I recommend a 20 gauge, since it will be used by a small statured female. Remington makes a Youth Express Model 870 in 20 gauge with a shortened stock and 21" bbl.Choate makes a 2 round mag extension that will add a little weight to the muzzle and tame recoil.Even with the extension, this little 20 handles like an M-1 Carbine
Note, Sidesaddles are nice, but the plain truth is if a scenario is not resolved with 4 rounds of shotgun ammo, what's needed is backup, not mo' rounds.
As for aftermarket bells and whistles....

Lazer sights are expensive and fragile. Folding stocks make sense if you're trying out for Miami Vice II, but not in A-S Scenarios. I'm probably better than most with tactical shooting, but I'd only utilize hip shooting at contact ranges.

Tactical flashlights attached to the weapon have pros and cons. They give the perp an exact location,as well as aiding target acquisition for you.

IMO, the next thing to buy after the weapon as described is lots of ammo, starting with light skeet loads. Even a 20 gauge recoils pretty hard for a tyro.As for ammo, I HIGHLY recommend testing different brands for tight patterns. Forget about spread,what you want is a single big hole,center mass. Chokes can or should be tight, stray pellets end up where they're not wanted.And,at HD ranges, the shells could contain breath mints and still be effective.I'd go with #3 buck in a 20,tho.

Also, for shooter comfort,especially for barrel cheasted men and ,uh, buxom women, sand off the toe of the recoil pad a little to stop it digging into chest muscles or tender tissues.

Hope this helps....
 
Mossy 590 Marine. It's the SS version.
Drop the shotgun issue with your wife. Do yourself and her a favor. Get her started with a .22LR bolt action rifle. At 5' 3" you might find that a Junior will fit her. Don't push the shotgun on her. You two just go to the range. You shoot shotgun and let her rip away with the .22. I have yet to meet a shooter that curiosity doesn't eventually win out and request a 'turn with that one'. When she's ready, she will let you know. In the mean time, let her protect herself with her pistol (practice, practice, practice). I learned this lesson the hard way with my wife (5'4"). Tried to start her with .357 (my macho gun at time). She shot it once, put it down, didn't talk to me for the rest of the day. When we tried again, several months later (she refused to go back for a long while), we tried .22LR. She found enjoyment in a sport we take for granted. She now is the proud owner (she picked it out) of a Taurus .357 4" ported, that she keeps in the headboard loaded with .38's. She can shoot rings around most men. 6 out of 6 in the 10 ring consistently. Pity the fool that forces her hand. Don't forget that most men grew up surrounded by 'gun culture' while women were not. Would you put a 12 ga shotgun in a 10/13 year old boy's hand and tell him 'take it like a man'? Don't do it to your wife either. I started my journey in gun culture with a BB gun at age 6. How about you?
 
Pipper-
If you would like to start your wife on a shotgun, I would recommend the Winchester 1300 Lady Defender, 20 ga, with an 18" barrel. I am a woman, 5'6" and small build, and I love this gun! For you it may be too small, I think, having heard guys at the range refer to it as a "baby gun". For small women, however, it is perfect. I am practicing with it very often, with light loads, such as # 8 and #6 birdshot, and the recoil is minimal. Your wife may also want to shorten the stock, as I did (by 2 inches). My instructor and friends tell me that these light loads may not do sufficient damage for self-defense purposes, so I did buy some #2 buck and even a few slugs which I will try next. But my purpose was to get comfortable with my gun and I am getting there. If the heavy shells hurt me too much I'll stick with the light loads. BTW, I much prefer my shotgun to the revolvers (38 special)I shot, it seems easier on my system and my hands and joints don't hurt. I am really still new to shotguns but since you are concerned about your wife, I figured I contribute my little bit of experience!
 
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