looking for the perfect self defense shotgun
- Thread starter stout
- Start date
If money is not a big factor I would highly suggest a Benelli. Preferrably an M3 since its dual-operation you can use a wide range of loads in it. An M1 or even Nova Pump tactical would all work very well. If those run a lil too high for you, I've had good experiences with Remington 870s, I assure you will not regret picking one of those up. They are not all that expensive either, good gun for the price.
John_StLmo
Inactive
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FirstFreedom
Moderator
No there's nothing wrong with the Win 1300 - great shotgun, IMO. 870 good also. Mossy 500/590 good also. Benelli good. Hard to go wrong...
As for me, I currently have a Mossberg 500 - reason being that I'm saving to throw this on it:
http://www.knoxx.com/NewStyleKnoxx/Products/SideWinder.htm
There's your cool accessory!
As for me, I currently have a Mossberg 500 - reason being that I'm saving to throw this on it:
http://www.knoxx.com/NewStyleKnoxx/Products/SideWinder.htm
There's your cool accessory!
Not a recomendation, but just something to think about.
Louis Awerbuck is probably the most respected defensive shotgun guru in the world. He has probably seen many thousand shotguns with every possible gadget and gimmick known to man being put through their paces. Who knows how many rounds of shotgun ammo he has personally fired.
I looked into his vehicle a couple times and he has a shotgun mounted to the transmission hump. It is an 870 that looks to me to be bone stock other than a shortened buttstock and a Surefire light. In the one shotgun class I took from him, he had a couple of his personal shotguns there and they were 870s with a Surefire light.
If I was looking for the ultimate defensive shotgun, I would pay attention to what he has.
So what do I have ?
I have two 870s with Surefire lights and shortened buttstocks.
Louis Awerbuck is probably the most respected defensive shotgun guru in the world. He has probably seen many thousand shotguns with every possible gadget and gimmick known to man being put through their paces. Who knows how many rounds of shotgun ammo he has personally fired.
I looked into his vehicle a couple times and he has a shotgun mounted to the transmission hump. It is an 870 that looks to me to be bone stock other than a shortened buttstock and a Surefire light. In the one shotgun class I took from him, he had a couple of his personal shotguns there and they were 870s with a Surefire light.
If I was looking for the ultimate defensive shotgun, I would pay attention to what he has.
So what do I have ?
I have two 870s with Surefire lights and shortened buttstocks.
Dfariswheel
New member
stout:
To cut to the chase, there's nothing "wrong" with the 1300.
ANY one of the American "Big Four..Remington, Winchester, Mossberg, or Ithaca) will serve you quite well.
However, you stated you wanted a HD gun that you can "put plenty of cool accessories on".
Issues of over-accessorizing aside, THE most accessorizeable shotgun in history is the Remington 870.
If there is a shotgun accessory available, it's available for the 870.
So, if you want a HD gun, any good pump from one of the Big Four will be perfect.
If you want to play around with additions to the gun, and want the widest possible number of options, the 870 will offer that over any other brand.
To cut to the chase, there's nothing "wrong" with the 1300.
ANY one of the American "Big Four..Remington, Winchester, Mossberg, or Ithaca) will serve you quite well.
However, you stated you wanted a HD gun that you can "put plenty of cool accessories on".
Issues of over-accessorizing aside, THE most accessorizeable shotgun in history is the Remington 870.
If there is a shotgun accessory available, it's available for the 870.
So, if you want a HD gun, any good pump from one of the Big Four will be perfect.
If you want to play around with additions to the gun, and want the widest possible number of options, the 870 will offer that over any other brand.
FirstFreedom
Moderator
Very true. *EXCEPT FOR* the coolest one of them all - the sidewinder.
It is only available as a drop in for the Mossberg. YMMV. Knoxx is supposed to start making them for the Rem 870 on a mail-in-and-install basis, but not yet, and maybe not ever.I carry two Remington 870's and love them both.
The one inside my patrol car is a 3 1/2 inch Super Express Magnum with the barrel cut to 18 inches with a Vang Comp System, and MMC ghost ring sights.
The one I carry with me for high risk situations is a 3 inch Express Magnum with an 18 inch police barrel. It has an Argonaut Armament AR15/870 stock adapter with a Rock River Arms adjustable stock, and a Knight's Armament RAS 870 rail with an EoTech 552.
Both have Wilson Combat magazine extentions and six shot side saddles along with SureFire 618FA weapon lights.
The second one will eventually get the Vang Comp System, but my pennies have been going into a Rock River Arms AR15 which at this point only has the EoTech 552 added to it.
I will say both are heavy shotguns, but you're only carrying it in the house and not across a field somewhere. Get the Vang Comp System done and all the pellets will go into the bad guy and not take out the living room with him.
Argonaut Armament stopped making adapters. If I was going to buy one now I would go with Mesa Tactical. Both of them have the buffer spring in line with the barrel.
The one inside my patrol car is a 3 1/2 inch Super Express Magnum with the barrel cut to 18 inches with a Vang Comp System, and MMC ghost ring sights.
The one I carry with me for high risk situations is a 3 inch Express Magnum with an 18 inch police barrel. It has an Argonaut Armament AR15/870 stock adapter with a Rock River Arms adjustable stock, and a Knight's Armament RAS 870 rail with an EoTech 552.
Both have Wilson Combat magazine extentions and six shot side saddles along with SureFire 618FA weapon lights.
The second one will eventually get the Vang Comp System, but my pennies have been going into a Rock River Arms AR15 which at this point only has the EoTech 552 added to it.
I will say both are heavy shotguns, but you're only carrying it in the house and not across a field somewhere. Get the Vang Comp System done and all the pellets will go into the bad guy and not take out the living room with him.
Argonaut Armament stopped making adapters. If I was going to buy one now I would go with Mesa Tactical. Both of them have the buffer spring in line with the barrel.
I have a slightly used 870 Marine Magnum on layaway at Cabelas for $425. Nice smooth gun IMHO. I would preferably go with a pump, the sound of it sends the message. At Cabelas whenever someone is looking at a pump and racks it, everyone looks up. Don't know why 
but in home defence that sound is the sound of a can of whoopass being opened. 
Nice smooth gun IMHO. I would preferably go with a pump, the sound of it sends the message. At Cabelas whenever someone is looking at a pump and racks it, everyone looks up. Don't know why but in home defence that sound is the sound of a can of whoopass being opened. 
My personal go to gun is an old 870 Wingmaster Riot, basically the same as the Police, excpet for the blued finsih versus the Park'd job on the Police guns. Id shy away from the Express if you can, but they are still solid guns, especially compared to the Mossberg.
I like mine simple, so here's what Ive done. Scattergun Tech (pre-wilson) +2 extension with clamp, Speedfeed 12.5 LOP synthetic stock (without the pistol grip or round storage), chopped down Express synthetic forend ( I abhor corn cob forends, and my factory riot wood stocks are too pretty to get beat up in the patrol car), and Mossberg Ghost Ring sights (cheaper than any other aftermarket sight, and just as good, IMO). Works great for me.
I like mine simple, so here's what Ive done. Scattergun Tech (pre-wilson) +2 extension with clamp, Speedfeed 12.5 LOP synthetic stock (without the pistol grip or round storage), chopped down Express synthetic forend ( I abhor corn cob forends, and my factory riot wood stocks are too pretty to get beat up in the patrol car), and Mossberg Ghost Ring sights (cheaper than any other aftermarket sight, and just as good, IMO). Works great for me.
One thing.
The police models are great becasue the good, workable, cost-effective accessories are in large part designed for them.
About police models...
Whatever you get, if its a surplus police or new police model that has an 18-in barrel then they mean an 18.000 inch barrel!
I almost had a stroke when a former shooting buddy took it out! See, from the bolt face on a closed action to the muzzle is indeed 18 inches. But from the outside edge of the receiver to the muzzle (measured from the outside, parallel to bore axis) it is about 17.75!
I started looking around all paranoid to see who was looking too closely at us. It was nerve wracking until (like 1 minute later) he pulls out a wooden dowel marked by using carpet tacks to attach a metal tape measure and was 18" long. He slid it in the bore on a closed action, etc and there actually was a nanometer or so of barrel to spare. I wasn't too amused, and didnt fire it cuz I was still paranoid about my fingerprints being on it.
C-
The police models are great becasue the good, workable, cost-effective accessories are in large part designed for them.
About police models...
Whatever you get, if its a surplus police or new police model that has an 18-in barrel then they mean an 18.000 inch barrel!
I almost had a stroke when a former shooting buddy took it out! See, from the bolt face on a closed action to the muzzle is indeed 18 inches. But from the outside edge of the receiver to the muzzle (measured from the outside, parallel to bore axis) it is about 17.75!
I started looking around all paranoid to see who was looking too closely at us. It was nerve wracking until (like 1 minute later) he pulls out a wooden dowel marked by using carpet tacks to attach a metal tape measure and was 18" long. He slid it in the bore on a closed action, etc and there actually was a nanometer or so of barrel to spare. I wasn't too amused, and didnt fire it cuz I was still paranoid about my fingerprints being on it.
C-