New Home Defence Shotgun

V

V.Hunter

New member
I decided to buy a 12 gauge shotgun for home defense as well as a little fun. The problem was that I couldn’t decide which make or model to buy. I poured over the net, handled as many as possible, and tried to decide which would best suit my needs.

I am not a "SHTF" worrier or an armchair commando so all I wanted was a good dependable shotgun to handle the situation if it so happen to arise.

What I decided on was a used steel receiver J.C. Higgins pump gun with a 28" barrel and 2 3/4" chamber. My smith is going to change the length of pull add a Decelerator pad, cut and crown the barrel to 18", remove the mag plug, and install an oversized luminous front bead.

I decided on this gun for a few reasons. First, it has a steel receiver and good solid wood stock, in the event that I do need to use it for home defense I may not have time to chamber a round or maybe take aim. If this were to happen I could still use the shotgun as a weapon as it is made with honest to goodness steel and wood and would withstand a beating and still function.

Second, for home defense you do not need 7, 8, or 9 rounds like many of the defensive shotguns out there so the simple unplugged mag tube will hold 4 with one in the chamber for a total of 5.

Third, the 2 3/4" chamber is more than adequate for any use I will have. You do not need magnum loadings of 3" shells for home defense.

Last and certainly not least is the fact that I bought this shotgun and after the smith does all of the work I am still only going to have $322 into the entire thing. I don’t think you can beat that.

I'll post a few pics after I pick it up when all the work is done.

So what do you guys think of my reasoning?
 
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Nothing wrong with your reasoning. Your gun choice is good. But just be careful about the 18" length. Make the barrel 18.5" or 19'' to be safe. Remember to measure from the bolt surface in closed position.
 
Do shotguns have to have a longer barrel than rifles? I never really looked into that as I have always been a rifle guy. If that is the case I'm glad I started this thread as I have learned something.
 
16 inch on rifles... 18 inches for shotgun fed law.
18.5 is wise as a fed may have a stingy tape measure...
No crown needed just round the muzzle off with a reamer or file...
Brent
 
I knew it was 16 on rifles and I was pretty sure it was 18 on shotguns but I just thought I may be wrong after it was suggested that I go just a little longer. I understand the reasoning of the 18.5" or so.

As far as a crown I realize that there isnt a need for a traditional crown as used on rifles but I just use that term for both as there is still very much a need to finish the muzzle after cutting.

thanks for the feedback guys.
 
It was 18" for both rifles and shotguns from 1934 until after WWII. As M1 carbines were surplussed, t'was noted they had barrels too short by law. The law was amended.

Length is determined by the distance from the breech face to the closest point on the muzzle to the breech.

Also, Fed law requires an OA length of 26" on long arms.

HTH....
 
Your ruining the collectability of this fine JC Higgins shotgun by chopping on the barrel and stock. I would leave them as is. Who knows. In fifty to seventy five years this gun could be approaching $150 to $200 in value. My point being you could have probably bought one of the Mossbergs made for this for the same money with and later added a barrel for hunting. Now you have a JCH shotgun that you probably will not ever see your money out of.
 
I have to agree with olddrum1, I'd have just bought a Mossberg 500. You can get the combo with both 18.5" and 28" barrels for under $300. I'd also forget the club angle and buy a $20 bandoleer for extra ammo or a 4 cell maglight.
 
I have to agree with olddrum1, I'd have just bought a Mossberg 500. You can get the combo with both 18.5" and 28" barrels for under $300. I'd also forget the club angle and buy a $20 bandoleer for extra ammo or a 4 cell maglight.
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True but I have handled Mossberg’s and there is no comparison to the Higgins, their (Mossberg's) alloy receivers don’t impress me. Besides I have shotguns for hunting I didn’t need another.

As far as a bandolier goes I don’t get that, how does that help you in a self defense situation? Sure If I were awaiting the fall of society maybe but for home intrusion I don’t see the need for a bandolier as it is one more thing to look for and fiddle with when you could be addressing the threat at hand. As far as the Mag Lite goes, great idea and already have one.

Now you have a JCH shotgun that you probably will not ever see your money out of.
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And tell me how I would ever see my money out of a Mossberg if purchased for the same thing? They are a dime a dozen on the used market and have none of the features that I personally like. I dont like light alloy receivers and plastic hollow stocks and am not into the "tacticool" look of most that are being marketed at this time. Sure a few of the defender models simply have synthetic stocks and an extended tube but then there is still the issue of the receiver and stock that I do not care for.

I see your points, but now I have what I want and was looking for more feedback on the way that it will be modified as opposed to what else I could have gotten in its place.

Thank you all for the feedback.
 
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I won't sport a sling of any type on my HD gun... just one more thing to snag a framed picture or a lamp etc. Momma is gonna be mad enuff about the bloody mess for me to get in more trouble breaking things...:D

The way you will see the money return from a mossberg is they are in a special niche market right now as a low dough HD gun. I could sell my 20 gauge 500 for twenty more than I bought it for 20 years ago... $190 for an 18 inch factory black gun when I pais $170...
Is the higgins a dual action bar? Who made them?
Brent
 
Brent,

If I remember correctly it is a dual bar gun. I didn’t look over it as close as I should and am not a shotgun guy. I was impressed with the feel, heft, and smooth function of the gun along with the cheap price. I have all of my guns modified to fit me and my needs so I am not interested in resale value.

As far as who made it I am not sure, I cannot remember what the exact model number was to look it up. I am going to stop by the shop on Monday to talk about another project; I'll get the model number then and look it up.

I have sold guns in the past but they were all firearms that I bought as investments. Firearms that I buy for use are rarely sold.
 
Same here... All my guns are "for use" so not for sale...
I used to engrave the frames of all with my DL# and "NOT FOR SALE, TRADE OR PAWN" Kinda ruins their value and keeps me in line when low on money!:o
Brent
 
True but I have handled Mossberg’s and there is no comparison to the Higgins, their (Mossberg's) alloy receivers don’t impress me. Besides I have shotguns for hunting I didn’t need another.
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I have no qualms with your choice of the Higgins. In fact, almost any repeating shotgun is a decent choice.

As for you statement that the alloy receiver, Browning, Mossberg, Winchester, FN, Benelli, and others have been using allow receivers for many decades with no problems.
 
As for you statement that the alloy receiver, Browning, Mossberg, Winchester, FN, Benelli, and others have been using allow receivers for many decades with no problems.
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I don’t so much see a problem with them and I haven’t heard of any real problems it is just a preference of mine for the receivers on my firearms to be steel. I also will only use steel bases and rings, not because the alloy models are inferior (I'm not saying alloy anything is inferior) just because I don’t like them, lol.
 
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It sounds like a good setup. I'm considering doing the exact same chop on a 870, no accessories, and leaving it cylinder. Frankly, the less money spent, the better - it's going to sit at home and be relatively unused, like most HD guns.

Financially, there's no advantage to spending twice as much for an unmeasurable increment of "performance." And purchasing a used firearm works even better - the future resale value is entirely independent of the market's past performance, and I've got the indexed futures fund to prove it. To be truly valuable as a collectable, it practically has to be unused, stored in museum grade conditions, be a rare variation, and entirely unavailable otherwise. Another JC Higgins shooter won't rate much appreciation, chopped or not.

By then, a whole subculture of collecting could be centered on the early 2000's gun scare guns, just like half a dozen other collectibles. It certainly won't hurt it's utility value - it's still going to be a good shooter.

Chopping good used shotguns for HD makes a lot of sense - no worries about banging up the finish, making repairs or minor alterations that make sense, keeps the market on guns moving, and shuts down the overhyped tacticool shotgun makers that have been fleecing gunowners for the last 25 years. The last thing most need is a PG rail gun with multiple lumen sources - most owners don't even practice enough to find the switches in the right order, much less train in a shooting house with live ammo. The whole concept of the virtuous homeowner blasting the BG with one is a fantasy entertained by the youthful and misdirected. Their most effective application seems to be as source material for video game programmers.

Get out a shoot a crate or two, get muscle memory for how it works, try to schedule some workouts in an urban environment - you'll be way ahead of the typical black shotgun toter showing off his "entry team special" at the local range to his buddies . . .
 
True but I have handled Mossberg’s and there is no comparison to the Higgins, their (Mossberg's) alloy receivers don’t impress me.
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They impressed the US military enough to issue them for combat. I doubt that your home defense shotgun will see harder use than combat. The military still issues shotguns with aluminum receivers (Benellis and Mossbergs). But it's your money spend it how you like and enjoy.

As far as a bandolier goes I don’t get that, how does that help you in a self defense situation? Sure If I were awaiting the fall of society maybe but for home intrusion I don’t see the need for a bandolier as it is one more thing to look for and fiddle with when you could be addressing the threat at hand.
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Let me explain it to you. I've been out of ammo (didn't own any) in a home defense situation and it's a sick feeling. I will never be short on ready ammo in another. Second, 4rds just might not be enough, especially in a home invasion situation which often involve 4 bad guys. I'm a good shot but I have been known to miss once in a blue moon. These days I live in a nice middle class neighborhood in a small town but I still keep 4 loaded spare mags next my 45, and a bandoleer of 00 buck on a coat hook by my bed. I just toss a robe over it so that isn't visible to guests. Nothing has to be looked for. Grab the shotty with one hand and slip the bandoleer on with the other.
 
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They impressed the US military enough to issue them for combat. I doubt that your home defense shotgun will see harder use than combat. The military still issues shotguns with aluminum receivers (Benellis and Mossbergs). But it's your money spend it how you like and enjoy.
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I'm sure they were more impressed with the $1.95 they could buy them for rather than the quality and ruggedness of the product.

Again I never said anything bad about them I simply said that I prefer steel.

Let me explain it to you. I've been out of ammo (didn't own any) in a home defense situation and it's a sick feeling. I will never be short on ready ammo in another.
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Understood. I'm hoping that in the even that I have to use it that the first few shots will scare the "you know what" out of however many intruders there are. I always have my 40 in the nightstand so I'm sure I'll grab that also in the event of an actual emergency.

Thank you for the input, thats something to think about. Now you kind of got me thinking about the whole ammo thing.
 
I have a bandolier but for typical home defense

First off I wouldn't want to be witnessed shooting a home invader while wearing a bandolier...the Rambo look doesn't sit well with jurors. I have one, coming out of Katrina where wearing one (didn't have one then) while you sit on your front porch would be par for the course. I don't keep mine (I have one now) loaded as I feared the shells would stretch out the elastic holders maybe, so it sits in my emergency box.
 
First off I wouldn't want to be witnessed shooting a home invader while wearing a bandolier...the Rambo look doesn't sit well with jurors.
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  1. If you shoot an intruder in your home nobody is going to care if you have a bandoleer. You aren't chasing people down the street, you're in your own home.
  2. I'd rather explain a bandoleer than run out of ammo. Not many bad guys let you call a time out to get more.
  3. Who cares if the elastic stretches? I'll spend the $25 every 4-5 years for a new one.
 
First off I wouldn't want to be witnessed shooting a home invader while wearing a bandolier...the Rambo look doesn't sit well with jurors.
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You are right but I have to say..."I don’t care what they think". Chances are you aren’t wearing it anyway but rather have it in hand or draped over a shoulder or something as most home invasions don’t allow you time to outfit yourself, you have to act and act fast.

There were 3 armed home invasions over the weekend about 30 miles from here, one victim was shot but is expected to make a full recovery. Not next door but too close for my comfort. I will be on my smith today about finishing my shotgun ASAP. I am now thinking about carrying (handgun) while I am home as these invasions where in broad daylight. Two of the homes were occupied by the families when they occurred.
 
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