Shotgun Question(s)

Nay, a lot of years using a particular type gun is no training for a self defensive, survival situation.
A different subject, altogether
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V-n-LA

I'll miss my guess if the above post by g.willikers was directed more towards the OP rather then to your post.
OP's post:

Hopefully someone here will interject with an "aye", a "nay", or a "maybe", as to whether this should be training "enough" (I tend to lean toward "yes" on this), though either way your point is very well-taken
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I'm sure g.willikers will correct me if I'm wrong.

Ambidextrous

I hope I did not offend you by suggesting a shotgun HD/SD course. Apologies if I did. Was not my intentions.
As your post stated 'handling' your Winchester, that can mean many things from hunting, shooting clays, up to and including being proficient in SD/HD.

If you are comfortable using a 30" bbl for this purpose, by all means have at it. It would not be my ideal choice for reasons I have learned in various course's I have taken.
 
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Shortwave you did not offend me at all..not in the least.

I, on the other hand, am guilty of "reading" (scanning) that reply and thinking it said "safety" course, which as others have mentioned is different from home/self-defense/survival training.

Thanks again to all !
 
BigJimP said:
I've never seen a gun chambered in 3" ....that wouldn't cycle 2 3/4" shells reliably ( if the gun is properly maintained )...but there might be some out there.
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Like a 3" Franchi AL48, Jim.

Other 3" chambered long-recoil autoloaders might likely be a good candidate, but I can't say for sure, never owning an A5, etc.

Although, my long-recoil .410 Remington 11-48 cycles both lengths just fine. (Go figure :rolleyes: )



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Ambidextrous,

I too had several decades of field sporting use of the shotgun under my belt before I ever got a chance to take my first defensive shotgun class. There are a lot of things that experience helped with - and some important things it did not.

Quail hunting over a dog is good basic training for defensive shotgun use in a lot of ways. If you are a safe and successful quail hunter you have learned to deal with important things - moving safely with a loaded gun, keeping up with 'friendlies,' controlling your impulses (not to mention your startle reaction), watching your footing, etc.

But defensive shotgunning has some major differences. For instance, in the field, muzzle up is the rule of the day. In defensive shotgunning it's muzzle down (to help avoid an assailant getting under your gun and disarming you). That may seem inisignificant, but it's actually a big deal. Keeping the gun fed and running is a major skill not needed often if at all in the hunting field.

The biggest thing is learning appropriate tactics - doves, quail, deer and rabbits don't shoot back...

If you get the chance, spend three days with Louis Awerbuck while he's still on the road. You won't regret it...
 
Don't assume that a "field length shotgun" ....can't be used for "Defense"....you can pull the plug on the model 12 and get at least 4 of the 2 3/4" shells in there....and even if its a 28" barrel...its just fine for Defense...although its not an optimal "Fighting Shotgun" ....most of us are just dealing with Defense ...not Tactically clearing a big building...

A model 12 will be fine ....if its a Mod choke or less ....not with a Full choke probably ....for " OO " loads especially.
 
Training

Nay, a lot of years using a particular type gun is no training for a self defensive, survival situation.
A different subject, altogether
Click to expand...

There is probably no really effective training for an actual self defense/survival situation short of being in such situations repeatedly. No training requires the trainee to make a for real decision about whether or not to take a life. No real training involves real threats to our loved ones. No training involves the very real possibility that we could be killed.
Maybe it is better than nothing....
With any luck at all, any training that you take will end up never being tested.
(Statistically, 90% of the things that we worry about on a daily basis never happen. I suspect that the rate is even higher for the scenarios discussed here)
pete
 
I wouldn't run from any good shotgun just because it had a 2 3/4" chamber. FWIW I've has a close look (sometimes closer than I liked) at several LE uses of the shotgun and none of them went over four rounds, including one that involved two officers engaging a handgun armed suspect.

Any garden-variety 2 3/4" slug or 00 buck load will settle accounts just fine at home defense ranges.
 
2 3/4 is more than adequate. I use 2 3/4 Federal 000, but now that I live in a trailer and my neighbor lives in a trailer, I switched to 3 inch #4. I use a Stoegor o/u. I can fire 2 very quick shots, I doubt I'd ever need more. I also keep an elastic shell holder filled on the stock. I also have a Rossi Circuit Judge in .410/.45 Colt. I use Horandy LeveRevolution .45 Colt in it. It's the gun I'd grab before anything else. It's compact, surprisingly fits me well, not over powered but still has plenty to take someone down, very reliable, and although its not a big deal its very quiet.
Taking a long barreled hunting gun for home defense seems a big crazy. I took my Marlin Model 55 Goose Gun squirrel hunting this year twice, it took some getting used to carrying in the woods. I can only imagine carrying that in the house. My gun being the Goose Gun model has a 36 inch barrel, with the butt on the floor the muzzle end of the barrel is about 2 inches lower than my arm pit. I'd never use it for home defense. In my mind, more compact guns are the best. That's why I like my Rossi. They also make a 28 gauge version.
 
To all shooters out there. Only shoot the shells in your shotgun that is annotated on the barrel to shoot.

Two: you won't notice a diff between shooting water fowl with a 2 & 3/4 inch and a 3" shell. The 3 incher is a bit better, but don't worry about it. If you are "on the bird" you'll kill it no matter which shell you are shooting.

A 3" magnum shotgun shell is all anyone will ever need to kill ducks/geese. I usually shoot the shorter shell and do about okay.
 
Any gun, that I have ever encountered that will shoot a 3" shell will also handle the 2&3/4 inch shell. I usually shoot the shorter shell unless I'm off on an expensive hunt. While it is true that the 3" shell is a better killer you really won't see much diff between shooting it and the longer shell.

Comparing shotgun shells is a bit like "magnum mania". Usually a 30/06 round will do as well as a 300 Win Mag.

On high flying geese, I'm a 3" guy, when on passing mallards, it is the shorter shell for me.
 
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