Should I get a shotgun for HD?

A

AK71

New member
I'm new to guns and have been reading articles/discussions about best HD options. My only experience with shotguns is holding a few in stores and the heft is a little intimidating. I feel fairly comfortable with the advantages/disadvantages but not which factors I should weigh the most heavily. No matter the decision, I will have a handgun close by but I need convincing to add a shotgun. Here is a my situation, please let me know what you would do:

1) I live in a generally suburban area interspersed with farmland (subrural?)
2) My house is two-stories in a subdivision with 1/3 to 1/2 acre lots
3) I have two children under 10
4) My state is gun-friendly and I've already joined a club that has practice facilities
5) I'm 6'2" and in pretty good shape

Those were the types of issues I saw mentioned but I'm probably missing some decision points.

Fire away!
 
I personally prefer a handgun for self defense in the home for a few reasons. First the handgun will be much easier to store and secure when not in use than a long gun/shotgun. Secondly the handgun will be much easier to maneuver within the confines of a home. Thirdly, it is easier to control shot placement and to assure projectiles may not hit an unintended target.

Now, having said this a lot of folks like shotguns for home defense, so not saying it’s wrong just prefer handguns.
 
I have two children under 10
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Another reason why I like a shotgun for HD.

My 12 year old daughter, who respects guns and knows how to use them, has a hard time chambering a round in my 870., due to the length of pull on the slide.

I'm sure there are as many opinions as there are stars in the sky.

IMHO, use whatever you can afford to practice, practice, practice with.

Confidence in your ability to act accordingly when faced with a life and death situation is the most important thing.
 
Shotgun for HD

My main reason for keeping a shotgun as part of my HD plan is the decreased chance of harming a neighbor or damaging their property, assuming my ammo is not 00 buck or close to it. A bullet from a handgun can go through several walls before stopping. I live in a detached house with houses in all four directions.
Also, the sound that a shotgun makes when chambering a round could possibly be enough to make a bad guy change his mind about invading my home. I don't keep a round in the chamber because they can go off if you drop them in that condition. No children live in my house, just me and wifey. YMMV
 
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I prefer a shotgun. I do not have kids in the house so keeping it within easy reach while I'm home is not a concern.

I'm not saying I couldn't hit someone while shooting a pistol, who busts into my house in the middle of the night and wakes me up, but I do know hitting them with buck shot is gonna be easier.

I use a Remington 870 18" bl and extended mag for hd duty.
 
A shotgun is considered to be one of the best weapons for self defense because of its stopping power at close range which tends to be the range in which most home defense scenarios occur. This does not mean they are for everyone. Most people will recommend a shotgun if you do not have to clear the house because if you do not have to you should not be searching for trouble. You having kids changes that because obviously your first priority would be to get to them to defend them from the threat. A shotgun is not the most mobile as mentioned by BarryLee and makes it possible for the intruder to disarm you if there is a "gun grab" scenario. However with that being said you should not rule out the shotgun. You should also try a handgun and see what you are more comfortable with and remember that one of the golden rules is to practice. No matter what firearm you choose you need to train yourself on it to make your job of defending your home efficient.
 
Thanks for the responses! Some of the things touched upon that were making me hesitant are:

1) With the smaller kids, where to keep the gun handy
2) Being able to practice and the time to get proficient
3) Overall maneuverability

I definitely like what I've read/heard in terms of buckshot vs bullet for penetration in the home and stopping ability (although I did read one report that said this was exaggerated). I know the "need to be less accurate" argument isn't as significant as some would like to believe, however, I think there is validity when your handgun groupings are not quite as tight like mine (yet!) or if accuracy will degrade in a real BG scenario.

Right now I feel pretty comfortable with my 9mm and would rather take the time to get really proficient unless a shotgun is simply a better option. I'm thinking the plan should be to master the handgun and then add the shotgun down the line...
 
amazon has cheap gun racks to keep them away from children.

i have a sawed off 12 ga, head light, and shell belt to take a defensive position, not walk around looking for intruders.

a shotgun has a better chance of stopping an intruder than a handgun. too many times someone will shoot a bad guy with a handgun only to get shot right back.

some intruders may be smart and wear body armor. head shots are easy with #4 buck(not #4 shot).

know the distance you may have to shoot(10 yards for me) and test all kinds of buckshot see how they pattern. #1 buck pattern very weird for me. 00 buck, not enough pellets imo. #4 buck is impressive in my shotgun. i only buy 2 3/4" shells means more shots.

good luck finding any buckshot in stores. i can't. sometimes midway has some.
 
A handgun and a shotgun is a good HD combination. The handgun you can have with you and is more handy if you have to move through the house. But f someone is trying to break in through a window, front door or bedroom door I would prefer to greet them with a shotgun from a protected position.
 
A handgun and a shotgun is a good HD combination. The handgun you can have with you and is more handy if you have to move through the house. But f someone is trying to break in through a window, front door or bedroom door I would prefer to greet them with a shotgun from a protected position.
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Agreed, once you can secure both items (handgun and shotgun) Assuming there is two of you that wield a firearm and she is willing to do training with either. You may have to make change up in the caliber, 20ga vs. 12ga.

Hell ya, When my wife gets her shoulder issues work out I totally plan on her backing me up with a rifle/shotgun or handgun.

Bottom line I guess is don't over commit to just one weapon system. Maybe one at a time to learn and save up ( I know that is hard, I almost bought a used rem 870 that had never had a shell put in it that had a weapons lite and rails all over it for $400 :eek: I know kick me right, when I came to my senses I called them and it was gone.)
 
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12ga shotgun? NO!

In general I'd advise NOT to buy a pump action 12ga or semi-auto for home protection. I'd suggest a simple, well engineered DA(double action) or double action only(DA only, no spur or cocking) revolver.

A 12ga or 16ga/410 shotshell may be practical under some applications but not for a entry level gun owner or for a sub-urban area.
Keep in mind, that in a high stress critical incident like a home invasion or break-in, you will have your hands full; phone, flashlight or "white light", opening doors or curtains, dressing, holding a rail or a child's hand etc.
A shotgun or M4 type weapon takes 2 hands. It is also subject to a snatch or a retention issue. There is a great YouTube clip where a firearms instructor displays this point in detail in a normal 2 story suburban type home.

Check into a stainless steel Ruger GP100 with a 3"-6" barrel, a S&W L frame 686+ 7 round .357magnum, a Rhino .357 magnum DA only, 3"-6" barrel, a Ruger SP101 DA only .357magnum or a LCR(.38spl or .357magnum).
DA only type pistols or revolvers allow you to avoid bogus claims of cocking a hammer or firing in a unsafe or reckless way. Many sworn US police agencies have issued or authorized DA only sidearms for years(LAPD NYPD US Border Patrol US Secret Service FAMs/air marshals).
Only use factory made rounds too, no reloads or hand-loads for home defense.
If you have the $ or budget, the S&W M&P R8 .357 magnum(8 rounds) with a CT Lasergrip or 1913 white-light/laser(green) could do very well.

It's big but low recoil & can be fired one-handed if needed.
Learn & understand your areas gun laws & use of force standards.
Take a tactics or skill training class. It will document your concern for proper training & safe gun use if you have a use of force incident.
Remember too that a firearm is only a PART of your home security plan or system. You need to deal with other factors too(locks, alarms, lights, dogs-pets, duress codes-passwords, etc).
Check these sources for more details; www.gunlawguide.com www.nra.org www.deltapress.com www.blackhawk.com www.policehq.com www.handgunlaw.us www.gunzilla.us www.weaponshield.com www.jgsales.com www.gunsamerica.com www.sgammo.com www.nra.org www.safariland.com www.paladin-press.com www.grafs.com www.gunvideo.com www.
 
consider a 20 ga...

A shotgun is a good home defense option - especially for "get to the kids, and stay put once the 911 call is made" - negates the gun grab arguments. A youth sized 20 ga is perfect for this - put on an 18" barrel, mabe a mag extension. 20's have 90% of the payload with 75% of 12 gauge recoil- largest commercial shot loads have 20 pellets of #3 buckshot - that's 1/4" diameter, so like 20, plus sized .22s per trigger pull, at the same velocity. Important to pattern - mine is lousy with Federal, but about 6" at 7 yards (with a modified Remchoke) with Remington or Winchester. Light, handy, controllable. I put a tritium bead on mine - converted a LW Wingmaster I hadn't been using.
 
Shotguns are excellent for home defense as are pistols and carbines in the pistol calibers.

The question should be what type of firearm are you most proficient with.

If you are better with the shotgun then that is what you should use.

Given the ranges at which HD encounters occur, the spread of the shot is not significant even with an open bore shotgun. It is very easy to miss at close ranges with a shotgun.
 
How about a "judge" revolver....which allows you to chamber either .45 long colt or a .410 shot? Seems to me that it would combine the best of the two - a handgun which is quicker to handle and also leaving your other hand free to operate flashlight, light switch, opening/closing doors....as well as having the spread of a shotgun without fear of massive penetration into other nearby houses/neighbors?
 
This is next to my bed. In my dresser drawer, next to the shotgun, is a Glock 19 w/tac light. Nothing wrong with a shotgun.

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I would get a shotgun, but rather than an 870 I like the 11-87.
Kept in good working order the chances of it jamming are about the same as the pump action.

And I would just keep it under the bed at night and then lock it away in a gun cabinet during the day.
If the cabinet is handy its not going to take more than 30 seconds to put away and get out.

You know what kids are like, tell them a million times not to touch something and one day their curiosity will get the better of them, and if not them it might get the better of one of their friends.
 
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