Whats your Home Defense Shotgun?

I don't use the shotgun as my primary because I live in a two bedroom condo right now. Lots of corners and short hallways. Throw in lots of furniture packed in small rooms, and it doesn't leave lots of room to work with a 26" barreled long gun.

My go-to right now is my every day carry gun, a Springfield G.I. in .45 Auto. I am looking for a 18-20" barrel (or a 21" off of a youth model), but those selling a used barrel want $200, and a new one is $225-250 when I can find one.........I only paid $230 for the shotgun brand new. When I find a shorter barrel, the shotgun will get bumped up a notch in the Home Defense weapons ranking, but until then, I will stick with my pistol.
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I agree with you that the 26" shotgun is not as good as the Springfield, the Springfield is the better choice, Trying to move around with a long barrel gun puts you at a disadvantage.
 
I have the utmost respect for a scatter gun at close range, its just doesn't work too well for me right now. At this point, there are also two of my nieces and my brother's baby-momma sleeping on the couch in the other room (talk about a soap opera........:( ), so the shotgun would have to be secured in the safe every morning before work, and taken out again when I got home, whereas the pistol goes with me when I leave anyway, so I don't have to worry about the kids getting into trouble with a gun while the baby-momma is too busy watching t.v. and checking Facebook to watch them.
 
I don't understand why a person would not want a shot gun as a go to gun.
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A few reasons:
1. Pellet spread combined with possibility of innocents nearby. If one can barricade and keep the family behind the gun, ok. But, if there's a possibility that a precise shot must be taken, a single projectile might be preferable. Federal Flite Control and simple understanding of how the gun/load patterns is helpful here. One doesn't necessarily have to have a huge home, however, to start getting into ranges where spread must be taken into account.

2. Pumps require two hands to operate. I've gone through a supervised training exercise with simmunitions that had me on the phone with 911 when the bad guy charged (I mean charged) through the bedroom door. The first shot had to be fired one-handed. Dropping the phone and racking for a second shot took a really long time under those circumstances. Which brings up...

3. Semi-auto shotguns are pricey. Some would say they don't have the universal reputation for reliability that pumps have. Except that...

4. Some believe practical reliability of a pump is over-rated. Mechanically, not much goes wrong with a good pump. However, under stress, short stroking can and does happen. Human malfunctions are still malfunctions.

5. Even reduced-recoil 12 gauge buck kicks harder than most pistols or carbines. Can the user consistently control it in awkward, off-balance positions?

I'm not saying this makes the shotgun a bad choice, just that people may assign different pros/cons to it depending on their circumstances.
 
I dont always use a shotgun for home defense,

but when I do, I prefer the same one I hunt deer with. Short barrel, and I know how to use it having killed a bunch of deer with the thing.

Use what you want but make sure you can use it.

No. 2 plated goose shot is a good HD round if you dont want to go to 00.
 
"Err I cringe whenever I see high power rounds in a shotgun for home defense. A Rem 870 loaded with bird shot is sufficient, if pellets miss you don't want them flying through walls. Just the standard walmart 870 express Magnum. "

....mmm no. And if you are banking on the use of birdshot to reduce the chance of "overpenetrate" etc, re-think that one hard. I've tested it -(another post,elsewhere) extensively.
#4 and #6 will penetrate clean through almost everything in the home that 00 will,even in the "lowly" .410 loads. It may not do so with quiet as much power-but it will indeed blow clean through just about every wall in a common, modern-built house, and even through steel/metal exterior doors. Folks who are relying on, and advising others, of that internet myth are going to get someone seriously hurt or killed someday.

As for my shotty. NEF 870 type, 18.5" with combo light/laster clamped to muzzle-end/mag tube, and, just recently, installed the Tru-Glow green fiber front sight.
Loaded with 5 rounds (none kept in chamber) Winchester 00, plus 5 more on the sling. Planning on Hydra Shok slugs on the saddle for outdoors/distance shots.
 
A "Chin-chester" model 97 trench gun:

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Benelli M3 super 90 with #4, no worry about penetration problems, I live in the country and its just me and my wife in the house.

Nice looking gun orsogato:)
 
im not doubting any one here but how do people get so many rounds in there shot guns with an 18 inch barrel on an 870? I can get 5+1 and my tube is only about 1/2 an inch short of the end of the barrel with a 1 shot extension. :(
 
Home Defense Shotguns

2-12Gauge-1100 Remingtons -9 Round Slug Barrels-Laser & Light
1-Norinco 1897 Winchester Copy 5 Round Trench Gun - Laser & Light
All Loaded with 00 & 000 High Brass Buck
 
Cruncher Block: said:
...However, under stress, short stroking can and does happen. Human malfunctions are still malfunctions...
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:o Cruncher is absolutely right. When this happens it is devestating. It only happened to me once 37 years ago, but it still haunts me to this day.

Deja Vu: said:
im not doubting any one here but how do people get so many rounds in there shot guns with an 18 inch barrel on an 870? I can get 5+1 and my tube is only about 1/2 an inch short of the end of the barrel with a 1 shot extension.
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My 870 came with a mag tube that is the same length as the 18 1/2" barrel. It holds 6+1. There is a longer extension that is used for the 21" barrels that is a 7+1.
 
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Got this for a great deal. Now it is my HD gun...

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Smith and Wesson model 3000 M&P with Speedfeed stocks 16.5 inch barrel.

Beentown
 
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