Which HD Shotgun

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If the barrel of the RIA M5 can't be swapped for at least a field barrel, I would stay away from it. I glanced at its web site and didn't see where barrels could be purchased. Looking at a video, the barrel is threaded into the receiver. It isn't secured to the mag tube via a cap over the barrel lug. There is no cap to remove which keeps you from using a magazine extension. This is limited to use as a security gun. I would go with the 870, 500/Maverick.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz1qTJ6j7N4
 
I keep a Rem 870 20ga Youth model loaded with 00 Buck. Very reliable, affordable, easy to repair and quite handy for the tight spaces of a home. Found one basically unused for $250 a couple of years ago.
 
Not the brightest idea. Do you carry a Jennings or other cheap gun because of the same thought process?
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My Maverick is not a "grenade" because it cost less than some premium shotgun. Budget doesn't mean garbage and I would trust my life and the safety of my family and home with my Maverick. And I would have no qualms putting it against much much more expensive brands.

My $20 Nikes are just as durable and comfortable as the $200 Nikes. Neither help me run faster or jump higher. I don't need the flash to feel good about myself or feel safer. I need function.

Wish I had the financial freedom to look down on inexpensive firearms. Must be real liberating.
 
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I doubt those parts even wear. That is unless you sit there all day/week/year... and flick it back and forth. Hardest part is removing the oneway screw and that isn't that hard either.
 
I owned the H&R Pardner protecter pump and I own the Maverick 88 SP 18.5 6shot 12ga. that I keep for HD duties . the H&R now does HD duties at my daughter's house when she and the S I L and kids moved up to the north woods. these are 2 shotgun's I would recommend without a second thought .HTH
 
My Maverick is not a "grenade" because it cost less than some premium shotgun. Budget doesn't mean garbage and I would trust my life and the safety of my family and home with my Maverick. And I would have no qualms putting it against much much more expensive brands.

My $20 Nikes are just as durable and comfortable as the $200 Nikes. Neither help me run faster or jump higher. I don't need the flash to feel good about myself or feel safer. I need function.

Wish I had the financial freedom to look down on inexpensive firearms. Must be real liberating.
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Ya, know, if you are going to quote me, then quote the WHOLE thing instead of taking a snippet to make some snarky, illogical jab and insult
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Budget is the idea not just because of low use, but also in the event of actual home defense, you will possibly lose that gun to police evidence.
Not the brightest idea. Do you carry a Jennings or other cheap gun because of the same thought process?

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Should you ever need to use it for home defense, it has to be reliable,
^^^^ THIS should be the deciding factor. IF the cheapest gun is also reliable, then you get a win-win. If it isn't, then you get a lose-lose.
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:rolleyes:
 
I am an advocate of the Maverick, no secret there. One thing that I had to overcome when I first shot it was the slide release lever. It is located at the rear left side of the trigger guard. There were a couple times in the beginning when I was catching the release with my ring finger. It would open the action just enough to keep the gun from firing. This was always on a follow up shot. I noticed it while shooting clays. I haven't had a problem since as I pay attention not to touch it unintentionally.

It would be one of the only negatives I could come up with and something to keep in mind.
 
FITASC, I quoted the part where you insulted my intelligence because that is what I disagreed with. I did make a snarky comment and I shouldn't have. For that I apologize. I'm over it and don't want to sidetrack this thread anymore.

Maverick 88.
Reliable
Multiple configurations
Mechanically identical to an M500, except safety location
Crossbolt safety easier to reach with any stock/pistol grip
Easy to strip with not alot of parts
Lots of aftermarket
Assembled in the USA....Eagle Pass Texas
Low maintenance with composite stock and forend, polymer trigger group and aluminum receiver.
Inexpensive and readily available.
 
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When I was looking for a HD shotgun I went went with a Mossberg 500 and used it for many years. I recently picked up a Remington 870 and have thought about giving it a try. Good luck with your decision, just be sure to run the gun to make sure it functions and shoots good and i'm sure what ever you pick will make you happy. Dont count out a good 20ga if you run across one.
 
Hi,

I have this one:
54301-catalog.jpg

Source of Picture: http://www.mossberg.com/product/500-...e-stock-54301/.

Check as well the round ball discussion for 12 ga or 20 ga in this thread. https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6411229#post6411229

just buy a 20 ga. Less recoil and it will get you defended.

This particular gun has no flaws whatsoever. But my 12 ga started to not load reliably anymore (is an Mossberg 500 Turkey THUG gun). So the Shell stop and the other Metall arm got exchanged and since then it loads allways.
Mossberg has issues with those 2 steel rods/arms fail to load Shells.
Remington 887 I had once did never have that Problem but it's turning bolt was a pain in the ass and did never work from new on till it got a grind and sanded off since then it worked flawless.
Remingtons are a bit more reliable but the Mossbergs are the nicer guns and better build Quality.
 
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g.willikers said:
But, in the final analysis, success in home defense is far more about the defender than the weapon.
So, don't forget the training aspect.
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This. When folks talk about an HD gun getting low use, they're overlooking something vital, which is that if you're going to rely on a weapon for defense, you need to train, train, train with it until running it under all sorts of conditions is automatic. We're talking about hundreds if not thousands of rounds.

That ain't what I call "low use."

That said, any moderately priced pump shotgun (Mossberg 500, Remington 870, Maverick... whatever) will likely outlast you. If you want to save money, just stay away from the fancy "tacticool" models and get a standard one, or a youth model with a 24" barrel. To save more money, buy a used one.
 
I would not know what is there so hard to Train on with an pump shotgun.
100's rounds I can understand but 1000's of rounds for Training is a bit much exagerated since that is costly.

Just fire a box of rounds, know were it shoots and it's effective range and basically you are gotten trained enough.
 
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Just fire a box of rounds, know were it shoots and it's effective range and basically you are gotten trained enough
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Not quite, Actually, not even close. In the words of Dave McCracken, the late TFL staff member for whom this forum is now named:

...won't see 1000 rounds...."
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Bad idea and bad preparation. There's way more good defensive shotguns out there than good defensive shotgunners.

The shotgun is not A Magic Amulet, shielding one from evil by its mere presence. WE have to become effective to make our shotguns effective.

Go shoot yours. Clays, starlings, landfill rats,steel plates, whatever. Run that round count up until it's a body part and not just a tool you're holding.

Install some wear marks and see how well it responds and how lightning fast it destroys that which you want so.

Mindset, skillset, then toolset.
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I can't say it better than that, and no one develops that level of familiarity with a particular gun by firing one box of rounds. If you're serious about defending yourself, then it's your life you're going to be defending, right? How much time and effort is that worth to you? Quite a lot, I hope.
 
I bought a short-barreled H&R Pardner Pump. It's a Chinese copy of the Remington 870, imported by the same company that owns Remington. Cheap and reliable. You will want a limbsaver.
 
It is true what McCracken says.
But maybe it is better just stay to the hardware discussion.

Or had anyone of you ever shot an human person?
I have not.
So in that very moment I would not know if I would pull the trigger.

I do not believe training with the shotgun can overcome the psicological effect not to shoot at an human even if self defense is justified.

So in that light I believe a box of 25 rounds is enough training to rack 'em one in the face if you hear something strange at nigth. If you can pull the trigger then a box of 25 is training enough.
Over here one shot birdshot #5 has killed people.
 
Guy, if you're not sure you could actually shoot someone in self-defense, you shouldn't own guns for that purpose. This is one of the reasons, incidentally, why anyone who plans to use a gun for self-defense needs not only a lot of practice, but practice under stress (such as competition in "run-and-gun" games) and professional training in self-defense tactics. One of the purposes of such training is to expose you to what it might be like to shoot a human being, and also to teach you what counts as self-defense and what doesn't. Based on the following statement, I'd say your understanding of the latter is a bit weak.
So in that light I believe a box of 25 rounds is enough training to rack 'em one in the face if you hear something strange at nigth.
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This would at best be extremely irresponsible, and at worst could land you in jail for a very long time. One of the most basic concepts here is that you must identify your target.

Also, I'd like everyone to note that expressions like "rack 'em one in the face" don't go over very well here.

As to this not being relevant to the "hardware" discussion, it's very much so. The reason for bringing up the need to practice was to refute the idea that one wouldn't fire a self-defense gun much, so it didn't have to be particularly durable. The point is that the opposite is true.
 
I think we can all agree that reliability is paramount. It isn't something to scoff at, but I feel like we're just spinning our wheels arguing about it. Nobody wants an unreliable firearm for any purpose.
 
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