home defense shotgun selection
- Thread starter rock n roll kid
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Doug M.
Member
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I'm confused. I had a 590 before it was stolen, and my department had 500s. I never had an issue with the slide release as a lefty. I'm sort of looking at a double for a house gun, but it needs to easily mount a light and maybe an Aimpoint. I have been confused by seeing the 20" barrels on the (Stoegers, I think) - can't figure out why so long since they should still be well over 26" OAL with an 18" barrel.
I'll probably end up going with another Vang modified 590, with a sling mount compatible with my M4gery, a good light, and H1.
Almost no reason to spend a lot of money on a brand new Mossy when it's so easy to find great deals on used ones. I have several around the house.
This one started as a regular 500, then I got the twenty inch barrel and longer mag tube as a kit from Brownells, added an orange aluminum mag follower and turned it into an almost 590.
Plastic trigger guard is a non issue for me. Have banged these things around for years and never had a problem with one. Brownells does carry a steel trigger group if you're really wanting to upgrade.
This one started as a regular 500, then I got the twenty inch barrel and longer mag tube as a kit from Brownells, added an orange aluminum mag follower and turned it into an almost 590.
Plastic trigger guard is a non issue for me. Have banged these things around for years and never had a problem with one. Brownells does carry a steel trigger group if you're really wanting to upgrade.
My old 8-shot Mossberg 500A has kept the bad guys away for 22 years now, so I guess it's doing a good job. I've fired many, many thousands of rounds through it over the years, and other than a new mag tube spring back in the late 90s it's never needed a thing.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the Gander Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia. They had a couple of "tactical" SxS Stoeger shotguns. They were black and had a rail mounted under the lower rib.
I have shot the Remington 870s, 2 3/4" and 3". I have also shot Mossbergs, Ithaca 37s, and Stevens.
My defense shotgun is an original Winchester 1897 with a 18 1/4" barrel. I carried it in my patrol car for a number of years.
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m1gunner
US Veteran
The 870 gets the edge as far as I am concerned mainly because far more accessories, barrels, etc available for them.
I have an older 500 and it does have only one action bar (just checked), but it has never given a hint of a problem.
I really prefer the 870 safety over the top mounted Mossy only because just about every other long gun I have has a safety in the trigger guard, not on top of the receiver. If the Mossy was the only thing I had or ever shot, I am sure I would learn to prefer that top safety.
I have an older 500 and it does have only one action bar (just checked), but it has never given a hint of a problem.
I really prefer the 870 safety over the top mounted Mossy only because just about every other long gun I have has a safety in the trigger guard, not on top of the receiver. If the Mossy was the only thing I had or ever shot, I am sure I would learn to prefer that top safety.
I've had two 870 Wingmasters and loved them but really a Winchester Model 12 is the Rolls Royce of home defense shotguns. Just hold the trigger back and pump. This one was built in 1946.
The slide release is on the left side, directly behind the trigger guard. For me, the knuckle on my middle finger strikes the release and allows the slide to open under recoil. Maybe it's just the way I grip the gun, but under stress I'm probably not going to be focused on repositioning my hand to keep it clear of the release. On the 870, with the release forward of the trigger guard on the left side, it's not an issue. I can reach it with my trigger finger to actuate it.
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michael thornton
Member
get the 870 but a mod 12 winchester is right up there at the top!
I just made a 20 gage HD gun for my wife out of a New Haven 600 (Mossberg 500) that had a 28 inch Polychoke barrel. Paid $115 for the gun. Cut the barrel to 19 inches. Put an ATI AR 15 style butt-stock on it and a ghost ring sight heat shield and now she has a nice, slick intimidating looking HD gun for $200.
She shoots it very well too.
My HD shotgun is a Mossberg 500 12 gage with the 18.5 inch cylinder bore barrel and a 6 round Tac-Star receiver mounted ammo carrier. If I can't stop it with 11 rounds of 12 gage, there is a major problem.
GatorFarmer
Member
That is the longest a shotgun thread has gone in a while with no one mentioning that you really want an M4 clone... AK... whatnot. Strange. Someone do that so that we can achieve closure.
I have tried many different shotguns over the years. I have one make now, it is the Rem. 870.
This is my main home defense shotgun. I bought a older Rem Express 870 and bought a blackhawk stock, a magazine tube extension and a used slug barrel with sights. I have $310 into this gun.
It is loaded with slugs. The chamber is empty and the trigger is in the "fired" condition and saftey off. It sits by the sliding glass door, just out of sight.
The reason for the collapsable stock is so it can fit my wife too. My purpose is to defend myself against grizzly bears. We had 10 different bears under the apple tree last fall IN ONE WEEK! My reason to have one is different than nost people but I have one doe the same reason.
John
This is my main home defense shotgun. I bought a older Rem Express 870 and bought a blackhawk stock, a magazine tube extension and a used slug barrel with sights. I have $310 into this gun.
It is loaded with slugs. The chamber is empty and the trigger is in the "fired" condition and saftey off. It sits by the sliding glass door, just out of sight.
The reason for the collapsable stock is so it can fit my wife too. My purpose is to defend myself against grizzly bears. We had 10 different bears under the apple tree last fall IN ONE WEEK! My reason to have one is different than nost people but I have one doe the same reason.
John
Attachments
BearBio
Member
Here's my Model 12 I use.
My Model 97 for CAS (marked Adams Express)
And the 590 (going into the classifieds soon):
My Model 97 for CAS (marked Adams Express)
And the 590 (going into the classifieds soon):
michael thornton
Member
I have a mod 12 cut down to 24 inch had choke tubes instaled put rifel sights on it, its a good all around shot gun , my 21 inch 1187 is my bed side shotgun
jframe
Member
My old 870 Wingmaster with a cut 18.5" barrel and four shot mag does the job just fine. Got less than three hundred bucks in it too, counting the barrel work.
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