cadmike
Member
I have a few…
Home Defense Shotguns
- Thread starter Glenn R. McMannly
- Start date
I am no expert, and the rules seem to change with the weather. I filed a Form 1 to convert it into a legal short barreled shotgun because of the uncertainty. Glad I did though because those Magpul stocks are very well designed and functional.
I have seen several folks install folding braces on them and I believe they come with a letter from the manufacturer supporting its legality.
Hmmm. Not sure. Everything I've read on it has said "Greener action." Bottom line...it handles great and goes "BANG!" when I pull the trigger.
Darryl Z
Member
12 ga 18.5" Maverick 88, cruiser ready - empty chamber, safety off, tube full with 00 buck in a bedside mattress mount
Kimberpross
Member
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2019
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- 24
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20 ga. 870 Remington with an 18" cylinder bore barrel loaded with #3 buckshot and rifled slugs. Light, fast and low recoil. Plenty of fire power in the house.
I have LE trade 870Ps in the house.
I also keep 870s in my vehicles except I took the stock off and put the raptor grips on them - the grip that's used on the shockwave/tac14. 18.5" barrels and extended mag tubes.
The new Tac-14s or MossB shockwaves are awkward to use when they are new. Once they are broken in, they are smooth and easy to shoot.
I have a couple of $100 Savage 320s, those things are Fast! They basically unlock and eject the shell as they are fired. They are almost as fast as the Ithaca 37 slam-firing. Best $100 I've spent on a gun in at least 15 years! Only beaten by the $79 SKS from the early 90s and the sub-$100 surplus at Big5 at the turn of the century!
I also keep 870s in my vehicles except I took the stock off and put the raptor grips on them - the grip that's used on the shockwave/tac14. 18.5" barrels and extended mag tubes.
The new Tac-14s or MossB shockwaves are awkward to use when they are new. Once they are broken in, they are smooth and easy to shoot.
I have a couple of $100 Savage 320s, those things are Fast! They basically unlock and eject the shell as they are fired. They are almost as fast as the Ithaca 37 slam-firing. Best $100 I've spent on a gun in at least 15 years! Only beaten by the $79 SKS from the early 90s and the sub-$100 surplus at Big5 at the turn of the century!
A few years ago (ok a decade ago) the AZ department of public safety dumped a ton of shotguns at the place that auctions evidence guns. Wooden stocks, rifle sights, 20" smoothbore cylinder choke barrels. I bought 4 at $140 each. My kids each got one and I kept two for myself.
All are stored with magazines full of federal flite control reduced recoil 00 buck, hammer down on an empty chamber, safety off, with one layer of blue masking tape wrapped around the barrel and fore stock. The tape breaks easily and serves as an instant visual reminder of whether or not the action has been cycled.
All are stored with magazines full of federal flite control reduced recoil 00 buck, hammer down on an empty chamber, safety off, with one layer of blue masking tape wrapped around the barrel and fore stock. The tape breaks easily and serves as an instant visual reminder of whether or not the action has been cycled.
Shotguns: My homily; I have been shucking shotguns since before I joined the Army at 17. Carried one for the Army. Did a branch change to the USCG, carried one there. Became a big city cop, then a sheriff. Looking at 65 years of military/LE in the rear view mirror. I am the same age as Joe Biden, however, I, can walk, chew gum and mumble all at the same time.
American shotguns are pretty much the iconic one shot defensive weapon, or two or more if needed. They work, right out of the box and pretty much forever if you have a brand name gun. And they stop, I did 46 armed robbery stakeouts with Chicago PD, the shotgun always worked when professionally applied to the problem.
Tactical observations: Shotgun slings; they are really better suited for military operations than LE/defensive use. A sling is for humping your weapon long distances or for letting it hang while in a static position. The idea of dropping your shotgun to let it hang while you deploy your handgun with a greased lightening presentation is just BS, even the SEALS don't train that way. If the gun is not working for whatever reason, just drop it, you don't need it any more. Use youir handgun or throw rocks, or use the SG as a bludgeon (it does well in that mode).
A promise; if you stalk around any area with a shotgun held at the ready, and it has a sling, that sling will foul on something, just when you do not want it to do so. The number of things that it will foul on are legion, just about anything will do, including the handgun/equipment you will probably be wearing. Sling in a vehicle? Get thee behind me Satan. Not even mentioning the handhold that sling will give the bad guy.
Racking the slide for psycho reasons: The only person that sound ever frightened was me, as in running up a flight of stairs with the new kid behind me racking his weapon (a slam firing Ithaca). The average bad guy who breaks into your home/office or wherever is simply not thinking like you and me, and he is definitely not thinking well, he is doped up, freaked out on some natural substance or just plain crazy. The sound will mean nothing to him (and yes it will be a him 99.99% of the time). I never worried about the sound of racking a SG giving away my position as it was normally followed by a much larger sound, your deployment should follow suit. Not that you should be trying to kill someone, but if the situation requires racking it will also almost always require shooting. I always hesitated for a short second in case the "sacry sound" did work, but the obligatory verbal announcement usually did. I never saw anyone surrender to the clack clack sound. Or heard of it either.
You can (and probably will) miss with a shotgun. That is why you must train with the SG/load you will use for serious social happenings. I have trained scores of folks (miliatry and LE) with the SG, they will all miss the first time out.
I favor #4 or #3 buck for ranges out to 12 yards and 00 buck for longer ranges (out to 25-30 yards), any range longer than that you should be shooting something else unless you and your gun are really good with slugs. My go to long gun is a Browning A bolt rifled barrel 12 gauge, or I also have a Remington 1100 with a rifled barrel, both have low power optics. The Browning is deadly out to 135 yards. Like 2 MOA deadly. The two rifled barrel guns have slings, they are humped a lot.
Ammo: birdshot is for the birds, literally. It will produce a large shallow wound in a large animal, that will bleed lot, but not be a stopping wound under most circumstances. And at close ranges where the wound might be useful, you can easily miss, just like with buck or slugs. Why gamble?
Loadout: Never, but never, mix loads in a magazine. Do not succumb to the idea of loading small buck, then larger buck then a slug or two. That would be basing your loadout on going from shorter range to longer range. Sometimes things do not happen the way we want them to. Never, but never, mix less lethal loads with lethal loads. Unless you like paying large civil judgements or maybe seeing the inside of state accomodations for a while. It is grossly negligient at best and criminally negligient at worst. Even just mixing lethal loads may make grist for the attorney mill. Any sleazebag lawyer will make you dizzy with questions about a mixed loadout in your magazine, been there done that, got the T-shirt.
Just my .02....YMMV-but not likely.
American shotguns are pretty much the iconic one shot defensive weapon, or two or more if needed. They work, right out of the box and pretty much forever if you have a brand name gun. And they stop, I did 46 armed robbery stakeouts with Chicago PD, the shotgun always worked when professionally applied to the problem.
Tactical observations: Shotgun slings; they are really better suited for military operations than LE/defensive use. A sling is for humping your weapon long distances or for letting it hang while in a static position. The idea of dropping your shotgun to let it hang while you deploy your handgun with a greased lightening presentation is just BS, even the SEALS don't train that way. If the gun is not working for whatever reason, just drop it, you don't need it any more. Use youir handgun or throw rocks, or use the SG as a bludgeon (it does well in that mode).
A promise; if you stalk around any area with a shotgun held at the ready, and it has a sling, that sling will foul on something, just when you do not want it to do so. The number of things that it will foul on are legion, just about anything will do, including the handgun/equipment you will probably be wearing. Sling in a vehicle? Get thee behind me Satan. Not even mentioning the handhold that sling will give the bad guy.
Racking the slide for psycho reasons: The only person that sound ever frightened was me, as in running up a flight of stairs with the new kid behind me racking his weapon (a slam firing Ithaca). The average bad guy who breaks into your home/office or wherever is simply not thinking like you and me, and he is definitely not thinking well, he is doped up, freaked out on some natural substance or just plain crazy. The sound will mean nothing to him (and yes it will be a him 99.99% of the time). I never worried about the sound of racking a SG giving away my position as it was normally followed by a much larger sound, your deployment should follow suit. Not that you should be trying to kill someone, but if the situation requires racking it will also almost always require shooting. I always hesitated for a short second in case the "sacry sound" did work, but the obligatory verbal announcement usually did. I never saw anyone surrender to the clack clack sound. Or heard of it either.
You can (and probably will) miss with a shotgun. That is why you must train with the SG/load you will use for serious social happenings. I have trained scores of folks (miliatry and LE) with the SG, they will all miss the first time out.
I favor #4 or #3 buck for ranges out to 12 yards and 00 buck for longer ranges (out to 25-30 yards), any range longer than that you should be shooting something else unless you and your gun are really good with slugs. My go to long gun is a Browning A bolt rifled barrel 12 gauge, or I also have a Remington 1100 with a rifled barrel, both have low power optics. The Browning is deadly out to 135 yards. Like 2 MOA deadly. The two rifled barrel guns have slings, they are humped a lot.
Ammo: birdshot is for the birds, literally. It will produce a large shallow wound in a large animal, that will bleed lot, but not be a stopping wound under most circumstances. And at close ranges where the wound might be useful, you can easily miss, just like with buck or slugs. Why gamble?
Loadout: Never, but never, mix loads in a magazine. Do not succumb to the idea of loading small buck, then larger buck then a slug or two. That would be basing your loadout on going from shorter range to longer range. Sometimes things do not happen the way we want them to. Never, but never, mix less lethal loads with lethal loads. Unless you like paying large civil judgements or maybe seeing the inside of state accomodations for a while. It is grossly negligient at best and criminally negligient at worst. Even just mixing lethal loads may make grist for the attorney mill. Any sleazebag lawyer will make you dizzy with questions about a mixed loadout in your magazine, been there done that, got the T-shirt.
Just my .02....YMMV-but not likely.
BillinAlamo
Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2022
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 90
The shorty shells run like butter through my Mossberg 88. I had the Opsol adapter first, but have gone to the Defender Tactical.
crasig
Member
15 years ago I sold my top folder Ex-Police Riot 870, Towards one of the Russian SAIGA 12-C AK based Shotguns - that were imported as Law Enforcement samples, that L.E. agencies declined to buy. At that time I was uncomfortable about keeping my 870 loaded with a youngster at home - or trying to load in an emergency.
I had heard of Magazine fed shotguns which sounded smart. I saw a pump version, but then I GOT LUCKY, & found my Folding Saiga 12-C. I liked the idea of a magazine fed semi auto shotgun, in one of the most successful battle platforms ever designed. It's a great Shotgun, & fires slugs & all 3" shot shells without a hiccup or issue in all the years I've owned it.
I highly recommend this type of 12 gauge shotgun. Loads/arms with Magazines or DRUM - in just seconds.
coincidentally, I just received a flyer from Arms Of America, who is selling Turkish SAIGA clones - This Week for $299. They are beautifully made. See Pix of mine + Turkish Clone. Never Regretted my Decision, C.
I had heard of Magazine fed shotguns which sounded smart. I saw a pump version, but then I GOT LUCKY, & found my Folding Saiga 12-C. I liked the idea of a magazine fed semi auto shotgun, in one of the most successful battle platforms ever designed. It's a great Shotgun, & fires slugs & all 3" shot shells without a hiccup or issue in all the years I've owned it.
I highly recommend this type of 12 gauge shotgun. Loads/arms with Magazines or DRUM - in just seconds.
coincidentally, I just received a flyer from Arms Of America, who is selling Turkish SAIGA clones - This Week for $299. They are beautifully made. See Pix of mine + Turkish Clone. Never Regretted my Decision, C.
Attachments
I'd like to know what % of the old 10 ga Winchester lever shuckers wound up in TX. Seems like a significant % did.
I have a 590s with an 18.5" barrel. It holds ten 4 buck shorties. No issues running 1-3/4", 2-3/4" or 3" without the need for an OPSol plug. I did replace the stock with a Magpul to reduce length of pull. I also have a Turkish auto loader that is a total pos.
Old Mossburg 500 in corner in bedroom for 25 yrs. Ordered 18in barrel. When came mailbox door open with wrapped barrel sticking out. Trigger pulled on empty chamber and tube loaded. Had to rack for one in chamber. Racking made chilling noise in dark that carried thru house.
GUNMAN40
Member
I have tested the mini shells with the Opsol Mini Clip. Works fine in my Shockwave and full size 590. Seems like it took 20 minutes to load and unload the 590. Lost count of how many shells.
Hey cadmike,
You don't really need 3 badass barricade-attack-suppression-backup weapons.
Can I have one?
MickeyR
Member
At 77 went to HENRY Lever Action .410 Shotgun Side Gate
44MOshooter
Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2013
- Messages
- 103
- Reaction score
- 194
Remington tac14 12 gauge loaded with 00, which stays in our walk-in closet for just in case. I also have a tac13 12 gauge, still unfired in the box.
Exchipy
Member
Modified VR82 kept by the back door for exterior work at rural home. Its mag is loaded with 20GA No.3 Buck; couple extra 5 shot mags of Slugs and No.4 Bird are nearby. More likely to deal with critters than creeps, but capable of handling both.
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