FTA: “Mossberg doesn’t make a pretty gun, but they have legendary reliability, and the click-clack of the pump is often more than enough itself to drive the average intruder away.”
I have read and heard this many times, i.e., the sound from racking (sp?) a pump shotgun will drive an intruder away.
Anybody know if there’s any data or collection of anecdotal evidence to support this notion?
Thanks much and Semper Fi,
Anyone?
And that's where I stopped reading. The guy might know a thing about different shotguns but he doesn't know anything about staying alive. If you care to scare some intruder away then do it with your voice. The weapon should have the safety off and the front sight on the intruder's center mass. If I'm within sound range of an intruder, I'm not going to be fumbling around trying to chamber a round. It's stupid tactics and shows how little the author knows. It will get you killed.
Most of the “evidence” is anecdotal. Personally I would not want to give my position away by unnecessarily “racking” the pump, or lose tactical advantage by not having a round chambered and ready to go. That said I keep a Mossberg 590A1 in my truck, but for home defense I have two strategically located H&K Benelli M1 Super 90’s. All are loaded with #1 Buck, which I find works better than 00 in defensive situations, and all have rounds chambered and ready to go.
I'd rather be chambered and ready than to do the TV/movie drama of not even being prepared.
There are plenty of anecdotes about it; you can judge their truthfulness perhaps better than I can. The argument against working the action makes an important point - the gun is not ready when you pick it up. But it omits two important points. First, the homeowner may not be able to keep the gun with a round chambered. Children or pets might make this impractical.
Second, at some point you are going to have to announce yourself. Even if you close the bedroom door and call 911, you’re making noise. In a quiet house, an intruder can hear you. You may also choose to announce yourself.
“I have a gun. Get out. I’m calling the police.”
The predator mentioned elsewhere in this thread knows that it takes time for the police to arrive, and might not believe the claim about the gun.
“Get out.” Click - clack.
This tells you everything you need to know.
I keep the 590 loaded all the time, but I live alone. If not, I wouldn’t leave it loaded, even if I was married for ten years and my wife was an expert shooter.
Just the sught of one usually does the trick. I don't know about you, but by the time I need a round in the chamber, it's already there.