Posted on 11/18/2008 9:29:52 PM PST by USAFJeeper
I am looking to purchase a shotgun to keep in my home. I am not looking for a gun that is used in target shooting or a militaristic model with laser sights and a Caddyshack targeting system!
If my wife were to be in the home alone I would like to have a shotgun for her so that she doesnt have to warry about aiming in the dark. Friends have suggested a youth shotgun (20 gauge). I currently have a little 22 rifle and I am shopping for a nice handgun for myself, but my shotgun knowledge is very limited. Anyone? ferris?
Pepper Spray. It even comes in a pink canister if you want. :)
Yeah, I caught that after posting...
A Remington 870 or a Mossberg 500/590 that fits your budget and has a full-length magazine (running roughly the length of the barrel) is the ticket; they use completely different safety locations and vary in their slide releases, and that will probably matter more to your household than the other specifications. I prefer an 18" barrel for easier handling indoors, others like a 20" tube.
I also use and recommend a 12 gauge because the ammo availability/selection beats anything else out there. Some heavy 20 gauge loads will be as bad or worse than some light 12 gauge loads... Remington or Federal reduced tactical buckshot loads would be my first choice... if you get ammo at the local farm/fleet, get a low charge-weight loading in the biggest diameter shot size they have (not to be confused with the number designation for below-buckshot pellet sizes).
With the above, the only other thing you will need is the same thing that gets one to Carnegie Hall: practice, practice, practice.
Mr. niteowl77
Sometimes, bigger holes are better.
Buckshot. OK, I can remember that! My hubby is an engineer so he has described the shotgun shells to me in very precise language (I call it excruciating detail) down to the number and diameter of the lead balls inside the shell. And a whole bunch of other stuff that I don’t remember. LOL!
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you'll see a chart which illustrates the sizes and numbers of shot.
There's also a bunch of other information there you may find useful.
Hope it helps.
L
but I must say some people aren’t stable or responsible enough to have them, and unfortunately, some of those are the ones who have bunches of them.
One of the tenants of conservatism is that there is no perfect system, unlike the liberals who are always promoting utopia.
The Knox stock is important from the standpoint of allowing your wife to enjoy going to the range for practice on a regular basis.
Training is a huge, huge deal when it comes to the competent use of any firearm in a life-threatening emergency. Just owning it ain't enough.
Good article. Thank you for the information.
I moved here from New Orleans after Katrina, I had just retired from the military and did not want my kids high school years to be scarred by Katrina the whole time. I love North Georgia, I go to Helen at least once a year during October Fest! (Current Middle Georgia resident)
Looks like the Remingtons is the tactical looking kind, while I like the look, I am pretty sure my wife was not thinking a military look, but I like it so that may make my decision!
I was marksman qualified on the M-16 while in the USAF, but I have never really used a shotgun myself and have no idea on the shells and loads. I have gotten some good research start points here to help me.
Does anyone know if Bass Pro Shop or Dicks Sporting Goods has competitve prices? or should I head straight for one of the local gun shops?
Nice shotgun, that is not one you load with bird shot and take out to the fields!
Someone already said it, but I too thought to give my libtard friends a membership!
Best,
L
“Does anyone know if Bass Pro Shop or Dicks Sporting Goods has competitve prices? or should I head straight for one of the local gun shops?”
Recommend pricing at a general sports shops and then going directly to a gun shop. My son just got a Glock 21, NIB. The local big store was $100 more for a used piece.
Buying online has a shipping charge and a FFL delivery charge so it could be a wash. Determine the owner’s credentials, former LEO...military armorer...ect. Then you will have someone to go to with questions.
Home defense is a special art, recommend you do some research. For instance, if there are young ones in the house they might come running - and yelling - into the master bedroom on the first shot and it will likely be dark, none of which helps the stress level for the defender and create a dangerous environment. (Tell them to hide under the bed until you tell them to come out?) If you have a two-story, tell her to not go downstairs, get on the phone and defend from the top of the stairs, etc., etc.
Truly, the Remington 870 Tactical Magnum with Knoxx Recoil Reducing Stock is an AMAZING weapon! Even though it has an 18” barrel, the fixed imp cyl choke does help with holding the spread pattern fairly well within 25 yds. But, of course, this is no bird gun.
I have seen a few posts from folks who know about the Knoxx stock, and I would just like to add to them. This four stage synthetic stock should be standard equipment on defense shotguns IMO. It literally makes a 12 gauge painless to fire, even the smallest of persons could handle the stoutest of 3” magnum shells with this stock. It is perfectly legal to install this pistol grip stock on an 18” pump, and it reduces recoil so much that one can fire the weapon one handed at full arm extension, although there is no reason to do this except to demonstrate the efficiency of this stock.
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