SilverBullet
Explorer
No, you do get what you pay for, it's just weather or not you have that as your priority. I have shot my Maverick and a Benelli, no comparison.
I have a shotgun question
- Thread starter jmdjax
- Start date
No, you do get what you pay for, it's just weather or not you have that as your priority. I have shot my Maverick and a Benelli, no comparison.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
I've only ever shot the Berretta 391 or A400 semi-auto's, and those have a distinct ping that resounds through my cheekbone as the action cycles.
trump
Adventurist
Intresting. I could see how that could be distracting.
CodyY
Explorer
robert
Expedition Leader
Dave, Dave, Dave, you left out two of the great military pumps- the Winchester Model 97 and the Ithaca Model 37.
That said, for general versatility in an economical pump shotgun I'd pick up a Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. Get it with a 26-28" vent rib with removable chokes then get a shorter barrel for home use. Extra points for adding a Side Saddle and light and learning to use them. You might even consider a 20ga- no problem handling your intended tasks but without the recoil of a 12ga.
Now for the tricky part- a shotgun is actually one of the hardest guns to actually run well. Firstly, (and contrary to popular folklore) they must be aimed- especially within the shorter distances of say a hallway. Secondly, keeping them running after a couple of shots is difficult and requires some movement that just doesn't come naturally to most. I've trained with some folks who were quite good with them, but while I'm good on a skeet range and pretty decent shooting birds, I've never been very adept at defensive shotgunning. Under stress I usually end up with shells all over the ground and fumbling with the gun. Just one of the reasons I do not like them for home defense. JMHO
Whatever you get be sure you pattern it with various loads at different distances. Most shotgun, even identical models from the same manufacture, will often pattern noticeably better with certain brands and loads. A good starting point for buckshot though is Federal's Premium with the Flitecontrol wad- it generally does very well in most guns.
Airmonger
Adventurer
Racking the action is only an auditory alarm. I wouldn't suggest stoping there if your life is in danger.
Dave Bennett
Adventurist
Indeed.
AA12 the ultimate shotgun, full auto and no recoil...amazing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ebtj1jR7c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ebtj1jR7c
zimm
Expedition Leader
i wonder how many people that think a shotgun is good home defense, have actually shot one in a 12x12 room wearing only boxers and lacking ear protection. do it once, and you'll be investing in a silencer tax stamp and a glock 19. besides, warning someone that you suspect is a danger to your families existence is counter-intuitive to survival. thats what the dog is for.
i think the recreational activities you are talking about are best served with a nimble O/U 20g. it aint many 'till you start to kick *** at the range and have a freezer full of birds.
i think the recreational activities you are talking about are best served with a nimble O/U 20g. it aint many 'till you start to kick *** at the range and have a freezer full of birds.
SC T100
Adventurer
I used to have an 870 pump for sporting clays/skeet/trap. Loved it, it was my first shotgun, was extremely reliable, and it fit me pretty well (and I wish I kept it!). However, if you get serious and once you get better, especially on the sporting clays course, the time required to pump becomes a bit of a limiting factor. I've had the second clay get up behind the trees as I was pumping the next round on the more challenging sporting clays stations, and I wasn't slow on the first clay. I now have a Winchester SX3 auto and there's no problem with speed. That thing will shoot as fast as you can pull the trigger. Oh, and I like the 28 inch barrel for sporting.
And while I'm not too focused with home defense (I think any shotgun will do the trick), it seems like a pump might add one more activity to a stressful situation, and I could see how someone might just try to keep pulling the trigger and forgetting to pump the next shell. But autoloaders can jam if you get a weak shell or the gun isn't maintained. I guess it's personal preference in that instance. Also, while I can see and agree with Zimm's points above, for a novice like myself I think you would have to keep up with the handgun skills much more than for a shotgun (especially if startled, sleepy, etc.) for home defense purposes. Point and pull...let the lead shot do a good bit of the aiming for you.
And while I'm not too focused with home defense (I think any shotgun will do the trick), it seems like a pump might add one more activity to a stressful situation, and I could see how someone might just try to keep pulling the trigger and forgetting to pump the next shell. But autoloaders can jam if you get a weak shell or the gun isn't maintained. I guess it's personal preference in that instance. Also, while I can see and agree with Zimm's points above, for a novice like myself I think you would have to keep up with the handgun skills much more than for a shotgun (especially if startled, sleepy, etc.) for home defense purposes. Point and pull...let the lead shot do a good bit of the aiming for you.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
I have, quite a lot actually. I was part of our onboard Security team in the Navy, as well as a boarder in drug interdiction searches and trained quite a lot with shotguns and .45's. I personally think shotguns are MUCH quieter than any handgun I can think of, save a .22 or anything suppressed (which I have NOT used). I also think that shotguns are a lot safer to use inside a dwelling where my kids might behind the next wall. My home defense ammo is loaded with two rounds of deterrent before I get into lethal loads just for that reason, but I have a LOT of time running this particular gun and am pretty facile with it.
I completely agree with this. A nice lightweight Berratta 686 in 20ga is a joy to shoot with...if I can ever pry it out of my wife's hands!
zimm
Expedition Leader
if you were shooting hot 12's not blanks, you and i would be hearing the same ring all day long.
20g is the shiznit. i only have a 12, because i put money intro a 12 before i shot a 20. i dont do turduckins, so...