Your opinion...What makes a HOME DEFENSE shotgun?

Is it round capacity?
Shell size handling?
Optics availability?
Barrel Length?
Choke(s)?
Action (pump/semi-auto)?
Accessory mounting?

Or a combination of several of these???

I would argue that any shotgun could be employed as a home defense shotgun, but my preference is my Remington 870 Wingmaster with a barrel that was cut down to 18.5" and tapped and threaded for a hi viz fiber optic bead. Plain, simple, effective.

I agree. I think overall length as it pertains to manuverability is the most critical.

Would agree with this. The rest is marketing...

I will add that my son's Mossberg Bantam youth 20 gauge is also effective. Being a youth model, overall length is the same as my 870, yet both he and my wife can handle the 20 gauge better.

So, the trend for us is a pump, short overall length, either cylinder bore or IC for the Mossberg and nothing else.

side by side cut down for anyone who dosnt shoot much...or a cut down pump would be more of what i would like..and some #4buck

Short gun, past that its a point and shoot at close range if you need more than one or two shots you did something wrong.

matt

To me it needs to have a short barrel, pistol grip only, 5 round mag tube or more, and 20 guage or smaller. So something along the lines of the mossberg 500 JIC

IMO Any shotgun will work. My choice is a 12 gauge pump with full wood furniture. Pump because it is less likely to jam and the distictive sound it makes racking a round. I prefer a 18.5 inch barrel for manuverability and distance from attacker. Full wood to make a better club if need be. Extended magazine for more rounds would be great. An attached weapon light would be nice as well. If there are budget concerns many manufactures make short barrels so you could swap barrels when it needs to be used for hunting.

Loaded and within reach... none of the rest matters

same goes with pistols and rifles. being loaded and near by makes them home defense

18-20" barrel, possibly longer mag tube, proper shells (no birdshot!)

If you'd like a professional opinion, pickup this dvd...



I think Mr. Haley puts the "scare them with pump" B.S. in its place.

I concur with the others, main thing is short barrel and something you are comfortable shooting. Pump is the most reliable.

Here's my opinion of the ultimate home defense shotgun:



8" Saiga 12 with 20 round drum

Nothing makes the neck hairs stand up like the sound of a pump jackin in a round in the dark.
Not likely to have to pull the trigger.

How about the sound of her husbands truck pulling into the driveway an hour early?

Yeah, but nothing makes the bowels move like the sound of 20 rounds of 12 gauge being unloaded in 5 seconds

You know i guess thats a sign of old age, I hadnt thought of that one in a while. Keep purrdy close to the nest now.

You definatly got a point there..

Short (18-20 inches) and a flashlight. Nighttime defense guns must have a light in my opinion or they aren't anywhere near as useful.

Not trying to start anything, but I cringe every time I hear someone say that a pump is a good option for HD because of the distinctive sound it makes when you chamber a shell. That is ridiculous. That may deter a couple of teenage kids, but if someone is in your house with the intent to rob you and/or injure you and your family, racking the pump on your 870 ain't gonna do anything. Pick a gun because you're comfortable with it and you know you can use it when the chips are down, not because it makes a scary sound.

Shorter bbl with a mounted light to identify, disorient intruder. Proper ammo, some version of buckshot. Practice/tactics to utilize shotgun.

The most important this is that you and everyone in the house know how to use the damn thing. If you shortstroke a pump it then becomes a very expensive boat paddle. If you give your wife a sxs telling her all she has to do is "point it in the general direction" and pull both triggers, then what happens when the 6" pattern misses its mark both times and she doesn't know how to reload it? Overall length, lights, optics, etc can be argued ad nauseum but nothing replaces experience behind the thing putting rounds downrange.

wide pattern of buckshot follwed by a sure kill shot to the head with a revolver or same shotgun. dont want nobody to live to sue you or file silly a** charges against you.

I'm actually considering something just like this.
Kel Tec PMR-30 and Veridian XL5. 30 rounds of 22mag, one
or 2 of them are bound to hit between the light, the laser and the light recoil.

I use my mossberg 930 spx. Plenty of rounds and semi auto. 18.5" barrel hard to beat in my opinion

A shotgun that is in my home for the sole purpose of defense is a...home defense shotgun

The rest are just details

this, in spades

My friend if you ever even dream of having to actually use a gun in self defense and accidently kill someone while shooting to only stop them,, you better hope no prosecutor ever, ever, ever,, finds stuff like this floating around that you have written. this is your azz hanging out right here.

I have a PMR30, it is stupid fun!
but, I wouldn't use it for a self defense gun, has a LOT of muzzle flash, even in bright sun...

would kill your nigh vision in low light

18.5 inch barrel. 20 gauge pump. Light. I always try to employ the KISS method.

Keep
It
Simple
Stupid


JWP58, thanks for posting that vid.

People break in usualy when they think nobody is home I would bet it would deter most if not all burglars just to know someone is home even without a gun.

If it is a true home defense gun then why the heck no birdshot? I cant get far enough away in my house that some #8's wouldnt turn a person into hamburger. We are talking home defense, not when the zombies invade.

I agree

Also in Texas you are covered by the Castle Law. It protects the home owner from being sued in civil court.

Also i use a Mossberg 590 20" barrel, 8 2 3/4 rnds 00 Buck with 5 rnds in a side saddle. Need to get me a forarm with rail to mount my sure fire light.

Birdshot is for birds. #8's aren't going to penetrate enough to hit vitals and guarantee stopping the threat. How many times have you shot at a dove and have to pop his head because he is still running around on the ground and flapping when you go to pick him up?

Ok I did not know that, maybe a glock 17 with HST's then. That's a heavy rig though.

more
How about a Keltec sub 2000 in .40 S&W?

Exactly. Birdshot is for birds. I would say #4buckshot on up is fine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNBFS3HWoIU

Take a measurement of the average distance across a room in your house or even an average hallway. Now once you have this, pattern a #8 shot at this distance. You will find that pattern is not that big and I assure you it will kill stone dead at said distance.

But for the record I shoot #6 high brass out of mine!

Most of the birds that I have shot at similar distances to what I would shoot in my home hence "HOME DEFENSE" I dont even pick up because there is nothing but wings and tail feathers. In your house you are going to be shooting maybe 5 to a top end of 10 yards.. I think bird shot will be devastating.

You go ahead and keep thinking that. Maybe you should get a "judge" and use some .410 7.5's....should be devastating...lol

A dog and what ever is closest. "Watch em close boy so he don't get shot. Don't want to mess up the wall or wake up momma. Good boooyy!"

You ever shot a shotgun? Up close they are nasty! At ranges inside a house it will tear some stuff up.

Agree...those #8s do not penetrate reliably enough to guarantee a stop.

Check this link out and see for yourself.
Box O' Truth #22

Birdshot, even inside a house, will make a nasty looking wound, but it is shallow. It will not penetrate to hit vitals. It will not be a guaranteed stop, where the same center of mass hit with #4 buckshot or larger is going to stop the threat.

Thanks for that link. It was eye opening.

The point is that it doesn't penetrate far enough to actually stop someone. We have a lot of meth heads around these days. If one of them breaks into your house to steal some easy things to sell and is twitching because they're 2-3 hours out from under their last hit wearing off, they're not really as likely to experience pain in the same way a stone cold sober robber would.If, God forbid, I ever get into a situation where I have to defend my family with deadly force, I want the deadliest mo fo'ing force I can put my hands on. If they sold depleted uranium highly radioactive super flesh eating condensed panther urine high explosive heat seeking hippie hair grease 12 ga C4 rounds, that's what my bedside shotty would be loaded with. Until that time, it'll be #4 buck...

12ga...00.... up close it will be a freight train

You are welcome. He has some cool tests on there. Fun to poke around that site.

redchevy

About 14 years ago we responded to a call where a 17 year old kid was shot with a 12 ga 2 3/4 field load square in the middle of the chest from a distance of 18 ft. When we arrived he was sitting on the couch and on the phone with his girlfriend. EMS got there about 30 seconds after we did and started treating him, while his chest did look like hamburger it was later learned that no pellets hit vitals. He was wearing a Levi jacket and a t-shirt when shot.
As a comparison I had a fried drop an old model Ruger Bearcat 22, it went off and sent a bullet through his rib, though his left lung, his left shoulder blade out his back and stuck in the wall.

Maybe the Rhodesian Bolo rounds might be a good home defense round?

I used to think that the sound of a pump being racked would scare anyone away. And, maybe usually will. It certainly would scare me. But not every city raised punk knows just what that sound REALLY is. Do a test from another room on anybody that has never heard the sound. I think you might be surprised.

In the heat of the moment I like the idea of a semi auto. I don't like the idea having to remember to pump it again or maybe short pumping it.

12 ga, # 4 or buck and all the shells it will hold.

I would just like to throw my opinion into the ring and I am surprised that no one mentioned the Winchester PDX-1 Defense Ammo, do some YouTube searches to see the effective range and shot patterns. The slug matched with the 00 buckshot is devastating. I currently employ two shotguns for home defense because I love options. I recently purchased a Benelli M4, added the 7 rd tube, collapsible stock, and tactical rail for a light, 8 rds of PDX-1 ammunition and it is a show stopper. The second one is the Stoeger Escort, 18.5" barrel, over/under and tactical rail for a light. I was taught many years ago that a light is a must because if you shoot someone that you failed to identify then you will be in a whole mess of hot water. Also a bright light will tear up an intruder's senses like no buddies business. Again these are just opinions and like I said options are nice, if I deploy a shotgun you can bet that I will tuck my .45 in my tightie whities for back up.

All good points made as far as the tool to use, but mostly useless if you fail to train you may fail to succeed if that time comes...you have to be intimately familiar with your weapon of choice when the wolf comes through your door. I like the light suggestion so either attach it or train with the light. Most intruders are dope driven and dont consider the consequences of thier actions as you and I. Some will flee when confronted but some can only see your property as thiers to use to trade for thier next hit. I hope that none of us will be put in a home defense position but failing to train and prepare for such a moment could be a critical mistake. Just food for thought. And always call 911 when situation allows help will be on the way...

I think the sound of a pump action could get you killed.

I would rather have my browning auto 5 with one in the
chamber, four in the magazine. I can and have shot it from the
hip with deadly effect. ( nothing on two legs , yet )

I don't trust the no stock pistol grip pump actions
because I have not fired them for effect enough.

I would rather have something in my hands that I have fired
thousands of rounds with, than the best " tactical "
black plastic piece.

If I were going to rely on a specialty piece, I would
not trust it until I had run a case of ammo thru it . Not
just buy it, load it and set it by the bed.

good luck -- hope we never have to test our theories


MO

So many things come to mind, but I must keep them to myself.

That part was meant as a joke, I always picture the old man from Billy Madison running outside with tightie whities screaming to call the Fire Dept because of the bag of poo...lol

I have to add also that I agree with the guys that already have the gun loaded, I never, ever want to have to shoot someone in the house, but my feelings are that if they are already in the house then they made the decision for me, so the only sound I want them to hear at that point is the sound the gun makes when it goes off. It is a hard stance, but if they are already in the house, I have no choice.

home defense shotgun, goes boom, leaves a wide pattern of buckshot, if you need to, a second shot and maybe a shot from a .45 or so point blank to the head, make sure they dont sue you. dead men dont file law suits against you.

Pistol grip Remmington defender with deuce magnums. They wont be dead they will be in two pieces.

They could have used you at the Alamo home of the first Texas home invasion.

Whatever you and the other potential users are comfortable with. However, keop it loaded and on safe. That is my personal opinion because when I first wake up, I am less than 100 percent. My practice has shown, the first thng I do is, relese the safety and place my trigger finger staight and above the trigger guard. I have handguns available but my primary is an 870 with 18.5 barrel with 8 rounds in and four more in the speed stock.

I actually had a CHL instructor tell me that if you ever have to USE it on someone, KILL THEM. You want the only story to be YOUR story: the truth.

As for the original question, if it goes bang when you pull the trigger and you can hold it with one hand and open a door quietly with the other, you have what's necessary. I have a H&R single 12 with an 18 1/8" barrel (1/8 extra to allow for picky LEO tape measure) and my AR with a 235 lumen solid/strobe, laser, and 30 rds of 62gr HPs...

My CHL instructor said the same thing, also a couple of LEO's that I know have echoed that same message. It is ridiculous that our country is full of so many people that if you shoot someone that breaks into your house then they can sue you and actually win. They only win because you stopped the intruder before they hurt you or your family. Shooting them is Crime Prevention at its finest in my opinion!!