Tactical black, pumped shotguns for home defense? 12 guage or 20 guage? What slugs and buckshots to buy?
January 30th, 2010 by eranio
I’ve never fired a shotgun before, and am looking to buy some soon. Two shotguns I liked were the Mossberg 500 Tactical Persuader, and the Mossberg 590 Special Purpose.
Any better shotguns you recommend?
Should I buy a 12 guage or 20 guage gun?
What shells will shoot through the wall and which shells won’t?
And what upgrades do you recommend for the shotgun?
Preferred in Black but will go for Olive Drab to. Nothing shiny that sticks out (ie. really silver).
Posted in tactical shotgun
January 30th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
I prefer the 12 Gauge, more shot etc.
For the 12 Gauge, virtually all Factory Ammo will go through drywall.
The smaller the number on the shot, the larger the pellets are which means the better penetration. For self defence, ammo is reccomended to penetrate at least 12 inches of flesh which means your best choice of shot will go through a number of walls.
I reccomend 00 Buck Copper plated for the best results in commercial availability and effectiveness.
January 30th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
sounds like u have done your home work and know what u want i would go with the 12 for more poweder and more punch
January 30th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
For home defense just get a Mossberg 500….. The 590 is too heavy duty…. I have put thousands of rounds thru my Mossberg 500 Persuader 20 inch barrel 12 gauge and it hasnt given me the slightest of problems…… Unless your in Iraq or in some kind of combat the 590 is a little over kill… I own both and my 590 gets little use….
Heres what I suggest….. Mossberg 500 catalog # 50577…..
http://www.mossberg.com/images/Mossberg_Guns/930/NEW/50577.jpg
If you live in a smaller house (tighter space) then consider the Mossberg 500 18 inch barrel model catalog # 50411….
http://www.mossberg.com/images/Mossberg_Guns/930/NEW/50411.jpg
Upgrades? — NONE! — Maybe a sling….. Do not get on the tactical nonsense wagon…. Just keep your shotgun plain and simple…. The last thing you need when home invaders are crashing thru the windows is to be fumbling around with lasers, laser switches, flashlight buttons, collapsable stocks catching on your clothes, the drapes, etc….. Just plain and simple……
Maybe a sling but thats about it…. Forget the side shell carriers…. All you need is a couple of shots and its all over……
All shells have the capablity of going thru walls….. Check this website for there wall penetration tests with shotgun ammo… Its is informative as well as entertaining…..
http://www.theboxotruth.com/
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/theboxotruth.htm
I suggest 2 3/4 inch 8 or 9 pellet buckshot…… Like this stuff….
http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/shotshell/buckshot/managed-Recoil_express.asp
If your a regular size guy just get a 12 gauge… If the MRS will be training with you then consider a 20 gauge….. Or buy one for her and one for you…..
Finish / color…. The best is black… There are actualy 2 types of black finishes… One is a flat black (parkerized) and the other is blued which is really a shiny black. The parkerized finish is a little more heavy duty but thats about it…..
Here’s an excellent article on the Mossberg 590… I say they are overkill but here it is anyway……
http://gunsandammomag.com/cs/Satellite/IMO_GA/Story_C/The+Magnificent+Mossberg
January 30th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
You definitely want a 12 gauge. There’s no point to a 20 gauge unless you’re a kid or a girl who can’t handle the kick. 12 gauge ammo will always be much easier to find and have better deals.
You might also consider the Remington 870. It’s just as simple and classic a design as the 500, but constructed a little more solidly.
Don’t bother with slugs for home defense. No bird shot. A lot of people go with 00 buck, but #4 will give you more pellets for a denser pattern while still keeping the penetration to stop attackers.
Oh and slugs will definitely penetrate walls, but so will buck, just not quite as significantly. You still can’t just go spraying buck everywhere…if it has enough penetration to stop your attackers, it will go through a couple sheets of drywall.
January 30th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
both are fine choices, I really like mossberg shotguns, as well as Remington 870′s. My persoanl Home Defense shotgun is also a mossberg. If you can handle the 12, get it,if not, get the 20, both will work just fine, but the 12 puts more shot out than the 20. As far as loads, if you live in a home with others in the house,in ana apartment, or even just in a neighbor hood of homes, you should be very aware of over penetration. when I lived on the ranch, I was not concerned about neighbors so I loaded it with slugs first and buckshot backing that up. But I dealt with bers, mountain lions and coyotes etc trying to get at the cattle. In town, I load it so the first round up is #7 bird shot. down a hall, or across a room, it will put a bad guy down, but odds are very good it will not penetrate thru walls, except for maybe one layer of sheetrock. Next up, I have 2 rounds of #4 buckshot, just in case the badguy has a lot of thick heavy clothing, like we wear here in the winter. Next up are 2 rounds of high base 00 buckshot and the last 2 rounds up are slugs. this covers just about any scenario you can think of. I also carry 3 extra buckshot and 2 extra slug shells on the buttstock. Many people prefer the 18 1/2" barrel for close quarters, but I prefer the 20", and have trained extensively with it, so I am comfortable in close quarters, plus it can double in a pinch for putting food on the table. As far as upgrades, I operate on the KISS principle: Keep It Simple Stupid. The less things you add, the less there are to break or fail when you need it most. The one thing I feel is a must for a home defense shotgun, is to purchase the fore end with a built in flashlight. Mine was desigedn for a more expensive light, but I located some compact LED flashlights that fit it perfectly, and use the same on/of control, for a lot less money. Plus, they don’t drain batteries like the more expensive model did, and at 85 lumens, it works very well for indoor searching. during the day, it resides in my gunsafe. At night, my .45 goes out of the holster an onto the nightstand, and the shotgun goes on a special built rack beside the bed.
Hope this helps
shoot safe
January 30th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
rem 870 hd or the moss 590
12 GAUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!