But the best reasonable shotgun for home defense would have to be the Mossberg 500. It’s every bit as dependable as an 870, but the feed ramp won’t bite your fingers when you need to reload fast, it’s easier to cock, a similar configuration will be lighter, and the dual extractor claws almost guarantee perfect extraction. I’ve seen Remington’s have some serous extraction issues before, not the kind of thing that I want to deal with when someone’s trying to attack your home. Granted, some of the higher end police models do have better feeding, but they’re still just not as good as a $150 500.

An above poster said that everybody uses an 870, and he’s partially right. The 870 was adopted for military service back in Vietnam, and soldiers who returned generally did join the police department, so when it came to buy shotguns, their departments got the familiar 870s. Mossberg won the combat shotgun contract after Remington declined to submit a test model for contract eligibility, they knew they couldn’t compete with the stronger magazine design, lighter weight, and lower production cost of the 590. However, most departments still are using the 870. There are some with 500s, but the 870 still is more popular.

If you’re looking for an autoloader, the Beretta 1201FP is a fine choice. It’s a Benelli inertia driven action with an 18" or 20" barrel, and very dependable. Unlike a Remington 1100 or 1187, it can cycle low recoil loads, mine has cycled mini shells before, and it’s virtually zero maintainance. No gas system to clean or rings to replace. I had to replace a few parts in the trigger group with Benelli parts, it’s gone through several thousand rounds, including some very high power rounds.

However, if you can afford the extra money for one, and it wouldn’t phase you, you could get a Benelli M4. They’re pretty much the most reliable tube-fed autoloader available on the market now. The Marines are using a special version of the M4, called the XM1014(unless, of course, it’s out of it’s experimental stage by now) which is basically the same as the ghost-ring civilian version, but with a telescoping stock.

If you’re looking for something better than that, about the best you can do for a close combat shotgun is a tuned Saiga 12. They’re available from Tromix Lead Delivery Systems, and are regularly seen at the highest levels of competitive tactical shotgun competition. Some people do have a low oppinion of them, but after they’ve been through the guys at Tromix, they’re going to really rock. Expect to also buy several extra magazines, as well, since it’s a magazine fed 12 gauge autoloader. Magazines for these aren’t cheap, with 20 round drums often selling for nearly the price of the original (untuned) firearm.

My personal favorite load for shotgunning is the Fiocchi 00 nickel plated buckshot. Their low recoil loadings are easy to shoot, and kick hardly any more than an AR. The higher power buckshot loads are much more effective, allowing the hardened shell to penetrate clothing and light body armor more effectively before flattening out and destroying tissue. If you’re worried about over penetration, steel duck shot might be the ticket. The smaller shot will carry less energy per pellet, but have more pellets, while the lighter-than-lead steel shot will slow down faster as it hits solid objects such as drywall or wood. If you’re looking for slugs, the Federal Pow-R-Ball rifled slugs are very effective, and very accurate. They’re also not too expensive, so practicing with them won’t break the bank.

Best.

H

It ain’t pretty but is utterly dependable, accurate, and reliable.