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Shotgun for HD

DangerClose

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
570
Location
The mean streets of WI
Birdshot most certainly, WILL go through walls. Don't be under the illusion you can't have blow-through and hurt bystanders. (There is a blog called "box o truth" out there that has a bunch of nigh-empirical tests on video if your are curious.)
Speaking of, here's the Box O' Truth bottom line on birdshot: "Unless you expect to be attacked by little birds, do not use birdshot." He said his tests show birdshot went through two sheets of drywall, (one wall), and stopped at the third piece of drywall. People want to put their faith in that against a nutjob who wants to hurt or kill you and your family? Birdshot sucks.

Anyway, where do I keep my HD shotgun? In the closet, because I think a shotgun is kind of crappy for HD except in certain cases.
 

Baked on Grease

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2011
Messages
629
Location
Sterling, Va.
I've been thinking of getting a weapon to keep at home as tge Home Defense only firearm an a have been thinking of the Surbu Super Shorty seen here:

http://www.serbu.com/top/superShorty.php

And discussed on this site here:

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?94055-Just-a-question-about-a-Super-Shorty-AOW

I think the short barrel makes it much more practical for HD, being tight spaces and all. Also getting it in 20 gauge with reduced recoil loads reduces after effects on your wrist after firing while still being lethal.


Sent using tapatalk
 

Yard Sale

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2010
Messages
708
Location
Northern Nevada, ,
Before I lost it in a tragic boating accident in the middle of the Nevada desert, I kept an 870 Police Magnum under the bed like protias. Or sometimes, propped up in a corner of the room. Or the garage.

After telling everybody that a shotgun is a far better defensive weapon than a hangun because of its hit potential, I took my 870 to the range and made this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfkY0JBzJVY
 

Aknazer

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
1,760
Location
California
I have a pistol grip Mossberg 500 with an after-market spaz style folding stock that has a 5round holder attached to the "top" (it's on the bottom of the stock when the stock is extended). I'm going to throw a pistol foregrip on it, but am still searching for one that I want. I don't keep one in the chamber so that if it's needed the BG will "hopefully" hear that distinctive cocking noise and leave before it's needed; but the tube is fully loaded with 00 buckshot. And it's stored closer to my wife's side of the bed (leans against the dresser and wall) since I figure she needs it more than I do (since I'm a far better shot and can use my pistol if need be, or just get it from her side).

Though I also have my pistol within hand's reach almost all the time and it does have one in the chamber.
 
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Gunslinger

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
3,853
Location
Free, Colorado, USA
I'll concede that, but my point was that the spread from birdshot is gonig to be a bit bigger than buckshot

That's true, but not at close range. I just bought a 18" 870 clone and tried out different shot sizes. 00 buck is the most effective, but will penetrate many layers of wallboard. 8 1/2 would cover the chest only at 6-8 yards, but spreads quickly after. It will penetrate maybe 2 wallboard thicknesses, so is quite safe if you miss. Personally, I think #4 is the best of all worlds. At 8 yards, spread is the same as 00, just more pellets. As I have three loaded .45ACPS and a Browning Hi-Power in the bedroom, I haven't bothered with putting the 12g there. Probably will some day. Truth be told, in a bad situation, I'd reach for the Hi-Power first. Never failed in 40 years of owning one, and now I have 2. But I shoot the pump well enough to have no problem trusting it inside. Outside, I want my M-4 with Mark 855s.
 

Aknazer

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
1,760
Location
California
http://www.outdoor-sports-store.com/item.aspx?PID=6605&w=7QApsGY/h08= Mossberg 500 Persuader for 296 (7round+1 and comes with the heat shield already installed). This is effectively what I got, but in black and I installed an ATI folding stock like the one shown earlier in the thread. But you might want to look around as I was able to pick up my Persuader for $285 and the ATI stock was $57 (I bought them on base so I'm not sure where a non-military member could get them for these prices but I'm sure they're out there).

EDIT: note that I'm in no way promoting this company, simply using it to show the style of gun and that you can get it for cheaper than some of the prices already listed in the thread.
 
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DangerClose

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
570
Location
The mean streets of WI
A strange thing is how so many people will say to not have safeties on your guns because "they only get in the way," "you might forget to take it off under stress," etc, yet then so many people will say to use a pump-action shotgun. Anyone who uses a pump-action for HD better practice with it.
 

hermannr

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
2,327
Location
Okanogan Highland
1897 Winchester 12 ga pump. 2 rounds of #4 Birdshot, followed by slugs. None in Chamber, Leaning against the wall by the door. Our biggest problem is 4 legged, of the black bear variety...

Next to the bed....38 Colt on my side, CZ-52 9X18 on wife's side. No kids at home any more. Always loaded, CZ on safe, no safe available on the 1926 Colt Wheel gun.
 

DrakeZ07

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Messages
1,080
Location
Lexington, Ky
Stevens single barrel 20GA loaded with Bird-shot; sitting between the Bed, and the night stand, concealed by my hot pink drapes and blinds. .45ACP Hi-Point loaded with +P between the mattress and box-spring, in a special holster to take the weight. Ruger .45cal Long-colt Revolver mounted under my computer desk. Saiga-12 (my Pink 'hello kitty' design <3) loaded with Slugs between the fridge and the stove. Oh and my Pellet rifle beside the front door~
 

okboomer

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2009
Messages
1,164
Location
Oklahoma, USA
Oh and my Pellet rifle beside the front door~

Me, too:p

As for the shotguns, the tactical 12 ga w/Tshot-00buck-Tshot-00buck-Tshot-00buck is in the back bedroom. The pistols are either on us, or on the headboard. The 20ga Benelli bird gun is downstairs with the adult DD and loaded with 00buck (3 rounds)

We do not chamber the round in the shotguns because we also believe racking a round is the universal "leave or die" notice. The next move is up to them :cool:
 

Interceptor_Knight

Regular Member
Joined
May 18, 2007
Messages
2,851
Location
Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
Birdshot most certainly, WILL go through walls. Don't be under the illusion you can't have blow-through and hurt bystanders. (There is a blog called "box o truth" out there that has a bunch of nigh-empirical tests on video if your are curious.)

Birdshot did not fully penetrate 2 sheets of drywall which infers that any pellet which would by some unlikely chance make it into another room would have no practical energy left in it.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3_2.htm
Birdshot as a Defense Load
I have had a lot of questions, summed up as follows: How effective is birdshot (#4, #6, #8, etc.) as a defense load?

We have done tests with various birdshot loads. Birdshot penetrated through two pieces of drywall (representing one wall) and was stopped in the paper on the front of the second wall. The problem with birdshot is that it does not penetrate enough to be effective as a defense round. Birdshot is designed to bring down little birds.
 

TechnoWeenie

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2007
Messages
2,084
Location
, ,
Slugs :D




Seriously though, studies show that 00 buck is actually not as good as #1 buckshot

#1 Buck contains 16 pellets which present 1.13" of combined surface contact while still providing adequate penetration.

#00 Buck contains 9 pellets which present .77" of combined surface area.

The conclusion is drawn that #00 Buck gains in penetration at the expense of surface area, but that it is actually an overpenetrator.

If it is true that #1 Buck offers sufficient penetration for the user's comfort, the increased surface area is indeed a plus. Discarding the temporary wound cavity argument, we might assume, as the article suggests, that "the #1 buck shotshell has the capacity to produce over 30 percent more potentially effective wound trauma".
 

SovereignAxe

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Messages
791
Location
Elizabethton, TN
Birdshot most certainly, WILL go through walls. Don't be under the illusion you can't have blow-through and hurt bystanders. (There is a blog called "box o truth" out there that has a bunch of nigh-empirical tests on video if your are curious.) That said, just about any gun that's bigger than an air rifle will go through standard apartment walls, just be damn sure you are ready to shoot, and try to think about the "lower risk" angles beforehand. Point blank is good. (14 inches of meat to pass through first slows stuff down.)

----

I have a Mossberg 590 fully loaded one in the chamber, full side saddle and fixed bayonet next to my bed. (No kids, if the cats kill themselves with it, so be it.) The bayonet sheath is on as is the safety. I don't "put it away."

In the closet, I have a 20 gauge bird gun and a couple of loose rounds.

In the study, another 20 gauge bird gun and a couple of loose rounds. Along with an A-5 (semi-12 gauge bird gun) clone and a few rounds for it.

Pistol (again, loaded one in the chamber) with extra mags in the desk in the study.

My tomahawk and a knife collection are in the under the couch drawer in the living room, I figure I should retreat if I was there anyway so that's not really home defense stuff.

Most of the time (unless my pants are off) there is a Kershaw in my pocket.

I do want to replace the 590 with a pistol-grip 500, but am looking or a different safety. Having it up on the edge like that makes me nervous.

hmmm, if true then I have been mislead. I can't view their site from work, but I'll have to check that out when I get home.
 

Daylen

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
2,223
Location
America
my gosh, three pages and no one has yet admitted to the shotgun being under the covers with them?

As to loads and methods. I prefer #4 or #5 shot, in fact I like magnum turkey loads. Plenty of coverage, plenty of powder and plenty of penetration. yea its pricy from the extra lead, copper plating and extra powder but they are nice rounds. I prefer to have half the magazine filled, an open breach and a round in the receiver and the safety off so that all one need to go from safe to fun mode is close the breach. The reason for this instead of a loaded chamber and safety on is that a safety button is much harder to discern than an open breach and its much easier to fix an open breach, by pushing the for grip forward, than to find the button and press it.
 

Richieg150

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
432
Location
Show Me State
I was taught as a young boy from my Dad, that for HD, you use your handgun until you can get to a real weapon, like my remington 1100 loaded with #00, 18 inch barrel and a laser sight that can be activated by pressing the switch on the forestock.
 

TaurusToter

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
308
Location
West Bend, WI
Why fire both barrels at once? Save the second shot in case you miss, or the perp keeps coming. 1 shot will suffice 95% of the time, and the second shot covers the remaining 5% pretty well.

Pull both triggers at once and miss, now you've got a baseball bat
 
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