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good tactical shotgun for home defense

6K views 21 replies 17 participants last post by  paratus 
#1 ·
started looking at tactical style shotguns for home defense at the local gun shop yesterday.....just wondering what you guys would recommend.....the remington 870 and mossberg 500 variants i hear are pretty good.
 
#2 ·
I don't believe that you can beat the simplicity and reliability of the good old Remington 870. It's been a workhorse for years. It's what I have for use around the house, in the short barrel version.
 
#3 ·
You can't go wrong either the Mossy or the Remy, but they have very different control placement. If possible you should try both before you buy, preferably with live ammo, but to work the controls on an empty gun at a minimum. It all comes down to personal preference. That one is substantially better than the other is BS, IMO.
 
#4 ·
I don't believe that you can beat the simplicity and reliability of the good old Remington 870. It's been a workhorse for years. It's what I have for use around the house, in the short barrel version.


I agree. I also shoot skeet and sporting clays with an 870 so for me the decision was easy.
 
#5 ·
Yup, it's the 870 for me, with the extended mag. It holds 6+1, keep it loaded with 00buck by the bed.



Took a combat shotgun training course, learned to point shoot with it, deadly! Money well spent.
 
#6 ·
Yup, it's the 870 for me, with the extended mag. It holds 6+1, keep it loaded with 00buck by the bed.



Took a combat shotgun training course, learned to point shoot with it, deadly! Money well spent.




+1 on this!!! An 870 in tactical configuration is an awesome weapon for sure.

Only thing I do different is alternate the ammo: 00buck, #6 shot, 00buck, #6 shot etc.

The reason I do this is because I also carry that shotgun when on my tractor working in the back fields. #6 tears up a big cottonmouth pretty good.

00buck works good on both 2 and 4-legged "varmints" if ya know what I mean.
 
#9 ·
I kept a Remington 870 Marine Magnum for a while. It is a rather big boy with it's mag extension. The nickel make it very easy to wipe clean and keep clean twice a month.



We also have a Moss-berg 20 gauge. And that one does the job with the Brenneke slugs. However, it is a magnum model capable of either 2.75 inch or three inch rounds.



100 yards and still packing about... 800 to 1600 pounds of energy delivered to a target is plenty. Twice that inside the home. it does not matter if bad guy is wearing armor or not. He will be knocked off feet and probably driven through the drywall as well.



Remington mated with a Winchester super X Magnum 3 inch round is going to produce a blast/flame about 5 feet long, two feet wide. Pack a recoil of about 40 pounds and drive that one ounce slug at about 1800 fps with a automobile's worth of punch up to 20 yards.



Fair warning, some slugs have made it almost back to my firing line at the shooting range (100 yard indoor) by bouncing along the floor from the back stop. It's possible some have made it out of the range wall, but I wont go back there and look.



Double ought is much better for the home defense but will punch .32 caliber holes into everything you dont hit the bad guy with.





I think large caliber has a little bit of ... hit on my head because it is so effective.



One thing also, Forget the taticool crap. All you need is a handful of shells and good iron sights.
 
#11 ·
I may be the odd one out here but i would go for the mossberg everytime.

(I'm a lefty and the safety on top works perfect for my right handed wife and her oddball left handed hubby)



I love my mossy ulti-mag 835 AND my taticool 590a1 loaded with LE 00 buck/ HP Slug/ LE 00 buck/ HP Slug/ then all LE 00 buck.

If i don't want the slug i just pump 2 times, if i need the stopping power Bang there it is.



better to have and not need then need and not have I say.
 
#14 ·
About 10 years ago I got a Winchester 1300 turkey modle. 24 in barrel 3 inch magnum. A few years later to was a gun show and found a winchester 1300 home defender modle with no bolt, recever or stock ( it wasnt stolen I knew the dealer.) I took the turckey modle changed the mag tube, barrel, and added a side shell saddle. This s the best home defence shotgun I have ever used. I have shot 870 and 500 but the wichester to me has a better feel and the action moves easyer. Just a diffent thought on the subject.
 
#15 ·
Hi M&P Dan:



As was said in earlier post, no real difference in performance just ergos, and functionality for mission specific use.



870s & 500 / 590s are both exceptional when configured right.



870 is probably my favorite all around waterfoul gun, but the Mossy 500 Persuader w/ Blackhawk M4 style reduced recoil butt stock and 8 shot capacity is a very practical HD weapon. Since it doesn't have a pistol grip the receiver safety is perfect for lefty & righty shooters. W/ pistol grip I'd recommend the Remy w/ trigger guard safety.



I have honestly never seen an 870 or Mossy 500 pump wear out. Many LE's use the Remy while Mossy has the current Mil Spec contract.



Also, for HD remember that buckshot will penetrate 2 avg gypsum walls wheras a smaller (bird shot) load usually stops in first wall. Both are bad news for bad guys.



Cannot go wrong with either.



LTUSMC
 
#16 ·
I guess it boils down to ergos and internals. Ergos wise, the safety and the slide release are different. That's probably most important as to what you can adapt to. Internals, the Mossberg has a few more parts. Try to look past the flair of muzzle breachers and ghost rings (which actually obscure your peripheral vision...) Functionality is most important.



Choose your poison. Personally, I'm sold on the 870.



Chevy/Ford. PC/Mac. Coke/Pepsi



Either should last a good, long time.
 
#17 ·
Why buy just one? My backdoor gun is a Mossberg 500 Mariner 8 shot, the living room gun is a Bakail O/U double, and the bedroom gun is my duck gun, Winchester Super X2 auto. In the girls bedroom is the Mossberg 500 20 ga. What do you think would look good in the dining room?
 
#18 ·
#19 ·
The 870 dropped into my hands and everything was where it should be for me. But too big for wife. However the Mossberg fit her the same feeling of just right. So. We bought both.



The Mossberg is a good gun, the safety is more advantageous because of it's position high on the receiver to the rear. The last time I shot it, it spat a Federal Truball at 1600 feet with maybe a few inches of drop at 90 yards followed by the rest of the plastic somewhat late and slow compared to the slug.



The old Winchester 1300's are very awesome as are the new Benellis. However if I must say so, the new Military AA-12 is my favorite, but might have to wait 50 years before being allowed to buy one.
 
#21 ·


Well at the least, I guess I'd suggest a rail mount on top... that would give you the option of better optics later.. like an Eotech of some sort.



If you want to get nuts like I did, and you KNOW 870 is the way you want to go... check out this guy:



http://www.aiptactical.com/



He built me a SWEET Tactical II that I would bet my life on, and will probably outlast my kin. Give him a call and he will be honest with you, wont force you into buying anything, and will steer you away from the unneeded and "tacticool". A very "straight shooter".



I viewed mine as a once in a lifetime tool, and considered the investment worth it.
 
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