Defense Shotgun for Mom

[Den60]

My Mom lives in a rural area in East San Diego. My Dad died back in 2015. We are talking about 10 acre lots and to her west is DFG land. She gets illegals through her property routinely. She had one come to her door on Sunday asking to charge his phone. Her Rottweiler was with her and was going wild. The guy finally left and she called a neighbor who came down with his son armed with ARs.

I have tried to get my Mom to move back in town but she tells me, "your dad built me this house." Mom is 86, getting close to 87 now and about 5'3" and 90 lbs. She has a .38 SW revolver as well as a single shot .410 shotgun that she uses for snakes. She takes about some 10 or so each year with that. She had a neighbor cut down the stock on that because she was missing her target, so an adjustable stock is preferred.

Since she won't move back into town I'd like to get her better armed. Had her try to rack one of my pistols, a Glock, and she had a hard time doing so.

She is very comfortable with her .410. I'm thinking about getting her a semi-auto shotgun with an adjustable stock but would like either a 12 or 20 ga with a shorter barrel. I want her to have as much stopping power as she can get. She says the .410 recoil is "nothing."

So, hoping for some feedback here.

[BucDan]

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/shotguns/mossberg-sa-20-youth-bantam-shotgun/p/1506666

Bantam stock, cut down the barrel to 18.5" or 20" with Gunfighter Tactical or other shop, but they can't thread for choke.

If she weren't so elderly, I'd say 12g with lite buck shot, but 20g buck will do just as well.

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/shotguns/mossberg-sa-20-railed-semi-auto-shotgun/p/1477386

Edit: saw this and thought of your thread

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?p=26777422#post26777422

I ha e no affiliation.

[hermosabeach]

Given her age, mini 14 or ruger 10/22 over the shotgun

Shotguns are harder to run
Harder to clear malfunctions

.223 in a mini 14 is a pretty simple package

[EsotericEpsilon]

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-...tgun/p/1506666

Bantam stock, cut down the barrel to 18.5" or 20" with Gunfighter Tactical or other shop, but they can't thread for choke.

If she weren't so elderly, I'd say 12g with lite buck shot, but 20g buck will do just as well.

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/shotguns/mossberg-sa-20-railed-semi-auto-shotgun/p/1477386

Edit: saw this and thought of your thread

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?p=26777422#post26777422

I ha e no affiliation.

^^ I agree. 20ga with buckshot should do well for HD.
Check out Paul Harrell reviewing 20ga for home defense:

https://youtu.be/f8EL9MXY2S4

He also reviews .410 shotguns for HD:

https://youtu.be/BQD77feU-rY

You could also get her one of the Bear Creek Arsenal 22 mag uppers and have a rimfired AR with all the features she wants, like adjustable stock.

https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/calibers/22-magnum-wmr-ar-15/22-magnum-complete-uppers/22-magnum-16-parkerized-heavy-barrel-1-16-twist-length-gas-system-15-new-mlok-sch-gen-2-upper.html

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1782499&highlight=Bear+creek+arsenal&page=4

Either way, she'll need some range time to get used to the actions if she's going from single shot shotgun to semiauto shotgun or rifle.

[9Cal_OC]

20ga semi auto

[axhoaxho]

My friend and his wife live on about 12 acres of land, up the mountain. His wife has a 20 gauge Remington 11-87 by the side of her bed. She uses it as a SD gun, for everything — from snakes to multi-legged animals.

(On a side note, also consider a 40 S&W Ruger PC Carbine for your mother, especially ‘if’ she somehow has some freedom magazines that your father left with her…)

Best wishes to your mother, take good care of her.

[elSquid]

She is very comfortable with her .410. I'm thinking about getting her a semi-auto shotgun with an adjustable stock but would like either a 12 or 20 ga with a shorter barrel. I want her to have as much stopping power as she can get. She says the .410 recoil is "nothing."

https://www.riflegear.com/p-11575-rossi-circuit-judge-45lc410-185-barrel-synthetic-stock.aspx

[BOBGBA]

...Had her try to rack one of my pistols, a Glock, and she had a hard time doing so...

Go to a gunstore and rack a glock G34. It's pretty easy to rack.
See what you think and maybe you could then bring her to the store to see if she could rack it.
Or get one and leave it racked.

[FeuerFrei]

PPC rifle du jour with a charging handle extension if needed. Rack n roll in a 9mm should be reliable, easy to charge/handle, accurate and deadly if necessary. Put a light on it too.

Sometimes the best shotgun ain't a shotgun.

[Timthetwin]

Why does everyone run to shotguns for home defense tools for strength challenged folks? They have limited capacity, must be manipulated for follow up shots, and often have more recoil. I would recommend you get her a Ruger PC carbine in 9mm and a few Glock mags.

[9Cal_OC]

Why does everyone run to shotguns for home defense tools for strength challenged folks? They have limited capacity, must be manipulated for follow up shots, and often have more recoil. I would recommend you get her a Ruger PC carbine in 9mm and a few Glock mags.

You must have not read OPs post about her doing well with a .410.

[W.R.Buchanan]

If she can shoot a rifle I'd say go that way. She'd have the advantage of more firepower and less to no recoil.

A Mini 14 would be good or a Kel-Tec SU16 would be lighter and probably more easy for her to wield.

The biggest problem I see is her lack of meaningful training. Whatever gun you choose for her she needs to get trained on how to run it and use it effectively.

With a Semi Auto Rifle that means Loading unloading Aiming and shooting multiple targets... All this could be done by you at her home. A Red Dot sight on the gun would simplify the shooting part as all you'd have to teach her would be put the dot on the target and pull the trigger. No sight alignment to fool with just Dot Bang !

I don't see a Shotgun being as good a weapon for her as a rifle. And you know I'd love to see her using a Shotgun, but simply because a 12 ga. is probably too much for her, and the distances and areas she'd need to control are mostly outside of shotgun range. And a 20 ga is even more limited.

I also don't see a PCC as being a good choice for the same reasons as the shotguns. PCC's are 100 yard guns, and a 9MM at 100 yards is just about useless. Even a .40 S&W wouldn't be all that great.

However a .223 is, and therefore a Mini 14 or Kel-Tec would be a better choice,,, As long as you can teach her how to use it. If she isn't willing to learn how to effectively protect herself in her environment, I say kidnap her and drag her to the city or whatever it takes.!!!

One other thing. You need to spot signs all along her fence lines saying "Trespassers WILL BE SHOT" in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic, Farsi, and so on,,,, and then have her go out and shoot the gun every day for several months so anyone watching/casing her property would know there are guns there and they are being used. Thus dissuading them from using her property as a corridor.

You can tell her she doesn't have to hit them unless they are shooting back but just shooting close to them should turn them around! If they shoot back she needs to be willing to kill them or all of this is pointless.

Randy

[Che762x39]

I have tried to get my Mom to move back in town but she tells me, "your dad built me this house." Mom is 86, getting close to 87 now and about 5'3" and 90 lbs. She has a .38 SW revolver as well as a single shot .410 shotgun that she uses for snakes. She takes about some 10 or so each year with that. She had a neighbor cut down the stock on that because she was missing her target, so an adjustable stock is preferred.

My mom is 91. She has a Colt Detective Special that she asked for after my dad died she didn't want his Colt 1911.

I like the suggestion of the Ruger Mini-14. The 410 is great for dispatching snakes.

[Che762x39]

Why does everyone run to shotguns for home defense tools for strength challenged folks? They have limited capacity, must be manipulated for follow up shots, and often have more recoil. I would recommend you get her a Ruger PC carbine in 9mm and a few Glock mags.

I agree. But I am leaning towards the Ruger Mini-14

[Che762x39]

You must have not read OPs post about her doing well with a .410.

I did. OP said; a single shot .410 shotgun that she uses for snakes. She takes about some 10 or so each year with that. She had a neighbor cut down the stock on that because she was missing her target

So I will not suggest a larger gauge shotgun. I like the Ruger Mini-14 suggestion because it is a very basic semi automatic rifle.

I prefer recommending the AK except in CA due to our 'featureless' thing. All over the world 'child/soldiers' are rocking the AK just like the grandmas in the Ukraine.