Looking for a home defense gun

[sammy]

Hello all, I have a friend that is looking for a home defense shotgun. I know nothing about them so am looking for your opinions. He is a big guy and has no trouble with a 12 gage. We went shopping and found the Mossberg 590A1 which looked good, nice sights, 9 rounds of intruder destruction but seems a little large for maneuvering indoors. His price range is no more than $500.00. Thanks for your help, Sammy

[phod330]

Any of the HD shotguns will do: Remington 870, Winchester 1300 Defender, Mossberg, etc. With $500 you could get any of those pump shotties. Mossberg 590 is really nice. Your not going to be able to get a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches, unless you are Law Enforcement. So for length wise, your stuck with that on a shottie.

[the_natterjack]

Hello all, I have a friend that is looking for a home defense shotgun. I know nothing about them so am looking for your opinions. He is a big guy and has no trouble with a 12 gage. We went shopping and found the Mossberg 590A1 which looked good, nice sights, 9 rounds of intruder destruction but seems a little large for maneuvering indoors. His price range is no more than $500.00. Thanks for your help, Sammy

Take a look at the Big 5 sales flyer when it comes around. Usually can get a Mossberg combo package ( 16 and 20 inch )with DROS for around $260.

[grammaton76]

The 590 is a little long in its default config, but I've got the top-folding stock on mine. Others have the top-folding stock on it and hate it, so it's really your choice.

Now, my roomie has what I would consider the ideal home defense pump shotgun:



CA-legal by a fraction of an inch. Search on Gunbroker for "mossberg bullpup", sometimes you can find 'em for $400 (that's what my roomie's ran).

[maxicon]

Take a look at the Big 5 sales flyer when it comes around. Usually can get a Mossberg combo package ( 16 and 20 inch )with DROS for around $260.

The main problem with the Mossberg combo package (18.5" and 28") as a HD gun is that it's the lower capacity (5 round?) gun - you have to get the Security model to get the 8 round capacity, and changing tube capacity on a Mossberg is nowhere near as easy as a Remington. If that doesn't matter, it's a great deal.

With a $500 budget, though, I'd get an 870 and a flashlight forend, but that's just me.

[Socal858]

dont discount the benelli nova/supernova models either. play with all of the big names if you can: rem, winchester, mossberg, benelli. see what you like about the placements of the safeties, slide releases, etc

[randy]

Remmy 870
Benelli Nova

I'm not a mossberg guy.

[DirtySanchez]

I dont know where you live but Turners has the Rem 870 on sale for 279.00
right now.

http://www.turners.com/engage/displayad2.php?H=1&m1=February&m2=February&d1=22&d2=28&img=ads/02-22-07/rem870.gif

[scoobysnax]

Bud's Gun Shop sells the 590A1 (parkerized, Speedfeed stock, and ghost ring sights) for $388.65. I was originally going to get one of those, but I decided to get the vanilla 590 (blued, bead sight) that was on sale at Big 5 last weekend instead.

[rod]

If you're worried about length and maneuverability, go with a Mossy 500 or Rem 870 with an 18 inch barrel and pistol grip. No stock...pistol grip only. You can get them for under $300.

[anotherted]

changing tube capacity on a Mossberg is nowhere near as easy as a Remington

Are you taking about finding tubes for sale or the process of changing them out?

In my 590 its a simple matter of unscrewing the mag tube from the receiver. Takes 1 min.

[guimus]

...and if you can't clear your house with 5 rounds of 12ga, you've got problems!

[sammy]

While my buddy and I were shopping for a shotgun I did not have any intention on getting one myself. Damnit, I had to get a Benelli Supernova, ghost ring sights. The gun just felt great, trigger was decent and the sights excellent!!! How am I going to explain this to my wife?

[maxicon]

Are you taking about finding tubes for sale or the process of changing them out?

In my 590 its a simple matter of unscrewing the mag tube from the receiver. Takes 1 min.

Yes, it's easy on the 590. My post was about the 500 combo, which is much more difficult to extend the tube on. You basically need a new barrel assembly with the longer tube unless you're a machinist.

It's one of the biggest flaws in the 500 design, IMO. If someone wants extra capacity on a 500, they pretty much need to buy it that way, and that means no cheap 2-barrel combo.

[XeRoFuN]

Yes, it's easy on the 590. My post was about the 500 combo, which is much more difficult to extend the tube on. You basically need a new barrel assembly with the longer tube unless you're a machinist.

It's one of the biggest flaws in the 500 design, IMO. If someone wants extra capacity on a 500, they pretty much need to buy it that way, and that means no cheap 2-barrel combo.

Yeah, I bought a Mossberg 500 8 shot with 20" barrel at Big 5, then later decided that I would be better off with the 18.5", so I had to buy both the barrel and the mag tube. Eh...still not bad. When I go to the range, I like putting the 8 shot one, then switching up to the 6 shot for home.