home defense shotgun and ammo

[Darklyte27]

So ive been a rifle and pistol guy forever.

Im thinking about a shotgun now but pretty much have no clue about them.

I think the first thing that comes to mind is that remington 870,
I always see the big5 deal for a 300$ shotgun but are those worth it?

Also whats a good price on shotgun ammo? What do you want to shoot at the range and use for HD?

Coworker has a Benelli m4 which I will inherit but in the mean time id like to get a basic great bang for the buck shotgun.

[Predaxian]

Asking these questions is like opening a huge can of worms.

You can't go wrong with the 870. It's like the IBM of shotguns; no one ever got fired for buying one. But personally, I prefer a semi-auto gun, like my Benelli M3.

Conventional wisdom is #00 buckshot is the best round for home defense or tactical use. Each shell sends 9 pellets of 8.38 mm lead downrange at 1200 fps or more, roughly equivalent of discharging a full magazine of a subcompact 9 mm pistol with a single pull of the trigger.

But before you employ a home defense shotgun, it's vital to learn how your gun and ammo selection performs, by patterning it on paper. Understanding how the pellets group at various distances will likely influence your home defense tactics.

[Eldraque]

Mossberg 500 or Remington 870.

A shotgun with 00 buck should be your first choice in home defense.

Pistol close by to get you across the room to your shotgun.

you can get 00 buck anywhere from 45 cents a shell to 90 cents a shell depending on where you go

[Darklyte27]

Thanks for such a informational reply *un sarcasm*
Well I rather not spend 1500$ on a shotgun im going to get for free in the future.
Thats why im looking for something plain and simple.

whats a good deal vs avg price on that 00 buck though?

I see 5 rds for about 4$

I should have jumped on that 175 rd in a ammo can when it was 99$ doh..

this a good price?

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/winchester-military-grade-buck-shot-5rd.html

how bout this

http://sgammo.com/product/12-gauge/175-rds-federal-12-gauge-high-power-oo-buck-shot-xm12700ac-ammo-can

[Predaxian]

whats a good deal vs avg price on that 00 buck though?

I see 5 rds for about 4$

I should have jumped on that 175 rd in a ammo can when it was 99$ doh..

this a good price?

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/winchester-military-grade-buck-shot-5rd.html

how bout this

http://sgammo.com/product/12-gauge/1...700ac-ammo-can

Those are both pretty decent prices. The range of .45 to .90 per round that Eldraque quoted is about right. But before I bought a can of anything, I'd want to run a few of those through my gun and see how they pattern. I've found that the gun/load combo has a big influence on pattern size, and some shotguns are very ammo sensitive. Also, many of the cheaper off-brand loads have old fashioned wad designs that produce less consistent patterns than the higher-tech wads in the latest Federal, Winchester, etc. rounds. The nice thing about shotgun ammo is that it's very easy to find at Walmart and big box sporting goods stores at fair prices. You can try several different brands/loads and see what works best for you.

[UBFRAGD]

My HD 12ga ammo is 3" 00 and Hornady 300grnrs depending on mood and supply. Looking into some less-lethal stuff but not too excited.

My take on HD is run out the 12ga first, then pistols and phones and panic buttons and second-story bail-out.

[Intimid8tor]

I have several shotguns. The HD one is a Mossberg 500 loaded with 00 buck. The 00 Buck is either Remington or Federal I got at Walmart.

A pump shotgun is a pretty simple device and I don't think you can go wrong with one of the Mossberg 500/590 series or a Remington 870.

[land locked]

I own a few Mossbergs, just find it works best for me. Big 5 just had a Mossberg 500 8 shot for $290 for Black Friday and is on sale for about $309 every few weeks. Mine shotguns are loaded with Remington 2 3/4 00 buck value pack ammo I buy at Walmart. If you do buy a shotgun, pattern it. You will surprised at how much your spread is (or is not) at inside the home distances.

[WDE91]

Remington 870 Wingmaster
Came with a non vent rib barrel, that got chopped down at 18.75" or so

Picked up a vent rib

One gun, 2 roles

When it is at home there are 4 Winchester Ranger 00 low recoil shells in the tube

[89 Vision]

870's are great. Like already suggested, try a Mossberg too. Both make great shotguns that IMO are equally good. I own a 590 and an 870 and I like them each for different reasons. I like the "feel" of the 870, but I like the function and controls better on the Mossy.

There are many schools of thought on what's best for HD. 00 is the safe answer. #4 buckshot is also thought of by many to be a superior HD round, even compared to 00 buck. Others load birdshot as they are worried about over penetration, and realistically, a round of birdshot ought to be enough to scare off or maim any 2 legged intruder. I've loaded all at some point or another, but currently have 00 in the scattergun.

[TANK1135]

I wouldn't overlook a 20 ga.The whole family can shoot it.The 20ga shoots about 3/4 of the lead with 1/2 the felt recoil load with #1 buck.I'm a big guy and not afraid of a 12 but I can shoot my 20 faster and more accurate then the 12 plus the wife can shoot it.

[Chevy57fan]

Another shotgun you may want to consider is the Winchester SXP Defender. I own one and am very satisfied. As far as ammo, I use 2 3/4 Federal 00 buck.

[SocomM4]

#1 buck shot for HD.
Quoted-
# 1 buck shotshell has the capacity to produce over 30 percent more potentially effective wound trauma. In all shotshell loads, number 1 buckshot produces more potentially effective wound trauma than either #00 or #000 buck. In addition, number 1 buck is less likely to over-penetrate and exit an attacker's body."

If its just a protection gun, get a H&R pardner pump.
If you have to use it, it's less painful seeing the cops walk off with the H&R than the 870.

[wjc]

Another question to ask, OP, is will you be using this for hunting as well?

[Darklyte27]

No hunting planned just range and HD. Thanks for the pm there was some more helpful info.

Did anyone pick up that 175 rd buck for 100$?