Shotgun Advice? Picking out my first and likely only.

[Kappy]

I'm filling in holes in my safe. One thing which has been noted by friends is the obvious lack of a shotgun. I don't really have anywhere local to shoot one, since my local range has no course for it. We allow slug, but shot tends to destroy our target frames. I've been shooting handguns and rifles for around 8 or 9 years, but have only shot shotgun a handful of times.

I seriously do not understand how the capacity in a shotgun works. I gather that when you have certain types of rounds you can put more in? Further that some (I think only pumps?) can have other tubes installed or unblocked or something to hold a higher capacity? Is this true of all pumps?

My current interest is possibly home security, but more for this local 3-gun thing at my club. I have no interest in hunting or other sport at present, and have been told that such endeavors would require another purchase anyway.

I will likely only ever buy two shotguns in my life. One for sporting and a... "tactical" one. For reasons I don't want to get into, I don't resell guns, nor do I have enough money to buy a bunch of them. I'm largely just filling in holes, as I mentioned above.

Let's say that you were going to purchase a shotgun for 3-gun/home defense.
1. Are those really two separate rifles?
2. Would you go with a pump or a semi-auto? Will I miss never having a pump?
3. Is capacity that much of an issue for the uses mentioned above? Will 4+1 do it for me?

I've budgeted $1,000 for this purchase, but wouldn't mind spending less.

I've been all over this topic with guys at my range. I was thinking a Remington 870 for pump or a Mossberg 930 for semi-auto. I was even thinking of one of those UTAS or Keltecs.

I REALLY like what I've read about the Rock Island M5, and the price is certainly right, but 4+1 capacity isn't that forgiving. I'm not sure if it's possible to modify it to hold more. Alternatively, the Remington 870 Mariner.

Any insights are welcome.

[Ducky's Dad]

Best value and most versatile is going to be a used 870 Wingmaster Magnum 3". Lots of them out there, reasonable prices, absolutely reliable, and lots of aftermarket tactical stuff if you really want to do that. 4+1 is plenty for anything you probably need to do, but if you ever want to hunt migratory birds, you will have to plug the magazine for 2+1 to stay legal. If you buy 2" or 2-1/2" shells you can get more rounds in the magazine, but those shells are expensive and somewhat scarce. On the tac side, you can get lots of plastic stocks and pistol grips, slug barrels, HD barrels, sights and light mounts, slings, pads, camo crap, extended mag tubes,etc. One big advantage of the 870 is that you can easily convert it back and forth between sporting/hunting and tactical/3-gun configurations with a socket wrench, a pin punch, and a mag tube wrench.

And yes, if you do not own a pump you will be missing one of the great joys in life.

[Kappy]

I'm not planning to hunt. Never have... may some day, but I'll likely get another gun for that purpose. I think I have room for basically one HD shotgun and one sporting shotgun.

I'll do some more looking at the 870.

So... if I were to get the Rock Island M-5, is there a way to get more than 4+1 into it?

[L84CABO]

Capacity...Shotguns are usually chambered for either 2.75" or 3" inch shells, although some can handle 3.5". Since most shotguns are fed via a magazine tube, the length of the shell will ultimately affect your overall capacity. The longer the shell, the less it will be able to hold compared to the shorter shells. And the length of the magazine tube can vary depending on the length of the barrel. A 22 inch barrel, for example, will accommodate a longer mag tube (greater capacity) than an 18 inch barrel. But a longer barrel may be less maneuverable in a home defense situation. There is a balance to be struck.

And they do make shorter shells which will usually feed just fine in a pump gun but may present problems in a semi auto. Magazine tubes can also be restricted to meet various hunting requirements (3 rounds maximum in many cases).

For 3 Gun, you're probably going to want a semi auto gun. You'll find that's what the bulk of 3 Gunners are using, although you will see the occasional pump gun. But spend any time in the sport and I think you're going to want a good semi auto. And a good semi auto isn't cheap.

As for which gun, there are lots of options. You'll find that the Benelli M2 is probably king of the 3 Gun world...not that there aren't other options. It is, most certainly, a fine choice but a bit outside your budget. But it's a fantastic gun and can fill a lot of roles with an extra barrel or two. The FN SLP is also a good choice for 3 Gun.

The Mossberg 930 could work too although the reviews I've seen on that gun seem to be a bit more mixed.

We're it me and I was only going to ever buy one or two shotguns, I would definitely save my pennies and get a quality gun. You absolutely want a dead reliable gun for both roles. Personally I'd go with the Benelli with a 22" barrel for 3 Gun and an 18 for home defense. And I wouldn't have any problem not having a pump gun in the arsenal. But that's me.

I would also stay well away from the Keltec. Far too many problems reported with that gun for my tastes. If I did want to do a pump gun, I'd go with any 870 variant and call it good. Can't go wrong with an 870. Mossberg makes a good pump gun too. It comes down to personal preference between those two brands.

And lastly, capacity is most certainly an issue in the two roles you are talking about. Capacity = speed in the 3 gun world and that wins matches. And obviously in a home defense role, more is better. I would greatly prefer 7+1 over 4+1 for home defense. No question.

[Mr.Caketown]

I was in the same category as OP recently. Due to a Turners sale i got a Remington 870 Tactical for $450 , its pump but it has a few cool features that make it worth it for someone who wont shoot it much

[k1dude]

I would recommend the Mossberg JM Pro in 22" or 24". The 24" will have a larger mag. It would fit your needs nicely and Palmetto currently has them in stock for $569.99.

[8886]

Usually I hear Rem 870 police model when this is brought up. Yeah, it's $700... but it's basically one of the best pumps for the money.

[AmericanRedoubt]

I like the Mossberg 930 if I had to have only one.

[superNoid]

Seems like everyone has a Remington 870 variant. However, if I were buying a shotgun for home defense I would also look at the Mossberg 930 SPX.

[land locked]

I am in the one shotgun only category. Mainly home defense. Same problem with the local range not having a dedicated shotgun shoot area besides slugs and trap/skeet.

I went with the basic I. Everything I need for HD. Don't know about 3 gun and is less expensive than the official 870 police. Hard to beat for the prices he has for the upgrades you get

http://aiptactical.com/AIP_Tactical_Combat_Shotgun.php?no_redirect=true

[k1dude]

If you're looking for something more expensive than the Mossberg JM Pro, consider:

FNH SLP MK II

FNH SLP MK II Competition

Benelli M2

Remington VersaMax Tactical

[Getssum96]

Saw that your profile said Sutter County. I know it is a big county, but Coon Creek Trap and Skeet Club is in Sutter county as well.

http://cooncreektrap.com/

[ArmedCMT]

For HD I went with the tacticool 870 clone. Its gets 6+1 with 2 3/4" shells but I get 8+1 with the mini 00buck (2 1/4") I keep it loaded with. God forbid I ever have to use it in a HD situation but if it comes to that Itll be cheap and easy to replace.

[k1dude]

I have to say L84CABO gave you very good info. If you plan on shooting 3 gun and using it for HD as well, it really narrows down the candidates. If you want to be competitive at all, you need a semi-auto. You'll need far more than 4+1 rounds. All the guns I recommended fit the bill.

You said your budget was $1,000. Some I recommended are over that, the JM Pro is under that. If you said you were on a really tight budget, I would have recommended the Mossberg 930 SPX (no pistol grip version).

Any shotgun with a barrel between 18" and 24" works well for HD.

A hunting shotgun is a whole different animal. That needs its own thread.

[DArBad]

For a Tactical shotgun, my choice is always the pump: the Mossberg 590A1 that I recently bought, has a 20 inch heavy-walled barrel and 8+1 rounds capacity. It was/is used by the US military, the NYPD, etc. so it is a proven performer.

I also like the Remington 870. Particulary, the Express Tactical with the 18.5 inch barrel, Ghost Ring Sights, 6 +1 capacity, black synthetic stock, and extended barrel breacher w/ ports. While I am enamored of the beauty of the Reminton Wingmaster, its just too pretty, expensive, and way too long for my intended purpose of SHTF scenarios.

When it comes to a hunting shotguns, Mossbergs pumps 500/535/835s and semi-autos 930s/935s series are among the most extensive in the industry: there are the Duck Commanders, the Turkey THUG line, the Combo series, etc. etc. etc. They are also some of the most " heavy-duty " shotguns: the 835's and the 935's.

The Benellis, Beretta's, FNH are just way too expensive for my budget and taste. I am sure those with extra funds will be so inclined to buy those expensive brands.