shotguns

[wewo]

I am considering buying a shotty for self-defense and possibly shooting clays, never shot one before and know little about rifles/shotguns. My research here and elsewhere suggests Mossberg 500 is the way to go. I would prolly go with shorter barrel since Self-D is primary issue. My questions relate to caliber. How bad is the recoil on a 12 ga.? Should I consider a 20-guage? Also where does .410 ga. fall in the mix?

[MarcS]

You can buy low recoil tactical loads for a 12 guage that don't really kick any more than 20ga loads. The ammunition selection is positively huge. It's really the only way to go for a shotgun you plan to use for home defense. Just remember that shotguns have a steep learning curve and you'll have to practice a lot to manipulate on under stress.

[knight0334]

What he ^ said..




The Mossy 500 is a good gun for the $$.

12ga(1/12 of a pound of lead): good ammo selection. doesn't kick as bad as portrayed, upland bird and clay loads are very light ammo. Heavier guns generally kick less than lighter weight guns.

16ga(1/16 of a pound of lead): comparable to 12ga, less ammo available. slightly less shot per shell. pretty much a powderpuff 12gauge.

20ga(1/20 of a pound of lead): quite a few choices in ammo, not quite what is available for the 12ga. Heavy 20ga loads can kick the snot out of you due to lighter gun than a 12ga, but nearly the same load.

28ga(1/28 of a pound of lead): A sporting shell. Used mostly for upland birds, squirrels, rabbits and clays. expensive ammo, mostly hunting loads available.

32ga(1/32 of a pound of lead): rather rare, another upland game gun. expensive ammo

.410 bore(1/67 of pound of lead): not a defensive gun, expensive ammo, good though for small game.

[RocketFoot]

The 2 most popular shotguns are the Mossberg 500/590 and the Remington 870...there are tons of after market accessories available for either brand.

[reverserboy]

If you want to use it for both clays & home defense,I would suggest having 2 barrels. A longer,26" or so vent rib barrel that will accept different choke tubes for sporting use. And a 18" to 20" for two legged pests (home defense).

I have a Rem 870 with 2 barrels as described above. But as of last year home defense duties have been assumed by a Mossberg 590A1. This gun is not dual purpose.

[Autonomous]

wewo, good to hear you are thinking about getting a shotgun. They are great. Your question was about gauge. Both MarcS and knight0334 have given good advice. I would listin to them.
I just want to remind you that both mossberg 500/590 and remington 870 come in barrel combo packages. You can get the 18 1/2 inch HD barrel as well as the 28 inch ported barrel for clays. Shooting clays will get you into "good" shooting habits, such as counting your shells vigilantly and remembering to cycle the action on the firearm inorder to load the next shell...it is damn embaressing to do that in front of a bunch of folks...
Good luck with the shotgun buy and let us know what you get...
-A

[scoutjoe]

Originally Posted by reverserboy

I have a Rem 870 with 2 barrels as described above. But as of last year home defense duties have been assumed by a Mossberg 590A1. This gun is not dual purpose.

For that reason I started with the 500 with a 26" or 28" vent rib barrel for the fields and a 20" for the house.

With the long magazine tube on the 590A1 I don't think its possible to get a "field" barrel for it. Not that you would want it since swinging that gun is a chore

[wewo]

Thanks guys, I will advise, and I do have a place to practice.

[knight0334]

Originally Posted by wewo

Thanks guys, I will advise, and I do have a place to practice.

If you're lucky, you might be able to find a used Mossberg 500 for around $150. It may not be pretty, but thats what aftermarket goodies are for. ...Being a Rattle-Can-Rembrandt helps too.

[Minor Threat]

I recently got my 1st shotty myself & have to say that 12 ga is going to be the way to go for HD. I happened to stumble across a H & R pardner pump at Cabelas 1 day (18" barrel, pump gun that holds 5 rounds) that I picked up for $125. This is basically a copy of the Rem 870 at a fraction of the price. Alot of 870 accessories will fit on it also. I'm still learning to use it well, but for the price, you cant beat it.