considering 1st shotgun for Home Defense

[dunsho]

Looking to pick up my 1st shotgun for HD, should i get 12g or 20g, choke? looking for something on the cheaper side. Budsgunshop has a few under 200should i say away from the cheap stuff? thnks.

[IronButt]

I'm partial to pump guns. Remington 870's to be specific & I'd go 12 Ga for a home defense gun. They're simple to operate & very dependable. My 870 that I bought 33 years ago still sees use. The list of aftermarket parts, stocks, barrels, etc is endless.

Same goes for Mossberg. I have an 835 Turkey gun that looks like it's been thru hell, but still shoots every time.

Either a Rem 870 or a Mossberg 500 with a short barrel would be a good choice. They're both in the same price range & won't break the bank.

[officer64]

The Mossberg Maverick (Model 88) is just a cheaper version of the 500 and can be gotten new for just over $200. It's a good one for low cost home defense. The nice thing is that this a shorter model and better suited for use around the home.

The 500 or the 870 are excellent choices also. Highly dependable and will last forever when taken care of. There are occassional used bargains on them around. I recently sold a used 500 field grade in excellent condition for $160.

[Karl/PA]

Agree with the above posts. As to choke, for indoor defense go with bore/open choked. You have enough stopping power and you don't want to miss. Shot size 5 to 7 should do nicely. You don't want to go through too many walls.

[normanvin]

Hers another vote for the Mossberg.

[LittleRedToyota]

Shot size 5 to 7 should do nicely. You don't want to go through too many walls.

you do want enough penetration, though, to actually physically stop the bad guy (even if he is wearing a lot of clothing).

most self/home defense experts recommend 12 gauge loaded with #00 buck for that reason. for whatever it's worth.

personally, i recommend an AR, but that is another thread.

[IronButt]

Remington makes turkey loads that are a mix of #2 & 4 shot. They're readily available in any sporting goods store available & they'd also be a good choice for hd.

[LittleRedToyota]

they'd also be a good choice for hd.

what makes you say that?

why kind of penetration would they get vs. a (clothed) human being (as opposed to a bird)?

[BlueGunGuy]

you're going to have it for life. i think the mossberg 500 is your best bet (maverick is okay, but cheaper internals, more plastic, etc). 590 is nice but the heavy barrel, etc are overkill for your use.

check out a place like Dunhams who run crazy cheap sales. i picked up a new 500 with the 18.5" barrel, with factory heat guard (cheesy, but who cares) for mid$200. I just added the knoxx spec ops recoil reducing stock (must buy, in my opinion). picked up at cabelas for $120, including forend. Last thing i will add is a set of ghost ring sights for easy aim, and ability to accurately shoot slugs too. that is it. no electronic hologhraphic sites (this may sit in closet for a year at a time and i dont want to worry about dead batteries). no side saddle (if i need more than 5 or 6 rounds for an HD situation, let's be honest, i have larger problemsthan the 500 will help me with). i may consider adding some rail to the forend for a flashlight, but i don't think so.

all this said, the 500 with the 18.5 barrel and the factory bead site is a great HD gun, as is. best buy out there. aside from dunhams, dicks and gander mountain also often carry, not quite as cheap, but close.

anthony arms currently has some of the knoxx recoild reducing FOLDING stocks for the 500, for around $100. that is the only folding stock i would ever consider for a 12 gauge. check out reviews using google. i went for the spec ops version as it has more recoil reduction, and fits my needs fine.

EDIT: best argument for 12 gauge over 20 gauge is that 12 gauge shells are far easier to come by, even during ammo shortages, etc. i am amazed at how often places are out of 20 gauge buckshot. also, you can get more specialty rounds in 12. with a pump gun, you have option of HD-specific low recoil 12 gauge loads too (though i would suggest the knoxx stock instead, and standard )) or #4 buckshot loads). note that some people argue to even use a 410 for HD... easy to control, accurate, and still like getting shot repeatedly with a 357. in my mind, if you can handle it, the 12 gauge is best bet.

[sk8r101all]

Picked up a mossberg 500 persuader a few weeks ago. Pistol grip, 6 postion collapseable stock, and side saddle, good price.
For wether to use bird shot or 00 buck for HD check this out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukj7Vq53Gu8