I'm rethinking my home shotgun and could use some advice.

[teddy12b]

Let me first start off by saying that I'm not really a shotgun guy. I have one because somewhere in the book of man laws there's a requirement that everyone own some kind of a shotgun. Mine is the plane jane 870 with the 7 shot extension. I really don't shoot it much at all and the only reason I have it is for keeping the family safe.

One of the reasons that I don't shoot the gun very much is that all it has is a front bead sight and I can't seem to really hit anything that I'm shooting at with it. Don't get me wrong, with the 00 I'm a deadly shot, but if I want to make a well aimed shot with a slug then I'm just out of luck for the most part.

So lately I've been thinking about a couple of different options. It'd be nice to get a shotgun with some form of regular iron sights and not just a little BB Remington super glued to the end of the barrel. I've been thinking about a remington replacement barrel with iron sights and the adjustable chokes. I've also considered selling the gun outright and buying one of the 870's that have the ghost ring sights or even one of the mossberg 590's that have iron sights. In an ideal world I'd trade my 870 against a mossberg 930 SPX, but after reading a lot of reviews on those 930 SPX's it doesn't sound like they're the quality I want in my hands when I need to grab a shotgun in the middle of the night. I've also considered one of those 930 combo's with the 18" barrel and 28" barrel; something for home and something to start shooting clays with, but then I'm back to just having a BB front sight again. Heck, I've even kicked around the idea of one of those mossberg JIC or cruiser models for keeping around the house.

What shotgun would you recommend for a guy like me?

 

[VUPDblue]

I recommend you keep the one you have a learn to use it more effectively. Maybe invest in some training on the shotgun platform.

 

[doglb]

I recommend you keep the one you have a learn to use it more effectively. Maybe invest in some training on the shotgun platform.

Would have to agree, the 870 is a fine HD weapon. Dont waste or spend money if you dont have to. I would also stay away from PG only shotguns...
Yeah they are cool (always like the look myself) but not practical.

K.I.S.S-Im not a big shotgun guy myself, so I run a plain jane 5+1 Winchester 18" and it does what it needs to do...

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Several points to consider:

I really don't shoot it much at all

You need to shoot it more, focus on manipulation.

Shotguns are like revolvers, need to practice reloading.

I can't seem to really hit anything that I'm shooting at with it.

It'd be nice to get a shotgun with some form of regular iron sights and not just a little BB Remington super glued to the end of the barrel.

You need more trigger time and perhaps better sights.

XS Sight Systems - Sights

Amazing work can be accomplished with the bead. Was in class with a guy who nailed the steel plate at 100 yards with a bead shotgun.

Don't get me wrong, with the 00 I'm a deadly shot

Maybe, maybe not. Remember, inside your home, the shotgun will likely perform as a rifle. If you seek a wider pattern, then you have different problems and have to outthink the pattern.

Change the buckshot load and you will get a different pattern. Something super tight like the Hornady loading will make your shotgun a rifle at longer ranges.

Pros and cons of every platform. If you keep the 870, remember the problems of the extended mags. Shop for better sights. I like a sling because it's like have a holster for a pistol.

I'd get some way to keep ammo on the weapon, butt cuff or side saddle (or both).

Above all, get a class or three. Allow software to select your hardware.

 

[teddy12b]

I agree with the idea of keeping the shotgun I have, but I think if I go that route I'd want to get a different barrel that has some form of regular sights on it. As much as I've tried to overcome it, I really struggle to get the same sight picture for each shot when I only have the sight to contend with.

Any recommendations for a different barrel? Remington makes a couple 20" barrels with iron sights that have the remington chokes. My current 18" barrel works fine except for the sight prblems.

 

[451_Detonics]

You have a great shotgun but if you want sights I would just replace the barrel with one with sights like this...
MOSSBERG BBL REM 870 SLUG 12GA 24" RS CYL MATTEBLU : Barrels at GunBroker.com

 

[teddy12b]

I'd get some way to keep ammo on the weapon, butt cuff or side saddle (or both).

One of the things I really like about my 870 is that I do have a side saddle and a stock pouch. Last trip to the range I did some practicing with my shotgun to brush up on it. My shotgun holds 7rds in the tube, 4 in the side saddle, and the stock pouch has 10rds inside it and 10rounds on the outside of it. It's a heavy boat anchor, but that also helps soften the recoil.

 

[lovemachine]

I just bought an 870 Express for HD. I've never really shot a shotgun before, and, well, my aim is LOUSY!

I heard a lot of good things with the ghost ring sites and the X ring sites or whatever.
As tempted as I am on buying something like that, I'm not.

I'm going to practice my ass off with this bead site. And then I'll look into getting different sites.
I do know that if you get a shorted stock, it should make a world of different...

 

[Rookie]

Put a red dot sight on it

 

[Plinkuh]

Amazing work can be accomplished with the bead. Was in class with a guy who nailed the steel plate at 100 yards with a bead shotgun.

Agreed. I can consistently hit a 16" plate at 75 yards and up with just a plain ol' bead. Put in the time, get better results.

 

[DustyDawg48]

It's all about practicing shouldering the gun. Getting a good cheek weld on the gun is necessary to getting consistent hits. Much like practicing your draw you need to practice shouldering the gun and getting that sight picture you need. Maybe getting some sort of cheek pad for the butt to give you a consistent spot to shoulder to would help. That sort of 'dry-fire or cold-fire' practice costs you ZERO DOLLARS and can go a long way. Every good competitive shooter practices with a cold weapon at home. Drawing or shouldering, reloading shells or practicing mag changes goes a long long way and you don't have to spend a round of ammo to get better at it. It's worth a try and won't cost a dime to spend a week or two, 15 minutes at a time working the gun from a 'low ready' to bringing it up in your firing position until you get the same result each time. Just my 2 cents.

 

[pirate]

I might get flamed for this, but if its for HD, slap a pistol grip on it and use 00 buckshot and be done with it.

I have a couple 870's and a M500 that I use for different purposes. I know what you mean about the bead on the front, but if your using 00, then no worries.

I hate the idea of a long barrel shotgun with rifle stock like you are speaking of for HD because of the added worry on clearing rooms and swinging that big thing around blind corners. The situation could allow for the bad guy to take the gun in a pressure situation a little easier. Training would help with this of course, but the length will always be a concern to me.

Of course the best answer is to get an AOW Serbu shotty! Or two.

 

[VUPDblue]

I won't flame ya but I will suggest that a pistol grip only shotgun is the second worst idea for a home defense shotgun. It is only second to the Serbu......

 

[iChokePeople]

I won't flame ya but I will suggest that a pistol grip only shotgun is the second worst idea for a home defense shotgun. It is only second to the Serbu......

+1. An 870 is just fine. No reason to swap it, and no real reason to change from a bead to anything else, but do what works for YOU. Run it until it's second nature. Sounds to me like the only thing you need is some time and familiarity and confidence with your weapon.

 

[lovemachine]

Honestly, I'd like to try shooting a pistol grip only shotgun. IMO they are a horrible idea, but I'd still like to try one...

 

[pirate]

I guess you could always do the pit-tuck position in CQB situations if you don't like the grips.

 

[DustyDawg48]

I shot with a guy that had a pistol grip shotgun and a 16" barrel...took him over 25 shots to clear a 5-target Texas Star. Gun threw such a wide pattern that he could never put enough pellets on target to do any good. Plus he couldn't aim the thing either. A 3-position stock like on an AR with the pistol grip would be the way to go. You can shorten it without sacrificing your 3 points of contact to control the gun.

 

[teddy12b]

The thing isn't that I'm unfamiliar with the 870 as a platform on how it functions, or stripping it apart. I just really struggle to hit a target with a slug with just a bead for a front sight. I've thought about making a mark on the rear of the receiver so I'd have something to line up with the front sight, but an actual iron sight would be much better than that a line from a sharpie.

 

[teddy12b]

I used to have a 6 position AR type stock on my 870. I didn't really care for it. It was nice for making the shotgun more compact, but as far as any other function goes it wasn't that handy.

 

[iChokePeople]

^^ I'd submit that in most home defense situations, you won't line up sights. You'll 'point' or 'snap' shoot. My recommendation would be to practice that rather than worry about sights, for HD purposes. Well, unless your house is enormous or you think you'd be taking very long shots... and if that's the case, I might switch weapons entirely.