Shotguns and Young Ladies

[dcap20]

How about a Remington 870 20 gauge youth model. 20 gauge -vs- 12 gauge at 12 feet away.... does it really matter? Point and shoot. Youth model is short barrelled and not bad on the recoil. Just another idea

 

[churchmouse]

Remington 870 12 GA with a Knoxx recoil reducer adjustable stock on it. Low recoil buckshot for the load.

My daughter is 5'2" and 100lbs soaking wet and has no issues with this set up

I had the spring loaded, recoil absorbing, pistol grip adjustable stock on the Winchester 1300 my daughter uses. She was not fond of it for some reason. I personally did not like it but I am a hefty fella and love recoil (sick, I know) I put a Choate pistol grip full stock on it and she prefers it. I like it as well and put one on my 1300. It is all a matter of choice and comfort.

 

[Bondhead88]

I would not buy a current Remington 870. I would buy them a used one from 15 years or so ago!

 

[jason765]

My wife is about that size and she can't properly shoulder a full length shotgun, look at a youth model in 20ga. and take them to shoot it. You want something that they will enjoy shooting and wont be scared of. Fear equals hesitation, and in a HD situation, hesitation could lose the battle. Definatly go with a pump, as said the sound of a racking pump shotgun is one of the most recognizable sounds in the world and It's the same in every language. I know if I was to break into a house, and out of the darkness comes the sound of a pump, the first thing I would do is then lay flat on the floor quietly and wait for the cops to come save me.

 

[AmericanBob]

i got a 20 ga mossberg 500 super bantam for my wife and daughter (when she gets old enough). the stock is easily adjustable by adding/removing inserts and changing the butt pad so that it will fit a small stature shooter better. the barrel is only 21 or 22 inches so it handles nicely as well. it's a good, reliable gun and it won't break the bank either.

 

[figley]

Remington 870 12 GA with a Knoxx recoil reducer adjustable stock on it. Low recoil buckshot for the load.

This is what I came here to post.

You want a woman's opinion on shotguns, who you gonna call? Actually, Patty is more BA than most women.

Take the girls by, and let them discuss it with Patty, to get the info from a woman's perspective. I believe she could explain it in terms they would understand, and she may be able to give them a sense of what it takes for a woman to have the resolve to actually use the thing.

 

[figley]

OP,

I see you're in NWI. If you were closer, or if you come down to the central part of the state, I would offer you the chance to come out to MCF&G, and try out my 870 with the Knoxx stock.

It really turns your 12ga shotgun into a plinker. You can burn through field loads in a hurry. The benefit of that, is that the girls can train up enough to feel comfortable, without becoming recoil-sensitive.

The other thing to consider, is that a big man, intimately familiar with his 870, can short-stroke it, during a stressful situation.

For this reason, a coach gun, or a cut-down single-shot, may be a viable alternative. Either way, training, particularly stress-inoculation, is paramount to running the shotgun of your choice, during a stressful situation.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhgwHQCJwWw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhgwHQCJwWw[/ame]


I can't, in good conscience, leave the debate over a good HD gun, to shotguns, only. I still believe the AR carbine reigns supreme, as far as effectiveness, and over-penetration are concerned.

Read the first post here. It is written by the man who does the "BoxO'Truth" video series.

What Is the Best Weapon for Home Defense? - A Serious Discussion - Page 1 - AR15.COM

 

[blackoak]

It should be a pump. The sound of racking a round in a shotgun is a good thing. Everyone knows what that sound is.

It should be easily accessable but out of the way, Ladies in an apartment don;t normally hang them on the wall.

It should fit them. At least the smallest of them.

It should have a nice recoil pad.

It does not need to be expensive or have things hanging off it.


It does need ammo.

My vote goes to a 870 wingmaster built in the 1980's when they had the nice dark wood and deep blue, that is to me what a shotgun should look like not something used in a mad maxx movie.

As far as 20 verses 12 or 410 I don't think that matters much as long as it hits where it is aimed. A double gun my friend bought hit targets well with one barrel and the other was off 8 inches left of the right barrel, It got sold and was mentioned in a post above.

All good advise, but in our home the sound of a racking shotgun has been made long before an intruder will hear it. It's just me and the wife with no kids at home and I feel if my wife ever needs to defend herself if I can't, racking a round is one less thing she well have to remember to do. She has her own 870 youth 20 gauge loaded with a mixture of 00 buck and No 6 shot on her side of the bedroom. If I was a bad guy I would hate to face her with it in hand especially if she remembers to take the safety off. We practice often to keep her fresh if a bad situation happens. We have never experienced any type of home invasion, but I would think being mentally prepared would be as important as being physically prepared.

 

[2cool9031]

A 20 gauge with low base shells is a good start.

 

[churchmouse]

All very good advice.
I looked at the recoil stock I had and it is not a knox...-1 for misleading. Are the knox units better.???

 

[goinggreyfast]

All good advise, but in our home the sound of a racking shotgun has been made long before an intruder will hear it. It's just me and the wife with no kids at home and I feel if my wife ever needs to defend herself if I can't, racking a round is one less thing she well have to remember to do. She has her own 870 youth 20 gauge loaded with a mixture of 00 buck and No 6 shot on her side of the bedroom. If I was a bad guy I would hate to face her with it in hand especially if she remembers to take the safety off. We practice often to keep her fresh if a bad situation happens. We have never experienced any type of home invasion, but I would think being mentally prepared would be as important as being physically prepared.

TOTALLY AGREE!!! All you "sound of a racking shotgun as a deterrent" have been watching too many movies. Why would one willingly give up a tactical advantage??? That's just silly. It's like carrying a handgun without one in the chamber. Make sure you either mount a flashlight to the gun, or provide one for them to have with the gun too.

As to the Gage--my wife is about the size of these girls and she absolutely does not like the kick of a 12 Gage. I got her a Mossy 500, 410 Ga and loaded it with Winchester Elites--WITH ONE IN THE CHAMBER, and a full tube.

In a SHTF scenario, the last think I want my wife to be concerned with is recoil and a gun jumping out of her hands. Flip off the safety and she's ready to rock.

There is also a Mossy 500 20 Ga with pistol grip within easy reach should she need it. She's comfortable and familiar with the kick of the 20 also. From accross a room, either 20 or 410 will be sufficiently effective.

 

[Wild Deuce]

Wow ... the shotgun myths live on.

You need to answer some questions for yourself (about your daughter and friend) ... how much experience do they have right now with shotguns and how much time will they invest in training? ... go from there.

oh yes ... don't forget to keep your options open.

 

[vitamink]

saiga 12, less recoil than my 870, higher capacity...absolutely belches death.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlPEvqbuRKI[/ame]

you can also add breaks and recoil reducing stocks.

 

[gunowner930]

Because in my opinion a shotgun is probably the all around best tool for home protection. It is loud, intimidating, and hard to miss the target espesially in halway and close quarter situations.

I will be sticking to pump and as short a barrel as possible.

As a father, your opinon should be valued, however your daughter and her friend need to select a weapon, or two based off their needs, and level of comfort in operating a weapon. It seems to me that you are making the selection for them. They need to find a weapon that they are comfortable with that is still suitable. How proficient are your daughter and her friend? Heavy recoil from a 12 guage combined with the possibility of shortstroking a pump action during a high stress situation is a disadvantage for one with a lack of experience.

 

[gunowner930]

In time of a crisis you don't have to aim, point and shoot.

You still have to aim a shotgun. A good optic does wonders for what you're describing.

 

[bingley]

As a father, your opinon should be valued, however your daughter and her friend need to select a weapon, or two based off their needs, and level of comfort in operating a weapon. It seems to me that you are making the selection for them. They need to find a weapon that they are comfortable with that is still suitable.

+1

They also need to get training. They need to acquire the skills in the defensive use of firearms. There are more courses for defensive handguns and rifles, but you can find some for shotguns if you and your daughters want to depend on this variety.

They also need some sort of regular combative activity to develop the fighting mindset. That's really what martial arts are for these days. You don't want to have to come to a situation where you have to kick or wrestle a robber, but you want the mental toughness from challenging yourself in a controlled environment like a school.

They need a home defense plan. That includes inspecting the domicile and improving its security if possible, forming plans to resist invaders, figuring out how to coordinate between the roommates, etc.

A gun, no matter how powerful, will do you no good if you can't deploy it effectively in realistic situations. Training first, and the right weapon will come along.

 

[thebishopp]

If you change your mind about pump versus coach gun I would suggest the stoeger Double Defense. It's about as short as you are going to get and simple, can't short stroke it under stress and the hardest thing about it is going to be remember to thumb the safety forward (it automatically goes "safe" when you load it). My girlfriend, who hated firing shotguns, actually loves to shoot it. Short, easy to load, ported barrels, simple, and extremely fun even when you aren't shooting bad guys.

If not a pistol grip 500 mossberg with light recoil 00/000 buck loads. I would suggest you have them keep it loaded as they may not get time to "rack a round" under stress and even if they short stroke the 2nd shot they at least got the 1st. Don't rely on the whole "sound of shotgun chambering a round makes criminals automatically poop their pants and run like chickens".

 

[Zoub]

They are both 21 around 5'4". They are maybe around 135 lbs (please don't tell them I pu that here)

I am thinking about a Benelli Tactical 12 guage pump with shoulder stock and pistol grip.

Major stinker of an idea, the Nova is too long for most people under 6'. Those little ladies will not like the felt recoil with the long LOP of the Nova.

Two women I know under 5' tall like this gun. ALL women who have shot it like it. Most guys can shoot it one handed due to recoil reduction. See my sig line. Either the Knoxx folder like mine or the Knoxx collapsible like Mrs. Gungho said both have the Knoxx recoil reducing mechanism in them.

It is an 870, 18" with +2 Nordic mag, Nordic mag clamp and surefire light. you can get all of it from tacticalshotgunner.com. I built that gun on an Express that was a used police trade in from a pawn shop in SC.

 

[Bondhead88]

I want to thank everybody. As I have mentioned. Both my daughter and ed both young ladies have been trained on many different types of weapons. I thought of a coach gun but I want a pump.

Both my daughter and the other young lady have been around and using guns for a long while. The other young lady more so. Her father and I have talked about this from both our vantage points and we are in agreement.

If I can find an older 870 (15 years or better) I would go for one for them but I wouldn't give them a new one any faster than I would give them a high point hand gun.

But I do thank-you all for your input.

 

[IMakeGum]

If its not too late for a lady to chime in....I have been shooting since February 2011 (so relatively new, if even excessively addicted and now well versed in superb shot placement....) I just snatched up a new, Mossberg 930 special purpose extreme, 18.5" barrel, 7+1 semi-auto. I definitely prefer semi-auto because as others have mentioned....screw the sound of racking that shell. My shotty would have one in the chamber under my bed--prior to a BG coming in. It takes extra (precious) time in a defensive situation and gives away a tactical advantage.

Let's face it, we are not here to fire warning shots....that's what the racking sound is in a way. The sight of a girl with a big ass shot gun, in and of itself, is terrifying enough. She wouldn't have to rack it to prove she means business.

Also, my reason for choosing semi-auto is twofold: 1) I was out shooting clays (not in a high stress, defensive situation) and I forgot to rack the pump...ummm, lol! 2) As a practiced handgun shooter, I am used to just pulling the trigger and BANG. I want that on my shotgun in a defensive situation. I want to just pull that damned trigger and feel the satisfying kick of recoil...I know my target will be neutralized.
Just my as a scrawny girl....I'm not pushing the Mossy 930, I'm just pushing semi-auto. (I also have a 25" barrel semi-auto remy 1100...)