Thoughts on Home Defense Shotguns?

[firefighterjohn]

Exactly. You know the layout of your home better than the intruder. If you're going to give away your position with a sound, make it the blast from the barrel, not racking the slide.

My Maverick 88 used to be my shotgun of choice but I moved to the 930 SPX. After several hundred rounds of different loads, I've never had a FTF...it eats it all.

 

[roadrunner681]

Exactly. You know the layout of your home better than the intruder. If you're going to give away your position with a sound, make it the blast from the barrel, not racking the slide.

My Maverick 88 used to be my shotgun of choice but I moved to the 930 SPX. After several hundred rounds of different loads, I've never had a FTF...it eats it all.

that was my experince with a 930, it was cycling that 100 round value bird shot with out a problem. add another one to the list

 

[bingley]

I think people make way too big a deal out of the sound of the pump action scaring away bad guys. Let me put it like this, if someone is desperate or stupid enough to break into your house when they know you are probably home, they have at least thought of the possibility they might get shot at. That scary racking the slide thing just gave away your position and intention.

This is basically a version of the OC vs. CC debate: would the weapon serve as a deterrent? On one side, we have:

** Racking the shotgun to scare away home invaders
** Open carrying, partly in the hope of deterring crime
** "I'm warning you: I know karate!"

On the other, we have

** Keeping a round in the chamber of the shotgun
** Conceal carrying
** Launching a counter attack without "warning"

You'll have to think about how you want to gamble with your life. Some criminals may be scared away by the sound of the racking. For others, the sound tells them they need to shoot whoever they see right away.

 

[WeeJ]

I am firmly against keeping a round in the chamber of a shotgun - just too dangerous, no FP safety like on most handguns, and it is not kept on the body (under your control at all times) like a handgun. If the gun falls over it may go off if the hammer/sear jump out of engagement. You can't trust mechanical safeties 100% - and even if the safety works as designed, it locks the trigger but not the sear, so you can still have an AD under certain circumstances.

 

[WeeJ]

PS
I've never handled a 930 - may need to take a look. Joints were fantastic Friday, but terrible today, I probably would drop a gun after one shot. People are telling me that the FN is the semiauto shotgun to have now

 

[gunsisgood]

I am firmly against keeping a round in the chamber of a shotgun - just too dangerous, no FP safety like on most handguns, and it is not kept on the body (under your control at all times) like a handgun. If the gun falls over it may go off if the hammer/sear jump out of engagement. You can't trust mechanical safeties 100% - and even if the safety works as designed, it locks the trigger but not the sear, so you can still have an AD under certain circumstances.

This^^

So in my house its handgun first
then the racking of a shotgun which probably wont be heard because of the ringing in the ears.

 

[mayor al]

Out of habit I keep a loaded mag in my Saiga...but not a round in the chamber. Like the AK platform rifles, racking the bolt to load the chamber is a noisy activity...but thats ok with me. (in the H D Mode.) On hog hunts, I keep one in the chamber and use the large AK-style safety lever for it's regular purpose.

 

[jjacobs]

Saiga 12 is craftfully built. However... IMO... I would go with benelli because of internals or remington's 870 tactical because of simplicity and durability.