help with first shotgun purchase

Cdnone1 · 10-13-2008, 03:40 PM

I went to a gun store today to buy my first shotgun for home protection.
I was completely overwhelmed by the number and selection of guns.
I left without buying anything. There was just to much to take in, what from prices going from $150 for used into the thousands.
I am looking for a pump action shotgun for home protection only (no sport shooting) and would like something my wife could handle if I was out of town and she needed to.
Can you guys (and girls) recommend a decent shotgun for around $400.
I'm hoping it will never be used other than getting use to it at the range, but want one that wont jam or fail if I need it.
Thanks
Steve

lendaddy · 10-13-2008, 03:43 PM

I would stay away from Mossberg. The gun is OK overall but the action (pump) is less than slick. Mine jams often enough to be concerning for home defense use.

HardDrive · 10-13-2008, 03:50 PM

I purchased a Benelli Nova last year and I am very happy with it. Same price as a Remington 870, which frankly I thought was a POS compared to the Benelli.

Around $400.

Rick V · 10-13-2008, 03:53 PM

Remington 870 police mag. get the 18 1/2 barrel and a pistol grip. You can sweep a house from the hip very easily, these things are tanks. They are not to bad on the price either. I recomend the police version because it doesn't have a plastic trigger guard.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

The action on the Mossberg is a bit stiff but it doesn't bind. I suspect proper cleaning, lubrication and maintenance has a lot to do with it. At some point I'll probably pick up a Remington though.

Rick V · 10-13-2008, 04:04 PM

I do take my own advice.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Just about any pump 20ga with double ot shells should do the trick.

gassy · 10-13-2008, 04:10 PM

I've read good things about the Mossberg 500 for the exact reasons you want one.

Tim Hancock · 10-13-2008, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lendaddy

I would stay away from Mossberg. The gun is OK overall but the action (pump) is less than slick. Mine jams often enough to be concerning for home defense use.

Get it fixed Lendaddy, that is not normal.

lendaddy · 10-13-2008, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

The action on the Mossberg is a bit stiff but it doesn't bind. I suspect proper cleaning, lubrication and maintenance has a lot to do with it. At some point I'll probably pick up a Remington though.

It's been this way since new but as Tim suggested I'm sure it's not normal. Maybe I'll break it down this weekend and check it out.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Yea - I noticed that the pin over the trigger can cause binding if you're not careful. I had to replace mine with a screw to mount an external shell carrier and after I did the action was VERY stiff (the screw was too tight, which had something to do with it). I loosed the screw a bit and put some locktite on it, now the racking action is fine. A little stiff and not as "butter" as a higher-priced, higher-quality gun, but certainly adequate. I've never had a jam, just rack it with authority. I find that yelling "get some!" at the top of your lungs as you do helps.

RPKESQ · 10-13-2008, 05:43 PM

How much shooting has your wife participated in? How large or small is she? Does she have any martial arts experience? All of these questions need to be answered before a intelligent reccomendation is possible.

Jeff Higgins · 10-13-2008, 05:59 PM

I'll go out on a limb and guess that she is not a shooter. If I'm correct, that should be the single biggest consideration regarding your purchase. This is what RPKESQ is alluding to above.

The recoil and blast from any 12 gauge, especially a short barreled on with, god forbid, a pistol grip, is certain to intimidate a new shooter. Forget the macho man Rambo-esque trench guns. A 20 gauge with a full stock and a short barrel would probably be ideal, if she can handle it. If that is still too big, a .410 will still be adequate at living room distances.

Forget the 00 buckshot. A load of #6's, like in a standard lead pheasant/duck load, is about ideal for such close range. I don't care how open the choke is; even a straight cylinder choke pattern will not open up to more than a golf ball or tennis ball size at the ranges we are discussing. All of those little bb's are far more damaging than a few bigger ones and, if she misses, far less likely to hurt anyone else outside of the home.

Any pump gun from the reputable manufacturers will work. Take her along and let her pick it. Make it as "hers" as possible. Women are unpredictable this way; she may really like one for (what seems to us) to be the oddest of reasons. That's great; if one catches her fancy, she is more likely to want to shoot "her" gun and get familiar with it.

Cdnone1 · 10-13-2008, 06:29 PM

Thanks Guys
My wife has never shot gun and she is pretty small. She is 5'7 and 118lbs (and still hot).
She used to be totally against having a gun in the house but she thinks it's a good idea. Not sure what's changed, LA has always been a weird place to live.
Jeff great idea about taking her with me. She really wants a handgun but in one of my previous threads about guns the majority seemed to think a shotgun would be better for what we might need it for. I would imagine that we would need to practice a lot with a handgun and if we use it for protection your hand is probably going to be shaking

Steve

vash · vash's Garage

i think a semi auto would be better. the action "vents" the recoil to some degree. either way, whatever you buy, she is going to have to shoot if several times to get familiar.

RPKESQ · 10-13-2008, 07:18 PM

Unless she has had some martial arts training, weapon retention is easier to learn with a handgun. There is no subtitute for proper defensive firearms training. If you don't know where to get her some, contact me. A .38 revolver with correct sized grips and an action job will suffice for her. She will probably require some hand strength training.

competentone · 10-13-2008, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cdnone1

Thanks Guys
My wife has never shot gun and she is pretty small. She is 5'7 and 118lbs (and still hot).
She used to be totally against having a gun in the house but she thinks it's a good idea. Not sure what's changed, LA has always been a weird place to live.
Jeff great idea about taking her with me. She really wants a handgun but in one of my previous threads about guns the majority seemed to think a shotgun would be better for what we might need it for. I would imagine that we would need to practice a lot with a handgun and if we use it for protection your hand is probably going to be shaking

I was going to quote Jeff and post "What Jeff says," but would recommend a handgun now that I hear that was the original thought.

Yes, people always say "get a shotgun for home defense" but I'll bet such people have never tried to maneuver though their home with a shotgun. The shotgun has a lot of "stopping power" but unless one wants to pay the Federal tax (and assuming they are legal in your jurisdiction) to get a short-barreled shotgun, an 18.5 inch barreled shotgun is just not a practical weapon to use in most homes.

Go with the handgun; a full-sized revolver, or full-sized auto, is quite adequate for home defense. It doesn't take much practice to be accurate with a handgun at the range most would be used if used inside a home.

fritzgator · fritzgator's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I'll go out on a limb and guess that she is not a shooter. If I'm correct, that should be the single biggest consideration regarding your purchase. This is what RPKESQ is alluding to above.

The recoil and blast from any 12 gauge, especially a short barreled on with, god forbid, a pistol grip, is certain to intimidate a new shooter. Forget the macho man Rambo-esque trench guns. A 20 gauge with a full stock and a short barrel would probably be ideal, if she can handle it. If that is still too big, a .410 will still be adequate at living room distances.

Forget the 00 buckshot. A load of #6's, like in a standard lead pheasant/duck load, is about ideal for such close range. I don't care how open the choke is; even a straight cylinder choke pattern will not open up to more than a golf ball or tennis ball size at the ranges we are discussing. All of those little bb's are far more damaging than a few bigger ones and, if she misses, far less likely to hurt anyone else outside of the home.

Any pump gun from the reputable manufacturers will work. Take her along and let her pick it. Make it as "hers" as possible. Women are unpredictable this way; she may really like one for (what seems to us) to be the oddest of reasons. That's great; if one catches her fancy, she is more likely to want to shoot "her" gun and get familiar with it.

+1. Excellent advice. i was in a store myself today, although i was looking at 12 gauge.I checked out Remington 870, Mossberg 500(9shot,WOW!), & Bennelli Nova. All nice guns.I liked the Moss, simply because of the safety on the back of the receiver.

Bill Douglas · 10-13-2008, 08:01 PM

Yes, a shotgun might be a bit frightening" if shes not a shooter already. The big boom and recoil may put her off. She needs something a bit more fun for her to become comfortable with it.

For me; I think shotguns are lots of fun.

RPKESQ · 10-13-2008, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by competentone

I was going to quote Jeff and post "What Jeff says," but would recommend a handgun now that I hear that was the original thought.

Yes, people always say "get a shotgun for home defense" but I'll bet such people have never tried to maneuver though their home with a shotgun. The shotgun has a lot of "stopping power" but unless one wants to pay the Federal tax (and assuming they are legal in your jurisdiction) to get a short-barreled shotgun, an 18.5 inch barreled shotgun is just not a practical weapon to use in most homes.

Go with the handgun; a full-sized revolver, or full-sized auto, is quite adequate for home defense. It doesn't take much practice to be accurate with a handgun at the range most would be used if used inside a home.

While your shotgun advice is spot on, I disagree with full size handguns for the majority of women. Most women will not be able to shoot a full size revolver, too heavy and the grips and trigger reach is too large. Ditto with a full size semiauto with the additional problem of not being able to rack the slide (not enough pinch strength). There is no one that cannot be stopped by a properly applied .38 Special.