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Originally Posted by Esel Mann
Hi guys,
I have some questions to the firearms gurus about a Mossberg 500A persuader 20" barrel I just picked up.
1 - Folding stock. It presently has a pistol grip. I am considering a folding stock. I see there are top folding and side folding. I am sure there are plusses and minuses to each. Can you please tell me what they are? Is such a stock even necessary for the purpose (see (2) below)?
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Yes, you really do want a stock, for several reasons. Either top or side folder is OK (i guess), but a real live stock is even better, IMO. Much better.
With a real stock your shotgun is also a very effective 3' club if the bad guy gets too close or you run dry. You can also use it to smash 'chit' that may need smashing in an emergency situation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Esel Mann
2 - Preferred 12 gauge round. I am aware of the different sizes for a given gauge. Is there a preferred round for home defensive posture? How about home defensive posture now turns into a "they are now on the run" posture (sorry I don't want to use the "best defense is a good "O-word")? At the very least I want to be able to punch through walls (wood with concrete stucco) and floors (wood) and still achieve the purpose.
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3" Magnum 15 pellet 00 buck cannot be matched for defensive purposes...IMO.
There's some merit to what Jeff is saying, but here i'm actually a fan of the deep penetrating 00 buck and not the shallow penetrating light shot. This is interesting because in handgun ammo me and Jeff are in disagreement, as he favors deep penetrating solid loads, and i penetrate high speed light hollowpoints that violently expand and fragment to bits on impact.
Go figure.
I could certainly see loading your first round to be fired(be it chamber or last round you put in the tube if you keep the chamber empty) as high brass 3" magnum 6 shot though. But i'd go all 00 after that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Esel Mann
3 - Effective range. Note how I did not mention maximum. Ok so I know it would depend upon the marksman, but on average, with rounds recommended from (2), whats a reasonable effective range? Yes, I plan on going to a range to figure it out, but it is always nice when experiments coincide with experience (which comes from you gurus).
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With your barrel, using the aforementioned 3" magnum 00 buck, max range with cyl.bore choke should be about 35 meters....with a stock.
Without a stock, 10 meters...tops.
You really want a stock.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Esel Mann
4 - Side Saddle. I see there are different side saddles available. Any one have positive/negative experience for a particular side saddle? I see there are drum type modifications, illegal or not (history is always written by the winner), plusses/minuses to the drum (if it is even available)?
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The actual name brand "side saddle" models are the best ones, they work great. I wouldn't mess with the drum feed unless you expect a full out war (and if you expect a full out war you should REALLY get a 12ga semi-auto with a 8rd tube mag and 22" bbl). Otherwise a nice long tube mag of 6 or more rounds is plenty. With your 18" bbl a 6rd mag should work fine. Not sure what yours comes with, probably 5 or 6. If you don't have a 6 round tube you can most likely order one, it's very easy to install.