10thmtn

I don't keep my Rem 870 set up for home defense because we have children in the house. I rely on my Glock 19 and 26, which are in a GunVault safe next to the bed. As others have mentioned, it is also easier to move through the house with a handgun than a long gun, and handguns leave a free hand for doors, light switches, grabbing your kids, and the phone.

That said, the research I've seen points to #1 buckshot as the best mix of number of pellets vs penetration. It is just harder to find than OO or #4 buckshot. I ordered my #1 buckshot online.

If you have small statured folks who need to use the long gun, I think 20 g is a viable option. I also agree that a shotgun, at close range, is a more effective stopper than a carbine - you just cannot argue with the simultaneous delivery of multiple projectiles. Recoil can be mitigated by many of the measures already mentioned.

Some day, I may get one of those under-bed safes so I can keep my Rem 870 ready to go. Would also need to get the shorter barrel. The shotgun IS the ultimate "you go no further" firearm.

As far as body armor goes - if they don't go down after a shell to the chest, you simply fire another at the face. Just as with the handgun, you do a Mozambique drill. Problem solved!

Brady

I posted much of this on another forum a while back.

Mine is a 12 gauge. I keep all 2¾ inch shells in mine to limit kick and wall penetration. I have found some 2 inch 00 buckshot shells that I'm going to test. With 6 pellets, they claim 1250 fps, we'll see.

I agree the shotty is for a fixed position. If I have to move far and quickly I'll grab the handgun off the night stand.
If I hear a bump in the night and shoot from my bedroom I will be directly or indirectly shooting towards my daughter's bedroom wall. Therefore the first 2 shots are #4 turkey loads and for that reason only. She also knows if she hears any commotion, the alarm or me hollering to grab her baby and hit the floor. After the first 2 shots if I haven't convinced the BG he's in the wrong place, it's all buck shot from there. Mine holds 5 in the tube and 6 in a side saddle. If the problem continues beyond that we've got big time trouble!

I personally would use #1 buck shot if I could find it locally. #1 buck shot pellets are about 30 caliber depending on your reference. I keep 00 buck because that is what I can find locally. It has 9 pellets of 32-33 caliber in a 2¾ inch shell. If I could find #1 buck shot it would have about 11 maybe 12 pellets of 30 caliber each. That's a lot of wallop for anyone's money. The more pellets the merrier.

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ExSoldier

It's almost a matter of common sense in the world of personal combat. The purpose of a handgun in the home is to give you the means to fight your way to a long arm, preferably a shotgun. I have two: A Rossi Coach Gun with exposed hammers and a Benelli M121, which was the forerunner to the M1 Super 90. Mine has the most exquisite wood "furniture" that I've ever seen. I bought it used at a gun show many years ago for about $400. It already had a number of enhancements like rifle sight in front and semi ghost ring at the rear as well as an extended tube and having had the barrel pro-ported. It is 100% reliable but it's also not the first thing I'd reach for in my home. Not unless I was in a barricade situation inside the last line of defense the master bedroom with my wife and the pups inside. The pups. For me, they're my kids and I'd be too worried that they might catch the edge of a spread if I had to shoot inside the home. Because sure as little green apples, they'd be busy trying to eat the perp while I was lining up the shot. Two full grown Newfoundland dogs would be a serious bite. I don't think I could run the risk of a pellet catching one of them. Besides I live in a small cottage type of home of spanish architecture and trying to move in the cramped confines with a shottie like the Benelli at low ready would be difficult to bring it to bear. I'd sooner use my M4 with EOtech and Sure Fire flashlight attachment. Especially since I plan on eventually getting a "can" (suppressor) for that firearm.

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Former Infantry Captain; 20 yrs as an NRA Certified Instructor; Avid practitioner of the martial art: KLIK-PAO.

Thanis

I don't pretend to know what is better handgun vs shotgun. IMO, solid arguments on each side. My though process is that both will due, and training is the key factor.

If a motorcycle gang breaks into home, odds are your dead regardless of the firearm you choose for home SD. A semi-auto high-capacity rifle can do a good job for SD, but when it comes down to it, depending on where you live, the odds are stacked against you once you "need" more than 5 to 6 shots.

In addition, has anyone ever heard of a situation where a home owner ran out of ammo in a shooting?

Now in the country, I could see different considerations, but I'm talking suburbs and city, the shotgun vs handgun conversation is about the only conversation that has merit for home SD. If you chose the AR-15 over 12-guage pumps or 15+ round handguns, more power to you. But just for the record, it does not make you better prepared. Now a SHTF situation can develop, like a riot. With most riots, you have a bit of warning (so a back-up AR could make a lot of sense) but I question how much more effective one firearm or another will make when you wake up and rioters have set your house on fire (the always mentioned grocery store owners during the LA riots does not "prove" everything AR).

The only thing I believe changes the curve is having a plan and training (though I would lack faith in anything under a .38 Spl / 9mm as the go to home SD firearm). So if you tell me you are an ex-Army, trained to sweep houses with an M-4, I can understand why some type of AR-15 is your choice, A police officer who carries a Glock on duty who chooses the same firearm at home, etc. But for your average Joe and Jane living in an apartment, the handgun vs shotgun conversation really does not require a caveat for semi-auto high capacity rifles and carbines.

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S&W 642 (no-lock) with .38 Spl +P 135 GR Gold GDHP
Glock G31 & G33 with .357 Sig 125 GR. SXT Winchester Ranger

LSP972

This ^ says it all, IMO. I keep a Beretta 390 12 gauge, suitably shortened (but still legal) and loaded with 00B, handy for normal HD duty. I also have a handgun or two instantly accessible.

That said... during the week we were without power during Hurricane Gustav, my red dot/white light-equipped M4gery was always at hand.

IOW, tailor your choice for the perceived threat. But if it could be only one weapon... the AR carbine would get the nod.

SHOOTER13

My HD weapon is a Mossberg 500 Cruiser loaded with 8 rounds of 2 3/4" triple 000 buck...works for me !!

__________________
SHOOTER13
================
DoD: Peace thru Superior Firepower

ccw9mm

No intentions of "winning" cookies, here.

Every situation is different. The firearm I'm most able to bring to bear is my sidearm, even in the dead of night. If it comes to it, though, I'd prefer to have a bit more-devastating friend in my hands. All things considered, including familiarity, handling/ergonomics and "firepower," I prefer a shotgun over another long gun for HD.

That doesn't impact the shoot-ability of the gun, though. At least, not so far as I can tell.

Sure, but for HD, 40 rds isn't likely to be needed all at once.

A Remington 870 shotgun's assy is pretty basic.

I've had a few jams on semi-auto pistols that required a gunsmith to clear. Nothing man-made and mechanical survives error-free for the life of the product. There are always examples of freezes, in a given design.

No doubt, the detachable magazine is the fastest method of gaining another 10-40rds quickly, bar none.

The inducement to stop that a cloud of 9-15 pills represents speaks volumes. From three to five blasts of that, even more so. And, as others have suggested, the shotty can be best used by a single defender when it's shot to empty, then another firearm at the ready is brought to bear, at least until such time as the shotty can be reloaded or another long arm can come into play. I'm no expert on HD, but I'll be drawing the pistol after the shotgun runs dry, if at that moment there's still a threat.

As compared to 10-40rd detachable magazines, absolutely.

At five paces, my 870P/mod spreads to ~5". That affords quite a bit of leeway on exactness of targeting.

For some. For those who are comfortable with it, where the recoil+balance equation matches well with one's shooting style and skills, it can work very well.

My 870P SBS is light and easy to handle. The balance is very good, though not superb. Its lightness is fairly balanced by a very heavy barrel, but that itself is balanced by the factory 14" length. A nice combination, for me.

Most suitable HD guns (pistols, rifles, shotguns) have ammo options appropriate for the penetration risks of HD. The trick is to pick one and use it.

All the "tactical" gee-gaws don't change the simple facts of: heavier balance; heavier recoil; fewer rounds; slower reloads. True. But then, nobody's saying the shotgun is intended for sole use during a protracted firefight and that it can overcome its weaknesses through all situations. It has its place. Nothing more.

Nothing's a sure thing.

For those skilled with a shotgun's balance and use, it can be a good match. Ain't nuthin' gonna work for everyone.


My $0.03 ...

For me, I'm most comfortable with a well-balanced, mid-weight, full- (instead of restricted-) capacity 9mm semi-auto pistol. I am more comfortable with the handling, balance and use of a well-made 12ga shotgun over, say, an AR-style semi-auto rifle. I love the comfort, feel and utility of a simple lever-action rifle (and have several), but I cannot see these bettering the average shotgun or pistol in a close-in HD situation. Open up the distances a bit, and neither the pistol or shotty compare with the lever-action, and none compare well with an AR-style or similar long gun.

Though, in the end, much of that is simple familiarity and training.

__________________
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Thoughts: Justifiable self defense.
Explain: How does disarming victims reduce the number of victims?
Deal with evil through strength. Affirm the good in Man through trust.
NRA. GOA. OFF.

bsnow

that's a good rig.

bmcgilvray

Ok ccw9mm, no cookies for you.

AutoFan

Pros: A shotgun with the right ammo will perform a "one shot stop". They won't penetrate exterior walls (again with the right ammo). They are no harder to operate than a handgun or rifle.

Cons: Unless you go through the hoops for a "Short Barreled Shotgun", they are a bit long inside a house. The recoil is substantially higher than a handgun or rifle. They do have a lower capacity. The last two only matter if you miss.

One of my goals this year is to get a quality semi-auto shotgun for all around purposes.