First Home Defense Shotty

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Blue Heeler

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Semi-autos like the Beretta 1301s or Benelli’s are great. My “Captain Obvious” comment is with training, a good pump gun will work too. Pump guns have served our LEO and military since before WW1 and have put many a man down. You made a great choice with that 12ga. pump gun.

Home defense stats are that you have a 79% chance you will have one assailant. If shots are even fired, it will be between one and two (and I don’t think they mean a half shot). Of course, if you took college stats you can pick that stat about for hours.

I like to keep a shotgun loaded (along with a couple of handguns including a CMMG Banshee in 9mm) for home defense. I have a choice of shotguns ... a Stoeger 12ga Coach Gun tuned by Jim Finch, a 26” barrel on a Winchester Model 12 made in 1925 (with a VERY open choke) and an 8 shot Mossberg 590A1.

What I keep loaded 24/7 is the Coach Gun. Old school for sure but I don’t have to worry about it being short-stroked of jamming because the mag spring took a dump. Great triggers and with Jim Finch’s magic it is an amazingly smooth little shotgun. I am not “Cowboy Action” fast on the reloads but with a speed strip of 12ga. Shells ... it’s pretty quick. Besides, I have a handgun and a mean wife so I don’t feel under-gunned.

Semi-auto, pump or side-by-side ... can all work with some practice.
 

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ricco

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There are only two issues with a pump shotgun, recoil and short shucking.

Federal "Flight Control" buck ammo and the "Push/Pull" technique for managing recoil and run it like to you're trying to break it to stop short shucking.

If you're planning on using the shotgun to clear rooms invest some time practicing the "over the shoulder" technique.
 

John Sherman

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There are only two issues with a pump shotgun, recoil and short shucking.

Federal "Flight Control" buck ammo and the "Push/Pull" technique for managing recoil and run it like to you're trying to break it to stop short shucking.

If you're planning on using the shotgun to clear rooms invest some time practicing the "over the shoulder" technique.
Grew up shooting pumps and in 64 years never short shucked one. I’ve put a lot of rounds through them.
 

AKguy1985

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What I keep loaded 24/7 is the Coach Gun. Old school for sure but I don’t have to worry about it being short-stroked of jamming because the mag spring took a dump. Great triggers and with Jim Finch’s magic it is an amazingly smooth little shotgun. I am not “Cowboy Action” fast on the reloads but with a speed strip of 12ga. Shells ... it’s pretty quick. Besides, I have a handgun and a mean wife so I don’t feel under-gunned.

Semi-auto, pump or side-by-side ... can all work with some practice.
I see you are following Brandon's advice! Just kidding!
 

ricco

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Grew up shooting pumps and in 64 years never short shucked one. I’ve put a lot of rounds through them.
Short shucking isn't uncommon especially when you're just starting to learn running them fast under stress. I short shucked them early on in the learning process as did others but if you haven't that's great. Position can contribute to the problem, trying run them fast on your non dominate side around corners or from prone can be tough at first or at least I thought it was.
 

Blue Heeler

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There are only two issues with a pump shotgun, recoil and short shucking.

Federal "Flight Control" buck ammo and the "Push/Pull" technique for managing recoil and run it like to you're trying to break it to stop short shucking.

If you're planning on using the shotgun to clear rooms invest some time practicing the "over the shoulder" technique.
A few years back, I bought a bunch of Federal 00 Buck with the Flight Control wad … out of Mossberg, it will shoot 5” pattern. Good stuff.
 

AKguy1985

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Really … I almost didn’t buy that Coach Gun and thought about donating a Beretta 686 because of him.
Yeah, remember that he said: go get a double barrel shotgun and go fire it off your porch.

He said:. If you want to protect yourself, get a double-barrelled shotgun, have the shells, a 12-gauge shotgun, and I promise you, as I told my wife — we live in an area that’s wooded and somewhat secluded — I said “Jill, if there’s ever a problem just walk out on the balcony here, walk out, put that double-barrelled shotgun and fire two blasts outside the house.” I promise you, whoever’s coming in is not — you don’t need an AR-15. It’s harder to aim, it’s harder to use, and in fact you don’t need 30 rounds to protect yourself. Buy a shotgun. Buy a shotgun.
 

tynyphil

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For home defense, my AR's in the safe. Next to my bed is the Benelli M3. Cool shotgun that can Semi-auto or pump either one.
 

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