Poll on shotgun vs. handgun for home defense ?

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Mr.Glock

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I’m no Olympic shooter nor have I spent any time getting familiar with tacticool shotguns (though i have fired an M4 on a couple occasions). That said I have shot a crap-load of dove, quail, chucker, station 1 hard rights and station 8 high houses. In none of those situations would a rear sight have served any purpose. If it did every competitive shooter on the planet would have one. I have to think a softball (at best) sized bird flying 50mph is WAAAAAAAYYYYYY harder to hit than a 200 pound bad guy moving 6mph. Use some common sense.


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KurtM

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If for hundreds of years people have not had any trouble hitting thing by pointing then why do you waist money on optics and sight for hunting rifles? Or even for pistols?? Them sights is worthless I tell ya!
Now as your shooting at that 50mph bird....(Is that an African or European swallow??) You have a 21-35" pattern depending on distance. You are relying on cheek weld and having the shotgun shouldered properly. In essence your eye is the rear sight. Olympic shotgunners usually have their shotguns fit to them so their eye is in the same place each time they shoulder the gun, and wouldn't a mid rib bead be a rudimentary rear sight of sorts??? Hmmm!!
Now we are talking about shot patterns that are much smaller either due to distance or shot selection, maybe even a slug. Would a rear index be a good idea? How many of those birds did you shoot from the hip? How many by pointing the gun but without your head down on the stock? How many olympians do those things in competition?

The defensive and offensive use of shotguns is night and day in comparison to bird and clay shooting. A wounded and running pheasant isn't much of a worry, a wounded and mad advisory can be a very big worry. The plan of just pointing or hip shooting old Betsy down the hall can produce the latter.
 

Firpo

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If for hundreds of years people have not had any trouble hitting thing by pointing then why do you waist money on optics and sight for hunting rifles? Or even for pistols?? Them sights is worthless I tell ya!
I don’t, most everything I own is 75-130 years old and I’m still good with iron sights @55 years old. 😉 No lie as I have witnesses. Hit a squirrel dead center running full out for his hole at about 50 yards with a Model 94 30-30. You go right ahead and add all that fancy stuff and by all means if it helps you enjoy but please don’t try and tell me what I can and can’t hit with a shotgun. And as a side note, who made the best gunners in WWII? Farm boys who spent a lot of time bird hunting.
 
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KurtM

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You took the sights off your 94? Or does that rifle have a front AND a rear sight? As I recall I didn't tell you what you could or couldn't hit. That you can use iron sights, or no sights at 55 is commendable.
 

Firpo

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No need to be sarcastic, of course it had a rear sight. The point I was making is again, that hitting a squirrel on the move with a .308” bullet is WAY harder to than hitting a human with a shotgun loaded with 00 buck at 15’.
 

bushmaster06

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A pistol (currently a PSA Dagger) to get me to the safe and then it's decision time. Do I opt for the suppressed AP5? Maybe the suppressed AR-15 SBR? Or will it be an 870, but in 12 gauge or 20 gauge? Should I embarrass said intruder and break out the Hi Point carbine? Most likely it would be the SBR though.
 

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