Remington 870 or Mossberg 590?

[HiredHand]

I think it's mostly affordability. They are also very reliable. That said I've looked off and on for a cheap old beater 12ga A5 Browning over the years. Haven't found one cheap enough, everybody seems to think they are ALL collectable. My idea is to cut it down in the stock about 3" and put a pad on it. Then chop the barrel to 18" and get an extended tube for it made. Clyde Barrow was murdering scum but he did know his weapons.

Like a Rhodesian FN A5. http://john1911.com/cleaning-the-rhodesian-a5-shotgun/

 

[SPDguns]

I don't disagree, but does the cheapest shotgun on the market make one feel good about their safety? Does the fact you have to have two hands to make it work make it the best self defense gun for a home? I don't think so.
Pet peeve of mine and wonder how anybody can justify their position using a pump gun for HD.

I had an uncle who lost an arm as a small child. He hunted exclusively with an 870. From what I hear, it was impressive.
(See Post 27, Line 1)

 

[dennishoddy]

I had an uncle who lost an arm as a small child. He hunted exclusively with an 870. From what I hear, it was impressive.
(See Post 27, Line 1)

I know a farmer that had one arm, the other lost in a baler accident. He used an 870 around the house, could basically throw it in the air, catch the forearm, jerk it vertically to rack the slide and then throw it back in the air to catch it on the grip and move it to his shoulder.
One can also use a chair back, mattress, between the knees, etc to rack the slide in an emergency when one arm has been incapacitated, but during a home invasion, or somebody coming down the hallway at night, can you really justify the time it would take to perform the operation of an 870 one handed?
Its not an impossible task. It is not IMHO a satisfactory weapon for home defense.

 

[HiredHand]

Dennis, what weapon is going to be ideal if you only have the use of hand?

From the article by Greg Ellifritz:


“Stopping Power”- In the 36 shotgun gunfights, 31 criminals were hit. Eighteen of those criminals died from their wounds. Only five of the 31 people shot required more than one round to neutralize. That means 25 out of 31 stopped after being hit with a single shotgun round.



An 81% “one shot stop” rate is quite enviable. In my 2011 study of handgun stopping power, I found that in nearly 1800 shootings, service caliber handgun loads stopped people with one shot between 34% and 49% of the time, depending on caliber. In 126 rifle-caliber shootings, the criminal stopped after one shot in only 58% of incidents. Twelve gauge 00 buckshot loads are likely the most potent shot for shot “manstoppers” we currently have available.

 

[dennishoddy]

Dennis, what weapon is going to be ideal if you only have the use of hand?

From the article by Greg Ellifritz:


“Stopping Power”- In the 36 shotgun gunfights, 31 criminals were hit. Eighteen of those criminals died from their wounds. Only five of the 31 people shot required more than one round to neutralize. That means 25 out of 31 stopped after being hit with a single shotgun round.



An 81% “one shot stop” rate is quite enviable. In my 2011 study of handgun stopping power, I found that in nearly 1800 shootings, service caliber handgun loads stopped people with one shot between 34% and 49% of the time, depending on caliber. In 126 rifle-caliber shootings, the criminal stopped after one shot in only 58% of incidents. Twelve gauge 00 buckshot loads are likely the most potent shot for shot “manstoppers” we currently have available.

While I love the stats you provided, and love this exchange of information in a civil manner, I do have to take note that these are stats that do not take into account, nor break down what would happen if a person that normally has use of both arms was suddenly relegated to a single arm by a fight or a shot. They have not practiced racking the slide single handed and likely in the stress of the situation my not have the thought process to perform that action.
A semi auto on the other hand requires nothing more than pulling the trigger, one arm or two.

 

[SPDguns]

And....By far, a 12ga shotgun has the most devastating effect for a single pull of the trigger.

 

[D. Hargrove]

I like the 12ga/20ga for home defense, and that is what I use. I completely understand @dennishoddy's point about the inability to pump the shotgun if arms/hands are disabled as well. I had not thought of that aspect prior to positioning my shotgun under the bed for HD, I now have an 1100 under the bed that allows for engagement regardless of mobility issues. I appreciate the opinions on this thread. Thank you all.

 

[okierider]

7 rounds center mass.... 1911 for the win!!! Shotguns are for birds, pistols are for dirtbags!!! Come on boys scatter guns kick like a mule and don't corner for ****!!! Don't have to pump it just pull the trigger!!!

 

[ldp4570]

I think it's mostly affordability. They are also very reliable. That said I've looked off and on for a cheap old beater 12ga A5 Browning over the years. Haven't found one cheap enough, everybody seems to think they are ALL collectable. My idea is to cut it down in the stock about 3" and put a pad on it. Then chop the barrel to 18" and get an extended tube for it made. Clyde Barrow was murdering scum but he did know his weapons.

Browning makes an 18" rifle sight smooth bore slug barrel. So you don't have to go chopping the barrel down, please! I'm not selling, but I have two A-5's, my dad's an mine. His only has his two bird barrels, while mine has a 24" mod, and the other the 18" I already mentioned. Both are light 12's, for those that don't know that's in reference to the chamber, not the metal the gun is made out of. Light 12 means she's chambered for 2-3/4", Magnum 12 for 3".

 

[ldp4570]

Well everyone has posted their fav's, and spoke on reliability of the gun, reliability of the shooter with all kind of problems that may happen. So now on to mine. Since I've already spoken on the Browning A5 in a quote above, I'll finish up. Prior to the Browning the first shotgun I learned to run was my great-grandfathers Winchester 1897. I started out with her when I was eight or so. My dad told me if your going to use a shotgun you use a 12ga. So I was never one to have been given a .410 or 20ga. After four or so years of sitting in dove fields, and walking the pines and soybean fields of south Georgia busting coveys of Quail my dad bought me a used 1955 made Browning A5, I had always loved my dads Browning, and could always do my best shooting with her, I now had my own with that same 24"bbl an fixed modified choke. Only thing ever added to her was the 18" smoothbore slug barrel with rifle sights. She does pretty damn good out to 100yds with them old Foster slug's. I now have both A5's, mine has the slug barrel on her, and my dad's has a originally 26" ribbed barrel thats been cut to 20". I don't have extended mag tubes for either, so both only hold 4+1 of 2-3/4" shells, and spare leather shell carriers on each ones stock. On to my other shotguns available; I have my great-grandfathers Winchester 1897, she stays in the safe cause she's a little long in the tooth for that kind of duty. My two other ones are both Mossberg pumps, one 590A1 SP with all the bells an whistles, extended mag tube, ghost ring sights, bayonet lug, speedfeed stock so on so forth, and empty in the safe. Next is their 500SP 7+1 20Ga with the ghostring sights, and a sidesaddle holding an additional 4 rounds, and a leather shell carrier holding 6 more rounds. She is loaded with 3" #2 Buck, while the 12Ga guns are loaded with 2-3/4" 00 Buck controlled pattern. The 20Ga is more for my wife or daughter to use, although I have no objection to picking her up and using it myself, that #2 Buck throws a very nasty pattern.

I will also agree with what some others have stated, The shotgun is the most effective, and devastating weapon in ones personal arsenal!! I would rather grab a shotgun before ever grabbing a pistol or rifle!