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Shotgun

golddigger14s

Activist Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Messages
2,068
Location
Lawton, OK USA
I have rifles and handguns, but no shotgun yet. Cabelas has an Remington 870 with 2 barrels (12 ga), an 18 inch for home defense and a 26 inch for regular use. My question is there are so many ammo choices sizes/lead/steel ect. Is there a simple chart to pick what I need for different uses? Home defense/hunting ect. The reason I've chosen the 870 is because it has a long successful history, and a ton of after market stuff.
 

Beretta92FSLady

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
5,264
Location
In My Coffee
Is the 26" rifled? I would use the 26" when I shoot slugs ex. deer hunting...yes, some people do hunt that way, some people can only legally hunt that way FWIU.

I have found the 18" barrel generally works good for home defense, shooting clay, and at the range I have shot 100 yard target off iron sights with a slug...not too shabby. Careful with steel shot, it seemed to be a bit hard on my barrel.


*posted a section on the wrong thread LOL*
 
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JamesCanby

Activist Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2010
Messages
1,480
Location
Alexandria, VA at www.NoVA-MDSelfDefense.com
I have rifles and handguns, but no shotgun yet. Cabelas has an Remington 870 with 2 barrels (12 ga), an 18 inch for home defense and a 26 inch for regular use. My question is there are so many ammo choices sizes/lead/steel ect. Is there a simple chart to pick what I need for different uses? Home defense/hunting ect. The reason I've chosen the 870 is because it has a long successful history, and a ton of after market stuff.

Conventional wisdom for home defense is that you load with 00 (double-ought) buckshot. There is, however, significant opinion "out there" that #4 shot is more effective than 00 because the #4 pellets are of effective size and there are more pellets in a #4 shotshell then there are pellets in a 00 shotshell.

I suspect that either will be highly effective in a home defense situation.
 

45acpForMe

Newbie
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,805
Location
Yorktown, Virginia, USA
I have the 870 tactical 6+1 and also have a 20" 870 with tacstar mag extender for 7+1. I added a side saddle to the tactical to carry another 6 rounds. http://tacstar.com/6-shot.php

We just had a discussion at one of our dinners. Nutnfancy reviewed a couple good tactical shotguns. Nuntfancy's review: http://www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy#p/search/3/HqkeKwRmWFY

Either the Remmington 870 or the Mossberg 590A1 get my recommendation.

I filled mine with Federal 3" 00 buckshot which has 15 pellets rather than the 9 in the 2 3/4 rounds. I had originally filled them with birdshot so that any misses wouldn't hurt other family members after going through walls but found that birdshot might ruin a bad guys day but might not penetrate enough to stop him. http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm
 
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jimd_21

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
185
Location
Blackfoot, Idaho, USA
Ok throwing this out their....Don't know if you have a Cal-Ranch Store, But back in august, for my B-Day i got a Mossburg that came with 3 barrels, one riffled. And i believe she only spent 400 for it. just a suggestion.
 

jimd_21

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
185
Location
Blackfoot, Idaho, USA
I have the 870 tactical 6+1 and also have a 20" 870 with tacstar mag extender for 7+1. I added a side saddle to the tactical to carry another 6 rounds.

We just had a discussion at one of our dinners. Nutnfancy reviewed a couple good tactical shotguns. Nuntfancy's review: http://www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy#p/search/3/HqkeKwRmWFY

Either the Remmington 870 or the Mossberg 590A1 get my recommendation.

I filled mine with Federal 3" 00 buckshot which has 15 pellets rather than the 9 in the 2 3/4 rounds. I had originally filled them with birdshot so that any misses wouldn't hurt other family members after going through walls but found that birdshot might ruin a bad guys day but might not penetrate enough to stop him. http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm


Just a note....not being negative, but 5 houses down our road a women died when her husband's shotgun went off in the garage...he was on his way goose hunting....not sure on the details but the gun fired and 1 single BB got thru the wall and went thru his wife of 25 years.....Logged in her heart and she died.

Always be aware of were your family is, never think a wall is a blockade.
 

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
"golddigger14s",

I have a Mossberg 500 that came with 2 barrels as well--an 18" "home defense" barrel, and a 26" ported barrel with interchangeable choke tubes (not rifled, obviously). I use the longer barrel with a "skeet" choke for busting clays, and the 18" barrel when it's at home.

The Remington 870 was high on my list too, but ultimately I went with the Mossy because a local dealer was able to get me a much better deal, and it was available in a 2-barrel combo with wood furniture, whereas the 870 only came in poly furniture for the combo gun...


Conventional wisdom for home defense is that you load with 00 (double-ought) buckshot. There is, however, significant opinion "out there" that #4 shot is more effective than 00 because the #4 pellets are of effective size and there are more pellets in a #4 shotshell then there are pellets in a 00 shotshell.

I suspect that either will be highly effective in a home defense situation.

The "00 buck vs. #4 shot" argument is nearly as old as the "45acp vs 9mm" argument, and equally as heated...

Personally, I have stocks of BOTH kinds of shells. I keep #4 shot in my Mossy for home defense, for 2 reasons. One, they are 2 3/4" shells, and have a little less recoil. This gun is sometime available for my wife and stepdaughter (when I'm not home), so I thought #4 shot would be better for a multitude of reasons:

1) less perceived recoil than 00 buck
2) less worry about over-penetration in the thin modern-construction sheetrock wall of our home,
3) they fit one more round in the tube than 3" 00 buck shells.

And I think those are the three big arguments I've heard for #4 shot over 00buck. The overpenetration issue is VERY important for me, because of the way our house is designed and built.

But if I were home alone (no family and no room-mates) and the "Zombie Apocalypse" were going down, I'd be loading up with 00 Buck,, and have a box-worth in my pockets to boot...
 
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jayspapa

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2008
Messages
313
Location
South end of the state, Illinois, USA
I have heard good things about the Mossy's but I am a Remington fan . I started out hunting with a model 31 Remington pump , uuummm shall we say a couple years ago . The 31 was the forerunner of the 870 .

As far as loads go , I always found that #7 & 1/2's or #8's worked good on quail or doves , #6's on rabbit , squirrel , and pheasants and sometimes #4's on long range pheasants and small ducks such as Teal. In Illinois , we have to use a shotgun with slugs or a black powder rifle on deer . #00 isn't legal to hunt deer with .

When I lived in the country I always had my shotgun loaded with 00 buck , but since I live in town now , I keep it loaded with #4 buck. Still has good penetration but won't carry as far as #00 . By the way , there is a world of difference between #4 shot and #4 buck.

One last thing . A rifled bbl. is good for shooting sabot slugs at deer but not good for shooting #4 buck or #00 .
The rifling will cause the pattern to be very erratic.

If you want to hunt and half to use steel shot in place of lead , you should go up one size bigger . Example , in place of #8 lead , use #6 steel.
 
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jeeper1

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2008
Messages
692
Location
USA
I have a Mossberg 500.
I chose it over the Remington 870 because of the safety location. I am left handed and the rear of the receiver (Mossberg) is much better that behind the trigger because it takes me two hands to operate it there.
 

golddigger14s

Activist Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Messages
2,068
Location
Lawton, OK USA
Thanks

Ok throwing this out their....Don't know if you have a Cal-Ranch Store, But back in august, for my B-Day i got a Mossburg that came with 3 barrels, one riffled. And i believe she only spent 400 for it. just a suggestion.

Thanks for the replys. Your better half gave you a gun? Does she have a single sister?
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Here is a chart that shows the sizes of shotgun pellets. http://www.hunter-ed.com/images/pdfs/ammo_shot_sizes.pdf

Notice the difference between #4 Buckshot and #4 shot? They are significantly different sizes, but so many people who want to discuss #4 Buckshot call it #4 shot. Go into the sporting goods section and ask for #4 shot hoping to get #4 Buck and you will become very disappointed. Shoot #4 Buck at small birds hoping to have something to bring home and you will be very disappointed.

Have fun.

stay safe.
 
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SouthernBoy

Regular Member
Joined
May 12, 2007
Messages
5,837
Location
Western Prince William County, Virginia, USA
I have a Winchester 1300 Defender and two different loads which I keep for this gun. One is Federal LEO 00 Buck and the other is #4 Buck. While I am not a fan of using a shotgun in the home (yes I have real reasons for this), were I to use my shotgun for close quarter protection, I would most likely prefer the #4 Buck load.
 

golddigger14s

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Apr 27, 2010
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Location
Lawton, OK USA
Thanks

Thanks for the great info. I'm now thinking of going for the Mossberg 500 (still lots of great aftermarket stuff) and about $70 less for the two barrel combo. What can I say, I love a good bargin.
 

45acpForMe

Newbie
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
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Location
Yorktown, Virginia, USA
Thanks for the great info. I'm now thinking of going for the Mossberg 500 (still lots of great aftermarket stuff) and about $70 less for the two barrel combo. What can I say, I love a good bargin.

While you will probably be fine with the 590, I would prefer the 590A1 milspec model. It costs a little more but is a bit more sturdy (and you can add a bayonet). :)

The two barrels sounds like a good deal though.
 

Daylen

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
2,223
Location
America
Remington is nice for hunting, but for defense Mossberg is better. I've used both my whole life and did most of my early hunting with a remington 870. Out of a 10 I'd put Mossberg at 10 and Remington at 9 for defense, so while I think Mossberg is better, its not by alot.
 

golddigger14s

Activist Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Messages
2,068
Location
Lawton, OK USA
Final Update

Ok, I went back to the 870 combo. Cabelas had a $100 ($500 purchase) coupon. So $450 for the gun and $50 for the Thumbhole stock, and $30 rebate from remington. So $370 for the whole deal. I also got Rmington Home Defense ammo which has a a mixture of #2 and #4 buck shot on sale for $20/10 rounds ($30 regular price). Thanks for the input. Also got 250 rounds of #8 shot for skeet/practice for $46 (with $10 coupon). If you time things right you can get some good deals at Cabelas.
 
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