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Bang / Guns
See other Bang / Guns Articles

Title: Is it Time to Retire the Defensive Shotgun?
Source: [None]
URL Source: http://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/tim ... imetoretirethedefensiveshotgun
Published: Dec 5, 2015
Author: CTD Blogger
Post Date: 2015-12-05 14:44:58 by Don
Keywords: None
Views: 7254
Comments: 28

Is it Time to Retire the Defensive Shotgun?

By CTD Blogger published on November 24, 2015 in Firearms

With the AR-15 crowned as the new reigning champ of semiautomatic rifles, there’s no doubt that the 5.56×45 is here to stay. These guns have never been cheaper, more reliable, or easier to customize. And the surging popularity of the defensive carbine has largely displaced the 12-gauge shotgun as the long gun of choice to keep handy for defense of hearth and home.

The pump-action shotgun was at one time considered the first and only tool to reach for when things went bump in the night, but it definitely doesn’t have the monopoly on protective force anymore.

So, is the defensive shotgun old news now? Has the faithful sidekick of the patrol cop and armed home defender finally jumped the shark?

Indisputable shortcomings

No matter which side of the camp you undoubtedly find yourself on, there are several disadvantages that come part and parcel with a 12-gauge defensive arm. There’s just no getting around the relatively low ammunition capacity issues. A comparably sized AR-15 can easily have 100 rounds on board. With a shotgun, you’re usually limited to an eight round magazine before things start to get unwieldy with an extended tube.

While it’s possible to stow extra ammo on a shotgun in the form of sidesaddles and other means, you’ll never be able to stash 30 extra rounds on the gun, like you can with an AR-15. And even if you could, the weight of 30 shells is prohibitively cumbersome.

If your shotgun happens to run dry (an admittedly rare occurrence in most home defense scenarios, historically), you’ve got to individually stuff each and every shell into the magazine tube, which takes time even when there’s no stress involved. With an AR-15, you can have 30+ extra rounds at the ready in a matter of seconds.

But it’s not all bad!

One of the biggest advantages to the shotgun is the raw power that it lends the user. Various 5.56×45 duty rounds are highly effective these days, but those choices pale in comparison to the bone-crushing attributes of a 1-ounce shotgun slug at supersonic velocities.

Shotgun gun You can’t argue with a one-ounce shotgun slug!

Shots to the pelvic girdle with a 12-gauge slug do far more than simple tissue damage and temporary cavitation. They actually render the mechanical skeletal structure useless through major blunt-force trauma.

That’s incredibly powerful, especially for non-compliant adversaries under the influence of narcotics. It’s very difficult to advance if the ball part of your ball-and-socket hip joint suddenly finds itself… completely missing.

Truly, the shotgun’s greatest asset is the broad spectrum of ammo currently available. From the previously mentioned slugs to surgically precise buckshot loads, there’s something for every situation. And while the don’t-really-need-to-aim myths of the “street sweeping, room clearing shotgun” have little factual basis, there’s no denying the advantages that multi-pellet wound channels bring to a firefight.

And of course, shotguns are the only reasonable choice for shooting down errant drones.

Reliability issues?

It was once thought that the pump-action shotgun was the most reliable firearm in existence. The thinking was that if you can still work the action, you’re still in the fight. Over time, this has proven to be not quite true. Short stroking a pump action is remarkably easy to do if you’re not paying attention to how you’re running the gun.

Semiautomatic shotguns have become incredibly reliable over the past few decades. I worked at a private gun club for two years, and can attest that I saw more malfunctions induced by shooters short stroking a pump-action as compared to issues caused by a semiauto shotgun.

Regardless, as long as you work the action of a pump gun violently to the rear and forcefully forward, you’ll never have an issue with reliability. And using quality ammunition instead of aluminum case head bulk ammo will go a long way towards preventing stuck cases.

You aren’t giving any reliability up over a rifle if you choose a quality shotgun and use high-quality ammo.

Remington 870 pump-action shotgun Tried and true—the Remington 870 pump action.

Still a viable choice?

Yes, there are many things that a shotgun cannot do. Shotguns can’t engage a target 400 yards away. They’re big, heavy, and have an outdated manual of arms that’s totally different from the AR-15 we’ve grown to know and love.

But as long as there are firearms, there will be the defensive 12-gauge shotgun. And while the venerable pump-action definitely has its unique downsides and disadvantages, there’s no denying they’re devastatingly effective when used correctly.

In the end, your home defense gun choice is completely up to you. And with modern rifles, pistols and yes, even shotguns; it’s hard to go wrong.

We know you’ve got thoughts about defensive shotguns and the role they play in your home defense plan. Let us hear ‘em in the comments!

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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 14.

#10. To: Y'ALL (#0)

One of the best comments on Shotgun buckshot I've come across: ---

" --- BASICS ---

A cylinder bore shotgun on average, will spread 1 inch per yard, after about the the third yard.

A full choke shot gun, will spread about 1 inch per yard, after about the 10 yard.

We are talking about using a weapon for defense INSIDE your home, after a break in. We are not talking about assaulting a barricaded crack house, breaking motor blocks at road blocks or stopping a PRC assault on a hill in Korea. WE are talking about defending your and yours against a common burglar/crackhead/banger coming into your home with bad intents.

NOW lets look at houses, a smaller starter home is going to run about 800 square foot, a big house is about 1500 square foot on the foundation. A really nice house is going to run 2000 square foot on the foundation. Thats 40 feet by 50 feet. Now doing the math we find out the diagonal on that house is 64 feet. thats corner to corner, the longest shot possible is 20 yards. Now that makes the assumption there are no internal walls, no furniture in the way, nothing, just a big open box. Which we know is not the way homes are built, but even if this were so, that means that a average shotgun, bored cylinder, is going to deliver a 17 inch spread. (20 yards, from muzzle to far corner, is the 3 + {17 x 1}. ) thats like getting hit with 27 .22 stingers all at the same time.

Now drop that down to a more reasonable distance, like say, the top of the steps to the bottom of the steps, lets say 4 yards if you have a "grand Staircase" thats like getting 27 hits to the chest with a .22 in a 1 1/2 to 2 inch circle. Do that once or twice more, and you have what"s called hamburger.

Now not making light of all sorts of gelatin testing and what have you, I have seen the results of a 12 gauge blast at close range with just #6 six shot, and i have been shot with 6 shot at fairly long distance, and a few #6 shot penetrated across my back several inches, and that was at well over 30 yards, and maybe closer to 45. The hunting accident I helped recover a body on was a hunter shot with 6 shot at about 3 yards, as far as we could tell, and there was a hole thru the victim, the entrance appeared to be golf ball sized, and the exit was much larger. Clearly at that range penetration was complete on a human body.

Now for the do it yourself tests. get a tshirt, pack it with wet newspaper, and stack it on a log, where you have a safe back ground. Now using a tape measure, measure inside your house what might be the longest practical shot you are going to have in a home invasion. At the test sight, measure that out, then aim and shoot that wet newsprint, and see what you get.

I think you will find that you answer is self evident.

So unless you live in Buckingham Palace or are a crown prince in Saudi Arabia where you use a golf car to get around your home, a twelve gauge with 4 buck is going to be darn near perfect.

One other point rarely thought about, is miss's. If you miss with a slug or 000 buck, that miss is going to travel on a good distance, and you MIGHT at the time of need, think about that, and say to yourself, I need to wait a second to shoot or I will hit "bill and alice" next door. Shooting 4 buck, after 60 yards of so, its not going to be as lethal as a slug or 000 buck. so don't worry, shoot when the shot is there, rather than worrying."

tpaine  posted on  2015-12-05   16:47:42 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#14. To: All (#10)

A cylinder bore shotgun on average, will spread 1 inch per yard, after about the the third yard.

By the way, the above is WRONG.

I've patterned #4 buck out of my cylinder bore 2 3/4" Mossberg, and at 30 yards I'm getting approx 5' patterns. ( Sellier & Bellot Max load, 27 pellets), -- Damn near double the spread the above predicts.

tpaine  posted on  2015-12-05   17:26:10 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


Replies to Comment # 14.

#15. To: tpaine (#14)

Depends on your choke, tpaine. Most COTS shotguns for home defense don't use chokes.

buckeroo  posted on  2015-12-05 17:30:21 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


End Trace Mode for Comment # 14.

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