Well when Bill (grey beard ) asked us what optics for his new rifle i had to recommend what our boys and girls in uniform have tested in battle .. So you can never go wrong with a Remington 870 pump .... The Mossberg 500 or 590 are other very good choices , Though i admit i will always have a sweet spot in my heart for the winchester line of shotguns ( my very first shottie was a winnie 1300 defender (and a squirrel slaying son of a gun) The winchester are a good shottie too..
Now lets break this down shall we ... Your rems and wins are a little more versitile to the mossberg in that the mossbergs cant add a tube extension to raise load capacity , this is a big plus to me ... My present winchester model 12 12ga 30" bbl shotgun is an 11 round shotgun at the moment 10 in tube plus one .... I know I knoooww not the short to the point entry or home defense shotgun you might think old default to have hahahaha but i like it for the make shift crutch it becomes should i get wounded
I also have a fold over the top pistol griped stock for it too
The aguila ammo company makes a mini buck shot shell that is i believe only 1 1/2 " long that hold 4 #1 bucks and 6 #4 bucks next to no recoil or report and i can hold i think it was 18 in my shotgun ...
Remmie also benefits from this process and of course there are more tube lenght options then the +5 that i have .. your wins and rems can run you around $200 to $400 depending on used or new ... I havent priced winchesters in a while so they may lean higher then my quote on price..... And of course there is a ton of tactical and tactikool items for all three shotguns in mention so more useful then others ..
Back to the mossberg ,While you dont get the option of having factory 5 rounder becoming a 10 +1 rounder on a whim ... You do get a tried and true no bs war dog shes not all browning deep blued or super tight , she wont run you $700 new or used but what she will do is come with all the afore mentioned for a modest $120 to $200 dollars used and go bang every time mud or shine .. it'll cost a little more if you want their newest tactical door knocker model that will run you in the $400 range .... i have basic 500 sitting down at my local shop for $129 used in good condition with a 28" bbl that i would have trimmed to 20" should i decide i want to go get it this friday ( im considering it heavily)
Now the other shotgun i keep in the house is a true defense of the home shotgun i picked up for my other half mainly but wouldnt think twice to grab it and my 357 should someone start kicking in my door ...SxS ( side by side ) double barrel 12 ga stage coach gun with 20" tubes ... In my quest for knowledge about the many many aspects of defensive tactics and weapon choice too many to list nor mention ... I have had a few respected writers that have touched on a very important subject ( no dont misunderstand me , I believe you should not carry a weapon you dont intend to use .. and dont pull and point unless you are going to shoot) That subject in question is fear... We have used it since the dawn of man in many forms ... and its changed over the centuries as man has changed and yet still stayed the same ... There is nothing that commands respect and fear quite like that unique sound of a shottie chuuuchunking in a buckshot shell ...this is why i prefer pump actions.. I think we know you dont even have to own a shotgun to know that sound ... and in the dark, in a foriegn house your not supossed to be in ... That sound is death and a foe knows that..... Sight is a key tool as well, lawmen have known this since the days of the six gun ... Looking down the gapping maw of a small, mid or big bore revolver is something i dont ever want to see in a bad situation ,Five holes staring at me and letting me see what is loaded up for the job no less .. The double barrel shotgun is the same except the gapping maws are much more pronounced and simplicity is on the users side.. Safety off and two triggers worth of "OH yeah you messed up" ...but most ... And i mean Most important about a good shotgun for defense is the same as i have told countless friends aquintances and young people seeking me out for knowledge on a defensive choice , be it thier first buy or thier next one .... A shotgun is in my opinion is the perfect tool ... Intimidating as HELL ,by sight and sound ... a good 98 lumien light and Po0f* they are blind ,identified friend or foe and armed or not ... You can use it in more situations then i care to mention hunting to defense etc. and the only tool you can take any species of animal on this planet with ..And i do mean ANY (chipmunk to white whale and anything in between)
The bird loads for small game wont penetrate through to layers of sheet rock but 7 yards to a hallway intruder !???!! they havent made a doctor yet to fix all that damage ,hits like a solid load then disperses into the body like a fragmentation round ... follow that up with your buck shot of choice
In the end of this long winded and probably over stating the obvious post ......... Get a good reputable shotgun ... Any of the big three i mentioned should be able to do anything you could ever ask of a weapon that we have used in ever war this country has ever fought ...And it makes a damn good club too
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P.S. Dont forget the ammo