Reloading EverythingRotoMetals2MidSouth Shooters SupplyTitan Reloading
Load DataLee PrecisionWidenersRepackbox
Inline Fabrication
Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 21 to 40 of 63

Thread: A Shotgun is my recommended "only" homestead gun.

  1. #21
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2022
    Location
    MPLS
    Posts
    1,486
    Quote Originally Posted by poppy42 View Post
    Ah try explaining how you felt you were in danger of serious bodily harm or death from a 400 yards away threat. Assuming you’re not talking about a bear or a moose but a two legged threat.
    You missed the entire point, change that to 40 yards and ask the same question, I stand by what i said, shotgun is great for close, now step back and what ??

  2. #22
    Boolit Grand Master



    M-Tecs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    9,452
    Quote Originally Posted by poppy42 View Post
    Ah try explaining how you felt you were in danger of serious bodily harm or death from a 400 yards away threat. Assuming you’re not talking about a bear or a moose but a two legged threat.
    A friend of mine was in his house when 3 guys opened up on his house from about two hundred yards. He hid in the basement and called the cops. They were later apprehended. Turns out they had the wrong address. They were after the crackhead on the other side of the road for a drug deal gone bad.

    Years ago a kid started sniping cars from an interstate overpass with a 22. Lot of cars hit mostly in the windshield. I passed under the overpass as he was walking up to the overpass. I had my varmint rifle with me. Had I been about a minute or two later chances are good he would have died that day. Turns out no one was serious injured and the 15 year surrender when the cops shown up. He had written a suicide note but lost his nerve with the cops showed. Like most thing there is no one size fits all answer.

    My property is larger than a shotgun with buckshot can cover so a shotgun is not my first choice.

    When clearing a house long-guns are easier to disarm the untrained. Same for having them handy but out of reach of visiting children. That being said the shotgun is very effective under the right circumstances. It may be the best choice for some and not so much for others.
    Last edited by M-Tecs; 01-16-2023 at 11:50 PM.
    2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

    "Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
    – Amber Veal

    "The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
    - Wayne Dyer

  3. #23
    Boolit Master
    poppy42's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    1,540
    Quote Originally Posted by BLAHUT View Post
    You missed the entire point, change that to 40 yards and ask the same question, I stand by what i said, shotgun is great for close, now step back and what ??
    Proving an imminent threat of severe bodily harm at 40 yards could still leave you in quite a mess. I understand your position not saying I disagree with it. Just saying there are other options. A lot of people consider a shotgun strictly a close quarters weapon. It doesn’t necessarily have to be. I’ve hunted blackbear with a 12 gauge slug gun out past 50 yards. No problem hitting my target. Not saying it’s perfect just saying it’s not something limited to strictly 10 yards. Personally I prefer both options. But that’s just me to each his own
    Long, Wide, Deep, and Without Hesitation!

  4. #24
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Posts
    8,897
    God has three entities (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) and I figured I was best prepared with three options.

    Shotgun, pistol and AR15. If I lived in the city, the AR15 would not be the choice....maybe a pistol caliber carbine.

    One suggestion is to use "low recoil" 12 ga loads. IMO making repeat shots quickly trumps the added payload and velocity of the 3" mag shells.
    Don Verna


  5. #25
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Fargo ND
    Posts
    7,075
    I agree with Don Verna. My 12 ga buckshot loads are more tactical loads. Lower speed, lower recoil, 9 pellets of #1 buck (30 caliber) with cornmeal filler and an overshot card.

    Inside the house my 12 ga 879 wingmaster is loaded with 5 rounds of 7.5 birdshot. At close range it is just as deadly and has the additional benifet of being extremely unlikely that a pellet will penitrate 2 layers of 5/6ths sheet rock over plaster and lathe. Really prefer not to injure or kill someone I am trying to protect.

    I keep it fully loaded, with one in the chamber, but the action cocked half open. Slam it forward, click off the trigger safety and it is ready to rock.
    But because the bolt is back, shell is not in battery it can not possibly fire by accident. Takes 3 deliberat actions to make it able to fire. Close bolt, remove safety, pull trigger.

    Falling over won't do it ever, nor beating on it with a sledge or most any other method. It is as safe as I can make it and still have it into action in a second.
    So that is my choice. Your mileage may vary.

    As to shooting them at 400 yards, while I accept there is something gratifying about this. I think if you actually did you would find yourself in prison for many years.

    Good enough reason for me not to.

    Last, I found on Amazon some solar LED lights designed for outside. They have 3 modes of lighting. One is dim light until motion detected then the light goes bright.

    I have one in my south window next to the kitchen. If it see's motion the bright light comes on for 30 seconds. So if I am in doubt, I can stay hidden in the hallway to the bedroom. Anyone walking anywhere near is going to light it up. Bright enough that it will dazzle for a few seconds. So my target is brightly lit, I am hidden in shadow.

    3/4 of the year they keep themselves charged. Winter time we don't get enough sun to keep them charged. But 3 screws and inside is an 18650 3000mah battery in a battery box. I have lots of 18650 batterys, swap in a charged one, and charge the flat one. Good for another 3-4 weeks.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Posts
    8,897
    There may come a time when eliminating a threat at longer range is "advisable". I am talking about SHTF stuff when there is no rule of law, and those left are struggling to survive. If your tribe has been attacked, and the attackers retreated and come back....well...not much to negotiate. Or you know a band has targeted you. Read the book One Second After.
    Don Verna


  7. #27
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,286
    I have to agree that a shotgun is first go to for self/home defense. As we get older and in the dark, a 30 round magazine is worthless if you can’t hit the target with it.

  8. #28
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Central Texas
    Posts
    1,910
    Quote Originally Posted by GhostHawk View Post
    I agree with Don Verna. My 12 ga buckshot loads are more tactical loads. Lower speed, lower recoil, 9 pellets of #1 buck (30 caliber) with cornmeal filler and an overshot card.

    Inside the house my 12 ga 879 wingmaster is loaded with 5 rounds of 7.5 birdshot. At close range it is just as deadly and has the additional benifet of being extremely unlikely that a pellet will penitrate 2 layers of 5/6ths sheet rock over plaster and lathe.
    I've killed quite a few hogs under 10 yards with a head shot, using field loads with 7-1/2 shot in a 12 ga. The entire charge will stay inside their skull and the shock kills them immediately. My son split a skull once to see where the shot went; the entire charge was scattered from the entrance wound to the back side, but nothing exited. We were not hunting hogs with birdshot - they were simply opportunity kills, either in a trap or caught by dogs.

  9. #29
    Boolit Master



    atr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Vashon Island WA
    Posts
    2,286
    I agree !
    up at my cabin I have a 20Gage X 3"chamber bolt action which does it all!
    Death to every foe and traitor and hurrah, my boys, for freedom !

  10. #30
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    1,222
    I'm not new to most firearm types, so the pump-action doesn't offer much from a safety stand point. IF I decide to invest in a "social shotgun" again, it'll be a semi-auto. In addition to tempering the recoil of the 12 gauge, it gives me a faster follow-up shot in situations in which fractions of a second may be critical.
    While the "tactical" semi-auto shotgun platforms are plentiful, they are also expensive. Aftermarket optimizers (extended magazines, ghost-ring sights) seem plentiful for a narrow range of shotgun brands and are not cheap on their own. I am disappointed, but not deterred by this.
    As it stands, my bedside weapons are two highly protective and beloved dogs, and a Mini-14, my 1911A1, and my P-35 (wife's side). They who enter uninvited will surely depart, resembling a sieve.
    For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:18
    He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool become servant to the wise of heart. Proverbs 11:29
    ...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40


    Carpe SCOTCH!

  11. #31
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Greater Portland OR.
    Posts
    1,741
    I would question if a semi-auto shotgun gives a faster second shot over a pump gun. If you are used to them and experienced I believe a pump gun is faster.

  12. #32
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    5,252
    .

    My Mossy hangs muzzle down from some paracord on a door hook, ready to go.

    On my property, long range is 50yds outside, 10' indoors - which is where/when I feel threatened. (YMMV)

    Some jerk, just cutting through my back yard, isn't IMO an imminent threat to my life.

    IME, law enforcement, and most judges, take a dim view of someone who uses a firearm on someone stealing some yard equipment


    Last edited by pietro; 01-17-2023 at 07:03 PM.
    Now I lay me down to sleep
    A gun beside me is what I keep
    If I awake, and you're inside
    The coroner's van is your next ride

  13. #33
    Boolit Master
    poppy42's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    1,540
    Quote Originally Posted by Duckiller View Post
    I would question if a semi-auto shotgun gives a faster second shot over a pump gun. If you are used to them and experienced I believe a pump gun is faster.
    Don’t know about today, semi autos have come a long way. But I can attest to the fact that I once won $100 off of a loud mouth many years ago who bet me that there was no way I could cycle a pump and keep a second shot on target anywhere is close to what he could do with a semi auto. I beat him twice! once with a 500 Mossberg and once with an 870 Remington. I seriously doubt I could pull off the same feet today as I’m about 35 years older and a lot less nimble.
    Long, Wide, Deep, and Without Hesitation!

  14. #34
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    1,222
    Quote Originally Posted by Duckiller View Post
    I would question if a semi-auto shotgun gives a faster second shot over a pump gun. If you are used to them and experienced I believe a pump gun is faster.
    I am neither.
    And I'm not Tom Knapp, nor Kenneth Apestrand, nor Jerry Miculek. I'll take the semi-auto, thanks.
    For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:18
    He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool become servant to the wise of heart. Proverbs 11:29
    ...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40


    Carpe SCOTCH!

  15. #35
    Boolit Grand Master



    M-Tecs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    9,452
    Not sure anyone with a pump could keep up with this one.

    2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

    "Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
    – Amber Veal

    "The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
    - Wayne Dyer

  16. #36
    Boolit Master
    405grain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Modesto, Ca.
    Posts
    1,213
    I carried a Remington 870 with 00 buckshot when I was in the Navy. I've got a 12 gauge single shot for birds and rabbits. When drugged up gangbangers lurk up on my place in the middle of the night (which has happened) they're greeted by the sound of a Mossberg 590A1 cycling a round of #4 buckshot. This has had the effect of instantly converting them from low life zombies into nearly Olympic level runners and sprinters.

  17. #37
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Central Texas
    Posts
    1,910
    Quote Originally Posted by 405grain View Post
    I carried a Remington 870 with 00 buckshot when I was in the Navy. I've got a 12 gauge single shot for birds and rabbits. When drugged up gangbangers lurk up on my place in the middle of the night (which has happened) they're greeted by the sound of a Mossberg 590A1 cycling a round of #4 buckshot. This has had the effect of instantly converting them from low life zombies into nearly Olympic level runners and sprinters.
    Slightly OT but we used to have a neighborhood teenager who would lurk around some of the local houses at night. We have the yard fenced now and the dogs stay out but at that time, we would garage our dogs around 10 pm so they wouldn't run into a coyote pack while we were asleep. My son came home about 10:30 with his girlfriend and I saw someone run past our picture window, then my son came in the house and said he'd caught a person in the truck headlights. We grabbed shotguns and went outside, then heard somebody running so I fired one round into the ground. The next day, we found footprints that were about 9 feet apart - that boy was flying down the gravel driveway...

    The nighttime visits stopped and nothing more was said - problem solved and nobody got hurt.

  18. #38
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Brushy Mountains of NC
    Posts
    1,333
    Years ago I worked with a guy that done time for armed robbery of several banks. Said he always carried a sawed off 12 ga. pump. He would walk in and chamber a round. He would laugh and say that nobody mistakes that sound for anything else and it got their attention and cooperation quick.

  19. #39
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    over the hill, out in the woods and far away
    Posts
    10,158
    Our homestead guns are a 1950 time capsule:

    Vickers 12-bore, boxlock, Greener crossbolt safety, autoejectors, double triggers, 1/4 and 3/4 choke.
    Winchester Model. 70 in '06
    Colt Official Police .38 Special
    Remington Model 34 bolt action .22
    Colt Woodsman.
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

  20. #40
    Boolit Master pmer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    East Central Minn.
    Posts
    1,680
    Quote Originally Posted by M-Tecs View Post
    Not sure anyone with a pump could keep up with this one.

    Looks like a fun way to empty a bunch of shells but I think a pump shotgun gets the nod because of their ability to fire from empty with the slide back. You can drop a fresh shell through the ejection port and chamber it almost as fast as from the mag tube and it doesn't take much practice.
    Once a regular semi auto is empty you can do the same but you have to fumble around for the bolt release and if your not practiced at it like second nature that could be a problem.

    Maybe a magazine fed shotgun would solve that but if their sprung for 3 inch shells can they reliably cycle lower pressure SD loads?
    Oh great, another thread that makes me spend money.

Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check