Best tactical shotgun??

[Achilles11B]

lmccrock nailed it. Whatever you are considering buying, handle it first. As a left-handed shooter, the crossbolt safety on the Remington and Benelli was what turned me to the Mossberg. All three manufacturers make good shotguns, but it comes down to personal preference and training. Half of your home defense setup is you, after all.

Also, those tactical pens are outdated. The new ones have a rail at the 12 o'clock and are capable of sub-MOA writing (with match-grade ink, of course).

[rigby06]

The Benelli M1 Super90 works for me, all others in the Benelli line are variations on a theme.

I would agree with the other post's first and foremost, a shotgun that fits it's shooter, and second being able to hit what you aim at.

Most of us will never be at the level of Tom Knapp, being able to throw 7 clay targets one handed in the air, and hit all 7 before they hit the ground with one shot for each for each clay target ; but for home defense, a man size target much easier to hit, and I hope none of us never need to find that out .

Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

[Jimbow1965]

I know this is an older thread, but can't help but put in 2c.
You'd figure that a guy who works for the GVMNT would know what "tactical" means.
After all, why don't the spec-op guys just carry a standard M-16.....or hell a M1903-A-1? (and I noticed one of your pens is modified, possibly for "tactical reasons?)
Yup, any shotgun can defend your home, even a Marlin Model 55 Goose gun...with its 33" barrel, Bolt action, and full choke.
Maybe if your wife stands in back of you with her finger on the trigger while you guide the front around corners and tell her when to pull the trigger...
Com-on man!
My Benelli SN tactical isn't made for the duck blind and my SBE2 isn't made for HD or badguy stopping, They may both be able to, but not the best for the job.
And if a bad guy (s) are trying to get me, I want the best tool for the job.
And how 'bout that,? I didn't even need to hire an outside consultant at $10,000.00 per day to tell me that. (must not be govment work)

[TheKlawMan]

I would go with the Remington Express Tactical. It has the 18" barrel, ghost ring sights, a law enforcement forend for loading with an open breech, comes with a breacher choke and will accept Remington choke tubes, and has a 2 shell magazine extension, and it comes with attachment points for a sling. I don't know if I would rely on a gas operated gun for tactical or home defense.

[ripnbst]

I have a Winchester Model 1200 Police Issue Shotgun with no attachments. Hasn't ever mad a malfunction related to the weapon itself. Buying a shotgun that law enforcement uses is a sure fire way of getting a good base.

For me, the less bells and whistles the less there is to deal with in a high stress situation. The only thing I'd ever considering adding is a light. Right now its me, my wife, and 4 legged critters in my house. Our house has a decent amount of windows where moonlight is usually enough except on the darkest of nights. If its one of those nights it really doesn't change anything, if my wife is next to me I know they ain't supposed to be there.

[Rufus T Firefly]

You have to define your needs. I personnaly would get the shortest barrel you can legally have in your state. You are going to be in "close quaters". Get what works best based on your need scenario.

We have a hallway that is only 32" wide. Do you? Maybe your have open spaces? I don't know. Use some scenarios in your situation and you answer your question.

Asking is a good thing, but you have to search deep and find out what works in your situation.

[Dave McC]

Actually, Rufus, I did a walkthrough of Casa McC a few years back with a 30" barreled 870 TB trap gun with a long stock on it. I found few areas where it was a drawback. And waiting for an intruder at the top of the stairs while WW was summoning the constabulary was no problem at all.

I did find that things went better righthanded the top two floors but the cellar was better for a leftie, but that's a different case.

My HD 870s do have short barrels, but they had them before.

Jimbow, what "Tactical" means and how it's commonly misused are two separate things.

There is no "Tactical" hardware, just "Tactical" training and mindsets.....

[BarkSlayer]

The best tactical shotgun for me is a Remington 870 because I already have a 12 gauge Wingmaster and I'm familiar with it. I like keeping things as standardized as possible so I only need to know one gun whether I'm at the range in the morning or defending the home front in the middle of the night. As has been said, regardless of which shotgun you choose...practice with it until you know that weapon inside and out.

[njzmartin]

I've got a Mossy 500, and I love it. They're are 3 things I don't like about it, The plastic trigger, the trigger assembly/ housing is plastic and it only holds 5 rounds in the magazine tube. But you can but a steel trigger assembly from Brownells and safety too. I've got an 18.5 smooth bore barrel, factory heatshield, Hogue "Tamer" pistol Grip and Forend, a Mesa Tactical 8 Shell "Sureshell" Side saddle and 15 rounds of Hexolit32 2 3/4 Expanding Slugs (The Expand to almost 1 inch and also fragment) on and in the gun, a few boxes of 00 Buck and some hollowpoint slugs. I feel it is the perfect weapon for home defense. I'm not a fan of the 870's safety type, the 500's is much more efficient for me.

[Crazy Carl]

This is how I roll. 590A1 with NOS wood furniture from Havlins.



Shoots/points great with the cut-down stock & thick Limbsaver pad. Simple & classy, to me. Everything it needs to be & nothing that it doesn't.

[CLC]

That's some nice wood! What ghost rings do you have on that bad boy?

[Hammahed]

I gotta say - the gun for me is a rossi circuit judge with a .410 load - It's a revolver - No jams under stress - Pop in a few Winchester PDX-1 hd rounds and you won't be shooting through any walls - Gotta make sure you don't hit the kids. The gun shoots very straight - and it has nice vision off the sights. The wife won't have any problem handling the gun if she gets to it first. My 2c

Oh, it also takes a 45 long colt - Talk about a fun round to shoot

[TheFiringLineTactics]

If you need more capacity then just use these 1 1/2 Inch loads. There fairly cheap so you can use those. They cycle nice so use those if you want to.

[eddyb74]

You got a link?

[mssurrey]

Kel Tec have just come out at shot show 2012with a tacticool (sorry Tactical) shotgun for home defense - looks like somthing out of Terminator!

[Viper225]

I would have no problem with pump guns like the 870, 1300, and 590. No experiance with the Nova. I could also put up with a Browning or 37 Ithica as last choices due to bottom ejection
I am a big fan of a pumpgun for home defense, especially if others of the family may need to use it. Same reasoning I use when recommending a revolver. It is simple to operate, and not prone to malfunctions.
I have had one semiautomatic a Beretta 1201FP. No issues with it either as long as you train with it.

My home defense shotgun is my old Scattergun Technologies TR870 Nashville Tenn. Pre Wilson Combat. It was built on a Wingmaster instead of a Police. It has the Speed Feed Stock set, Side Saddle, Scattergun Tech Track Loc sights, and originally had an Orange Hi Vis Follower, which I have since changed out for a Higher Visibility Green one. It has a Big Head Safety, sling point between the magazine tube, and tube extension, and also the clamp between the barrel and magazine tube extension. Not sure 20 years later what all Scattergun Tech might have done internally to it.
I carryed the TR870 for 15 years as a Deputy Sheriff, and 2 years as Police Chief. I have had Zero Malfunctions with it.
The wife and I also shoot Trap some. Again we have 870TB trap guns. I do not recall any malfunctions with either of them. If we ever did have a Trap Gun issue I am sure it was a relaoded shell issue, and not the gun. All 3 of our 870's are pre 1980 Wingmasters.
The local PD has older Model 870 Police shotguns. They were getting a little beat up looking, and were getting ready to upgrade to something newer. I suggested they have them refurbished with new Speed Feed Stock sets, and have our local gunsmith parkerize them. That was probably 10 years ago, and they are still happy with them. I have never seen one of them fail to function in training/qualification either.

Bob

[SCBondsman]

If y'all haven't seen the videos you've gotta watch FPSRussia on YouTube. Not only is he a trip, he's a damn good marksman with a pile of bad a$$ toys!

He uses different loads so you can see buckshot, birdshot, and oh ya, Dragon's Breath!

TOP SHOT PART 2 :: FN FS-2000 & Mossberg Chainsaw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waRpv...qpk28qSae77BxY

[larryh1108]

I modified a Mossberg 500 with a 20" barrrel with a 7+1 tube and a red dot. The stock is the Knoxx system. It handles great and has great balance. The 500 is easy to modify with different length barrels.

[oneounceload]

How does a lightweight stock balance well with a barrel that has a 7 round magazine under it?
That just does not compute from a "balance" standpoint

[larryh1108]

I believe the red dot adds weight behind the mag tube. I was surprised as well. I guess the term should have been balanced better than you'd expect.

[Glockstar .40]

I like my mossy 590 for HD. I have the ATI 6 pos stock with scorpion butt pad and grip. i also replaced the standard pump with the mako tri-rail pump so i can add a streamlight and thinking of adding a foreend grip. i also have a tactstar side saddle and the stock mossy heat shield (hey it looks cool ok lol). be careful with adding too much to your shotty. although it makes it look cool, it does make it heavier as i am learning if i could ever figure out how to post a pic i will. oh and best believe that bad boy is loaded up with hornady critical defense 00buck

[Dave McC]

1 oz, it's not quite so cut and dried.

My HD 870 has the two shot extension, Side Saddle, and so on. It weighs over 9 lbs. But, when I had a Spanish trap O/U with 30" barrels,I noted they both handled the same. Stocks were similar, so that helped. A lot of the weight lies between the hands on the 870, and with the 18" barrel the front end lies closer so the leverage effect is not as crucial.

My Deer 870 has 1.5" more barrel, another extension with three round plus capacity and does move a little ponderously. A roll of nickles in the butt would fix that.

Still, Frankenstein(My parts 870 with 21" barrel and zero addons) is about 7 lbs and snake fast. This my be my best choice.....

[oneounceload]

I understand Dave - but looking at that pic - with all the steel (and lead inside) up front and only a plastic stock on the rear, the balance between the hands factor has to be non-existent, meaning moving and swinging the gun on target requires a great deal of effort for the off-hand

[Dave McC]

Yup,that could be the case. I use wood, as The Diety intended us to do.

Bruce Buck calls it "The Pig On a Snow Shovel Effect".

Good ol' Bruce....

[larryh1108]

I did some research and the Knoxx stock/pistol grip weighs more than the stock stock. With the mag tube loaded and 0 in the chamber, the balance level is right where the mag tube meets the receiver. If you'd like a picture showing that I'll gladly provide one. That seems like a good balance to me. Where should the mid point be?