AR style shotgun recommendations

[tahunua001]

I know... sacrilege.
I'm looking for recommendations on an AR style shotgun. I see that nowadays there are oodles to choose from and I'm not quite sure what's good and what's garbage. basically what I'm looking for.

1. flat top upper (accepts standard AR 15 iron sights and/or red dot)
2. 3 1/2 in. chamber would be awesome but would be willing to settle for a 3 in.
3. multiple barrels would be nice (rifled and choked so you can switch between slugs and shot) but not a deal breaker
4. commonly available, replaceable, chokes are a must.
5. fully detached pistol grip and stock (I've tried the ones with the connected, faux thumbhole stock, I think they're called vipers and they're awful.
6. an adjustable stock would be nice, but not a deal breaker but I am a very large person and require a long length of pull.
7. even better if it accepts actual AR furniture, but understandable if it doesn't

TIA

[stinkeypete]

I think you need to define what you mean by "AR Style"

If you mean "built on an AR receiver" that's a problem limiting you to very small bore and shorty shells.

if you mean "rotating bolt gas operated semi-automatic" that's another important distinction.

If you mean "has a removable box magazine", that's yet another feature.

Now, having some experience shooting shotguns, I have to ask you "Have you any experience shooting 3 1/2" shells? Really?" Because other than special purpose like shooting steel shot at geese, 3" magnums are all you need since both shells have roughly the same chamber pressure limitations. It's the use of steel shot that give 3 1/2" any life at all, and steel has miserable performance downrange. It's cheap non-tox for federal migratory bird habitat... and I don't think you want to duck hunt with this thing.

The correct answer is "rimmed shells in a box magazine will cause you nothing but grief, this is why all competitors for this class of firearm use an extended tubular magazine."

The Benelli M2 Tactical is what you want. It has a rotating bolt like the AR but is not gas operated, it's recoil operated. It will shoot 3" shells, not 3 1/2. The recoil is not mitigated hardly AT ALL, unlike a gas system.

The Beretta 1301 also shoots 3" shells but has a GAS operating system, so recoil is soaked up and you can hold it sloppy as you like and it will still cycle, but you need to clean it ever 500 rounds or so, unlike the Benelli. But the perfectly functioning bolt is NOT rotating. It locks up traditionally.

Or, you can learn to hand load Tungsten shells, then a little .410 will give you terminal performance superior to any 12 gauge shell on the planet. But it will cost you.

But then, the M2 will run you $1600 msrp.

But, unlike a cheap import, the shotguns listed above work reliably. And if you just want to play around, buy some cheap thing and some gunsmithing tools and make a hobby of making it work. You'll have fun. For a year, trying to make it run smooth.

Buy the Beretta or Benelli and you'll be competition ready after a few trips to the range and tweaking.

Something like a Tristar KRX tactical 12 gauge costs about $650 and will have very little resale value after you purchase it. It will probably run.

Get lots of magazines now, because who knows how long you can get them. It looks all Rambo, but there is a reason serious shotguns don't look like that.

[44 AMP]

The correct answer is "rimmed shells in a box magazine will cause you nothing but grief, this is why all competitors for this class of firearm use an extended tubular magazine."

I disagree with the statement, "rimmed shells in a box magazine will cause you nothing but grief".

Rimmed shells in box magazines work just fine, IF DONE RIGHT. We've got well over a century of examples, lots and lots of rifles, pistols, and othe odd bolt action shotgun or two all working just fine with rimmed shells in box magazines.

On the other hand, it is more difficult to do it right than it is when using rimless shells. No question about that.

I don't know what "all the competitors" are using, I don't compete, don't care much about "game equipment". People competeing in games use what ever the game rules allow that they believe will give them the most advantage. Whether or not it has any real world applications, or not.

I don't know for certain, but I'd be willing to bet, if asked, those folks would tell you they use tube magazines because the guns they choose to use are made for that, and guns made taking box mags don't offer the other things they consider important.

There are AR style shotguns, I've seen videos. There's even one that does full auto fire. Go search U tube, pretty sure you'll find them there...

[GE-Minigun]

None. For the money ANY other tube fed shotgun will perform better. Don't believe me, how many professional shooters use magazine fed shotguns in competition?

[Blindstitch]

Pretty sure he's just asking for the Vr80. No need to overthink things. https://palmettostatearmory.com/arms...tgun-vr80.html

[tahunua001]

The correct answer is "rimmed shells in a box magazine will cause you nothing but grief, this is why all competitors for this class of firearm use an extended tubular magazine."

over a century of active military service of the 303 brit, and 1.5 century of 7.62x54R prove that statement to be a lie.

Pretty sure he's just asking for the Vr80

the VR80 is specifically the one I didn't like lol.

so more on what I'm after, no I don't want an AR lower, dedicated shotgun. it doesn't even need to function like an AR with rotating bolt and all that, I'm more interested in the ergonomics and controls.

as for what I'm using it for, turkeys... very skittish turkeys at less than ideal ranges, or possibly buckshot if the mood takes me during deer season, or possibly slugs for home defense if I really get paranoid that my 9mm in the nightstand isn't big enough.

I actually intend to just get a M500 for clay pigeon, pheasant, grouse(though I prefer a 22lr for grouse), or waterfowl) when the time comes.

[44 AMP]

Personally, I would go with slugs for deer and buckshot for home defense. But, that's just me....

[FITASC]

A basic tube fed semi can have removable choke tubes. Beretta, Benelli, and even a few from Turkey will do the job. Load tungsten and those turkeys will be DRT, even at range, but tungsten is expensive. Gas gun would be easier on the shoulder compared to inertia.
You don't need two barrels if you get one with chokes as they make rifled chokes for whay you intend.

[tahunua001]

Personally, I would go with slugs for deer and buckshot for home defense. But, that's just me....

sadly, my state doesn't allow slugs for hunting, and for indoor use I don't like the idea of having relatively control over many projectiles.

[Blindstitch]

sadly, my state doesn't allow slugs for hunting, and for indoor use I don't like the idea of having relatively control over many projectiles.

Page 98 of the Idaho hunting digest.

Short Range Weapons
During a short-range weapon only season, only the following
weapons may be used.
Only shotguns using any slug or double-aught (#00) buckshot.

[MC 1911]

Typhoon F12. Not the cheapest but it works. You have to break them in with high brass but after that mines been 100% reliable. Much better than my Saiga or Vepr were & it's lighter.

[stinkeypete]

I disagree with the statement, "rimmed shells in a box magazine will cause you nothing but grief".

since the topic was shotguns with removable magazines, I thought everyone would know that I meant "in shotguns."

So, what are the removable SHOTGUN magazines that you've had experience with that have been reliable? in NSSF 3-gun competition they are legal but I don't think you'll ever see one used in competition. There's a reason for that.

Not that it can't be done with 12 gauge shells, it's just that it seems no one has done it well enough.

[veprdude]

I have a Lynx 3-Gun. I bought it as a blasting range toy and it does that well. I can rattle off 10 rounds pretty quickly. Not an "AR" style shotgun, but I think the same concepts will apply to those:

1. The shells in the mag are all you're getting as mag changes are slow.
2. 10rd mags are huge and unwieldy.
3. 10rd mags stick out further than you think.
4. Topping off isn't really an option.
5. Mags aren't going to be very sturdy given their size. Don't drop them.
6. The thought of this as a home defense gun is kind of a joke. You could do worse, I guess.
7. I still get nice shoulder bruises even though it's a semi-auto. I wouldn't call this soft shooting.

All said and done, I'm happy with my purchase but this would not be on my hunting or self-defense shotgun list for many reasons.

I think a tricked out Remington 11-87 might fit the bill better.

[MarkCO]

IF I was going to buy a boxfed shotgun, I'd listen to my friend Patrick Kelley.

Worth a watch if you are interested in getting an ultra-reliable, quality box fed 12g without dropping $4K+.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY9P65Gx-L4

[44 AMP]

My experience with box magazine fed shotguns has all been with Mossberg or Stevens bolt guns, and those aren't speed shooters or intended for strings of fire using mag swaps to keep hosing out rounds.

Used as intended they all worked fine.

[taylorce1]

Originally Posted by MarkCO

Worth a watch if you are interested in getting an ultra-reliable, quality box fed 12g without dropping $4K+.

I've been looking at that one. Still the $2800 price tag is keeping it out of my reach. From the videos seeing it in action, it is pretty awesome.

[The Happy kaboomer]

NONE...........