On Defensive Shotgunning

The Pro-Arms gang takes on defensive shotgunning.

Part1

Part 2

Buckshot and Rifled Barrels

Carteach0 puts some buckshot down range through a rifled barrel to answer an age old question........ Good stuff. More here.

Home Defense Shotgunning

"There is a lot of bullshit out there in the home defense shotgun arena. A lot of money can be made in the plastic tactical whizbang market, and it leaves the newbie wondering if the shotgun itself is really a necessity if he has all that extra junk to throw at an attacker. The truth is, a combat shotgun needs very little to be a devastatingly effective weapon, and they can be bought on the used market very cheaply. There is no reason for any home not to have one."

A few years ago, I published my thoughts on shotguns for home defense, and I haven't cranked out much about the subject since. I figured I had said what I wanted to say, what I had learned over time, and that was that. Still, the lure of the dark side is strong. I continue to see people adorning their scatter guns with more mongo bongo black tactical secret squirrel crap than a high school kid with a new job, a beater Nissan sedan, and a J.C.Whitney catalog.

Now, Carteach0 takes on home defense shotgunning. First, he writes about selecting and equipping your shotgun of choice. Good stuff there. Probably the most important bit is to have spare ammunition on the gun itself. Much of the high speed black plastic stuff can be done away with. Keep it simple. Don't even think about a pistol grip. I tend to agree with him concerning slings as well. Next, Carteach0 provides a few drills and thoughts on it's use.

He makes some good points. First, you can miss with a shotgun. It is not a magic gun. You have got to aim the thing. A 12 gauge is a devastatingly effective fight stopper....... if you hit your target. At home defense distances, the buckshot will pattern very close together, even out of a cylinder bore. It will not be an impenetrable hail of lead in your hallway. If you fail to draw a bead on the threat, you will likely fail to stop the threat.

Shotguns empty quickly. Reloading with the bead on target, especially while moving is a skill that takes training to acquire. You simply cannot expect the tactical Tam fairy to wave her magic wand and sprinkle survivor dust all over you in a fight for your life. If you don't train for it, you will not be able to accomplish it under pressure. Hell, if you do train for it you may still fail.

Training at the range with your home defense weapon is an imperative. Shoot at realistic distances for home defense, from cover, and while moving. Also important is learning to move about your home with your shotgun.

To avoid scaring the neighbors, do this when your home is empty, with the blinds drawn. Make absolutely certain your shotgun is empty. Check the magazine. Finger the follower. Then open and check the chamber. In that order. Then do it again. When you are absolutely certain your shotgun is empty, go though your house with it shouldered. Then go through doorways and halls slicing the pie over the barrel. Learn for yourself just how difficult it is to negotiate your home in this fashion. Think about where you have cover, or concealment. Then imagine doing it in the dark with the stack of books by the door that your wife or girlfriend left there for you to trip over.

Finally, decide whether house clearing or taking a defensive position would be in your best interests in a home invasion. All families and homes are not the same. The best course of action may not apply in all situations, even within the same home. Have more than one option, and when needed, chose the best one you have.

Fighting With a Shotgun

Fighting With a Shotgun: From The Box of Truth.

Combat Shotguns & the AA-12

Pawn Shop Circuit: Riot Gun

I stopped by Neil's Pawn Shop today, QJ wanted to put a few bucks on his Browning Buckmark, and he had asked me to go with him. As they were passing cash, I was scanning the long gun rack behind the counter.

"Say Neil, isn't the barrel a bit short on that one?" I asked. I pointed to an oily stocked shotgun that looked like it had seen better days.

"Nope," said Neil, "That's a police gun."

"Let me have a look."

Neil handed the shotgun over, and went back to trying to sell QJ a zippered gun rug. The beat up wood was impregnated with old oil, and was sticky in a few places. The recoil pad was hard with age. Barely visible in the grain of the stock was a stenciled 6, as well as LPS6 underneath the forend. Oddly, the forend was an extended type, not really my choice, but apparently authentic. I took a look at the rollmark on the barrel. RIOT. The old gun definitely appeared to be a past lawman's weapon.

I held down the slide release and opened the chamber. Clean. Although the furniture looked like it had been bounced around in the trunk of a police cruiser, the action was like new.

"How much you want?" I asked.

"A hundred and thirty," came the response.

"One ten," I countered.

"I can't make any money like that Xavier........"

I wavered. Lord knows I have enough combat shotguns. Still, this old girl had waited patiently for years to be run hard. It was speaking to me. "I tell you what Neil, give QJ that gun rug, and I'll give you one twenty nine."

Neil looked at me, then at QJ. "Damn. I'm double teamed," he said, "Deal."

Pistol Grip Shotguns

"I have to ask, why the bias against pistol grip only shotguns? For a home defense only weapon, an 18" barrel with a pistol grip and a laser sight seems like the perfect shotgun setup."

It's a personal thing. I prefer to aim my guns by looking down a barrel at sights or beads. I'm more accurate that way. A defensive weapon is only useful if it can stop a threat. If you can't hit what you need to, the threat is not stopped. In a home defense situation, you definitely want to hit what you intend to. You do not want to kill family members in the process with stray shots.

If you want a pistol grip only shotgun with a laser sight, buy one. If you can consistently hit what you want with it at the distance you need to, then keep it. If you can't effectively and reliably stop a threat with it, then look at the gun objectively and decide whether you want something that you can use more effectively.

I couldn't hit squat consistently with a pistol grip shotgun fired from the hip. They are great fun though.

Cruiser Ready

Proper storage of a home defense weapon is a hot topic of debate among some gunners. Often overlooked is the fact that successful defense is most often the result of software, not hardware. In other words, it's what is in the defender's head that matters, often more than what is in his hands......Or in another room of his home.

I am a home owner who subscribes to a couple of theories. First, a handgun is a tool to get me to a more effective weapon. Two, an unloaded gun ain't worth squat. Thus, I keep several shotguns in my home. A shotgun is always ready and close at hand. I prefer the Mossberg 500 and Winchester 1300. Because of the multiple guns and the need for them to operate in exactly the same fashion in a crisis, I keep them in "cruiser ready" status. The user simply picks up the gun, chambers a round, and it is ready to shoot. Cruiser ready eliminates the need to disengage the safety and action lock, which are located in a different locations on each make of shotgun. Cruiser ready status also works the same on the Remington 870.

To set up a pump shotgun in "cruiser ready" status, the shotgun must first be confirmed unloaded. Open the chamber and check it. Check the magazine as well. You should see the follower, not the brass of a shotgun shell. If a round is in the magazine, empty the magazine before proceeding. Many people install high visibility followers in their shotgun magazines, and while I do not use them, I consider these followers to be a good idea. They positively confirm an empty magazine, and lower the risk of an accidental discharge. Choate's fluorescent orange polymer follower unfortunately has a stem that decreases magazine capacity. Callahan's aluminum follower is red anodized, and replaces the original follower without reducing capacity, although it is more expensive. An alternative is a bit of fluorescent orange spray paint on the original follower. If you decide to make your original follower highly visible, first remove the bluing with 320-400 grit sandpaper. Then tape the sides. Spray with your color of choice, let it dry, remove the tape and tape residue, and reinstall.

Now open the chamber again, and check the chamber and magazine to confirm the gun is unloaded. Unloaded? Good. Close the chamber, point the barrel in a safe direction and pull the trigger to release the internal hammer. Once the trigger is pulled and the hammer falls, the shotgun is prepared to chamber the next round. The action lock does not need to be manipulated, nor does the safety. With the shotgun in this condition, load the magazine, and store the gun. Store the firearm in a location that does not allow easy access to unauthorized persons, but one that allows easy access if needed. When needed, the only action necessary to shoot the weapon is shucking the forend to chamber a round.

Ker-Chunk!

Houston TX. October 11, 2007
Nathaniel Brooks stole a line from an old Western movie to capture a pair of burglars. A Fort Bend County homeowner fought back when he found burglars in his home. “You know there's something about when you hear a pump shotgun click,” said Nathaniel Brooks. “It makes everybody think twice.”

And the two burglars did think twice. “You are trying to steal something out of my garage,” Brooks recalled telling the robbers. “You in my garage so you have no rights now. This is my house.”

He saw them through his back door rummaging through his garage. “And I walked out of the house and I went around and confronted those guys on the side of the house,” he said. “So, I aimed at him and said, ‘You sneeze, you're dead man.’ And I called the other guy out of the garage. "I watch a lot of movies it sounded like a good thing to say. It got his attention."

Brooks held them at attention until deputies got there two minutes later. “I feel like I reacted like every homeowner should react,” said Brooks.

Deputies have praised Nathaniel for what he did, said he is well within his rights to do what he did. But they also say he helped them catch someone who has done this many, many times before. The suspects are Brian Bostic and Richard Holly. Deputies say this isn't Bostic's first time to be arrested for a break in.

Meanwhile, Brooks has the praise of his neighbors. "I think it's fabulous I wish more people would do it,” said neighbor Charlotte Priest. "I don't blame him. I'd do the same thing myself."

Even Brooks own wife said in 20 years of marriage she had never heard this tough talking guy before. "And I have never seen that side of him. It’s like I'm a newlywed now,” said Vanessa Brooks.

Yes, life is good again on Cinco Park Place where burglars are reminded to listen, and think twice. “Don't go to my house. I wouldn't come to my house if I were you,” said Brooks

There are a lot of people who subscribe to the idea of the ominous sound of a pump shotgun chambering a round as an attention getter. I happen to be one of them.

True, the chambering of a round gives your position away as it announces your presence. That is the idea, however. It announces your armed presence. I keep my home defense shotguns in "cruiser ready" condition. That means a full magazine, chamber empty, and safety off. In this condition, my Mossbergs operate exactly like my Winchesters. That is important to me. I must chamber a round prior to armed intervention, and the possibility of confusing the operation of the different makes of firearms is eliminated.

I have learned a bit about myself through armed conflict. I may not necessarily realize which shotgun I am holding. I want them to operate the same, so that I train one way, the way I will fight. My focus on the intruder takes precedence over my recognition of the brand of shotgun I hold. More importantly, I have learned at that time of immense adrenaline dump, when the knees are weak and fine motor movements lacking, the mind rushes ahead, and people fumble otherwise simple tasks. The reassuring gross motor movement of a 12 gauge chambering a round can be sobering for the miscreant offender in my presence, as well as for myself.

Furthermore, I know from past experience that my mouth will go dry. Speech will be difficult. I may emit a raspy growl if anything at all. The sound of 00 buckshot chambering in my shotgun is the indisputable warning I give. Nathaniel Brooks was able to say a few words, but the adrenaline rush of armed conflict affects people differently. A rational person wants to avoid taking a life, even while protecting their own. If the clacking of a pump shotgun preparing for conflict can bring about a halt to the criminal's activities, I will take that route. If the "indisputable warning" fails to bring a halt to the activities, or if it escalates the encounter, I am prepared to respond with force.

Others may hold a differing opinion..........

Good catch Mr. Brooks. I would be proud to have you as a neighbor!

Warning Shots

1. Don't pull a handgun unless you intend to use it.
2. Warning shots may get you shot.
3. A handgun sucks when your assailant has a shotgun.
4. 911 is not a policeman at the scene.

Nobody wants to take a human life, but the introduction of a handgun into a conflict may only make matters worse if you are not prepared to follow through on the threat that gun represents.

Warning: This video contains graphic wounds and incredible stupidity.



Control your animals and get some bug repellant for your head fellow!

Jeff Cooper on Home Defense

February 1990--"Of course the California gun ban is wrong in principle and should be repealed at the first opportunity, but if house defense is your primary purpose, do not overlook the Lupara--a short-barreled double 12-gauge shotgun with exposed hammers. If your object is to defend your hearth and home, you can almost certainly do it better with that than with an Uzi or an M16."

Slow Motion Buckshot

Blunderbuss Bullshit

Today I came across a website called The Housegun that is trying to sell "blunderbuss" barrels for home defense shotguns. The idea behind this is the mythical impenetrable hail of lead that mows down home invaders like a Briggs & Stratton on Bermuda grass.

They say:

"A sawed off shotgun makes a great home defense weapon because the shorter the barrel the wider the projectile spread pattern. A wide spread pattern gives you a better chance of hitting a armed intruder and stopping him from shooting you. The problem has been sawed off shotguns are illegal. The barrel has to be eighteen inches to be legal. We have found a way to get the wider spread pattern of a sawed off shotgun without breaking the law. Our proprietary cone shaped eighteen inch barrel with a three inch round or oval muzzle provides the wide pattern legally. It looks something like the old blunderbuss that pirates used, but works a lot better. It is perfect for home defense because there is less chance of missing in the panic situation created by a armed intruder in your home. Also the projectiles will not travel as long a distance or penetrate walls like other firearms and possibly kill or injure family members, neighbors etc."

Wrong. A shotgun makes a great home defense weapon because of the power it has to incapacitate intruders quickly, not because it is harder to miss with one. A shorter barrel is preferable because it is more manueverable in tight places, not because it spreads the pattern. The "blunderbuss" barrel will destroy the shotgun's ability to penetrate deeply enough to incapacitate. It will make the shotgun effectively useless. You may as well get a coathanger and try to jab your attacker in the eye with it.

If you want proven home defense, get a simple eighteen inch barrel pump 12 gauge shotgun. Next, invest in training. Learn to use it well under all conditions and in tight places. Save the funnels for putting oil in your car. You can not make up for lack of training by sticking more bullshit on your gun. Software beats hardware every time.

Critical Mass

Mike asked me a very salient question concerning my recent purchase of a Remington 870 for $70. "Do you have a point in your collection where you reach critical mass and must sell or trade off?"

Well, honestly, no. I have no set point where I will sell. I did make the decision that I would trade or swap to obtain a firearm that was more desirable, but I will not liquidate guns if my collection reaches a specified number.

Why did I buy a Remington 870 if my preference is first a Mossberg and then a Winchester? I prefer the control layout of the Mossberg pump shotguns. I prefer the upward position of the shell lifter on the Mossberg. The Mossberg has two extractor claws. Many other reasons to chose the Mossberg can be found here. The Winchester pump is a strong second choice for me because it just feels better than the rest. It comes to sights right for me. So why did I finally buy a Remington 870 that was priced at $70?

It is undeniable that the 870 is the most popular defensive pump shotgun. It is the overwhelming choice of law enforcement. It's steel receiver can take the punishment dished out in a police cruiser. There is a plethora of aftermarket accessories available for the 870. The Remmy gun is essentially a blank canvas that a customizer can use to build the tactical defense weapon of his dreams.

People often ask me for recommendations on which type of gun to buy. I, like most people, feel comfortable recommending what I am familiar with. I am not comfortable failing to recommend the Remington without having given it a chance. Thus, when I found one for $70, I bought it. I have long suspected that the Remington 870 was popular among police because of the steel receiver. The general public, I surmised, simply followed suit, as they usually do, when it comes to self defensive weaponry.

Thus I bought the $70 Remington 870 as a means of educating myself; to potentially solidify my preferences in shotguns; to justify my recommendations in shotguns; but most of all, to challenge my own conclusions with empirical evidence. For $70, that was a no brainer. I can always get $70 for it once it has served it's purpose for me.

Pawn Shop Circuit: Tent Sale Remington

Neil was having a tent sale this morning, and I had promised to go by. He had beaucoup tools and electronics outside under the tent, but inside he had discounted a slew of shotguns as well. It seems Louisiana's shotgun migration has once again hit homeostasis, and they are clogging up the pawn shop shelves.

I asked Neil to show me his cheapest shotgun, and he handed over a Remington 870 Express Magnum, marked down from $139 to $69. That was to much to bear. It was in good shape with the usual wear patterns one would expect from more storage than shooting. I have always eschewed Remingtons for the Mossberg or Winchester pumps. I just like the location of the safety and slide release better. For seventy bucks though, it's the perfect shotgun to have on hand as a beater or trade fodder. For seventy simolians you cannot lose. I asked for a 4473.........

Killing Pumpkins

We went out to Cussin' Bob's today for some barbqued ribs and chicken. The usual suspects were gathered around the fire ruminating on subjects from real estate to pistol calibers.

My little darling had brought along a pumpkin to shoot. I decided this would be a perfect time to show her what a 12 gauge could do. I asked if I could take the first shot. She said I could for a dollar. I raised her right. I paid my dollar.

I took the first shot using my Winchester 1200 and Winchester low recoil 00 buckshot. All nine pellets went completely through the vicious orange desperado.

Seeing the pumpkin guts fly really charged up little Darling, and she loaded up her Western Field 550CD with Remington #9s. She then laid into that pumpkin with a skill that would make Dick Cheney green with envy.

Once she had made certain that big veggie would never again rampage across the lower 48, we rejoined the group of debaters at the fire. Next time.....skeet!

Home Defense Shotgunning

I am a hard core advocate for the home defense shotgun. There is a lot of bullshit tossed around about the home defense shotgun, however. The biggest fallacy is that you do not have to aim a 18 inch shotgun at all. The gunstore commandos say the shot will spread out into an impenetrable hail of lead.

That is ignorant. Today I took one of my cut down cylinder bore shotguns to the range to dispel this myth. The shotgun I used was a Winchester 1300 that originally had a 28 inch modified choke barrel. I trimmed it down to 18.5 inches after I bought it for under $100. The ammo I used was Winchester low recoil 00 Buckshot. These are two & 3/4 inch cartridges with nine 00 pellets each. Each pellet is approximately the same as one round of .32ACP.

I shot at 10 and 21 feet. These are similar to the distances one would be shooting inside one's home. The 10 foot target shows a one and a half inch hole through the target, with an accessory hole that was punched by the wadding. The 21 foot target shows the pattern opening up to a little over 5 inches. The wadding, however, was the wild card, striking the target four inches away from the center of the pellets. Incidentally, I used the same target for both shots.


Hopefully, this will help dispel the myth that a shortened shotgun sprays lead everywhere, making aiming the gun unnecessary. You still have to aim the shotgun. You still have to work to build skills. The power of the shotgun is in it's ability to incapacitate with one solid hit. The shooter does have to hit the target, however. Thus, leave the full stock on the gun. Put it to your shoulder. Look down the barrel. Stop the threat. The weapon will work if the bullshit is left behind.

House Guns

An interesting meme has circulated the gun blogs of late, a meme on the house gun. Tam has given her thoughts on a thought begun by Uncle. Jeff joined in the discussion, as did Jay. Josh has classified the different schools of thought.

I am a believer in the old adage that a handgun's purpose is to fight your way to a long gun. I recall when I was in the Navy, the Marine detachment aboard ship guarded the "special" weapons. Two Marines would stand guard. One would carry a M-16, the other a 12 gauge shotgun. The benefits of a long gun over a handgun are inarguable, and the power of a shotgun at close ranges when compared to a rifle is indisputable. The handgun's only advantage is portability. In one's home, portability is not a requirement. Thus, my choice has remained the home defense shotgun. Home defense shotguns are inexpensive, extremely effective, and intimidating as hell.

There are many that will disparage the shuck shuck sound of a round being chambered in a 12 gauge, and it's effect when heard by an intruder. That is an eternal debate, because all home invaders do not respond the same. The point is, that shuck shuck is not meant to intimidate, but rather to make the weapon ready to eliminate a threat in one's home. A person should never rely on scary sounds for protection, whether it is a shuck shuck of an empty shotgun, or a tape recording of a German Shepherd barking. The fact is, if Leroy runs away when he hears me preparing to shoot him, all is well. We both win. If he does not run, he will quickly lose.

In my home, I actually have multiple 12 gauge shotguns loaded with low recoil 00 Buck and ready to go. I keep the shotguns with an empty chamber, hammer down, safety off. Stowed like that, they all work the same, whether Winchester or Mossberg to chamber that first round. The shooter needs to grab the gun, rack the forend, aim, and pull the trigger. I can stand anywhere in my home and have a loaded 12 gauge not fifteen feet away, a situation that gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. My shotguns are stowed out of sight, and out of reach to children, but readily accessible to those who know their location.

The success of any defensive system is in knowing it's limitations. I take a shotgun or two to the range every month or so, just to maintain proficiency. Classes on combat shotgun tactics and maneuvering are essential. It is often stated that a shotgun is easily taken away from a shooter if the shooter moves around a corner improperly. That can be true. One must learn how to maneuver with the gun if one is going to search their home armed. This applies to both a long gun and a handgun. One thing is certain, if an attacker gets his hands on the barrel of properly held long gun, the attacker does not have the same leverage the defender has. The properly trained defender will retain the weapon with little effort and live. The same cannot be said of the handgun, where the attacker and defender's leverage is equal in trying to control the weapon in a struggle.

At one time, when I built my first home defense shotgun, I went for the black tactical look. I have since reconsidered that path. By it's very nature, a home defense weapon is one that may be used to take a life. Thankfully, in my enlightened state, there is no duty to retreat from a threat within one's home. The chances of criminal charges for defending my or my family within our home is minimal. There are still the risks of civil charges, however. In consideration of the risk of an attorney exploiting the appearance of my shotgun in front of a jury, I made the decision to retain the wood on my subsequent home defense shotguns. I only shorten the barrels to workable lengths, and add a sidesaddle of ammo. Further capacity is addressed with the New York reload.

There are many factors to be considered in a home defense firearm. My decision was heavily influenced by the determination that a threat in my home absolutely, positively needs an incapacitating response. Nothing does that better than a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with 00 Buck.

Pawn Shop Circuit: Needing Nothing

Damn! Sometimes you just can't stop. I swung into Neil's pawn shop today and spied a long magazined corncobbed Winchester on the rack. Neil had just taken a Winnie 1300 Defender out of hock and placed it up for sale. I checked it over, and it looked like it had hardly been shot. Someone had added a TacStar sidesaddle, and a heatshield to it. Neil was wanting $160 for the gun. I figured $30 for the sidesaddle, $25 for the heatshield, and I would be getting an almost unused Winchester 1300 with an eight shot magazine for $105. Hell, who's going to pass that up? It's a rare day indeed when I can just buy a used gun set up the way I want it to be. The only detraction to this shotgun was a missing allen screw in the sidesaddle. When I got home, I gave the good folks at Lyman a call, spoke to an enchanting lady for a couple of minutes and she agreed to send me a handful of those oddball countersunk allen screws. I shall never want again!

I also stopped by Dave's place. He still had the Ruger Security Six. Dave also had a cherry S&W 686-6 in the case today. He is wanting $399 for it. That's to rich for me, and the gun has the worm hole lock anyway.

Amber's financial institution was also lacking in a change of firearms. The Glock 26, surprisingly, was still there.

Getting 18.5 Inches

First.......18 inches. That is the number. 18.5 inches is fine & dandy. 17.98 inches is bad legal juju. Cement that in your head.

Next, you need to know how the boys in blue measure barrels so you can be compliant. They close the bolt. Then they drop a dowel marked at 18 inches into the muzzle. If their 18 inch mark ends up outside the muzzle, a trip to the pokey is in order. So.....how do you achieve this nirvana, the shortest legal length without going under?

First, settle on 18.5 inches to give you a little room for error. Get a dowel that will drop into a shotgun barrel. I use a 3/8 inch dowel. Next, mark 18.5 inches on your dowel. Close the bolt of your gun. Drop in the dowel, 18.5 inch measurement first. Now, mark the dowel again at the end of the muzzle. This is your present barrel length. Let's suppose for the moment that is 28 inches.

Now remove the dowel, and subtract the 18.5 from 28, ie the least legal length from the present length. Our result is 9.5 inches. Now, measure back from the muzzle 9.5 inches and mark the measurement on the barrel. Check it again. Put everything down, go have a cup of coffee and check it a third time. When you are totally satisfied that you are of legal length, make your cut.

I like to use a pipe cutter, but a chop saw could also be used. The key is to get a 90 degree cut. Many barrels have a taper, and that can throw you off on a chop saw table unless you compensate for it. Once your cut is made, remove the burred metal, burnish the area of the muzzle, and cold blue it. Finally, drill and tap a hole for a bead. I prefer a big brass bead.

Congratulations! You have now lowered the monetary value of your shotgun, but increased it's versatility markedly as a defensive weapon.

A couple of considerations:
1. The overall length of the shotgun must remain over 26 inches. If not, bad legal juju. As long as you have a full stock, no worries here. Be careful if you decide to make your own pistol grip.
2. Many magazine extensions need more than 18.5 inches of barrel for support. If you are going to use a magazine extension, install it first!