Buying a shotgun. What do I need to know?

[snoqpass]

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Big, big difference between burglars who are looking to get in and out without being seen or confronting someone, and someone who's looking to gain entry to hurt someone and their family.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Big, big difference between burglars who are looking to get in and out without being seen or confronting someone, and someone who's looking to gain entry to hurt someone and their family.

Yes, of course. That’s totally rampant in this country.


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[MagnificentUnicorn]

Both were 7 figure homes, the first on a nice golf course.
https://www.redrockscountryclub.org/

I can open a "decent lock" with a wood door jam using my foot.
With tools, I can open a "residential security container"/safe in 10 minutes.

Having a dog helps but they aren't superman.

When I called to report the 3 guys that broke into my house, the cops couldn't find my house. I had to drive to the fire station down the street and have them follow me home. 45 minutes after I called.

Maybe your aggressive dog will hold bad guys off for 45 minutes while I drive down the street to help the cops find me.

My buddy lived in a gated community "Daniels gate" and chased 2 guys out of his car on a Wednesday afternoon.
https://www.highgarden-denver.com/ca...els-gate-homes

Sure sounds like a shitty neighborhood if that’s happening. I didn’t feel the need to have a gun for protection even when I lived in East Oakland in ‘89.


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[BobMc]

I bought a Western Field 20 gauge (Mossberg 500 rebranded) when I was 17, I still have it and it’s my only shotgun. Bit of oil now and then and the thing still runs smooth as silk. The barrel on mine is probably a bit much for home defense, but you can be assured a 20 gauge will stop and kill things.

I stocked up on ammo about 10 years ago, in retrospect it was a good decision. At the time I liked to shoot, then prices went through the roof and I stopped leaving lead all over the West desert.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Ok, thanks guys.
What about those Pointers or Tristars(?). Any good? Price is right. There's just something so elegant about O/U's! Not worried about home defense, it's Missoula.

[Hood26]

I wouldn’t buy a cheap O/U. They have poor fit and finish.

Buy a B (Browning, Beretta, Benelli) gun and know that it will serve many lifetimes of use.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Or if you want to save some money, a used Ruger Red Label. Not fancy, but solid guns.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I understand the whole "get what you pay for" but I don't plan on having children to pass this down to and I don't really get why they're so expensive to begin with. The $600 and under crowd all seem to come from the same factory in Turkey and some even have good reviews. TBH, it probably won't see much use. I'd like an O/U, but I'd also like to save up for other shit and pay taxes, so who knows.
No one here has any experience with Pointers or Tristars?

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

O/U's are actually pretty difficult to design/make. The break action has to open smoothly and easily, and not get shot loose. You won't be able to hit the side of a barn with a loose action.

Take the red label I suggested, no engraving like a high end Italian gun, but it will still be $800-1000 used, and for a reason. Rock solid action - chances are your local sporting clays course is using them for rentals.

And no need to worry about handing it down, you'll be able to sell it for what you paid for it.

[MTT]

I understand the whole "get what you pay for" but I don't plan on having children to pass this down to and I don't really get why they're so expensive to begin with. The $600 and under crowd all seem to come from the same factory in Turkey and some even have good reviews. TBH, it probably won't see much use. I'd like an O/U, but I'd also like to save up for other shit and pay taxes, so who knows.
No one here has any experience with Pointers or Tristars?

https://www.gunbroker.com/Over-Under...uns/search?s=p

[Hood26]

[QUOTE=stuckathuntermtn;6107898No one here has any experience with Pointers or Tristars?[/QUOTE]

My pro dog trainer buddy had a CZ it lived behind his truck seat and he loved it, it usually fired both barrels.

If you aren’t dropping coin on an o/u then you are better off finding a nice pump (Winchester 12, Ithaca, or Wingmaster) or a nice auto that you like the look and feel of.

If it is any indication on how complicated the engineering and machining on an O/U is, the patents on the first (Browning) are newer than the auto loader (Browning).

A shotgun is all about the feel. Pick your budget and go feel everything in that budget.

PS I agree that the Ruger Red Label is a good gun.

[Cono Este]

The dog is your best defense, stops people from creeping up on you, like when I woke up to a burglar in my bedroom!

As far as shotguns, they are way over rated for home defense. The recoil from a pump is ridiculous, and it’s going to blow all your ear drums out. You will be deaf after firing that inside a house.

I have a friend who is an ffl, has a basement with an armory in it, and his house gun is a suppressed 22.


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[stuckathuntermtn]

Daaaaamn, ok. Guess there's always the old 870

[TNKen]

For a good, but less expensive O/U, take a look at the Ithaca SKB's. All over gun broker. I have two, both 20's, and they are well made, shoot good, and shoulder/feel good.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/880749791

[highangle]

The dog is your best defense, stops people from creeping up on you, like when I woke up to a burglar in my bedroom!

Tell that shit to John Wick. And what if the intruders have a bigger dog?

As far as shotguns, they are way over rated for home defense. The recoil from a pump is ridiculous, and it’s going to blow all your ear drums out. You will be deaf after firing that inside a house.

But the bad guy will be ded. Thinking you need a pussy room for you and your little dog, but you could break a nail activating all the locks. You will be so pissed after fleeing to a supposedly safe space.

I have a friend who is an ffl, has a basement with an armory in it, and his house gun is a suppressed 22.

I don't have a house gun. Only ppl I've ever seen do much shooting in the house were whiskey tango tweakers, which certainly doesn't reflect well on your choice of friends, I must say.


.

[mooseknuckle]

Daaaaamn, ok. Guess there's always the old 870

That would be the wingmaster noted in Storm Hood’s recommendation upthread.

[ex-powderbroker]

Shop Smart, Shop S-Mart

[exsparky]

For a good, but less expensive O/U, take a look at the Ithaca SKB's. All over gun broker. I have two, both 20's, and they are well made, shoot good, and shoulder/feel good.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/880749791

I would get an skb over a red label. I tried out my friends red label on 2 stages of sporting clays and the safety engaged twice from recoil from the first shot. It didn't seem to have that much run through it to warrant being worn out.

[ncskier]

Without going into all the details and as someone who experienced an active shooter situation in what many would consider a very high end area, I can tell you that my go to upon the potential forced entry into my home in May 2020 was a suppressed 300BLK AR pistol with red dot scope.
Humble bragging, but even though I have a what many would consider a large home, the most spacious of homes suddenly shrinks to a shoe box at the thought of shooting indoors.
Shotgun would have been deafening and as I was able to later joke with police, I am not losing my hearing defending my toilet paper stash. Suppressed or unsuppressed 22 with large magazine would be my second choice.

For those curious was an attorney neighbors kid selling drugs from their home, some bad people got involved, shootout ensued and unwanted guest tried to gain entry to my home at 3am. My 110lb dog and 60 lb dog trembled at the amount of gunfire for what it's worth.
Yes I have the videos to prove it.

[riser4]

I have considered .22WMR more than a few times. If only Kel-Tec was a little more reliable because the PMR-30/CMR-30 pair seem like the almost perfect pair for this.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

a 10/22 is very underrated for home defense, .22 stingers will royally fuck up someone's medical records.

[Cono Este]

Have your wives try shooting a 12 gauge with buckshot. It’s a no go.

A 410 with those self defense rounds is probably perfect. They make those shortys now.


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[stuckathuntermtn]

This thread is making me think of this: https://youtu.be/TJnEXfD07yc
Enjoy!