Is barrel length important for a HD shotgun?

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Only you can assess the risk you face from home invaders - that's the primary reason folks want a shotgun or other firearm for home defense.... That said, you can certainly defend with any shotgun (but don't think that birdshot is the ticket - use buckshot, period...). Where things get sticky is when you start considering just how capable that shotgun is in a defensive situation... As others have noted shorter barrels on defensive shotgun equal much better maneuverability and if you think that deadly trouble will be only one bad guy - you're just not in the game as far as I'm concerned... A short barrel 12 ga. shotgun is a genuine fight ender at ranges under 15 meters - if you do your part. That shorter barrel becomes really important if you're facing more than one opponent....

For me... a defensive shotgun comes under the heading of serious business since I carried and used one on the street for many years as a young -- then not so young officer (then sergeant, then lieutenant). My weapon of choice was then and still is now... a basic riot configured shotgun - 12 ga., 18-20" barrel, pump gun with a four shot tube and a simple bead sight. The only accessories on it were always a butt cuff with five extra rounds and a sling... For home use the sling would be personal preference only... Lots and lots of ex-police riot guns in the used market and a brand new one isn't a lot of money if you keep it simple... My outfit issued both Mossberg and Remington riot guns each day for uniform officers - my preference was always the Remington, if possible... others prefer the Mossberg.

Whatever you choose - or even if you just have that old bolt action popper - make a point of running a few boxes of 00buck through it to familiarize yourself with it. Also make a point of patterning it so you know exactly what size the pattern will be at a given distance. That's really important to be able to actually use a shotgun in a crisis... That's worth a bit of time and effort on your part - and if it were me that bolt action shotgun would have a partner - a shotgun actually meant for defensive use, period. Most of us will never have to use a firearm to defend their family - but if that day ever comes, it sure would be nice to have a fighting chance in bad circumstances... That's actually true for most cops - despite what we hear in the news or on TV or at the latest "action movie". In my 22 years of police work - I only fired one shot on the street -but did point my shotgun at hundreds of folks until whatever situation we were in was resolved. Nice to know you have the means to take care of business when it's all on the line....
 
I purchased a barrel for my mossberg for $60-70 from either e-bay or guns America/gunbroker. I think I have right at $200 in that shotgun out the door. I spent a lot of time learning how to run it on the range and on the pattern board. I would keep the bolt action shotgun as is and buy a dedicated pump gun in riot configuration for $150-200.
 
I certainly think a shorter barrel for an HD shotgun is important. With the layout of my home, where my kid's room is, etc... holing up in the master bedroom just isn't an option. I would have to meet any threat outside of my bedroom or just hope the bad guy doesn't head down the hall toward the kid's room (obviously that's not an option). My HD weapon has a 14" barrel, which is easy to maneuver around the corners I would need to negotiate, and a really bright light so I know what I'm pointing it at.

That said, a) I wouldn't chop a bolt action shotgun for the same reasons others have already given; b) there are other factors that should be considered for HD before the length of the shotgun barrel. A very salient post in another thread (possible another forum) got me thinking about the importance of setting up your actual HOUSE for defense, as well as your boomstick of choice.

  • Good exterior lighting that discourages unsavory visitors after dark
  • Exterior cameras, like a Ring Doorbell or Arlo system, that can give you advanced warning of someone poking around on your property
  • An alarm with a loud siren that will warn you of an intruder and is likely to scare off an intruder before it comes to a violent confrontation)
  • Harden your entry points (good deadbolts, longer hinge and latch plate screws, door frame reinforcements, etc...) to make it harder to gain entry
  • Have your cell phone close at hand

Hopefully, that will stop a break in attempt before it ever turns into a confrontation inside your home. At the very least, you would be awake and aware of the imminent intrusion, rather than waking up to find someone is already inside your house bumping around.

Once an intrusion is imminent:
  • Interior lighting that lets you identify friend/foe (I keep a small lamp in the front entry and near the back door.)
  • Weapon close at hand and in a condition that lets you quickly put it into service (Training and practice with your weapon so that you aren't fumbling with it under stress)
  • Clear firing lanes that you are familiar with
  • Know your home, where your cover is, where the obstacles are (don't want to trip over the coffee table), where an intruder can hide
  • Know where you can post up and wait for the intruder to approach
  • Make sure the rest of your family knows what to do and where to go/not go
  • Know where your pets are
I'm not 100% there on the home modifications, but I'm working on it. I'd much rather turn away an intruder than have to deal with the aftermath of a shooting inside my home.

I know,I know... heckuva rabbit trail. I now return you to your original thread topic.

I know, I know
 
If it's an option for the OP, I wouldn't cut the old bolt action's barrel for HD. I'd get a different gun with a higher rate of fire.

I originally set this gun up for HD, but have found it so enjoyable to shoot for all kinds of purposes that I tend to take it out more than my O/U or SxS guns. It's super-quick pointing and swinging with the compactness and the center of gravity positioned between your hands. 18.25" barrel with screw-in chokes.

bxoQvrS.jpg
 
Rather than mess around with trying to make a long bolt action shotgun work for home defense I’d just buy something like a Mossberg Maverick 88 Security model with an 8 rd mag tube, buy a 5 rd buttcuff and get a light and light adapter and some buckshot, get to the range and test it out and call it done.

0DD263F2-15E7-4CAF-B38F-316A16181333.png
 
Put a composite fold up stock with hamd grip. That will shorten the shotgun without having to mangle the barrel.
 
If the wife knows how to use the gun and is comfortable with it in its current configuration, I would say it is the best option right now. (With #3 buckshot)

Maybe think about a different option in the future though. Mossberg youth models in 20 ga are affordable and commonly found. As are Remingtons in the same configuration.

Don’t need a 12 ga either but they are more common and could be had for less money. Low recoil buckshot would keep the useability for your wife. 20 ga with buck will be fine for HD though. I use a Browning BPS as my HD shotgun and after shooting a deer with it with #3 buck at 15 yds I can say that I trust it for HD as much as any shotgun.
 
LRDGCO said:
First of all, Uncle Joe Biden says you need a double barreled shotgun for home defense. And he says you just point it out the door up in the air and pull the trigger and whoever was trying to get in will go running. According to Uncle Joe, that's all you need to know about home defense.

Of only marginally more use will be my advise: keep you gun as is but load up with #3 Buck. Bird shot for birds; buck shot for thugs. 000 Buck in a 2 3/4 shell still gives you 20 pellets for a decent pattern and effectiveness without knocking you own the Missus around.
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#3 Buck and 000 Buck are two very different sizes; #3 Buck is .25 in dia., 000 Buck is .36 in dia., and any 2 3/4" shell with 20 000 buck in it would leave so little room for powder and wad that the velocity would render it a mere nuisance. The normal payload of 00 buck in 2 3/4" is 9.
 
LoonWulf said:
nother thought about getting a dedicated home defense shotgun....at least out here you blast someone and your not getting that back anytime soon, I'd prefer to not loose a gun I liked or cost decent money.
guess I'm in the market for a cheap shotgun........
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I'm a big Mossberg 500 guy; and with the exception of a nice Belgian Browning someday, I doubt I'll ever buy another. I got mine for $200 at a gun shop in Ohio many years ago, and just picked up a 18" barrel for it. It's setting next to the bed right now loaded with military 00-Buck. I don't shoot shotgun as much as I used to, so it's pretty much permanently there.

Lots of options these days for an inexpensive defensive shotgun, besides the 500. Lots of used shotguns in the pawnshops, too, if you aren't worried about how it looks, some of the, uh... 'weathered' looking ones can be had for cheap. Like you mentioned, after a shoot, it's likely you will lose it for some time, same-same with your carry piece, BTW.

As far as the OP... I'd have to whack the barrel... just to get rid of the PolyChoke. But, besides that, and depending on his specific situation, I can think of better weapons for SD than a bolt action 20ga. You don't need an M-60, for sure, but follow-up shots, and reasonable magazine capacity should be considered.
 
Browning said:
I’m guessing you don’t have kids. That’s a reason.

Other than that I’d generally agree with you.
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When my kids did live at home, their bedrooms were upstairs with mine; so the stairwell was easily covered without a sweep
 
I have about 6, 12 ga shotguns. My home defense choice is the Mossberg Flex 18" 20ga. It is fast, I enjoy training with it and many merits to the 20ga at short range. I train with the Pistol grip and with the tactical stock as well as standard stock. A lovely versatile HD shotgun.

And I have started to enjoy the 20 ga for other uses. I have a slug barrel for it and a standard hunting barrel along with a hunting stock.
 
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George P said:
When my kids did live at home, their bedrooms were upstairs with mine; so the stairwell was easily covered without a sweep
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Depends on how your house is set up. Many times this will work, sometimes it won’t.

Mine are upstairs, while my bedroom is downstairs and the stairs to get up there are within full view of the doorway of my bedroom where I can cover the vast majority of the house. They’d have to run that gauntlet to make it up there. Good luck with that.

I still have to go forward to that point though. I can’t just hide in whatever room I’m in fixated on my bedroom door. That by default leaves any potential intruder(s) the run of the rest of the house. That’s not happening.

After that I’m just camping out waiting for the home invaders to make their way in and for things to pop off or for the police to get there.

So it’s not like I’m going through a mansion clearing rooms, I’m basically doing the same thing. Just from a different point in the house.
 
Is barrel length important for an HD shotgun important? Yes. But how important is up to you.

Here is an 11-87 with a 21 inch barrel. It's nearly as long as a full sized M14
View attachment 853153

Something shorter would be handier.

Instead of cutting down the bolt action shotgun, I would get a pump action if on a tight budget, or a good semi-auto if I could afford it. (Actually, I'd rather use an AR but that's not in the scope of this discussion.)
 
I6turbo said:
I originally set this gun up for HD, but have found it so enjoyable to shoot for all kinds of purposes that I tend to take it out more than my O/U or SxS guns. It's super-quick pointing and swinging with the compactness and the center of gravity positioned between your hands. 18.25" barrel with screw-in chokes.

View attachment 852587
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I'm not really a shotgun guy but man, that is a beautiful weapon! I wouldn't use that for a home defense gun just cause I wouldn't want it ending up in an evidence locker if I ever had to use it.
 
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