A couple of HD Shotgun questions (mossberg, 12 gauge)

[MikePGS]

Hello. I'm thinking of getting a shotgun, and in spite of my long love of being a big wuss, I think I'd like to get a 12 gauge this time, instead of a 20 for a variety of reasons. I like the Mossberg line, and was thinking of getting something in their 590 line. However, a few questions.
1. How effective are the "reduced recoil" loads, and how is their recoil compared to a 20 gauge with buckshot? Believe it or not, i'm curious about this for my girlfriends sake, rather than my own wussy self.
2. Is Copper plated better for HD than regular lead shot? I've read that it keeps tighter groups, but i imagine at HD ranges this wouldn't be as important as it would be were I to be shooting ducks or something at a longer range.
3. What if any type of accessories should I get? A light? A different king of stock (folding, pistol grip)?
4. Really, how high of a capacity should I look for? I imagine 5 or 6 shells would be enough for me, and the higher I go the more it costs. Is there any reason (other than for when the zombies come, as we all know they will) to go with a super high cap?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Robert]

Mike,
1. Never shot reduced recoil in my 590 so can't help there.
2. In a HD setting I doubt the wading would even open in a short range shoot. To me it's a mute point. I keep 7 1/2 shot in mine cause thats what I have.
3. I have the speed feed stock on mine but I bought it that way. The only other thing I want is a bayonet for it. Lights are ok but constant use only tells me where you are.
4. If you can afford it why not get all the shots you can. I don't want to die for a lack of shooting back. I have 8 in the tube, 1 in the chamber and 4 in the stock = 13 rounds of 12 ga.
Hope that helps.

 

[boilingleadbath]

The twelve gauge is heavier than the 20ga, which will change the character of recoil, even if the recoil energy is the same.

That said:
Remington's reduced-recoil buckshot has 65% of the recoil energy of their normal 2.75" buckshot loads. (ignoring the wad's mass)
Remington's reduced-recoil target birdshot has 56% the recoil of their typical target loading. (again, ignoring the wad)
Their slug data was incomplete, but they claim that it has 55% of the recoil. Compared to what, I have no clue.

As you've noticed, many people like to have a light.
Most dislike pistol grip, pistol-grip-only, and folding stocks for reasons of point-ability and cheek-weld.

Seems most encounters I read about are over in 1 load of buckshot, sometimes 2, and I think I heard about a situation requiring 3.
And of course, no rounds at all is more common than any of those.

 

[john1911]

1. How effective are the "reduced recoil" loads, and how is their recoil compared to a 20 gauge with buckshot? Believe it or not, i'm curious about this for my girlfriends sake, rather than my own wussy self.

I haven't shot a lot of reduced recoil loads in my 12. The ones I did shoot, I couldn't tell much of a difference in felt recoil.

2. Is Copper plated better for HD than regular lead shot? I've read that it keeps tighter groups, but i imagine at HD ranges this wouldn't be as important as it would be were I to be shooting ducks or something at a longer range.

Plated shot tends to pattern a little tighter than unplated. A tighter pattern at the muzzle means a tighter pattern at further ranges. Extends the maximum effective range of your loads.

3. What if any type of accessories should I get? A light? A different king of stock (folding, pistol grip)?

Ammo and time at the range. A weapon mounted light and a good sighting system (rifle type) are about the only useful accessories on a shotgun (IMO of course). In a home defense situation all the rails, ammo holders, bayonets, however many point slings and most everything bolted, glued or velcroed to the shotgun is pretty much just for the "look at me" factor (again IMO).

4. Really, how high of a capacity should I look for? I imagine 5 or 6 shells would be enough for me, and the higher I go the more it costs. Is there any reason (other than for when the zombies come, as we all know they will) to go with a super high cap?

Every extra shell makes it that much heavier. Most any situation (short of all-out zombie invasion) will more than likely be settled with one or two shots. Standard five or six shot capacity should serve you fine.

 

[coelacanth]

and now a word from the "For What its Worth" dept. . .

both of the shotguns you mentioned are fine weapons but I find that an old Stevens 311 side by side with is an outstanding HD weapon. There are no faster 2 shots in the shotgunning world and it is quite short and handy in some of the tighter places around the homestead. A good flashlight strapped beneath the barrels just ahead of the fore-end completes the "hillbilly tactical" package.
I usually have a holstered handgun with me also if I have to venture beyond the bedroom in the dark of night so the lack of a fast reload is rendered somewhat less critical. Just my $.02 worth - good luck on your selection process.