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What is the best barrel length for a home defense shotgun?

  • Less than 18 inches (and get the tax stamp)

    Votes: 7 8.9%
  • 18-21 inches

    Votes: 68 86.1%
  • 22-28 inches

    Votes: 2 2.5%
  • Longer than 28 inches

    Votes: 2 2.5%

Barrel Length for Home Defense Shotgun

44K views 21 replies 20 participants last post by  Skyhook 
#1 ·
Most of us would agree that a shotgun is, for most cases, the best home defense weapon. But what is the best barrel length in order to maximize the effectivenss of your weapon?
 
#2 ·
Just go to the websites of the three top (I think) manufacturers that people would think of when shopping for a home defense shotgun. Winchester, Remington and Mossberg. The Win. Speed Pump, the Rem. 870, and Moss. 500, models which are set up for defense or combat all have 18"(Win. and Rem.) or 18.5"(Moss.) bbls. Any shorter than that and you'll be losing some mag capacity, but longer would be hard to manoeuvre in the home. Not that you should need more than the six or seven rounds that the 18" versions carry, but you never know, depending on where you live you could be defending the home from anything. I was watching the news earlier this evening and some towns up on the Northern Penninsula about a six hour drive from me have had Polar Bear sightings! :D

My cousin has a Win. 1300 Defender that I've been trying to buy from him for years, no go. I've tried to convince hom to buy a new 28 or 26" bbl for her, for rabbit hunting, and sell me the 18" bbl for my 1300. No go on that either. He just bought a Browning with a 28", and STILL won't sell me the Defender. She sleeps just far enough under the bed that he won't kick her, but can get to her easy.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I have a 12ga. "coach gun" (for cowboy shooting competion) in the garage.

But in my bedroom..... a 1911 under the pillow the 200lb. Mastiff sleeps on.

And a Tarus PT111 w/Trigicon sights on the nightstand

that the 80lb. Belgian Terverun sleeps on the floor next to......:eek:

Not to mention the 3 lb. Papillon that sleeps on my head like a night cap,

to wake me and the big dogs up....:eek:

Am I paranoid..... nope, just a dog lover.....:D....but I do sleep sound.....:D

To put in prespective...since her bout with cancer, the wife sleeps in the "puppy room"

because it's closer to the bathroom.

 
#4 ·
Barrel length? ... The shortest you can legally possess ... And if you handload you can make the rounds with just the right amount of powder so there is none unburned ... For factory ammo I would say between 18" - 24" ...

On another note, a pistol gripped pump ... Makes a really nice sound racking the first round into the chamber ...
 
#5 ·
Not that you should need more than the six or seven rounds that the 18" versions carry, but you never know, depending on where you live you could be defending the home from anything. I was watching the news earlier this evening and some towns up on the Northern Penninsula about a six hour drive from me have had Polar Bear sightings! :D
I was under the impression most Canadians shared rent with a polar bear? ;)
 
#6 ·
I chose the 18 to 21-inch barrel option. Personally, and this is simply my opinion, a long-arm is just that, long. Moving around a home with a long-gun is a cumbersome task that just invites a disarm attempt.

After the dogs sound the alarm, its handguns for the wife and myself. The pistols are never more than inches from my grasp anyway. My son has the 12-gauge Mossberg w/18½-inch barrel as my backup.

If alone, I still go to the handgun first and once no internal threat has been established, I will then switch to the shotgun, as I know to cover the entry areas until the deputy arrives. Essentially this equates to a barricade situation such as a so-called “safe room” scenario.

Everyone’s situation and circumstance are different so one must be adaptable, there no absolutes.

BTW, Al I love the Mastiff. My son wants an Anatolian Sheppard (so do I) but we have three dogs already, one a 95-pound Malamute. We are dog lovers as well, they‘re all adopted. Also, I sincerely hope your Mrs. is doing well with her battle sir.
 
#7 ·
As near as I can tell, people think a shotgun is the best home defense weapon on the theory that (1) pumping the action makes a noise that will terrify intruders; (2) you don't have to aim it; and (3) anyone could shoot it.

I don't know of any other arguments, but I don't buy any of those.

(1) If I, as an intruder, heard that noise, I'd seek immediate cover and start shooting in the direction that noise came from before some idiot pulled the trigger.

(2) At close (indoor) range, the spread of the pellets will be pretty tight, so that means that it will be more lethal than at longer distances as more of the pellets will strike the intruder, but it also means you have to aim about as well as you would a rifle or pistol.

(3) The kick on a 12 gauge will knock Wifey, Granny, or Li'l Joey on their respective arses, making them more vulnerable to attack. They'd have done better just to hide.

Finally, the movie version of what a shotgun blast does to a person is highly exaggerated. Close enough in range, it will make a real mess of a person's head or chest if properly aimed and controlled. But the more likely scenario is a glancing shot where some pellets hit the intruder's periphery, possibly causing serious damage, but more likely just making him more lethal.

My preference is for a large capacity nine millimeter for those with hands large enough to handle the capacity, and a short semiautomatic nine millimeter rifle (i.e., 16" to 16.5") with a large capacity magazine (at least twenty rounds, and more is better). And the ladies and arthritic grannies might be best served by a steel .38 revolver with some really good bullets, reduced power springs, and CT lasergrips.

Shotguns are really good for shooting ducks in flight.

That said, the closer to the legal 18" limit, the better, as a long gun is hard to get around with indoors, doorways and china cabinets and such being significant obstacles when you have to swing around in a hurry, and when you need to creep around on the floor.
 
#8 ·
"As near as I can tell, people think a shotgun is the best home defense weapon on the theory that (1) pumping the action makes a noise that will terrify intruders; (2) you don't have to aim it; and (3) anyone could shoot it." Man User you said a mouthful there my friend. The shotgun is one of the most misunderstood weapons out there and, as usual, pulp fiction, Hollywood action films, and folklore are to blame, mainly.

For what my opinion is worth, and this is strictly my opinion here folks, I essentially agree with User's points 1 and 2. Point 3 is a training issue and while the average person, regardless of sex, will find full-power 12-gauge buckshot or slugs very unpleasant to shoot, they can, IF WILLING, get used to it. A 20-gauge is a much better choice, generically, than a 12 and only slightly less effective as an anti-personnel weapon.

Another problem to consider is "short shucking" a pump action gun. This means not "pumping" the action all the way back and forward properly…it jambs the weapon. This is a common occurrence amongst excited rookies and experienced alike.

Home defense weapons should be kept simple (as should all personal weapons) and not exceed the level of the least trained user in the household. Unless everyone is comfortable with a pump, a double barrel a.k.a. coach gun is a good and reliable alternative, preferably in 20-gauge. With minimal familiarization, anyone between 8 and 80 can use one effectively and two sure shots are better than six or eight "iffy" ones in my book.

Instead of me fumbling my way through an explanation of the useful (combat) ranges of the shotgun and it's loads, I have an excerpt from an article entitled "Some Thoughts on the Combat Shotgun - By John Schaefer". This can be found on Fr. Frog's Site. Don't laugh, aside from the fact that he's a dyed in the wool MTer and Cooper-phile, there is much knowledge there.

The Zone System - While the use of sights will enable a target to be hit, a method is needed to help determine the optimum engagement distances for the ammunition used. The zone system sets up bands of weapon performance versus ammunition selection. The first or "A" zone extends from the muzzle to about seven to 10 yards, where the pattern has typically expanded to between four and seven inches. Within this range the shot charge is effectively a single projectile and it is quite easy to miss a human sized target unless sights are used.

The "B" zone extends from the end of the "A" zone to that range where charge of buckshot has spread to about the width of the human torso (about twenty inches). This occurs at a range of between twenty to thirty-five yards for most weapons. Since the shot charge is spreading out the pattern must be centered to effectively turn off an assailant. While hits can be obtained without proper sights, it is just as fast and much more positive to do it with sights. At the course that I attended the maximum range for the "B" zone for a given ammunition was determined by the range at which the shotgun would consistently knock down a 10 inch diameter steel lollipop target with the buckshot used. (One student's shotgun would consistently drop the target at 35 yards and about 50% of the time at 40 yards! That's patterning!)

Past end of the "B" zone, at thirty-five yards or so depending on the individual weapon, even with modern buffered loads and hardened buckshot the shot charge usually spreads so much that the majority of pellets may not strike the target that is aimed at. This area is called the "C" zone and this is where the rifled slug comes into play. At the course that I attended one of the techniques taught is a "select slug" drill that teaches the rapid switching to a slug round with a shotgun loaded with buckshot when a C zone target appears. While the approximate distances of the zones can be memorized, many of the students used the width of the thick ghost ring system front sight blade as a reference for the B/C break point but once practiced a couple of times you get a feel for when it's time to switch and it becomes automatic.

Some folks may comment at this point, "Why not just use slugs for everything and forget about buckshot" and some folks actually do that. Unfortunately, there are a couple of flies in the ointment with this approach. First, the use of buckshot is mandated by many organizations with slugs reserved for "special" use. Second, slugs will shoot clean through most soft targets so they must be employed carefully for general use.

The biggest problem with both buckshot and slugs is that their performance is highly individual weapon dependent, which brings us to the third principle.

Ammunition Selection - Several noted gunsmiths who are familiar with shotguns have stated that the patterning or grouping ability of shotgun barrels is 1/10 gunsmithing and 9/10s magic. Barrels with effectively identical internal and external dimensions and chokes will give widely varying performances with different shot sizes, loadings, and brands. This is especially true with slugs where a barrel can show a three to five inch difference in group size simply by changing the brand of slugs.

Because the performance of a given barrel is so dependent on the particular ammunition trying to document patterning or group testing is a waste of time. However, using the same brand of standard 00 buckshot in a variety typical unmodified riotguns I have observed 25 yd patterns ranging from 4¾"(!) up to 25", and 5-shot slug groups using standard Foster type slugs ranging from slightly under 3" to over 7" at 75 yards.

The current "reduced recoil" Federal and Remington "Tactical" buckshot loads give greatly reduced pattern diameter in just about every weapon they are fired in because of the lower pellet deformation. However, there are always exceptions. Thus, it is extremely important to zero and pattern your shotgun with the actual ammunition that you will be using. This will allow you to determine the performance of and the appropriate zones for your combination.​
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With all that said and done, the shotgun, properly applied, is the most devastating close combat weapon available. A suitably trained individual can literally dominate an area out to 125 yards range and then some. Handguns and many rifles don't even come close to the terminal ballistics of a shotgun.

There are more than a few reasons why the combat shotgun has been around since the days of the flintlock blunderbuss. It simply has its limitations, as does any weapon.
 
#10 ·
User: As near as I can tell, people think a shotgun is the best home defense weapon on the theory that (1) pumping the action makes a noise that will terrify intruders; (2) you don't have to aim it; and (3) anyone could shoot it.

I don't know of any other arguments, but I don't buy any of those.

Con1: Nor do I (buy any of those arguments). IF one can afford a handgun, use that for home defense. If a shotgun is all you have, make the best of it.

If you ever find yourself in a hand to hand struggle, you may find yourself wishing you'd saved your money and purchased a good DA only or safe-action handgun. . . but, life could be worse. You could be restricted to swinging a Louisville Slugger in the hallway. J/K.

Use the lightest bird load you can find. Don't use slugs or buckshot. Know where your kids (and/or other house hold members sleep). Identify the weak-walls in your house. This applies to any firearm intended for use in the home.

Make sure your family has been fully familiarized with the basic safety handling rules AND make sure all family members (household dwellers) are aware how dangerous a firearm can be if mishandled.

Keep a phone in your room and a quality flashlight. I was at Wal Mart a few weeks ago and ran across a small "Garrity" flashlight. Three AAA batteries came with, a lanyard, LED, rear push button on/off. If memory serves, it cost $6.00 or less. I tried it out on the range and have used it around the house, taking out the trash etc. It works great, very bright. I purchased a couple extra for home and picked up six more later on for my department's emergency kits. You do not have to pay 50 or 100 bucks for a good emergency flashlight.

You don't have to purchase an H&K USP to keep in the house. Get a glock or a sigma, S&W M&P or some similar tool for the job. Buy used from a reputable dealer. I do like Glock handguns, particularly in 9mm with proper defensive ammo. I like Federal Hydra Shok. I keep a G19 (with a tac-light attached) by my bed at night, along with a cell phone and that little garrity flashlight.

Just my two cents./Con1
 
#11 ·
My JC Higgins has been cut to 18 1/2" with the standard 5 rd mag. First two shots are #4, next 2 shots are 00 Buck with a 12 g. slug bringing up the rear.

After that one of my 1911A1's would be unleashed if neccesary.
 
#12 · (Edited)
When I was a youngster, we had an old single barrel 12 ga. that we chopped off to the legal 18". This gun was cut off so we could shoot pigeons. After a while we cut the barrel back to 14", just to see if it would do any better. The distance we were shooting was generally around 40', or less. We discovered that we killed many more pigeons with the shorter barrel. We used the standard bird loads of #7 or #8 sized shot, low base. If I were to own a shotgun for home defense I would surely go with the shorter barrel and pay for the use of it. We used the standard bird loads of #7 or #8 sized shot. If I were to own a shotgun for home defense I would surely go with the shorter barrel and pay for the use of it. I would consider the shotgun the best all around defensive weapon anywhere, anytime, for any reason, in the home.
 
#20 ·
Remington pump 20",12 ga. I don't plan on trying to scare anyone with a pumping sound of a round being chamber. All they might hear is when the saftey buttom is push to fire and a loud boom just before being hit. Then God help us both. With 23 years in the military if I am going to have a gun for home defense its going to be locked and loaded. Loaded with special hand loads by me, made to spread and destroy.
 
#21 ·
Slava Bogu! And I though pistol shooters were opinionated.
First, let me say something important and then I'll get to short-barreled shotguns. Three things, besides messing with somebody else's wife, will get you shot: (a) Cranking a round into the barrel of your pump shotgun, (b) poking around in the dark with your lazer sight and (c) liberal use of any kind of flashlight during a confrontation situation. Oh, I almost forgot, having your wife call you on you on your cel-phone for your hourly check-in.
If any of the above serve to terrify your intruder then he or she was basically harmless anyway.
Personally, if I heard someone rack a shotgun I'd let go a charge of #4 buckshot in his direction, take cover and, if I missed, wait for him to something else stupid. Flashlights and lazer sights are just good points to aim at. Every watch big tritium night sights dancing in the dark like fireflies . . . just asking to be shot at?
Personally, I prefer a 20-inch barreled autoloader because the flush magazine extension will hold either +2 or +3 shot, depending on the make and model. I now, in my old age, prefer a aluminum receiver because my 8-shot Remington 1100 gets heavier each year.
Years ago at a big police shoot I saw a comparison check made between pumps and autoloaders and (difficult as it is to believe this) between 12-ga and 20-ga shotguns. Overall the autoloaders hung up lmuch ess than the pumps. Why? Shortstroking in most cases. Eliminate short stroking and you virtually eliminate hang-ups. The tests also showed that most hairy-chested males got off more aimed shots with a 20-ga than with a 12-ga, and hit what they were shooting at more often. Do you need that extra power and pellets? You decide. We have three 12-ga autoloaders and two 12-ga pumps. I had a hell of a time convincing walkers that perhaps #4 buckshot might be better than 00.
Old rule of thumb: Shot disperses about 1 inch per yard traveled. Example: 30 inch patter at 25 yds from cylinder bore barrel. If it starts out at about one inch and expands an inch per yard you can see that the myth of total destruction is just that, a myth. You cannot just point in the general direction and let go. Measurement of areas most like to become free-fire zones convinced me that it would be virtually impossible to have patterns much over a foot in diameter. So, we went out and bought fiber optic sights.
On the subject of side-by-side doubles, particularly for home defense: Not to long ago I wouldn't even have discussed them. Not true any more. This problem is kind of moot with a 8-shot autoloader kept loaded, but have you ever tried to funnel shotgun shells into an inverted pump or autoloader, while kneeling behind something insubstancial, the problem of repeat shots is real, as bad as trying to reload a handgun magazine with dropped cartridges all over the place. It is one phase of that dependability question that plagues revolver and autolloader addicts. That's why people carry extra mags and speed loaders. I wouldn't turn down a good double for home defense. Stick 4 - 6 extra rnds on the side of the stock and be happy.
I believe in short-barreled shotguns. I scared to death of them in the hands of another. But they do have their drawbacks and limitations, as do all weapons. They just have fewer minuses and more plusses.
Now to actually answer the question: Most intermediate shotgun powders burn in about 18 inches. or less. With an autoloader I prefer a 20-inch barrel to get full powder burn and eliminate jams. Most +2 magazine extensions go well with a 18-inch barrel. Most +3 extensions go better with a 20-inch barrel. Don't cut your barrel until you check your extension. I also think that a 20-inch barrel gives a little better balance. A tac shotgun is clumsy, that's why I don't like them in tight quarters, but they are effective. All our short-barreled autoloaders and pumps work well.
Old Timer
 
#22 ·
18" on the wife's Coach gun, regulation length slug bbl on my trusty 1100.

Interesting note: I had a field bbl for the 1100 cut down to 18.25" and thought that would answer-- BIG mistake. Using that bbl was the ONLY time I had functioning problems with that 1100. It seems the gas piston somehow did niot get the !umph! it needed to extract, eject, chamber.

Went back to the factory slug bbl and once more, the 1100 is reliability personified.

BTW, I ordered a Benelli M2 Tactical just before Christmas and am awaiting delivery. I live in the Albany, NY area and not one gun shop had one. Actually, the gun shops around here are all but depleted of most 'tactical-types' AND the ammo to go with them. Wonder why....:rolleyes:
 
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