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I just picked up my first shotgun...

1769 Views 19 Replies 1 Participant Last post by  ShotgunPro, 
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I've got 2 AR15s, 2 AKs, 2 pistols, 2 Mosin Nagants, 2 bolt action rifles, 2 of damn near everything but I've never been interested in shotguns.

Well today I picked up a Remington 870 at Sports Authority with a synthetic stock and a 23" rifled barrel. It has that weaver?/Picatinny base attached to the barrel that runs over the receiver for scope mounting. After taking it home i am completely satisfied. It was awesome to see how easily the barrel came off and how I could turn it from a skeet/bird gun to a deer gun to a home defense gun in literally minutes.

Where are some good places to start looking for an 18-20" barrel and a stock set? What is best for home defense, a rifled barrel with slugs or a smoothbore with buckshot? Either/Or? I picked up some 2 3/4" (the barrel says it can use that or 3") slugs, Winchester X 1oz.

Whats the recoil like on a 12 gauge? I've got alot of heavy hitters but people always bring that up, like a 12 gauge shotgun is the king of recoil...

Keep in mind, consider yourself talking to an 11 year old who knows nothing about shotguns. I can tell you everything about alot of weapon systems but it took me about 10 minutes to figure out how to rack the slide after I got the shotgun home to disassemble it.

I also picked up a 10/22. for $700 picking up a shotgun, a 10/22, a double rifle case, and ammo I am happy :)

I will get pictures tomorrow.
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Remember that a rifled barrel only takes Sabot slugs and smooth bore's take rifled slugs and any buckshot. For home defense use a smooth bore barrel.

12ga recoil is over hyped, especially if you have a Mosin. If it really bothers you, you can get a Knoxx stock that absorbes recoil. 3" magnums will rattle your sinuses clean but it really isn't that bad if you are only shooting a few.

Congrats on the gun, now put some rounds through it!
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Okay, so I can get a smoothbore and still shoot slugs?

Where can I buy an 18-22ish inch smooth bore barrel for this with interchangeable chokes?

I just found a few barrels on Cheaper than dirt, but I honestly have no idea what I'm looking at.
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I'm learning more and more just poking around on the internet.

An 18" bbl with a cylinder (that means no choke at all, correct?) choke would be fine for home defense because of the close ranges right? Even if the guy is 10 or 20 yards away in the yard there still wouldn't be much of a problem stopping him with 00 buck correct?

I'm looking at the Remington 18" smooth bore, an ATI pistol grip/collapsible stock, and a scope mount for the receiver with a red dot. With 00 buck, is this a suitable home defense setup? I have my XD on the nightstand but I really want something in the closet or under the bed that has something I can really depend on. My AR15 would do but I want that wide shot pattern a shotgun offers.
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A few things...

Your rifled barrel does not require sabot slugs; it can shoot regular Foster-type and rifled slugs with no issues (besides possibly a bit heavier leading in the bore requiring some vigorous scrubbing when you clean).

You can still shoot non-sabot slugs out of a smoothbore barrel; they will not be as accurate as out of a rifled. Trying to shoot sabots out of a smoothbore will simply be wasting money...the sabots require the rifling to stabilize, and will be terribly inaccurate.

If you get a barrel with a screw in choke, make certain that you use the loosest choke (Cylinder or Improved Cylinder) if you shoot slugs out of it.

Places to buy: Brownells, Midway, many others. Google is your friend.

A word on shot patterns: even with a loose (cylinder) choke, at most HD distances that shot pattern in only going to be a couple inches across at the most. Not very wide. And, at 20 yards, you are on the edge of effective range out of a loose-choked shotgun. Make certain you pattern some of your chosen loads (yes--just like handguns, you'll find your shotgun likes some 00 loads better than others) at everything from 5 yards to 20 and see how it works...you may be surprised.

As for your setup, if you think you'll like it, go with it...it wouldn't be my choice...I'm a believer that "less is more" when it comes to HD shotguns.
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Thanks for the info. I just ordered an 18" barrel for HD. I won't be putting a buttstock and red dot and all that nonsense on it. I will be using the rifled barrel for hunting using sabots and the 18" for home defense. I love how easily it can be changed out. Like you said, less is more. Eventually I may turn this into a no nonsense zombie gun and buy a dedicated hunting shotgun but for now this works wonders for both. With the cantilever mount I can keep the zero on my scope for deer hunting and just swap the 23" rifled barrel with the 18" for HD. Sucks I dont have the 7rd capacity but I can always add an extension later.

I think I'm finally starting to learn. Next will definitely be a nice semi-auto with interchangable chokes for bird hunting. Its amazing how much you can learn in a day.
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My Remmy has a 2-shot extension. Also, the butt pad absorber (I think its called "Super Cell") is worth the investment at $20-ish.

Mine (Remington 870 Express Tactical) came with a "master key" choke that has allows the gas to escape... Its called a master key because you can put it up to a door and blow out the handle (thus opening a locked door)... Dunno how much use that would have for HD, but the price was excellent.

It has a smooth barrel and I've shot slugs at the range...its fun! Makes the kick of a .357 magnum seem wimpy.
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Whats a good shotgun scope? Just want something with low-magnification that can handle the recoil.
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Stay away from anything from ATI, their 2 round extention isn't bad just have to remember to drimmel out the little detents inside.
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The limbsaver brand of butt pads are very nice as well.
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Get some Federal Flight Control 00. They maintain a very tight pattern well beyond self-defense range. You can put all 9 pellets in an 8" pie plate at 15 yards.

You may also want to look at some of the reduced recoil rounds. Makes shooting a lot more pleasant.

My Mossberg 590a1 with 18" barrel is dead on accurate with slugs out to 100 yards.

Have fun and plan on shooting a lot of different make rounds till you find the one(s) that work best in your shotgun. That's part of the fun!
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I just installed my 18.5" barrel today. I freaking love this gun even more now. I have a deer gun and a HD shotty all in one. Once I get a 28" interchangable choke barrel I'll have a deer gun too.

Tomorrow I'm gonna shoot slugs in the 18" just to fool around with.

at 50 yards, how do I aim with this freaking bead sight? I was told NOT to focus on it, just sort of put it over the target and fire.
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Shot it today. GOOD LORD!!! I have shot some heavy recoiling guns, but they usually felt like a POP. This was like an NFL linebacker was running into my shoulder full speed. All the Hawaiian guys were wondering why I was putting myself through such abuse... I only shot 10 slugs! geez!

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lol that's pretty funny. i have an 18 and 28 barrel for mine, both smoothbore. the slugs do kick pretty hard, and i wouldn't count on myself being able to hit anything, especially something moving, with a slug using the beads. i bought a knoxx stock and didn't like it, ended up putting the regular stock back on.

have you ever shot clay pigeons before? that's the funnest thing i think one can do with a shotgun
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I was aiming at the ground and hit about 20" up on the bottom of that target with the bead. I have no idea how to aim with that thing. Is it like that with buckshot and birdshot too? And does buckshot kick as much as a slug?
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from my experience buckshot is a medium between birdshot and slug as far as recoil.

i guess your aim is technically the same regardless of cartridge type, but you have a little more room for inaccuracy since your shot spreads. when i first got mine i went and bought some slugs, bird, and buckshot and set up some paper targets and just shot each type from maybe 5, 10, 15, 25 yards to see how the point of aim and point of impact differ, as well as seeing how the spread is from different distances.
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I know you've already purchased your new barrel but check out mossberg's website for some really nice barrels also....Nice gun....I love my mossy's and my mav but will purchase an 870 tac this fall just for kicks...
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try putting your cheek lower on the stock when aiming with a beed sight, look into some sights. just keep shootin(practice) and yes, slugs hurt. but i love shooting them, i plan on putting on the mesa recoil reducing stock. make sure you check the pattern on 00 buck, at 20ft only 2 or 3 pelletts even make it out of the wad.
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misfit-x said:
The limbsaver brand of butt pads are very nice as well.
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I actually just put a limbsaver on my KNOXX. And man, you wanna talk about recoil absorbtion. :p It's rediculously soft now.
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Achped said:
Shot it today. GOOD LORD!!! I have shot some heavy recoiling guns, but they usually felt like a POP. This was like an NFL linebacker was running into my shoulder full speed. All the Hawaiian guys were wondering why I was putting myself through such abuse... I only shot 10 slugs! geez!

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LOL!

sawedoff12 said:
try putting your cheek lower on the stock when aiming with a beed sight, look into some sights. just keep shootin(practice) and yes, slugs hurt. but i love shooting them, i plan on putting on the mesa recoil reducing stock. make sure you check the pattern on 00 buck, at 20ft only 2 or 3 pelletts even make it out of the wad.
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Not with a KNOXX and limbsaver pad. Feels like a pillow. I can shoot slugs and buckshot all day with no ill effects.:-D
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