A Look at the Defensive Shotgun; its Disadvantages, its Uses, and How We Make Them Work



By Donald Copp, MilCopp Tactical
There
are many who tote the shotgun as the do-all of the firearms world. Many
will tell you that the versatility of the shotgun is such that it can
be an effective CQB weapon as well as a rifle when needed. Much of the
shotgun myth has to do with the reality that for the longest time it
was the standard firearm in the armory of many law enforcement
personnel’s battery, right along side the double action revolver. The
shotgun was perhaps chosen because everyone owned one. In a time when
firearms were the normal furniture of a household, everyone had a
shotgun for pest control and small game hunting. It was a natural
transition for those entering the field of law enforcement since the
firearm was used by so many households training with the shotgun was
negligible. Even today, when the average cadet receives as much as
sixty hours of handgun training, the amount of instruction given to the
shotgun is a mere eight hours in many states. The problem is that those
eight hours are not effective training, nor do those who use the
shotgun fully understand its limitations along with the advantages of
the firearm. It is still assumed that even today, the average person
knows what they need to know about the shotgun. The mythology persists
with that assumption and the historical allegory only adds to the myth
that it is the best firearm in the hands of someone knowledgeable and
determined.

Background



Historically
the shotgun holds the mythical position it does because we venerate it
for the stories attached to it. One was used to good effect at the OK
Corral; what they fail to stress is that the shotgun used was fired
from the distance of only a few feet and both barrels were discharged
into the body of Tom McLaury as he ran away. He continued to run away
and died a couple blocks away from where he was shot. He did not
instantly fall prostrate even with two loads of buckshot penetrating
his body. As for the shotgun it was then discarded in favor of the
pistol. Shotguns also rode the stage coaches of the Old West and were
used by Confederate Cavalrymen. The reason held was that loaded with
buckshot, you had more chances of hitting an opponent while moving, but
this idea was never born out by concrete proof that we have been able
to find. In addition, shotguns have ridden in racks of patrol cars and
have been at the side of LEO’s since the days the lone constable walked
the beat. Because of the number of people who have used them and the
long history of the firearm, there are many myths that follow this
venerable weapon through its history which need to be addressed and
even dispelled.
Myths



One
of the first myths which we need to dismiss is the one that nearly
every old timer who draws breath will tell a novice shooter looking for
a defensive firearm. That myth being that "all you need to do is rack a shotgun and it will clear a room because everyone knows what that sound is.”
In truth, in these days of political correctness not everyone knows
what that sound is and while it is distinctive, there is no guarantee
that it will clear a room or that it is a fight stopper. The sound of a
shotgun racking is not going to make your opponent suddenly fall to
their knees quaking in fear, nor will it send the vagabond running for
their lives. It might be an attention getter; however, you don’t know
what your adversary’s mental conditioning might be nor what their
training is. Flashing the shotgun around like a magician’s wand can
lead to the same troubles faced by his apprentice; an easily remedied
situation can get out of control rather quickly. The shotgun is a tool
like any other and it has no magical properties.



       




Another myth is the "fact” that you don’t have to aim.
We can not say how many times we have heard this argument touted by the
unknowing. A shotgun is a tool, like all tools, it must be used
correctly to obtain the maximum effective application of its preferred
use. You can not simply point a shotgun down a narrow hallway and fire,
hoping to blast away all in the shots path. There is no such thing as a
"cone of death” with a shotgun and anything in its path will not be
obliterated, shredded, blown backwards or otherwise disintegrate into a
mound of quivering flesh. Shot fired from a shotgun has a pattern and
depending on the distance and the type of shot, there are gaps in that
pattern. Like all firearms, you have to aim the weapon at the intended
target in order for the shot to do the job intended.



   



"I like shotguns because they will do everything I want it to.”
This statement is great if you are hunting upland birds or kicking the
brush for rabbit. It’s a bad one to make for a defensive shotgun. A
shotgun is not a "do all” weapon. It is a do many things, but
it either does a specific job well, as all firearms, or it half-asses
everything, which is where people make the mistake in using a shotgun.
Before one starts rolling their eyes at this, read on for the reasons
we believe this about the shotgun. For now, you must accept that the
shotgun, while versatile, is simply not an ‘everything’ firearm,
especially in a defensive weapon.



   



The final myth of the shotgun we will address; "I can load it with slugs and use it just like my rifle.”
It is not a rifle. The shotgun can be used as a solid projectile
thrower. But this is not what it was designed for. It has limited range
as a slug thrower and requires a special (rifled) barrel to make a slug
(preferably a sabot) travel any respectable distance with accuracy. As
a standard out-of-the-box firearm, the shotgun-as-rifle is a poor
substitute for the real thing.
Disadvantages



Okay,
four of the myths have been addressed. There are more, but for the
defensive purposes of the argument, we’ll limit the focus to just
those. In order to proceed, we need to get really negative and talk
about how a shotgun is a disadvantage to the defensive shooter. After
all, like weight lifting, we have to tear the muscle down to build it
back up.
While this next statement might fall into the myth
category, we are going to address it here as a disadvantage. There are
two parts to the statement and we will look at both. Many believe
that all they need to end the fight are the limited number of rounds
contained within the short internal magazine of their shotgun. After all, the shotgun is so powerful that it will stop a fight with one round.
Not true, in fact, like all firearms, stopping the attack depends on
the placement of the round on the target. There is no guarantee that a
single round, even if of 00 buckshot, will cause enough damage to the
enemy to stop their action which brought the encounter in the first
place. As noted in the background section, even a double load of 00
buckshot might not be enough to keep the opponent from continuing their
action. Here we must address the statement that preceded the power myth
of the shotgun; the lack of the need to reload because the weapon is so
powerful. In reality, the number one disadvantage of a shotgun is the
limited ammunition capacity and it is not really as powerful as people
wish it to be.  Most shotguns are limited to fewer rounds than a well
concealed revolver. Tactical shotguns with extended tubes partially
rectify this drawback, but modern revolvers are capable of holding up
to eight rounds in a less punishing package (We use the revolver as a
comparison not because we recommend the revolver, but because it is a
package that everyone can relate to and has myths of its own). Most
shotguns straight from the factory are regulated to two rounds.
Removing the plug can increase this to as many as eight, but the
standard is four. Not only is the shotgun limited in ammo, it is also
slow to reload—unless one spends hours a week practicing—and even then,
a speed-loaded revolver is still a faster alternative in a defensive
weapon.
What people fail to understand is that over an extended period of time, a shotgun is punishing to shoot.
We have spoken with many people who like to say that they can shoot a
hundred rounds in a day through their favorite birdgun. While this is
fine for them and certainly increases the tolerance for the shotgun,
the standard field load does not translate very well to a hundred
rounds of defensive loads. A great disadvantage of the shotgun is the
recoil. The standard qualification for police is about thirty rounds of
full-power ammo. From experience, we can say that it is hard to get
officers out to the range to qualify with this firearm because they
simply do not like shooting full-power loads one right after another.
Because of its recoil people do not like to train as they should with a
shotgun. In order to remedy this problem, manufacturers have come out
with shock absorber stocks, recoil reducers, and other gimmicks to
cushion the felt recoil of the shotgun. These not only add weight to
many shotguns, but they also add to cost. There have also been
"reduced” loads or "tactical loads” which in reality castrates the
questionable power advantage the shotgun may have within the scope of
its usefulness.
Shotguns, fully loaded and tactically dressed out are heavy.
A similarly set up AR15 with 30 rounds weighs less than a shotgun with
seven rounds in the tube, five in a side saddle and five more in a butt
stock sleeve. If you don’t think that weight is a problem, carry that
shotgun all day and use it in a tactical class. Weight and the
distribution of that weight are paramount for an all day hump as well
as a limited engagement within the confines of a defensive battle. If
your firearm is a pain to use when not stressed out, the mental
attitude about that same firearm will translate to its usefulness in an
excited state. You will be less likely to depend and use the weapon in
the intended role, foregoing the shotgun in favor of less cumbersome
weapons.
Finally, many think that the shotgun is great because anyone can use one. The problem is that the shotgun can not be used by everyone. Size and strength matter greatly when using a long arm like the shotgun.
Shotgun stocks are fixed for one length of pull. They are not made as a
one size fits all as most believe them to be. When properly mounted, a
defensive shotgun stock is too long for the average shooter. When using
a pump-action shotgun—perhaps the number one shotgun recommended by
anyone—the distance of the forearm to the action may be overly long for
smaller shooters which can result in short stroking the weapon or
simply not having enough leverage to hold the shotgun up for aiming and
operation. In addition to the above mentioned failings, the manual of
arms for a shotgun is intensive. To use a shotgun is not simply a
matter of loading and firing—the weapon as a defensive tool needs to be
employed properly as well. There are stages in a shotguns readiness and
an individual who is not familiar with the operation and ways to
achieve those stages can be opening themselves up to a series of
catastrophic events. Swapping out rounds from buckshot to a slug if
needed, and reloading the shotgun in a manner that keeps it ready for
use, are skills which require knowledge and practice.



   



Real Use



Now
that we’ve totally derided the shotgun as a useful tool, let’s take a
look at some of the things that a shotgun is good for. Admittedly, the
list is not a long one in our opinion, but then as a defensive tool,
the shotgun’s advantages truly are as limited as the weapon itself.
The main advantage of a shotgun is that no matter the political climate, a shotgun remains a "socially acceptable” firearm.
They are not viewed (for the most part) as an evil weapon of mass
destruction. In states where one can not own a standard black rifle, a
shotgun is a viable alternative. Because of the years of societal
familiarization with the shotgun, one can still own a shotgun and be
seen as merely a sportsman, rather than a right-wing extremist bent on
over-throwing the government while searching the skies for black
helicopters. Having a pump action shotgun leaning in a corner is not
going to send the average citizen into an apoplectic fit. Shotguns
blend well into the background and are nearly invisible to the casual
observer.




[Photo by R. Sid]
They are inexpensive;
Good, reliable shotguns can be bought for under three hundred dollars
in configurations that are suitable for defensive purposes. Sporting
shotguns can be had with synthetic stocks and they can be customized to
fit the role of a defensive weapon as money and need allows. Add-ons
for the shotgun are fairly inexpensive when compared to the standard
black rifle and its list of accessories. In addition to the cost of the
weapon, the shotgun’s internal magazine precludes the need for extra
magazines, thereby reducing the cost even further. Upgrades to the
shotgun can be done by any qualified gunsmith and even drop-in parts
can be had. Recommended and easily installed is a tactical magazine
spring and follower which can be had for as little as twelve dollars.
Other upgrades will depend on the owner, but this spring and follower
is simple swap and a must for a defensive shotgun.
In addition
to the political and social advantages and cost, what the shotgun
really has going for it is at ranges inside 25 meters, a properly aimed and fired shotgun can deliver a devastating mass of lead
which can perforate a body cavity with enough holes that the body can
not keep the subject from bleeding out. Multiple holes, blood loss, and
shock all play into the advantage of 00 buckshot when properly
delivered with well aimed fire. Of course to achieve this advantage the
key is to deliver the rounds on target, quickly, and effectively. This
requires that the shooter have training and practice with the weapon on
a regular basis.
While not a pure positive in some respects, a shotgun can be loaded out with multi-purpose rounds that extend the usefulness of the firearm as a primary weapon.
We are not talking about bean bag rounds here. We recommend that you
load only one load in your shotgun, the standard 00 buckshot load.
While there are many types of defensive loads out there—and some of
them will certainly improve not only the shot pattern and range of the
load and weapon—loading your shotgun with a standard, easily found
defensive load enables you to not only use the shotgun to its fullest
potential as a defensive weapon, but also is easier on the pocket book,
which is one of the advantages of the shotgun to begin with. However,
if you live in an area which discourages the use of a combat-style
rifle or a sidearm, the use of a solid projectile such as the slug,
enables the defensive shotgun to be used in the double duty of a multi-
purpose firearm. Some schools of thought are to have a mix of rounds in
your reload and to keep them separated by the position of the load in
the sidesaddle or buttstock holder. We recommend that the slug be
carried on the buttstock of the weapon, apart from the reload on the
sidesaddle. This keeps the rounds separated and under stress allows you
to know instantly which round you are reaching for without having to
put much thought into the load.
Ammunition Selection



On the subject of ammo and its usefulness, 00 buckshot is what your defensive shotgun should be loaded with.
There are people who will tell you that birdshot is the way to go due
to its lack of penetration. Those people are, quite frankly, idiots.
Penetration is what reaches the vitals of the target and kills. The
thing to remember about birdshot is that it is limited in size and it
does not expand. The small size of bird shot means that it sheds its
energy quickly and will fail to reach the vital areas needed to stop
the attacker. Remember; 00 buckshot is better than birdshot for
defensive purposes—birdshot is a load which no defensive instructor in
their right mind would recommend if they value the life of their
students. With 00 buckshot you are shooting nine (the average number)
.32 caliber round balls at a target. When all those projectiles are
delivered on target, the results can be dramatic. While a well known
agency reportedly recommends a different buckshot load, they in fact
use the standard 00 buckshot load in their issued shotguns. 00 buckshot
is the best round for the shotgun, and you should pattern the shot at
ten, fifteen, and twenty-five meters.
All This Being Said, Here Is An Idea Of What Your Defensive Shotgun Should Look Like.
•A dependable pump or semi-auto from a reputable manufacturer.
•A
defensive shotgun should have a barrel length of between 18 to 22
inches. Anything longer is a detriment to the usefulness of the weapon
when handling in a defensive situation. Shorter barrels require federal
permission and paperwork and while they do make the weapon handy in
tight spaces, they severely limit the range of the weapons delivery.
•The
shotgun needs to have a magazine tube extension and spring and follower
upgrade for increasing the ammunition on hand and reliability.
•It
should have highly visible sights for low light shooting and be easily
seen by the eye under stress. Quality sights are a must on any firearm.
A shotgun is no exception; be the choice a bead sight or ghost ring
additions.
•The stock should be cut to fit the shooter.
Defensive tactics require a different stance from the wingshooter and
the stock needs to reflect this change in positioning.
•On the
stock should be a means to carry reloads—these reloads need to be slugs
if the shooter determines that they wish to use the shotgun as a
multi-purpose weapon—there are various types of stock carriers and the
carrier needs to be affixed to the stock in some way to keep it from
moving during shooting. There are also stocks that can carry reloads
within the body of the stock itself. These need to be inspected
regularly after shooting for breakage and spring failure.
•There
should be a side saddle on the receiver and those should be 00 buckshot
and positioned for ease of loading as determined by the shooter.
•You should have a white light from a reputable
manufacturer mounted on the weapon. This can either be mounted with
attachments or a replacement forearm can be purchased with the light
already mounted within the forearm.
•Finally, a shotgun, like a
rifle, should have a sling of some sort. A sling allows the shooter to
not only move the weapon out of the way for administrative reasons, but
can also be used to maintain control over the weapon in close quarters.
Beyond these additions, anything else is up to the shooter.




[Photo by Mick B.]







As
with everything else we advocate, whatever you buy for the shotgun, be
sure that you only buy quality parts from reputable manufacturers, be
they ghost rings sights or tube extensions.
Closing



Shotguns,
to our mind are not the optimal tool for defense. They are however, an
option which can be utilized to great advantage by the shooter provided
that the limitations of the systems are understood. Because of its
acceptance by mainstream society, it can serve as an innocuous
defensive firearm; they are legal in every State and even with the
restrictions of local jurisdictions, the shotgun can be made an
effective defensive tool. If a shotgun is chosen, pick the most compact
model allowable, outfit it with simple and easily obtained additions to
extend the capacity, have reloads on the weapon itself, and by all
means practice the use of the shotgun as often as possible. Reload from
the side saddle or buttstock each time it is used to develop the skills
and memory needed to employ the reload under adverse conditions. Learn
how to effectively and swiftly swap out rounds if you have to force it
into a multi-purpose role as a slug thrower and know the limitations of
the rounds you are using as well as the advantages that can be had.
Train to clear the weapon of malfunctions and know its manual of arms.
As with all of your defensive weapons, train with the shotgun at every
opportunity so that when the time comes you are as prepared as one can
be in the face of opposition.
(posted with permission)



http://www.milcopptactical.com/blog.htm









 

"There have also been "reduced” loads or "tactical loads” which in reality castrates the questionable power advantage the shotgun may have within the scope of its usefulness."


I know that internal, external and wound ballistics are not exciting topics. But if you're going to write an article you should at least research the topic before making ignorant statements like above.

Reduced recoil buckshot patterns tighter and penetrates equal or greater than standard velocity buckshot of the same construction. Velocity increases pellet deformation which increases pattern size and decreases penetration.

it kinda lost me when they recommended a sling for home defense.

My favorite;

Why wouldn't you want a sling?



 

why is a sling beneficial in a defensive situation? One more thing to get in the way, your not stowing it in transition to your pistol, your not carrying the shotgun any great distance or traversing elevations.

+1

The person or persons who wrote this make some valid points about the shotgun.  They also completely screw up other parts to the point that they look foolish.  The only useful piece of information I took away from this was that the author doesn't like shotguns.

Might need to manipulate something quietly in the environment that requires two hands.  Might need to move a wounded family member.  Might need to guide/carry children or other persons.  Helps in retention.  Beats the hell out of trying to lean the shotgun against something only to have have fall over and make one gigantic racket, especially when you're trying to be quiet.  All kinds of reasons.
If you are careful in your sling selection, actually train with it, use it and adjust it properly and don't have a three foot loop of material hanging down it can be done quite easily.

Very easy to get caught on something in your house, moving around.  Something extra for someone to grab the gun away from you with, too.

I'm sure some will disagree, but in my house I don't use a sling.

You think that will be beneficial to someone trying to take the gun away from you?  



 

Yes on an AR.  Not so much for a shotgun.  YMMV.



Who is this guy anyway?  Never heard of him.