What is your opinion of shotguns??

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:14:16 PM EDT

I pretty much regard them as useless. Well, 'cept fer one time there were some bees swarming around a mud puddle, and I blowed the hell out of them with my shot gun.

'Course, it also sprayed mud all over my garage and both vehicles.

Like I says....useless.

WHat's yer opinion???

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:16:46 PM EDT

[#1]

How could something that you pull a trigger and it goes BOOM be useless?

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:17:03 PM EDT

[#2]

Be great for home defense and clearing rooms if you had to IMO

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:17:45 PM EDT

[#3]

Well, lets see.

Can shoot a variety of ammunition, from flamethrower to buckshot to flechettes to slugs to...

Delivers a broad impact zone

Imparts a fantastic amount of lead onto a target, with the attendant tissue destruction and shock

Shotguns are a fantastic tool.

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:19:20 PM EDT

[#4]

i had a change in tune when one of the instructors at my local range showed me a 2x6 with a 1" hole in it made by a 20 gauge with bird shot at 5 yards

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:19:46 PM EDT

[#5]

I think the shotgun is the most versatile of all long arms. You have tons of ammo choices,hunting,defense,offense,less than lethal, different barrel lengths, accesories up the wazoo and it can be used in different applications such as room clearing, crowd control, long range up to 100 yds with slugs etc.All in all a pretty handy weapon.
I wouldnt choose it for everything but it definately has its place in an arsenal.

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:21:16 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
I pretty much regard them as useless. Well, 'cept fer one time there were some bees swarming around a mud puddle, and I blowed the hell out of them with my shot gun.

'Course, it also sprayed mud all over my garage and both vehicles.

Like I says....useless.

WHat's yer opinion???

View Quote

Do you duck hunt with your AR?

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:22:03 PM EDT

[#7]

Try shooting a bird on the wing without one and tell me they are useless.

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:22:41 PM EDT

[#8]

There's no substitute for the sound a shotgun makes when it's racked! That's one weapons that speaks all languages.

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:24:22 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Do you duck hunt with your AR?

View Quote

What??? You don't???? [:D]

Bill Clinton said he's all for duck hunting. And this demonstrates my CLEAR and UNDENIABLE NEED for full auto.

Ever try to take a duck with a semi .223?? Trust me...it ain't easy.

[:D]

Actually, I don't duck hunt.

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:28:54 PM EDT

[#10]

If I could only choose one weapon it would be a shotgun.

While not as sexy as my AR/AK/M1A/Garand etc. my 870 (or my Mossberg) will fill damn near any role I would ever need a weapon for.

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:29:30 PM EDT

[#11]

I'm kinda partial to my scatterguns...I own several. My baby is a Mossberg 590 with ghost ring sights, pressure switch xenon tac light, heat shield, side saddle and a quiet carry slide arm.. I want to Vang Comp it and get a tritium front sight for it when I get the money.
(Accepting donations) [:D]

My other one is a Mossberg 500 Cruiser with a top folding stock..Only a bead sight on it. Nothing fancy...

And then the others are for bird hunting...

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:33:12 PM EDT

[#12]

Middle of the night...If I could get to a long gun I would reach past the AR and get my Mossberg 500...reliability, short range power with a fast reduction in overpenetration risk.

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:35:23 PM EDT

[#13]

The only qualls i've ever had with shotguns, is the ammo limitations.
Although the now banned USAS-12 has that fixed (25 round drums), the only other viable alternative is the Saiga w/ 8-round mags.
Well, atleast with a shotgun you rarely have to worry about follow-up shots.

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:36:47 PM EDT

[#14]

Door knockers mainly...but DAMN fun [:D]

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:40:20 PM EDT

[#15]

I've always thought of the shotgun as the any man's weapon.

For very little money, you get incredible firepower, versatility, and reliability.

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:40:56 PM EDT

[#16]

Somewhere betweeen "limited use" and "ultimate boomstick."

Just another tool in what should ideally be a large toolbox.

I can think of plenty of situations that are ideally suited for a shotgun and I can think of several where I'd wish I had something else.

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:41:01 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Door knockers mainly...but DAMN fun [:D]

View Quote

[rolleyes]

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:51:10 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
The only qualls i've ever had with shotguns, is the ammo limitations.
Although the now banned USAS-12 has that fixed (25 round drums), the only other viable alternative is the Saiga w/ 8-round mags.
Well, atleast with a shotgun you rarely have to worry about follow-up shots.

View Quote

They aren't completely banned...

They are NFA weapons ('destructive devices'), though... Further importation and production is off limits untill next September (if all goes well), though...

Posted: 5/25/2003 9:52:51 PM EDT

[#19]

To me shotguns are cool in that they are the "garbage disposal" of the gun world.

They will pretty much eat up anything you feed them. Want some wierd variety ammo? They'll take it and keep on chugging. Birdbombs? Show me a rifle that can do that. Slugs? COMMON! .68 caliber rifled slugs "whizzing" downrange is pretty damned cool. Then there's everything from #12 dust to the buckshot.

I used to do a lot of hunting with a shotgun but now I don't use them that much other than occasional clay pigeon shooting and screwing around. They impress me as being a pretty versatile firearm, not the perfect tool for every job but for a wide variety of tasks they tend to get the job done if it's all you have access to.

Posted: 5/25/2003 10:00:13 PM EDT

[#20]

Shotguns are your go-to guns. I think they would be great in house to house fighting.

Posted: 5/25/2003 10:13:21 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
There's no substitute for the sound a shotgun makes when it's racked! That's one weapons that speaks all languages.

View Quote

That's absolutley true, I tell this to all of my friends, It's the international way of saying "Get the F*CK out of my house!"

Posted: 5/25/2003 10:16:03 PM EDT

[#22]

Close-range-annihilation.

Posted: 5/25/2003 10:22:17 PM EDT

[#23]

I think every one should fire a couple a rounds at several distances so that they know the limitations.. < also diffrent TYPES of ammo to see the diffrence.. >

they are great up close but given some distance they lose thier "punch" ... well at least on ply-wood [:)]

Posted: 5/25/2003 10:26:56 PM EDT

[#24]

If I could have only one gun, it would be a 12 gauge.

Good for the greatest variety of uses; clays, birds, other small game, large game, and defense.

To me, the shotgun's only limitations are size (compared to handgun), effective range (compared to .30 cal) and the larger size of ammunition.

Posted: 5/25/2003 11:33:11 PM EDT

[#25]

At close range there are few weapons that can STOP an assailant as quickly as a shotgun. In a home defense, close quarters battle, or room clearing situation, you aren't "shooting to wound" or "shooting to kill", you are shooting to stop. We can debate all night about the relative stopping power of 9mm vs. 45acp, but there is no debate surrounding the DECISIVE stopping power of a 12 gauge slug. I don't remember who wrote it, maybe Jim Cirrilo, but some old cop who had lived through multiple engagements and had studied alot of ballistics wrote that he had seen guys take multiple hits from .38 special, and had heard of guys taking multiple hits from .357 mag, and yet continue to fight for up to two minutes before succumbing to shock or bleeding out. He had never seen nor heard of anyone taking a shot in the upper body with a 12 gauge slug who hadn't gone down "like you turned off a lightswitch". What other close quarters weapon offers such stopping power?

Do I even need to go on a rant about 00 buckshot? Lets see, 8mm balls doing 1200 fps, and I get 12 of them for each pull of the trigger, and my Mossberg 500 holds seven in home-defense configuration, so if I have to unload the whole tube on someone at close range I've put no less than EIGHTY-FOUR 8mm holes in him, which I can do in a matter of 5 seconds or so. Anyone want to dispute the stopping power here?

Posted: 5/25/2003 11:44:13 PM EDT

[#26]

I actually went out shotgunning today with a few cop buddies. Used #8, OO, and 1oz slugs.

Pretty fun becuase I was using my new 870. The devastataion at 5 yards with 1 round of #8 is crazy! Even better with the 00.

Posted: 5/26/2003 12:08:06 AM EDT

[#27]

One of our guys took a 12 ga. slug in the leg four days ago. The doctors thought he might lose his leg. He now has a 4" titanium rod in his leg to replace the bone. Hard to think of anything else that can do that much damage.

Posted: 5/26/2003 12:13:21 AM EDT

[#28]

I used to think they were worthless also. Then I tried trap shooting. Now I own two 12 gauges. Buy an old 870 or some thing and give it a try.

Posted: 5/26/2003 12:54:47 AM EDT

[#29]

Talk about universal languages...

I had just come out of a gun show last weekend, and I was carrying my newly-bought Winchester 12 gauge Defender with me to my car.

So, anyway I reached my car which was parked next to a little park with trees and benches. Thinking I was alone, I decided to pump it once for the heck of it, before putting it into my car. Well, as soon as I did it I realized someone was watching me. Sure enough, a rastafarian-type homeless man sleeping on a park bench only a few yards away woke up from his afternoon nap and looked at me REAL HARD. I guess he knows what a shotgun pump sounds like.

Sheepishly, I put the gun into the trunk and drove off. You think I gave him a start?

I had this baby:
[IMG]http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/2638747.jpg[/IMG]

Posted: 5/26/2003 1:35:59 AM EDT

[#30]

Depends on the load but I can't think of a better way to knock a bird out of the air (or cut a gangbanger in half to punish him for pissing on your floor at the sound of you racking it up right behind him.)

Originally Posted By -Duke-Nukem-
Do I even need to go on a rant about 00 buckshot? Lets see, 8mm balls doing 1200 fps, and I get 12 of them for each pull of the trigger, and my Mossberg 500 holds seven in home-defense configuration, so [red]if I have to unload the whole tube on someone at close range I've put no less than EIGHTY-FOUR 8mm holes in him, which I can do in a matter of 5 seconds or so. Anyone want to dispute the stopping power here?[/red]

View Quote

[b]"They're not highly accurate. You wouldn't hunt ducks or deer with them. They're used for one thing only: to kill a whole lot of people . . . quickly."
~ [red]Chuck Schumer[/red][/b]

Oops I though this was about 'assault weapons' [:)]

Posted: 5/26/2003 4:41:11 AM EDT

[#31]

My first choice for home defense is my
Remington 870 Police Magnum.
Many ammo choices and its built like a tank.

Posted: 5/26/2003 4:50:10 AM EDT

[#32]

If I had to pick only one firearm it would definitely be a shotgun. They aren't as much fun as a rifle or handgun or even in the same league of funness as a machinegun, I don't take my shotgun to the range to shoot, but they are the most versatile gun available. It might not be the best at everything that it does, but it [b]will[/b] do everything.

It is a good weapon for defense, with the right load a 12ga can kill just about any animal on the planet and a pump action is a very simple weapon. I'd take a shotgun in any survival situation in a heartbeat.

Posted: 5/26/2003 8:22:25 AM EDT

[#33]

I think they have it all over pistols for home defense.

Posted: 5/26/2003 9:40:02 AM EDT

[#34]

My Mossberg 590 will do eveything I require of a shotgun. Its the only shotgun I own.

Posted: 5/26/2003 9:55:22 AM EDT

[#35]

My Rem 870 security is the shiznit I bought it just for a 3 gun match and now its one of my favorite BOOM sticks....
[img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0PwDYAi8RwgCRE*VPuO85qH0ZvgyOCjkErUf9AaD9mGhDRJbV4c0jELA74vCz!67SIh4uTL1GhfaWg1vkQuGXSwwam8ophuHl/74_p6461.jpeg?dc=4675400790255234820[/img]

its the one next to my AR and .223 AK

The Pig.

Posted: 5/26/2003 10:04:53 AM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
At close range there are few weapons that can STOP an assailant as quickly as a shotgun. In a home defense, close quarters battle, or room clearing situation, you aren't "shooting to wound" or "shooting to kill", you are shooting to stop. We can debate all night about the relative stopping power of 9mm vs. 45acp, but there is no debate surrounding the DECISIVE stopping power of a 12 gauge slug. I don't remember who wrote it, maybe Jim Cirrilo, but some old cop who had lived through multiple engagements and had studied alot of ballistics wrote that he had seen guys take multiple hits from .38 special, and had heard of guys taking multiple hits from .357 mag, and yet continue to fight for up to two minutes before succumbing to shock or bleeding out. He had never seen nor heard of anyone taking a shot in the upper body with a 12 gauge slug who hadn't gone down "like you turned off a lightswitch". What other close quarters weapon offers such stopping power?

Do I even need to go on a rant about 00 buckshot? Lets see, 8mm balls doing 1200 fps, and I get 12 of them for each pull of the trigger, and my Mossberg 500 holds seven in home-defense configuration, so if I have to unload the whole tube on someone at close range I've put no less than EIGHTY-FOUR 8mm holes in him, which I can do in a matter of 5 seconds or so. Anyone want to dispute the stopping power here?

View Quote

And a Level IIA soft vest will stop that buckshot cold. A Level III will stop the slug.

There was a time when you would have been correct in your assessment of the shotguns use against people. But that time has passed. .223 carbines are far better for personal protection today.

Posted: 5/26/2003 10:05:29 AM EDT

[#37]

I see a shotgun as usefull in a limited scenario. For what it is intended, a shotgun is the ultimate. However 100 yards is not long range. I prefer a rifle for hunting (big game) because it allows for a greater variety of distances without decrease in accuracy or effectiveness. Shotgun is my weapon of choice for bird or rabbit. Handgun for home protection. I know some of you believe in the shotgun for home defense, but I don't see using a long gun in a situation where quick target aquisition is important. Each type of firearm has its purpose and does that job well. I will not try to substitute a handgun for duck hunting or use a shotgun for big game. So, I support the use of a shotgun for what it was designed.

Posted: 5/26/2003 10:06:55 AM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:

Quoted:
At close range there are few weapons that can STOP an assailant as quickly as a shotgun. In a home defense, close quarters battle, or room clearing situation, you aren't "shooting to wound" or "shooting to kill", you are shooting to stop. We can debate all night about the relative stopping power of 9mm vs. 45acp, but there is no debate surrounding the DECISIVE stopping power of a 12 gauge slug. I don't remember who wrote it, maybe Jim Cirrilo, but some old cop who had lived through multiple engagements and had studied alot of ballistics wrote that he had seen guys take multiple hits from .38 special, and had heard of guys taking multiple hits from .357 mag, and yet continue to fight for up to two minutes before succumbing to shock or bleeding out. He had never seen nor heard of anyone taking a shot in the upper body with a 12 gauge slug who hadn't gone down "like you turned off a lightswitch". What other close quarters weapon offers such stopping power?

Do I even need to go on a rant about 00 buckshot? Lets see, 8mm balls doing 1200 fps, and I get 12 of them for each pull of the trigger, and my Mossberg 500 holds seven in home-defense configuration, so if I have to unload the whole tube on someone at close range I've put no less than EIGHTY-FOUR 8mm holes in him, which I can do in a matter of 5 seconds or so. Anyone want to dispute the stopping power here?

View Quote

And a Level IIA soft vest will stop that buckshot cold. A Level III will stop the slug.

There was a time when you would have been correct in your assessment of the shotguns use against people. But that time has passed. .223 carbines are far better for personal protection today.

View Quote

Damn man!! Who are you shootin at?

Posted: 5/26/2003 10:14:01 AM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
If I had to pick only one firearm it would definitely be a shotgun. They aren't as much fun as a rifle or handgun or even in the same league of funness as a machinegun, I don't take my shotgun to the range to shoot, but they are the most versatile gun available. It might not be the best at everything that it does, but it [b]will[/b] do everything.

It is a good weapon for defense, with the right load a 12ga can kill just about any animal on the planet and a pump action is a very simple weapon. I'd take a shotgun in any survival situation in a heartbeat.

View Quote

If you were limited to one gun and one gun only AND needed to use it to feed yourself as well as defend yourself, in this scenereo then a 12ga shotgun would be the best choice, pretty much the only choice.

Also if you are trapped as a denzin of New Jersey or California right now the shotgun would be your best available choice under the law, and in the eyes of local prosecutors. And in New Jersey its pretty much the only thing you are allowed to use for deer hunting anymore.

But for those living in free states, and who don't have large, dangerous animals lurking around a .223 carbine is better for protection and save the 12ga for hunting birds.

Posted: 5/26/2003 10:16:01 AM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:

Quoted:
At close range there are few weapons that can STOP an assailant as quickly as a shotgun. In a home defense, close quarters battle, or room clearing situation, you aren't "shooting to wound" or "shooting to kill", you are shooting to stop. We can debate all night about the relative stopping power of 9mm vs. 45acp, but there is no debate surrounding the DECISIVE stopping power of a 12 gauge slug. I don't remember who wrote it, maybe Jim Cirrilo, but some old cop who had lived through multiple engagements and had studied alot of ballistics wrote that he had seen guys take multiple hits from .38 special, and had heard of guys taking multiple hits from .357 mag, and yet continue to fight for up to two minutes before succumbing to shock or bleeding out. He had never seen nor heard of anyone taking a shot in the upper body with a 12 gauge slug who hadn't gone down "like you turned off a lightswitch". What other close quarters weapon offers such stopping power?

Do I even need to go on a rant about 00 buckshot? Lets see, 8mm balls doing 1200 fps, and I get 12 of them for each pull of the trigger, and my Mossberg 500 holds seven in home-defense configuration, so if I have to unload the whole tube on someone at close range I've put no less than EIGHTY-FOUR 8mm holes in him, which I can do in a matter of 5 seconds or so. Anyone want to dispute the stopping power here?

View Quote

And a Level IIA soft vest will stop that buckshot cold. A Level III will stop the slug.

There was a time when you would have been correct in your assessment of the shotguns use against people. But that time has passed. .223 carbines are far better for personal protection today.

View Quote

Damn man!! Who are you shootin at?

View Quote

Cops arrest or shoot out with armored suspects about once a month around here.

Posted: 5/26/2003 10:25:18 AM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:
There's no substitute for the sound a shotgun makes when it's racked! That's one weapons that speaks all languages.

View Quote

Yaaaa got to love that sound, unless you are the BG in my house......

Posted: 5/26/2003 10:33:23 AM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:

And a Level IIA soft vest will stop that buckshot cold. A Level III will stop the slug.

There was a time when you would have been correct in your assessment of the shotguns use against people. But that time has passed. .223 carbines are far better for personal protection today.

View Quote

I don't expect a home invader will be wearing body armor. And even if he was, a 1oz slug to the chest - even if stopped by a vest - is the equivalent of being hit by a 2 lb. ball-peen hammer. It [i]will[/i] get his attention.

My Mossberg 590 is loaded with a mix of #4 buckshot and slugs. There's no vest in the world that will protect your [i]head or your thighs[/i] from a load of #4 buck. Twenty-seven .25 caliber pellets. You do the math.

Posted: 5/26/2003 11:00:19 AM EDT

[#43]

Yeah no kiddin.

The "If ya can only have one" pick of champions...

The Shotgun.

Posted: 5/26/2003 11:41:28 AM EDT

[#44]

Here is my Shotgun, Rem 870 police magnum...

[img]http://fototime.com/300F4F42F35C707/standard.jpg[/img]

Posted: 5/26/2003 11:49:45 AM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
If I could have only one gun, it would be a 12 gauge.

Good for the greatest variety of uses; clays, birds, other small game, large game, and defense.

To me, the shotgun's only limitations are size (compared to handgun), effective range (compared to .30 cal) and the larger size of ammunition.

View Quote

You took the words outta' my mouth.
How can anyone think that a scatter gun is useless?

I have four Remington 870's and a Benelli, but only three AR's. My arsenal will always include the following: 12 ga pump, .45/10mm auto, .223 carbine, .22 LR.
Just my $0.02

Posted: 5/26/2003 11:55:13 AM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:
My Rem 870 security is the shiznit I bought it just for a 3 gun match and now its one of my favorite BOOM sticks....
[url]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0PwDYAi8RwgCRE*VPuO85qH0ZvgyOCjkErUf9AaD9mGhDRJbV4c0jELA74vCz!67SIh4uTL1GhfaWg1vkQuGXSwwam8ophuHl/74_p6461.jpeg?dc=4675400790255234820[/url]

its the one next to my AR and .223 AK

The Pig.

View Quote

Nice collection M-60.

Posted: 5/26/2003 11:58:49 AM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:
a Level IIA soft vest will stop that buckshot cold. A Level III will stop the slug.

There was a time when you would have been correct in your assessment of the shotguns use against people. But that time has passed. .223 carbines are far better for personal protection today.

View Quote

The vest may stop the slug, but that doesn't mean the BG will survive. The slug doesn't have to penetrate to kill. In a torso hit, the blunt force will terminate him.

Posted: 5/26/2003 12:12:23 PM EDT

[#48]

And a Level IIA soft vest will stop that buckshot cold. A Level III will stop the slug.

There was a time when you would have been correct in your assessment of the shotguns use against people. But that time has passed. .223 carbines are far better for personal protection today.

View Quote

This is why it is a good idea to aim for the crotch area when using the shotgun.

Posted: 5/26/2003 12:44:47 PM EDT

[#49]

Originally Posted By -Duke-Nukem-
Do I even need to go on a rant about 00 buckshot? Lets see, 8mm balls doing 1200 fps, and I get 12 of them for each pull of the trigger, and my Mossberg 500 holds seven in home-defense configuration, so [red]if I have to unload the whole tube on someone at close range I've put no less than EIGHTY-FOUR 8mm holes in him, which I can do in a matter of 5 seconds or so. Anyone want to dispute the stopping power here?[/red]

View Quote

I wouldnt dispute anything with this guy. He scares the hell out of me [;)]

[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=9886[/img]

[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=9888[/img]

Posted: 5/26/2003 12:52:28 PM EDT

[#50]

Quoted:
There's no substitute for the sound a shotgun makes when it's racked! That's one weapons that speaks all languages.

View Quote

YEP! quite intimidating, no mistake you mean business.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What is your opinion of shotguns?? (Page 1 of 2)

General » General Discussion

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us