Talyn
SAINT
With things in short-supply I see several LGSs & other vendors carrying more economical shotguns for customers.
9 Best Budget Home-Defense Shotguns
9 Best Budget Home-Defense Shotguns
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9 Best Budget Home-Defense Shotguns
- Thread starter Talyn
- Start date
wmg1299
Professional
Whenever I read these articles it becomes glaringly apparent that I have a different definition of a "budget" gun than most gun writers. To me, the Mossberg Maverick 88 line of shotguns, which normally retail for $189-$229, are the best budget shotguns. The sub-$200 Turkish imports are the other shotguns that I consider to be budget friendly. I have a Tac-14 and a Shockwave and don't consider either of them to be cheap guns. I'm well aware that all shotguns are all commanding higher prices at smaller dealers right now, but Academy still sells the Mavericks at their normal price whenever they are in stock.
Bassbob
Emissary
A couple weeks ago I worked on a buddy of mine's Stoeger pump shotgun, which was marketed as a HD shotgun. Short-ish barrel, all black, etc.. He had it locked up tight. A month or two earlier I had been on the range with him while I was zero'ing the optic on my new AR. He had the shotgun and he had problems getting it to cycle correctly. I should mention my buddy is a 12 year Marine corps vet who did time in Iraq during Desert Storm. He was a gunny and eventually DOD. That said he has a tendency to buy/carry cheap firearms. His EDC is usually either a crappy .22 or a Taurus G2 whatever they're called ( which I had to work on as well).
Back to the Stoeger. The gun was clean when he brought it to the range and as I mentioned he had issues getting it to run right. I correctly ascertained that it was largely his own fault. Short stroking, not fully understanding the way the action works etc. That day at the range he put less than a box of shells through it and he hadn't shot it since when he brought it over locked up tight. He also hadn't cleaned it. So I took it apart and cleaned it thoroughly. It was pretty F'in dirty but frankly it should still have operated correctly. After I cleaned and lubed it and put it back together it was operating as designed. The action is not smooth and the gun demands you cycle it with purpose and authority. But it runs.
I guess my point is that guns like the Mossbergs and 870s, Tac 14s and KSGs absolutely are " Budget" shotguns. Especially compared to Benelli's, Browning A5, etc.. But clearly all budget shotguns are not created equally. There are no shortage of people who believe the KSG is a low rent, hard to run shotgun suited only to the range not SD/HD. My KSG25 is infinitely easier to run and more reliable than that Stoeger.
If I am recommending a wallet friendly, reliable shotgun to a person who is, shall we say, not as familiar with shotguns as I am, I will most likely be recommending a Mossberg pump shotgun. They are cheap and as reliable as any shotgun on the market.
Back to the Stoeger. The gun was clean when he brought it to the range and as I mentioned he had issues getting it to run right. I correctly ascertained that it was largely his own fault. Short stroking, not fully understanding the way the action works etc. That day at the range he put less than a box of shells through it and he hadn't shot it since when he brought it over locked up tight. He also hadn't cleaned it. So I took it apart and cleaned it thoroughly. It was pretty F'in dirty but frankly it should still have operated correctly. After I cleaned and lubed it and put it back together it was operating as designed. The action is not smooth and the gun demands you cycle it with purpose and authority. But it runs.
I guess my point is that guns like the Mossbergs and 870s, Tac 14s and KSGs absolutely are " Budget" shotguns. Especially compared to Benelli's, Browning A5, etc.. But clearly all budget shotguns are not created equally. There are no shortage of people who believe the KSG is a low rent, hard to run shotgun suited only to the range not SD/HD. My KSG25 is infinitely easier to run and more reliable than that Stoeger.
If I am recommending a wallet friendly, reliable shotgun to a person who is, shall we say, not as familiar with shotguns as I am, I will most likely be recommending a Mossberg pump shotgun. They are cheap and as reliable as any shotgun on the market.
HansGruber
Ronin
Still plenty of used 870’s, 500’s, and 1200’s on shelves in this area...
I once chopped down an old beat up Wingmaster...that was a perfect HD shotgun. Added a Wilson +2 extension, a Scattergun Tech tritium ghost ring, Hogue Speedfeed furniture....everything said and done, I had one slick boarder repeller...a lot nicer than a new 870, for certain. Sure, it could only take 2.75” shells, but big deal.
And I had considerably less in it than a comparable new model by anybody...the most expensive part of the whole kit was the sights—and that included the shotgun itself.
I once chopped down an old beat up Wingmaster...that was a perfect HD shotgun. Added a Wilson +2 extension, a Scattergun Tech tritium ghost ring, Hogue Speedfeed furniture....everything said and done, I had one slick boarder repeller...a lot nicer than a new 870, for certain. Sure, it could only take 2.75” shells, but big deal.
And I had considerably less in it than a comparable new model by anybody...the most expensive part of the whole kit was the sights—and that included the shotgun itself.