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Shotgun Patterning for Home Defense

michael.ed

Master Class
Founding Member
We often hear, “The great thing about a shotgun for home defense is that you really don’t need to aim, or practice with them. Just point and shoot, you can’t miss!” But as you’ll soon see, that simply isn’t the case.

 
yeah, i was at the range a few weeks ago (the public range), and a moron in the next lane was holding his shotgun by his hip and shooting.

the RSO told him NOT to do that, to with the guy said, "you don't need to aim a shotgun"....

the RSO, read him the riot act.

i moved to a different lane.

dumbasses that never handled any sort of weapon, think that the Hollywood way, is the right way.
 
I think the biggest myth with the shotgun is indeed the "don't need to aim" one - followed closely by the "can't control recoil" and "too big/long to use indoors" ones.

Towards each:

Patterning the gun is definitely something that needs to be done, for any serious-use shotgun. And to those who suggest that the shotgun can't "be surgical?".....

From Active Self Protection - shotgun

As a shotgun owner and as one who has it in his defensive arsenal, I know how mine patterns, and at what kind of distances I can take what kind of shots, with the specific ammo that I've loaded the gun with (note that some shotgunners will go so far as to re-pattern the gun if they simply switch ammo lots). As someone who lives in a dense, suburban area, I have to keep the backdrop in-mind, always.

I also believe that those looking to use a shotgun for defensive purposes really need to understand how to best cope with the recoil of this extremely effective defensive weapon, as well as how to better manipulate it indoors. For both of these, Rob Haught has some very good and very readily learnable techniques: the "push-pull" and "short stocking."

The last two concerns are rather easily rolled into one, I think: the need to run the gun's action (if manually loaded) with-authority (and as soon as the weapon has been discharged), and the need to realize that the shotgun tends to be a rather low-capacity weapon, and basic ammo management should be ingrained into the defensive shooter's base weapon-manipulations skills ("if you're not shooting, should be loading").
 
I think the biggest myth with the shotgun is indeed the "don't need to aim" one - followed closely by the "can't control recoil" and "too big/long to use indoors" ones.

Towards each:

Patterning the gun is definitely something that needs to be done, for any serious-use shotgun. And to those who suggest that the shotgun can't "be surgical?".....

From Active Self Protection - shotgun

As a shotgun owner and as one who has it in his defensive arsenal, I know how mine patterns, and at what kind of distances I can take what kind of shots, with the specific ammo that I've loaded the gun with (note that some shotgunners will go so far as to re-pattern the gun if they simply switch ammo lots). As someone who lives in a dense, suburban area, I have to keep the backdrop in-mind, always.

I also believe that those looking to use a shotgun for defensive purposes really need to understand how to best cope with the recoil of this extremely effective defensive weapon, as well as how to better manipulate it indoors. For both of these, Rob Haught has some very good and very readily learnable techniques: the "push-pull" and "short stocking."

The last two concerns are rather easily rolled into one, I think: the need to run the gun's action (if manually loaded) with-authority (and as soon as the weapon has been discharged), and the need to realize that the shotgun tends to be a rather low-capacity weapon, and basic ammo management should be ingrained into the defensive shooter's base weapon-manipulations skills ("if you're not shooting, should be loading").
Agree, Shotguns can be surgical.
Most avid bird hunters can attest to it with certain loads.
 
Speaking of shotguns, why is it so hard to find a Benelli M1014 with collapsable stock and a 7 round magazine tube for sale?

It's been kinda hard to find many popular defensive/duty firearms - and also popular hobby-guns - throughout this Pandemic.....

I thought things had turned a corner as of this month, but this was a lead on AP today (as picked up by our local Fox outlet):


I'd been punting around the idea of picking up a pair of Glock 44s for me and the little one, but she was hesitant about it, given that she's already got a .22LR pistol that she adores - and also that she has a G17.... We were out on a quick weekend getaway, anyway, so I couldn't just hop in the car and go to the LSG where I saw the guns in-stock, so I decided that instead of calling my friend who owns the shop and calling-in a favor, I'd just let this ride and see if the guns were still available when we got back.

I checked stock on a Friday night: 3 available.

They were gone by Monday morning.
 
It's been kinda hard to find many popular defensive/duty firearms - and also popular hobby-guns - throughout this Pandemic.....

I thought things had turned a corner as of this month, but this was a lead on AP today (as picked up by our local Fox outlet):


I'd been punting around the idea of picking up a pair of Glock 44s for me and the little one, but she was hesitant about it, given that she's already got a .22LR pistol that she adores - and also that she has a G17.... We were out on a quick weekend getaway, anyway, so I couldn't just hop in the car and go to the LSG where I saw the guns in-stock, so I decided that instead of calling my friend who owns the shop and calling-in a favor, I'd just let this ride and see if the guns were still available when we got back.

I checked stock on a Friday night: 3 available.

They were gone by Monday morning.
Well you can find whatever kind of ammo you want, you're just going to pay too much for it. As for guns, Prices really have remained fairly stable I think, it just was hard to get certain guns for awhile. All the local places around me have completely full shelves right now though.
 
Pattern on my 870 cylinder bore 12 ga, Federal #4buck on water moccasin from 7 yards tonight. Note the hole at the bottom of the rock wall the Pattern was pretty tight.
 

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I picked up the hull this morning, yes it is FliteControl wads, however I was wrong about #4 buck. It was 9 pellet 00. I had just grabbed a shell from the bench when I got the snake alarm and did not stop the read the print. I think you are right, I do not recall them making #4 flite control.
 
^ Thanks for checking! :) I was thinking that maybe I'd get to play with another load - not necessarily for HD, but just to try out. You've just saved me hours of possibly futile hunting online! :LOL: (y)

For a while, all I could get was the 9-pellet version, and although I have no qualms about using it for what I use the gun (run-of-the-mill HD-setup 12 ga. 870, Cyl.) for, that pesky 9th pellet does widen the pattern with my gun after about 15 yards.
 
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