I put one of these on my xmas list

I don't need one, but I need one

Never owned a shot gun before, are there any differences in brands of shells?  They all work fine?

This would be for home defense, maybe short range small game type stuff.

Maybe shoot some water mellons.

Quote from: Monsterlover on October 20, 2010, 10:15:36 AM
I put one of these on my xmas list

I don't need one, but I need one

Never owned a shot gun before, are there any differences in brands of shells?  They all work fine?

This would be for home defense, maybe short range small game type stuff.

Maybe shoot some water mellons.

there is quite an array of shells for 12ga.  everything from size to recoil to load.  that 870 has an extended tube for 7 rounds, which is measured by using 2 3/4" shells which are standard.  If that has a magnum receiver, you can use 3.5" shells which kick a bit more.  or if you are feeling stupid, get the ramp modified and use 1" shells and put 20 in that tube.

buckshot, birdshit, defense balls, slugs, rifled slugs, firebombs, epsom salt loads, and on and on.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot33.htm

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot5_3.htm

I'll read those later. . .

what's a "firebomb"

im intrigued. . .

Quote from: Monsterlover on October 20, 2010, 11:02:49 AM
I'll read those later. . .

what's a "firebomb"

im intrigued. . .

start watching at about 0:55 unless you like the music..

Dragon's Breath

here is a good survey of "specialty" rounds... the flechettes are the WORST

Exotic Shotgun Ammunition Tests

Im bringing Dragon's Breath to the next DIMBY

My two cents is for home defense you really don't need the 3"-3.5" rounds. 2 3/4" shotshells are perfectly acceptable. Three inch 00 buck is just overkill... pun intended! No full size human is going to fare very well against any standard 2 3/4" shotshell if the shot is placed correctly. Do you live in an apartment, condo, etc. where you share walls with neighbors? Is there more than yourself and SO/wife in your home? As in kiddos, mother in law (OK... you don't have to answer that one! ), etc. The reason I ask is regarding over penetration of hollow core doors and sheetrock walls. Might want to keep that issue in mind regarding the shotshells you deploy.

I'm a fan of 2 3/4" Federal low recoil tactical nine pellet 00 buck (H132). Very effective, patterns well, runs in all my scatterguns, readily available all over the place, easy to control and easy on my bad shoulder. I'm sure you'll get lots of good opinions and advice on this thread. Heck... you should see how effective good old #8 dove and quail hunting loads are within typical room distances! Ouch! The ER doc takes one look at that wound and says f#@k it, can't dig all that lead out!

Doood

stop changing your name

We have a house, and it's just my wife and I + 1 dog and 3 cats.

It's doubtful anyone will ever come in here while we're home, but that doesn't mean I won't have firearms ready to go.

Someone apparently stole my fastwin name while I was "gone"... since I had no copy rights. And rc51 just didn't seem right on a Duc board.

Well if it's just you two and critters you don't have the over penetration concerns that apartment and condo dwellers have. How do you know that no one will ever come while you're at home? That's a huge tactical error. Just because you're watching the ball game on a sunny Sunday afternoon on TV doesn't mean some dirtbag won't kick in your back door looking for trouble. Get over that real quick!

I left our house just the other week and my wife was on the couch with her lap top and my step son was on the computer doing homework in our spare bedroom. A minute after I left to run an errand a blue Ford Taurus pulled in our front circular drive and a guy got out of the front passenger seat and went to our front door. My step son saw all of this because our dog was going nuts barking inside the house. The dude went to our front door and knocked in a friendly "hey, I'm you neighbor" kind of way. Didn't ring the doorbell, he knocked in the "neighborly kind of way". Thankfully our dog nearly ripped the make the beast with two backsing front door off to get him and he got scared and bolted for the car as quick as he could and the driver punched it out of our driveway burning rubber down the street. Gee, think they wanted to sell us frozen steaks or sell Boy Scout popcorn??? Our mutt saved the day. She packs a hell of a punch when it comes to door bell ringing or door knocks! She hates UPS/FedEx and USPS folks!

Don't ever take the seemingly common, normal occurrence for what it is. Those guys were up to no good for sure. I never saw them when I left but I'm damn sure they saw me and were hoping they could drive up and kick in my front or back door and clean house. My goofy but bad ass sounding dog stopped that. If I'd been home the next thing they would have seen is the barrel of my shotgun! But I wasn't there. My wife and kiddo were. Only my pooch stopped what ever they were planning to do. Don't ever assume some piece of shit won't come into your home to cause trouble and horror just because you might be there... or not. OK, my two cents over and out. By the way, I am still pissed as hell about what happened and I wasn't there to prevent it. You can't be there 24/7!! Thankfully my dog took charge! She's worth at least two shotguns when it comes to deterrent!!

I still prefer my AR for home defense.  I am very small in stature, and shotguns are too punishing for me.  I also feel safer with the 5.56 round.  Plenty of tests, including FBI, show that it is one of the safer indoor rounds. 

Here is just an example from Olympic...

http://www.olyarms.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=27

Quote from: oldfastwin on October 20, 2010, 08:53:36 PM
Someone apparently stole my fastwin name while I was "gone"... since I had no copy rights. And rc51 just didn't seem right on a Duc board.

 

Unfortunately it appears that rc51/oldfastwin was registered a day before the new fastwin came on board, so it was still available when you reregistered. 

Quote from: Rhubarb on October 21, 2010, 07:12:40 AM
I still prefer my AR for home defense.  I am very small in stature, and shotguns are too punishing for me.  I also feel safer with the 5.56 round.  Plenty of tests, including FBI, show that it is one of the safer indoor rounds. 

Use low impulse 12 ga, bird shot, or even a 20 ga for better control if you use a shotgun.

Given that a 5.56 FMJ will go thru a padlock, I don't trust it.   I know there have been studies showing SOME forms of 5.56 ammo won't over penetrate.  However, the list that you provided on the OlyArms site also used FMJ pistol rounds.  Who uses FMJ for home defense?  Not anyone I know.

Quote from: oldfastwin on October 20, 2010, 08:53:36 PM
Someone apparently stole my fastwin name while I was "gone"... since I had no copy rights. And rc51 just didn't seem right on a Duc board.

Well if it's just you two and critters you don't have the over penetration concerns that apartment and condo dwellers have. How do you know that no one will ever come while you're at home? That's a huge tactical error. Just because you're watching the ball game on a sunny Sunday afternoon on TV doesn't mean some dirtbag won't kick in your back door looking for trouble. Get over that real quick!

I left our house just the other week and my wife was on the couch with her lap top and my step son was on the computer doing homework in our spare bedroom. A minute after I left to run an errand a blue Ford Taurus pulled in our front circular drive and a guy got out of the front passenger seat and went to our front door. My step son saw all of this because our dog was going nuts barking inside the house. The dude went to our front door and knocked in a friendly "hey, I'm you neighbor" kind of way. Didn't ring the doorbell, he knocked in the "neighborly kind of way". Thankfully our dog nearly ripped the make the beast with two backsing front door off to get him and he got scared and bolted for the car as quick as he could and the driver punched it out of our driveway burning rubber down the street. Gee, think they wanted to sell us frozen steaks or sell Boy Scout popcorn??? Our mutt saved the day. She packs a hell of a punch when it comes to door bell ringing or door knocks! She hates UPS/FedEx and USPS folks!

Don't ever take the seemingly common, normal occurrence for what it is. Those guys were up to no good for sure. I never saw them when I left but I'm damn sure they saw me and were hoping they could drive up and kick in my front or back door and clean house. My goofy but bad ass sounding dog stopped that. If I'd been home the next thing they would have seen is the barrel of my shotgun! But I wasn't there. My wife and kiddo were. Only my pooch stopped what ever they were planning to do. Don't ever assume some piece of shit won't come into your home to cause trouble and horror just because you might be there... or not. OK, my two cents over and out. By the way, I am still pissed as hell about what happened and I wasn't there to prevent it. You can't be there 24/7!! Thankfully my dog took charge! She's worth at least two shotguns when it comes to deterrent!!

you make a great point.

However, note I didn't say I *know* nothing will happen when were home, just that it's unlikely. I'm playing the odds but I know there's still a chance.

It's why I post questions here and put 870's on my Xmas list

You can't go wrong with an 870, or any of the older shotgun models from mossaberg, winchester etc.  High standard, ithaca and browning also make mature designs.  The 870 gets an edge because of its ubiquity.  I just wish it had bottom eject like the ithaca m37.

Why's that?

Quote from: Monsterlover on October 21, 2010, 02:08:49 PM
Why's that?

i just like it. on a high-ROF rifle, it makes a huge difference, but it's a design problem given you have the guts of hte rifle and magazine there.  I forget which system has it -- P90?  -- but it drops the empties right at your feet instead of in the face of your buddy to your right.  i spent a year in lebanon having brass lobbed at me from the gunner.  i would have loved him to have bottom eject.

that all being said, bottom eject on a shotgun is just the cherry on the cherry for a good setup like an 870.

Gotcha

sounds like a personal preference issue

I haven't looked but can I change out the barrel on that 870 for a longer one?

Should I ever want to hunt or shoot skeet/trap.