Shotgun Question

[Bard2dbone]

I
Another +1 to dogs. (Digme, those boxers are beautiful - and intimidating. I bet they're total sweeties!)

This reminded me of something funny. My grandmother has a Dachsund named Puddin'. Puddin' is a tiny little thing with one of those tiny little You-can-ignore-me barks. But when she carries around a certain blue rubber ball that is her favorite thing in the world, her bark changes...a LOT. With the ball in her mouth she sounds like a Rottweiler. Seriously, she goes from low volume soprano/falsetto to serious volume bass, just by putting that ball in her mouth.


"Yip. Yip. Yip."*picks up ball*"GROOWLLLLF!!! GRROWWLLLFFFF!!!!"

Darned impressive.

 

[Tsal]

I agree that it's best to use that loading sound only if you can keep the burglar in sights whole the time - if you can't pull it off, don't do it. Besides, you can just shout at the guy to freeze for the same effect so there's really no point for it.

I'd hate to warn the burglar that I'm around the corner, and I'd hate to warn him that I'm coming with a gun in my hand, especially if he's armed. The same thing goes for flashlights and other tactical lights, they look fancy but you should switch it on only when you have the target in sights and from a safe distance and after you've made sure that his potential friend can't attack you from behind.

If I thought someone was breaking into my house, I'd call the cops and go guard the staircase or the hallway. There's really no sense in rushing into a dark room when you don't know what's waiting even if you have a gun at hand. Surprise is the greatest benefit but it also works against you.

 

[FL Knifemaker]

I dunno guys..........

I've taken quite a few gun classes including tactical shotgun and NEVER heard anyone suggest using the sound of a racking action as a first warning to an intruder!! All you will accomplish is giving away your location and the fact that you are armed. That's two negatives as far as I'm concerened! Do what you feel is best but if there is someone uninvited in my home, near my family, they have already passed the point of no return. If they are outside, I'd let the dogs sort out the situation while I observe from safe cover. I certainly wouldn't shoot somone outside my home but still wouldn't provide them "I'm armed with a shotgun" sound/warning.

 

[Foamy]

Many shotguns are not "drop safe" with a round in the chamber, so I wouldn't recommend keeping it in such a state.

I won't drop mine.
I'd prefer a useful weapon - one with a round in the chamber ready to go.
I also am recommending just 2 guns - the 870 or a 500; both are great tools. Nothing is foolproof though.
I give my self the advantage of a full gun, and credit for not being clumsy with it.

 

[Foamy]

I dunno guys..........

I've taken quite a few gun classes including tactical shotgun and NEVER heard anyone suggest using the sound of a racking action as a first warning to an intruder!! All you will accomplish is giving away your location and the fact that you are armed. That's two negatives as far as I'm concerened! Do what you feel is best but if there is someone uninvited in my home, near my family, they have already passed the point of no return. If they are outside, I'd let the dogs sort out the situation while I observe from safe cover. I certainly wouldn't shoot somone outside my home but still wouldn't provide them "I'm armed with a shotgun" sound/warning.

Yes! This is my point exactly! But stated better!!
The shotgun racking thing is a bit of Hollywood hooey!

 

[bassturtle]

Perhaps it was the bad lock on the apartment, or the weird sound the wind made through the canyon, but I'm more certain that it had to do with me being responsible for the protection of my fiance. I just did not feel safe.

Which is why I ended up with the firearms I have. Before I was married, personal protection wasn't something that really crossed my mind - now that I have someone sleeping next to me that I feel responsible to protect, I have multiple guns.

Listen to whatever these guys post on here. They've always been more than helpful when it comes to guns for me.

 

[bassturtle]

Do what you feel is best but if there is someone uninvited in my home, near my family, they have already passed the point of no return.

That is the best way to put my opinion on home defense. No idea if you're there for my wife or just my TV. Not my problem nor my responsibility to figure out in a split second. Boom.

 

[Giraffe]

Listen to whatever these guys post on here.

I don't mean to hurt anybody's feelings, or make anyone look bad, or start a childish flame war, but this is absurd. A tiny percentage of folks on here might be qualified to speak authoritatively on this subject, but the original poster has no way of seperating the wheat from the chaff. And most of it is not wheat. The original poster doesn't even know the names of the vast majority of responders. How can he possibly be expected to seperate the well-intended nonsense from the few who might speak from a solid foundation?

If a person is shopping for an amp, and he gets some bad advice, life goes on. If a person is trying to formulate a strategy for self defense, and he gets some bad advice, he might get to find out how unforgiving armed confrontation really is.

This subject is way too serious to trust to chance. If you are serious, you need and deserve a fully vetted source of information.

 

[FL Knifemaker]

I don't mean to hurt anybody's feelings, or make anyone look bad, or start a childish flame war, but this is absurd. A tiny percentage of folks on here might be qualified to speak authoritatively on this subject, but the original poster has no way of seperating the wheat from the chaff. And most of it is not wheat. The original poster doesn't even know the names of the vast majority of responders. How can he possibly be expected to seperate the well-intended nonsense from the few who might speak from a solid foundation?

If a person is shopping for an amp, and he gets some bad advice, life goes on. If a person is trying to formulate a strategy for self defense, and he gets some bad advice, he might get to find out how unforgiving armed confrontation really is.

This subject is way too serious to trust to chance. If you are serious, you need and deserve a fully vetted source of information.

Good points. Anyone considering a shotgun for home defense, find a class and spend a day at the range with your girl. Even if you consider yourself an expert , no harm in a refresher. The practice is good too. Getting good training as far as shooting form and gun handling is very important right from the begining. Good instructors make it fun, they want you to come back. I never took a gun class that wasn't fun..............well 95 degrees in August humidity here in Florida SUCKED but it was still fun!!

 

[syciprider]

So did we get a shotgun yet?

 

[Stubb]

I'm going against the grain here, but once I get into my own place I would rather have a double barrel under my bed than a pump.

1. Faster follow up.
2. If one side misfires, you have another trigger and barrel and shell all ready to go.
3. No loud noise to give your position away.

My dad now keeps his 870 12 gauge that I got him for his 50th under his bed. Before that it was a .30-40 Krag. My dad lives a low profile life, but it just isn't something to mess around with.

There is nothing wrong with keeping a shotgun under the bed. If you have kids, the shotgun isn't a "no-no," it's something you teach them about at a very early age. My dad's guns were in his cloest, unlocked, but we never even had the thought that we should play with them. "Play" and "gun" never belong in the same sentence, and from a very early age kids in houses with guns need to be taught this.

 

[Spoiled Grape]

So did we get a shotgun yet?

LOCKED AND LOADED.



Just kidding.

I posted somewhere earlier that we would look into home security classes/expert opinion first. I'm actually not a gun enthusiast at all, so I had no idea what I was getting into when I solicited the advice.

Right now the fiance is living back home with her gun crazy nut dad, so she's fine. Once we find *the* house later this year, I'll have formulated a good plan for home security. The gun being *hopefully* the part that doesn't ever need to be used.

 

[syciprider]

Check in Calguns.net, thehighroad.org or thefiringline.com to see if there are any local firearm instructors.

If you wanna go shooting and are willing to drive down to Temecula, lemme know and we'll throw some lead downrange in Fallbrook.

I have a 20ga pump and a few other pieces you can try.

 

[Bard2dbone]

Good points. Anyone considering a shotgun for home defense, find a class and spend a day at the range with your girl. Even if you consider yourself an expert , no harm in a refresher. The practice is good too. Getting good training as far as shooting form and gun handling is very important right from the begining. Good instructors make it fun, they want you to come back. I never took a gun class that wasn't fun..............well 95 degrees in August humidity here in Florida SUCKED but it was still fun!!

This is good advice. I am an expert with mine, but I still go take a class with every new purchase. There might subtle but VERY important differences from one weapon to the next. And you may have developed bad habits in your practice that make you less effective. A good instructor will tell you, say: "You're dropping this elbow so your second shot will tend to be off to the left." or something like that. Whereas you just might notice the drifting second shot and blame your aim rather than your form. It happens.

There is no such thing as too much training when it comes to firearms.

 

[Kelly Lee]

This is good advice. I am an expert with mine, but I still go take a class with every new purchase. There might subtle but VERY important differences from one weapon to the next. And you may have developed bad habits in your practice that make you less effective. A good instructor will tell you, say: "You're dropping this elbow so your second shot will tend to be off to the left." or something like that. Whereas you just might notice the drifting second shot and blame your aim rather than your form. It happens.

There is no such thing as too much training when it comes to firearms.

+1

 

[SomecallmeTim]

There is no such thing as too much training when it comes to firearms.

A huge +1 to this one. It really sounds like you're going about it in the right way, though.

 

[burk48237]

I don't mean to hurt anybody's feelings, or make anyone look bad, or start a childish flame war, but this is absurd. A tiny percentage of folks on here might be qualified to speak authoritatively on this subject, but the original poster has no way of seperating the wheat from the chaff. And most of it is not wheat. The original poster doesn't even know the names of the vast majority of responders. How can he possibly be expected to seperate the well-intended nonsense from the few who might speak from a solid foundation?

If a person is shopping for an amp, and he gets some bad advice, life goes on. If a person is trying to formulate a strategy for self defense, and he gets some bad advice, he might get to find out how unforgiving armed confrontation really is.

This subject is way too serious to trust to chance. If you are serious, you need and deserve a fully vetted source of information.

First thing Tom, I am assuming, maybe my mistake, that the OP will see the variety of opinions and sort it out. One of the first pieces of advice was to seek professional training which has been echoed many times over. Most of the bad advice has been quickly debunked by some of our resident authorities. I still think TB is a surprisingly good source on this kind of stuff. But not by any means the only source.

 

[FL Knifemaker]

One thing about tactical shooting classes that the girls like is SCREAMING at the human bad guy targets before they shoot!! They really get into it. You can really find out a lot about your girlfriend or spouse in these situations The drill is a parking lot situation. The instructions are to yell very lound warnings to get back, get away, the the F away, etc. When the target doesn't retreat, empty every round in the gun, center of mass as they aproach the target....... Then and optional bashing the barrel of the emtpy gun in the mouth on the target. Girls can get dowright MEAN!!

 

[Spector_Ray]

I don't think anyone said that the first form of defense is racking the action of your shotgun. The only point that was made is that if an intruder is in your home and he/she hears a shell being chambered, that's a hell of a sign that something's not going well to say the least. I don't keep mine loaded and I do keep it in my gun safe. I have a 1911 within easy reach.

No WAY I'm trusting my life to that stuff. If we're already in my home I'm not going to get myself killed playing with bean bags.

bc

I agree. That information was provided for those who have laws regarding less lethal ammunition. Personally, I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six.

 

[Giraffe]

First thing Tom, I am assuming, maybe my mistake, that the OP will see the variety of opinions and sort it out.[/QUOTE)

Look at it from the standpoint of the fellow who had to ask the original question. Most reasonable persons would agree that he doesn't yet have the training/experience/expertise to intelligently evaluate responses from a variety of anonymous sources on this subject, all of whom speak as if they are experts or at least qualified to dispense advice. How can he be expected to tell who is throwing well-intended bunk, and who is de-bunking the bunk? If he could tell what was factual and what was Hollywood, he wouldn't be asking a fundamental question. He should be commended for taking responsibility for his girlfriend's safety, but he doesn't have the skill set or background to sort out the variety of opinions.

Did you notice how many posts it took before someone mentioned choke? How much confusion and uncertainty about whether it was appropriate to rack as some sort of warning? Guesswork is no big deal when you're considering changing toothpaste, it's quite another when someone is telling you it's all right to leave a weapon in condition one (or zero) under a bed, since you've talked to your children about it from a young age. This poor guy is faced with what looks to me like a minefield, with a few diamonds scattered around in it!

I think part of my problem with all of this is that it creeps me out to be talking lethal force with folks who don't use their real names!