Home Defense Shotguns

Muddyboots

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So looking to add a semi auto home defense shotgun. Looking at these:

Mossberg


Savage

Benelli

Beretta

Anyone have one of these and share pros & cons? Anything else out there to consider? Charge handle size important for Sasquatch hands. 6+1 capacity min.

Installing rapid access safe for additional step to improve response time. Why? Why not?

Ammo is another story but feel solid on what I want to use. On 5 acres so not worried about shooting neighbor's fridge.
 
I have the Mossberg 930 and a Black Aces Pro Series. I like them both, no problems to report with either. I've dumped many tubes full of mixed shotshells down each for reliability testing. Mixing bird, buck, slugs, 2 3/4" & 3" shells. Both have functioned flawlessly to date. The black Aces is nice with the wood furniture, but it is light weight. It has a pretty good wallop to it with 3" magnum loads. I doubt you'd notice it if you needed to use it. I can hit 8" steel gongs with both at 100 yards with slugs. I run 3" #4 turkey loads in the house.
 
Have you looked at the Beretta A300 Patrol? Very similar to the 1301 at a lower cost. I put a Holosun and light on mine. It's light and reliable.


I'll second this ^^^^, way less money than the 1301 and a really good shotgun. The downside to it is the texture will shred your hands on long range sessions of you aren't a mason for your day job.

The 1301 is a great shotgun, if the budget allows you can't go wrong but I'd probably put an A300 in the truck and one in the house instead.

The benelli is a hard hard no for me, lock time you can measure with a sun dial and harsh recoil. The recoil isn't as bad as some other benellis but the M4 shoots harsh compared to the A300 for sure.

The Mossberg 940 is a nice gun, have been around a couple and they run.
 
I like the Mac Benelli clone. 18" barrel with ghost ring sights.
 

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Have you looked at the Beretta A300 Patrol? Very similar to the 1301 at a lower cost. I put a Holosun and light on mine. It's light and reliable.

This is what I have as well. Functions smooth, fast, fairly light, and short. Very aggressive grip and fore end for a secure hold.

I can say I am running 2 3/4" shells rather than 3" mags in mine, but a dose of 00 buck, #4 buck, or 1oz slug from a 2 3/4" is plenty to cure what ails an intruder. Plus, you get 1 more 2 3/4" shell in the tube magazine rather than 3" mags.
 
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This is what I have as well. Functions smooth, fast, fairly light, and short. Very aggressive grip and fore end for a secure hold.

I can say I am running 2 3/4" shells rather than 3" mags in mine, but a dose of 00 buck, #4 buck, or 1oz slug from a 2 3/4" is plenty to cure what ails an intruder. Plus, you get 1 more 2 3/4" shells in the tube magazine rather that 3" mags.
I think that aggressive grip is perfect for the intent, at least for me. I've ran 2-3/4 00 buck through mine mostly as well as some low brass trap loads to play with. It runs those just fine also.
 
In the opinion of many MANY defensive shotgun authorities for under $900 you absolutely CAN NOT possibly go wrong or do better than the Beretta A300 Ultra Patrol.
If I could have any dedicated HD shotgun regardless of cost hands down no questions asked it would be a Beretta 1301.
 
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