Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Home defense shotgun recommendations

What’s the most economical, reliable gun for home defense purposes? Any thoughts on a weatherby pa-08? Saw one like new for 300.00

What are you willing to risk your life and your family's life with? Serious question.

Weatherby's these days are price point guns. They fail regularly. You see any police departments issue Weatherbys for their cops? Yeah, me neither....

VERY cheapest I would go is the Mossberg 500 (US Military had luck with them except the plastic safeties) but the Remington 870 would be my first choice. The older Police model trade-ins are where I would start.

I'd second a Remington 870. There are lots of them out there. You probably want an 18 inch cylinder barrel. The barrels are available from various after market sources. And you need to practice with them some, as they can be short stroked under stress.

3rd vote for an 870. 18-20 " barrel .

I have a Mossberg 590 A1 with ghost sights. Great shotgun for the house.

Good choice. The magazine on the 500 isn’t friendly concerning extra capacity.

Can't go wrong with an 870.

I utilize a 22" Winchester 1300 because I already had it. But, if buying new........ 870. Easy call.

Yeah, 870 has been my go to pump shotgun but just wanted to see if there was anything as good but cheaper. Not a weapon that will get lots of use but want it to work when it needs to. Thanks for the input

There are a lot of mechanically sound used 870s out there in used gun racks and gun shows. Been awhile since I looked for one, but used to be easy to find them for $300 or less., and the police turn-ins will have an 18-20" barrel already.

I stocked up a few years ago. The two on the left are 870s, the rest are assorted Ithacas:

I’ve seen a number of 870’s jam. Not sure if it’s design or operator induced. I’d hesitate to choose one for a primary defense gun.

Wingmasters or the express model?
Im not sure I ever had a jam on a wingmaster.
The express on the other hand……
I have been working on a 20ga express that my
daughter won at a DU dinner 20 years ago. It sat in the safe with less than 2 boxes of shells through it. Grandson started using it and it became impossible to pump. I have stoned the insides and found a lot of burr’s. Working pretty well now. A little polish and some shooting and hopefully it will be a good gun.
Ithaca 37’s and Win model 12’s and Rem 31’s woild be my choices afrer 870 wingmaster

Several Wingmasters that I can recall offhand for sure. Not sure which on a couple others.

I always cringe when I hear the old wive’s tale of scaring an intruder with the sound of racking a pump gun. That would be a great time for a jam!

To be fair, I’ve seen lots more malfunctions with autoloaders. Some of this would be expected as a numbers thing. In my world, autoloaders outnumber pumps probably 10:1.

I’d sure not be going cheap on a defense gun. But then, I’d only buy life insurance from a highly rated company, too.

REM 870, Mossberg 500, or Ithaca 37. All proven pump guns in the military and by untold police agencies. Any one of them will work well.

If an 870 jams it almost never the guns fault. 870 for HD but learn how to run the thing

Model 12's and 870's like standard American shells. Winchester, Remington, Federal. They often don't like the foreign imports that may have a different rim or length. My Model 12's hate Rio's. They will often extract hard or are too long for the port.

A hiccup would be the shells or operator fault and not the guns.

Most malfunctions with any of the good quality pump guns are operator errors.

Never had a reliability issue or short stroking an 870 while water fowling and if the gun goes submerged you just unload, empty the water out, check for bore obstructions and resume hunting. End of day remove the 2 pins for the trigger assembly and remove. Spray out the assembly with WD-40 or CLR, swab the barrel and coat the exterior with products previously mentioned. This model is easy to disassemble and maintain even in the field if you carry a multi tool and bore snake.

I HAVE short stroked a BPS 10 gauge when switching to geese, this model requires a long pull on the front end to fully eject out the bottom, pick up a new 3 1/2" shell and go boom. Several times I have heard a click when transitioning to this gun. This model is also more difficult to disassemble when adversity strikes.

I have a Maverick 88 20" 12ga and an older Mossberg 500 with an 18" barrel. Both work just fine.

Have seen an Express or two that would lock up on the cheap, "low brass" steel-head shells due to rough chambers—polishing the chambers cured the problem.

These days I would find a used police 870. I have had four over the years and they are remarkably reliable. I still have a couplevof 870's. One is a beautiful 2 3/4 in Wingmaster, another an Express and finaly,a LEO tradein..

With rifle sights, 21" IC or screw choke barrrel a light and side saddles I would think you would be set. If you get one with a short magaine ,it is easy to add to the tube if desired..

I also have had a fondness for Ithaca Deerslayers.We had them in Vietnam and I got some as soon as I got out. Again, very reliable. Not as available as when LAPD sold theris.

You indicated you wanted a budget gun. If you ever want to spend a bit more money, get a Beretta 1301T. I did. For defense I feel there is no comparison.

gunbroker, find an 870P with a surefire light for around 6 bills.

Thanks everyone

Just one more option to think about. The 870 fieldmaster compact. 20guage. 18"bbl. 12" LOP. very versatile for all family members. It may not be just you who needs it in an emergency. Just another option.

Pretty good option, for anyone.

A few years back the gun store had a ithaca 37 police special for 500 bucks. I walked away. Kick myself every day om that one

Maverick 88 or Mossberg 500. I got the 500 as a package deal with an 18" barrel and a hunting barrel. It's no show piece but I'm happy with it and more importantly I trust it.

BOOM!!

Thanks for all the replies. I ended up getting a 870 Tactical with magpul furniture, short rail with xs ghost ring sights and breacher choke tube. I believe this one was produced when Remington was still Remington.

That’s a great choice. You might consider sending it to Vang Comps and letting them give it some serious TLC. You get what you pay for.

I have my 870 set up. Magazine extension tubes are reasonable and available. If you have a barrel that takes REM chokes you can buy cylinder bore chokes. Newer 870's dimpled the end of the magazine tube its easy to drill the dimple out so you can use the extension tube. Enjoy the search! Plenty of used 870's available on Gunbroker. The smooth bore slug barrel is a nice set up and most are cylinder bore. You might get lucky and find one that took REM chokes.

I'm rather fond of my Maverick 88 for this

The 20 gauge is a mighty workable choice for those of us tired of the beating inflicted by 12 gauge patrol shotguns.


Back door:

Remington 870 20 gauge, mostly for animal issues, with a red fiber optic front sight. Right now, there’s a high intensity flashlight screwed onto the front of the mag, using a special, double ended mag tube cap, and the light beam indexes pretty well with the sight.

Front door:

RIA VR82 20 gauge for who knows what, with Leupold RDS and XS Big Dot Tritium Express angled back up sights for day or night, plus a Streamlight TLR-3 fastened to the port side of the hand guard at the front. Three more 5-shot box mags of No.3 Buck wait just to the left of the coat rack.

Both are 20 gauge, with No.3 Buck for easy control by me or Wifey, yet with reasonable effectiveness.

In reserve:

Remington 1100 12 gauge with slugs, ‘cause we do have a Black Bear snoops around once in a while. But, long as that’s all it does, we’ll continue getting along just fine. XS Tritium Express sights for day or night.

For cheaper home defense, this is my choice in shotguns.

Do not spray or"lube" with WD-40. It is not a lubricant. It was designed to "displace water (hence the " WD" of the WD-40 name , "Water Displacement"). WD-40 will gum up an action.

Clean with cleaner (Ii.e. Hope's #9 or similar), then lube with oil. I use Marvel Mystery Oil. Works well in cold temps too.

Vang Comp seems to be proud of their work given the caption—"A more capable 20ga fighting shotgun, there never was." Looks like they cut through the rib to mount the Holosun.

Always wanted one of these

A good short barreled shotgun, cycle that action in a dark house, and you have the bad guy's attention.

I prefer a double barrel. Just go out on the balcony and fire two blasts. I promise you, who ever is coming in is gonna leave.

😂

Yeah, not for me. Not gonna give up my postion.

My luck in a stressful situation, Id short stroke it and cause a jam.

They will never hear the safety on my Benelli M4

Someone had to say it. (Face palm). 🫤

When you live in a small 2 bedroom farm house (682 sq ft upstairs), there is limited guess work involved as to your location.

If the bad guy will retreat, and I don't have to shoot, that's great, I don't have to make a mess in the house.

Yeah, racking the slide is just a silly idea…..

Just pull the trigger and find out how your life will change.

For sure, but not as much as the bad guy’s will!

I have a short barrelled 7 shot Maverick. It cycles reliably and fires when you pull the trigger.

I’ve been pleased with my A300 Patrol.
It cycles reliably on reduced recoil Hornady & Federal Flight control buck shot and slugs

https://youtube.com/shorts/xzCeZwW50J0?si=kv0GHSPBro8Mfaeo

Mossberg Maverick 88 is a solid 18” pump shotgun that won’t break the bank.

My mom keeps my short barreled, pistol grip 870 next to the bed ready to rock and roll once the Airedale lets her know there's danger present.

It sounds like youve been through concealed carry training and know the legal ramifications of deadly force. It may be the most expensive round you ever fire....

My handiest gun around the house is a Marlin 1895 lever .410. I use it to dispatch snakes, skunks and other chicken raiders and keep it handy for home defense.

I might suggest a bull pup design for inside the house. Going thru doorways and narrow hallways with a shouldered long gun even with an 18 inch barrel can be problematic. The bull pup can really help this. Check out the KSG from Kel tec. 600$ at palmetto sometimes. Something too ponder.