Animal Defence Pump Shotgun

[Lanark_Sixgunner]

I am looking to buy a pump shotgun to use for animal defence e.g. dogs, bears, lions. I am looking mostly at the Remington 870 or Mossberg 500, though I may be interested in the Maverick 88. I am going to install a pistol-grip for a rear stock, put on a full-capacity mag tube, a side saddle, and a laser sighting device. I am thinking of putting on either an Aimtech or B-Square scope mount. You know, the no gunsmithing wrap-around type. I am leaning towards the B-Square. I will install a green laser for better visibility in the daylight. I plan on using this gun for fast action off the hip. I am not at all considering a full stock. I am in a wheelchair, so the recoil of a 12 off the shoulder is quite bothersome. And off the ATV I find a full stock cumbersome. I would like any opinions you all may have on either of these three guns, and also any recommendations on accessories or ammo.

Lanark Sixgunner

[Wyobuckaroo]

I have fired a pistol grip only pump gun a few times. It was NOT a pleasant experience.

It was very hard to line up to fire and control for a 2nd shot was non existent. The particular firearm I fired was a Remington 870, without a magazine extension. It was a 12 gauge and shooting 00 buck.

With all that aside, if you have special circumstances to deal with, you must use what will be the most useful to you.

I have fired several variations of both Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 and 590 models. Both work very well. Major difference seems to be with handling the controls. Many people, and most left handed people like the safety on top, middle of the Mossberg receiver. There are left hand models of the Remington 870 available, the safety can be converted to left hand, and some lefties learn to reach under the trigger guard to operate the controls.

One suggestion I can think of. A 20 gauge may be a thought. But then, by the time you find potent ammo for it there may be little difference in recoil with stout loads. Probably better to stick with 12 gauge for the variety of loads available.

If I were going to spend money, I would spend it on a Remington.
Of course, my opinion and $1.oo will get you a cup of coffee...... Somewhere..... Bwahahaha

Good luck
Wyo

[jim]

I concur, but I like the Mossburg as well as anything. Around here, potent 20 Ga. loads are easy to come by.

jim

[huckelberry]

keep the stock,just shorten it some and put a deselerator pad,you can also put a mercury tube in the stock to help with the recoil,i would never trust my life to anything that takes batterys to be able to site,caint stress enough about the stock the pistolgrip thing only works good on tv...rem or mossburg dont matter both are great...good luck

[indyguy]

My choice would be a double barrel 12ga. Im not a fan of pump guns or pistol grip shotguns.

Very easy to discharge one barrel at a time without losing your aim and I have never been able to pump a shotgun without losing my target aim.

[hunter63]

If you go with a mag extension, go with the Remington, can't put one on the Mossberg 500 (low end priced one).
Other wise it doesn't matter.

I don't like pistol grips either, fired a couple and they ARE hard to control, besides I don't think I will run into any "Machines", like Sarah Connors.

My "truck gun' is a $100 buck Mossberg 500 with 18-1/2 Breach-er barrel ($79 bucks thru Cabelas), standard stock, 4 shells in the bolt hole in the inside of the stock, under the recoil pad. Also a sling.
AR-15 3-mag carrier pouch hold about 25 or so rounds of 12 ga nicely, I cut out the dividers, and the grenade pouches.

Might put a nylon shell holder on the stock, holds 6, but make the stock too big around to slide into a slim case, so maybe not.

I also stay away from the 3" loads, 2-3/4" shells do just fine, in 4's 6's and 00 buck.

[docsoos]

Good replies here.

I have an Remington 870 and a Mossy 500. The Mossy is the home/animal defense gun, and the 870 is my deer/turkey gun. I think the Remington is a little higher quality than the Mossy, but the Mossy works just fine, too.

I keep the 500 stoked with Remington 2-3/4" or 3" #1 Buck (16 pellets). That particular load was what an ex-cop buddy of mine suggested for two-legged varmint defense (a few more pellets on target area), and terminal results are spectacular, at least on feral cats and coyotes. Those shells are harder to find, but worth the look.

DocSoos

[gunsmoke]

Benelli Super 90 M3 with standard stock. Fastest shooting semi-auto 12 Ga turn the switch and its a pump if you need it.

[tufhelp]

I find the typical pistol grip available for shotguns to be totally intolerable for felt recoil. That type of pistol grip makes you hold the weapon just like a pistol with an under-hand grip, which transmits almost all of the considerable 12 gauge recoil directly back into the wrist and straight back through the arm and elbow joint.

With a modified stock, retaining the grip of the stock will make the shooter take an over-hand type of grip, and then the recoil is dissipated by the inertia being bled off by the hinge action of the elbow joint allowing the weapon to move painlessly backwards, rather like an artillery piece. Simple slight forward pressure on the stock hand along with simultaneous rearward motion of the pump action, returns the weapon to the ready position to fire again if necessary.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q82/willyallen/SawedOff.jpg

[Kilroy]

If you're going to do all that to it why not get a 12 ga. mossberg 835 ulti-mag tactical turkey? It fires 2 3/4" and 3" and the monster 3 1/2" shells, has telescoping stock, 5 round side saddle, 5 round internal capacity, fiber op. sights, pistol grip...

http://www.proguns.com/mossberg-835tacticalturkey.asp

I've had one for three years and it's fun. It's taken two turkeys, too.

The only thing I've done is put a decellerator pad on the butt.

2 3/4" shells are fine and have been for many years but the 3" work nicely, too. The big unz are just too much of a mule kick for what you get.

The pistol grip is easily tolerable through the 2 3/4 and 3, but I have put ONE big'un through it and that was plenty for me.

Other than that the Benelli Super-Nova is the sexy sports car of pumps.