Survival Shotgun
We hear a lot about the handguns and the rifles that are recommended for home defense and survival, but the shotgun is often overlooked.
The shotgun, may in fact be the best and most versatile survival weapon of all.
While, it’s not easy to conceal and its hard to deploy in tight spaces, so it’s not ideal to foil street crime or carjacking. However, for home defense and urban/suburban civil disorder situations the shotgun has great advantages over handguns and carbines. Just the sight of that big barrel and the sound of a round being jacked into the chamber can be enough to discourage most thugs.
One shot puts multiple projectiles downrange in a pattern that has a much better chance at a first shot hit than any other firearm. A direct hit at close range will positively stop the criminal D-E-A-D in his tracks. A few round sending dozens of projectiles downrange will stop a whole gang. Lower velocity “law enforcement” round are ideal for close quarters and indoors encounters since they have reduced recoil and less likelihood of injuring innocent people further away. In the street you are getting off about six rounds to the handgun’s one or two.
Shotguns have amazing versatility. You can perforate a vehicle with buckshot or stop it with a slug or armor-piercing round. You can use breaching rounds to open doors or use exploding or incendiary rounds to discourage attackers or clear your escape rout. Of course once you are safe you can still bring down game for food with shot and slugs. Compared to good handguns and combat rifles, shotguns are relatively cheap. You can get a good, new combat style pump, shotgun for around $300.00 to $400.00 dollars.
Shotguns are often less regulated than handguns and rifles and therefore, attract less attention. I do recommend that you replace the stock with a folding or collapsible stock for close situations. You may also want to ad a shell holder for quick reloads or to keep special rounds close by. Other customizing options include a magazine extension, barrel shroud, flashlight and laser pointer. Accessories are available for most Mossberg, Winchester, and Remington shotguns from Advanced Technology of Milwaukee Wisconsin and at most sporting goods stores.
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A wide variety of ammunition is available for all occasions. Shown here are: law enforcement rounds (short), double-ought buckshot, slugs, armor -piercing, flamethrower, fireball, breaching, and non-lethal rubber rounds.
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Mossberg 500, 12-gauge “camper” model came with a pistol grip (no stock) this was easily replaced with an Advanced Technology folding stock and a 5-round shell holder.
Ithaca “riot gun” designed for police use outdoors. It’s little less maneuverable indoors and not as convertible. Though you could saw off the stock and refinish the pistol grip.
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About the Author: IndianaJJ
Author Bio: James C. Jones is the president of Live Free USA, a not-for-profit organization devoted to advocating and supporting emergency preparedness and family self-reliance. Live Free USA publishes the American Survivor newsletter, conducts seminars and supports chapters. They can be contacted at www.AmericanSurvivor.Org, LFINOW@AOL.COM or at Live Free USA, Box 3295, Munster, IN 46321
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There are few other weapons at any price (or licensing complications) available for civilians that can put as many lead projectiles downrange in the same amount of time as a good 12 gage shotgun firing buckshot. 6 to eight .30 caliber balls per pull of the trigger in the general direction of a pack of bad guys as fast as you can rack the slide….or even faster with an automatic.
Arguably, a load of #6 or 7 shot is pretty dang good. At close range I have seen it stop & Drop. Also you can make cut shells, a simple form of slug made by cutting almost all the way around the shell at the wad, for a ‘poor mans’ slug.
12 gage is a good defense weapon, but for survival I would recommend the 22LR. More rounds less weight, can be silenced very easy. Would be able to take down most game. Can carry pistol, revolver and rifle in same cal. One more thing, there is now a 22lr round equal to the 22mag. I don’t know about you all but I plan to move around so I can keep track of what is going on.
I stopped reading at this sentence:
“the sound of a round being jacked into the chamber can be enough to discourage most thugs.”
There is no reason to read further. This is the worst advice ever given. Anyone who suggests this has questionable credibility.
Questionable credibility?
Well, having been in situations where a round has been jacked, color drained from faces and the “thugs” stopped and stared gives the statement credibility. Does it happen every time no, but then again he did say most. Did it keep said “thugs” quiet for long, no, but it did change their moods immensely and took their focus from aggressive to defensive.
Should you rely on this, not for a second because each situation is different, but to discount the entire article based on a statement that happens in the real world. Folly.