Desert Rat

smileyguy: With a light and laser sighted in on a shotgun shooting from the side is faster than bringing it to your shoulder and in a tense situation it is more stable than at the shoulder with your arm stretched out to support the weapon. With a sling I can use it one handed if needed. I guess pistol grips are meant to be used by those that are coordinated enough to use them properly.

I taught my Granddaughter to aim with her body and shoot from the hip/ side. My 76 year old cousin who weighs under 100 pounds and close to 5 ft shoots by aiming with her body by holding the shotgun tight to her side. It is not movie garbage as it can be practiced and shots can be placed effectively in close quarters such as in a house where a large room is 15 by something and a long hall is 30 or 40 ft. Yes I have a shot gun dedicated for home defense and others for shoulder fire with stocks for outside work.

The Knoxx pistol grip reduces the felt recoil 40% and is obvious while shooting. The Knoxx tactical stock claims to reduce the felt recoil by 80%. I am waiting for my latest addition to my HD collection which will have one along with being able to shoot 3.5 shells or slugs. I shoot from the hip or side if you want to get technical about it because home defense is in a distance of less than 40 ft and I practice shooting that distance. With a laser and light attached to the gun you do not need to find a flashlight and with a pressure switch you can have momentary light to evaluate the situation without becoming a fixed target. A light with a strobe will be an added advantage as it will temporarily disorient the intruder. Shooting from the side keeps the weapon close and tight to your side and makes it easier to maneuver through rooms without someone being able to disarm you. That is also the reason to use a 18.5 barrel and pistol grip to make the weapon the shortest possible. You actually have better overall control of your weapon at your side than at your shoulder. I have only been practicing using a shoot gun this way for 40+ years. For home defense I would recommend 3 inch #4 shot rather than 00 or slugs.

My range area is about 300 yards long and I am using a little over 200. It is L shaped so I have a high berm all around but the noise still can be heard at the house across a 60 ft ridge while shooting in the opposite direction. I live across Clinch mountain from the county seat and only have one neighbor within one mile. I do hear gun fire from the area down the road from time to time but I think lately they have heard more from my place.

I bought a Bond Arms Snake Slayer and took it out to my range to test. I fired Two rounds of 3 inch #4 and promptly traded it in for something that did not do more damage to me than what I was shooting at.

They did not even ask permission to release that footage they shot at my house. I guess I will have to sue! Erik: The way I remember it you were the one behind the camera!

You want my 300 Win Mag so you can do some real shooting!

You will just have to give it to me as it almost matches my 835. It does look good!

Mike's Gun Shop in Tazewell is where I picked up mine.

Erik88: Sorry! No hat, no bibs and Chuck is about as tall as I am. I think it is the Camo P.J.s that make them appear soft. I only wear my camo P.J.s when no one is looking.

I have read so many predictions of when the world will end. I think the last one claimed it would end in April of 2010, or was it June or 2008, maybe it was 1973 and we are not here at all. For those who need something to worry about, it will always be next decade, or that we have passed a tipping point and can only save the word with drastic actions by ll living persons. If every one sends me 1 thousand dollars I will see that you live 500 years. If for some reason I am wrong and you die before that you can just apply for a refund and I will be happy to refund your money. (Small print: The contract is between you and I if either should die the contract becomes null and void as the remaining signator can not sue a person who no longer exists or pay a person who is dead) When the Doomsday clock strikes Midnight only the 5 to 10 percent of the current world population that survive an Extension Level Event will be concerned about it. It could strike midnight today or 5 thousand years from now. Live as if it will strike 5 thousand years from now.

I said my piece and will leave it at that!

Two years ago I taught my second youngest granddaughter to point shoot a 12 gauge while tightly tucking in into her side as she was not big enough to fire it from her shoulder. For defensive use it is faster and easier and a laser makes it easier. Most home defense situations happen at night so having the light attached means not having to find two items in a stressful situation with pressure switches on either a vertical or ergo foregrip. But each person needs to experiment and practice to find what works best for them. I was just responding in kind to your comments.

I guess that makes your combined total experience with a shotgun about what? I know you both have been shooting shotguns since you were knee high to a Grassshopper and have put thousands of rounds through them in all configurations. I will leave it to your superior knowledge of the use of a shorgun as I only have a bit of history using them since the early 70s or late 60s so lack your worldly experience of 6 to 12 years or a combined of maybe 20 if you are lucky! I was probably practicing with a shotgun before your parents were born!

Pick up any basic weapon, add the desired length barrel, then pick up a aftermarket stock, Consider a railed foregrip. Basically design your own. It would help if you could test other configurations that people have already put together for their use.

I use the hip shoot method for home defense and train with a laser +light. It keeps the weapon closer to the body and harder to take away from you.

Having a couple with different configurations. Order the low recoil buck shot or they occasionally have 2 inch shells. Stick with the 12 as there are more options and a greater variety of ammo/ options for either the 500,590, or 870. I agree with getting a slightly used and using the saved money to get a Knoxx Tactical stock with adjustable LOP and reduced recoil. If you get a rail fore end then you can have a light laser combo on it for night use. The Mariner or marine finish is for salt water enviorments and would be more durable here but you can later have a coating (paint) put on it as some of those finishes are for extreme use such as in the field. With either the 18.5 500 or 870 you can easily get another longer barrel for birding or hunting. The 590 comes with the extended mag and a 20 inch barrel. The other thing is to buy lots of bird shot / target shells and practice a whole bunch. Of course for home defense a double barrel would be enough but I would still suggest a tactical 12 configuration or aftermarket upgrades to a used weapon.

Sorry to disappoint you Erik But this OF carries in a fanny pack because of the other things I carry now when I go to town. Also a belted holster just looks out of place over BIBS and I am afraid my pants will fall down if I carry a Kimber in my pocket.

If you are a good shot a .177 pellet fired form a CO2 pistol is large enough. If you are a bad shot this is not large enough 110-mm Multiple Launch Rocket System I do not believe I have seen this in a CC version!

I picked up the Knoxx pistol grip stock that they claim reduces felt recoil 40% for my 590 Mariner. I have not put it on and tested it yet. That appears to be an 870 and Knox makes a tactical pistol grip with over folder stock for that also.

For an AOW the stamp is 5.00 + paperwork. But to remain legal without a tax stamp and still be considered a handgun we can go with this

Mikegideon: This is a handgun thread. So

It would be about the same as CCing a full sized 1911 made of plastic so it is lighter weight.

Jamie: The comment to Strel is to keep talking as he makes a good example of what not to be.