What are some good shotgun mods?

[Guest WGDII]

One most definitely aim a shotgun at all but contact distances. No matter the choke, you will get a very tight pattern out to 10+ yards. Also, remember that a tight pattern is preferable to an wide one. You do not want to have OO buckshot pellets or any other projectile flying wildly about. It is far better to have them nestled tightly together as to impart maximum stopping power.

[Guest Calfkiller]

I think that is a big misconception a lot of shooters have about the shotgun. The pattern is much smaller than you might think. Thanks to Hollywood for those 'room clearing' shotguns!

[Jonnin]

I think that is a big misconception a lot of shooters have about the shotgun. The pattern is much smaller than you might think. Thanks to Hollywood for those 'room clearing' shotguns!

In 3-gun we shoot at these roughly 5 inch square metal targets. Trust me, you can miss em at 20 feet all day long if you get in a hurry! On the flipside I have seen all sorts of odd stuff with the shotgun stages. I have seen multiple target hit by the spread, and I have seen the plastic shell inserts pass thru a paper target (I wouldnt want to be hit by that!). The pattern for birdshot is about a fist sized hole at any defensive range (we use birdshot because its minimally damaging to our targets, or slugs on paper targets), no more. For all that scatter does a slug is as good for defense, IMHO. +10 for the shoulder saver recoil pads. We had one installed, I forgot to mention it, but its a must have if you are talking a defensive load like a magnum 12 ga.

[Guest Calfkiller]

Jonnin - What is a good brand of recoil pad? I definitely am interested in one.

[daddyo]

Hopefully, this will save you some money:

What You Need, What You Don’t

If you watch the movies or read too many gun magazines, you may be puzzled by what the typical Hollywood fighting gun looks like compared to the plain J.C. Higgins pump your grandfather gave you on your 13th birthday. Actually, there may not be much real difference. Today’s modern warriors have convinced themselves that they have to have all of those things all over the gun in order for it to be “real-world effective.” I hold a contrary view, and my own guns have very little in the way of extras bolted on.

Let’s take a look at some of these devices and modifications. For one thing, a blue-steel-and-walnut shotgun works just as well as one that is tactical black all over. If your daily business involves kicking in crack-house doors, you might have need for a few extra shots, but the extra-long extensions screwed to the front of your magazine tube probably aren’t going to be used. Other forms of ammo supply–sidesaddle carriers, butt cuffs or the Speed Feed stock–certainly carry some extra rounds close at hand, but they are equally questionable. A dedicated combat shotgun needs ghost-ring sights so the gunner can get the most out of slug loads, but a gun intended purely for dealing with home invaders probably doesn’t. Nor does it need any form of laser or red-dot sighting system. You are unlikely to have to carry the gun on a 13-mile recon patrol, so you probably won’t need a sling.

You do, however, need a buttstock. Pistol-grip stocks that are widely sold turn a decent shotgun into a useless piece of junk. Shotguns are amazingly easy to miss with under the best of circumstances, but cutting off or radically shortening the butt simply removes your ability to point the gun as it was intended to be pointed.

One other item that can be added to today’s shotguns with relative ease is a strong, simple-to-operate weaponlight. SureFire seems to have the only game in town here. A powerful light mounted on the gun not only gives you something of a shield of light behind which you can work, it also allows you to be sure of your target. Basically, I’m against any modification or accessory that lengthens, widens, unbalances, complicates, adds weight, requires a battery (OK, except for a light), creates extra edges and corners or otherwise adversely impacts your ability to quickly use your shotgun. Just keep it simple.

The Home Defense Shotgun - Guns & Ammo

[Guest Calfkiller]

Nice post, DaddyO. I think you just talked me out of the sling.

[Il Duce]

Hopefully, this will save you some money:

What You Need, What You Don’t

If you watch the movies or read too many gun magazines, you may be puzzled by what the typical Hollywood fighting gun looks like compared to the plain J.C. Higgins pump your grandfather gave you on your 13th birthday. Actually, there may not be much real difference. Today’s modern warriors have convinced themselves that they have to have all of those things all over the gun in order for it to be “real-world effective.” I hold a contrary view, and my own guns have very little in the way of extras bolted on.

Let’s take a look at some of these devices and modifications. For one thing, a blue-steel-and-walnut shotgun works just as well as one that is tactical black all over. If your daily business involves kicking in crack-house doors, you might have need for a few extra shots, but the extra-long extensions screwed to the front of your magazine tube probably aren’t going to be used. Other forms of ammo supply–sidesaddle carriers, butt cuffs or the Speed Feed stock–certainly carry some extra rounds close at hand, but they are equally questionable. A dedicated combat shotgun needs ghost-ring sights so the gunner can get the most out of slug loads, but a gun intended purely for dealing with home invaders probably doesn’t. Nor does it need any form of laser or red-dot sighting system. You are unlikely to have to carry the gun on a 13-mile recon patrol, so you probably won’t need a sling.

You do, however, need a buttstock. Pistol-grip stocks that are widely sold turn a decent shotgun into a useless piece of junk. Shotguns are amazingly easy to miss with under the best of circumstances, but cutting off or radically shortening the butt simply removes your ability to point the gun as it was intended to be pointed.

One other item that can be added to today’s shotguns with relative ease is a strong, simple-to-operate weaponlight. SureFire seems to have the only game in town here. A powerful light mounted on the gun not only gives you something of a shield of light behind which you can work, it also allows you to be sure of your target. Basically, I’m against any modification or accessory that lengthens, widens, unbalances, complicates, adds weight, requires a battery (OK, except for a light), creates extra edges and corners or otherwise adversely impacts your ability to quickly use your shotgun. Just keep it simple.

The Home Defense Shotgun - Guns & Ammo

WINNER!

I think the only mods I want are mine are to update the front sight and to install a buttstock with pistol grip as I find it more comfortable.

[Jonnin]

Jonnin - What is a good brand of recoil pad? I definitely am interested in one.

The one I got was : REMINGTON 870 SUPERCELL RECOIL PAD - Brownells which fit my 1100 close enough with a little effort. At least I think this is what I got, I poked around until I figured out which pump gun was the same stock as mine and got the pad designed for it since it was listed for the pump version. The brand is correct, but maybe it was a different model, I have forgotten.

[Jonnin]

I just do not agree with the flashlight fans. I agree to keep it simple, but lights? They ruin your night vision and paint you as a target, better hope the one you lit up was the only one if you use those things.

[JAB]

I have the Maverick Security 88 with the 20 inch barrel. If you have the 18.5 inch version of the Security 88 I think it has a 5 round tube. With the twenty inch version - which also comes with a factory extended mag tube, I get an extra couple of rounds over the 18.5 inch (mine holds seven 2 3/4 inchers in the tube.) Being a 'security' model, iirc, mine didn't come with a capacity limiter (short wooden dowel, etc.) inside the mag tube but if yours is a Security 88 and you can't get five in the mag tube then I'd double check for that. Maverick calls the 18.5 inch version a 'six shot' model and the 20 inch version an 'eight shot' model but that is with one in the chamber and the mag tube full, I believe (I store mine in 'cruiser mode' so there isn't one in the chamber.) Unless I am mistaken, Il Duce is correct about the availability (or lack thereof) of tube extensions.

I have a light on mine. I see Jonnin's point but in my case, it would light up the entirety of any room in the house so I'd see if there were multiple assailants. To me, being able to clearly see my target before ripping it up with buckshot is worth the risk.

I also have a simple sling on mine. It isn't so I can carry it on a recon mission. It is so I don't have to lay the shotgun down if I need both hands for something else. It is just a simple, lightweight sling and it doesn't get in the way so I figure 'why not'?

I agree with others about pistol-grip only shotguns. I personally don't like the feel of full buttstock plus pistol grip, either. They just feel awkward, to me. I have considered putting a thumbhole stock on mine (Mossberg sells a polymer thumbhole stock on their website and the Mossberg 500 buttstocks will fit Mavericks.)

I don't have any type of extra ammo holder on my Maverick. I have the slip-on sleeve type on my single-shot shotguns to make fun shooting with them more convenient but with the HD shotgun I figure that if 7 rounds of 12 gauge buckshot backed up by the .357 I keep by the bed don't handle the problem then I need to move to a less dangerous neighborhood. Maybe somewhere in Kabul.

Finally - just because it became such a big point of discussion - unless you have rifle sights or similar on your shotgun then, no, you do not aim a shotgun. Instead, a shotgun is pointed with the front bead used as a pointing reference. That is, of course, different from just orienting the muzzle in the general direction of the target but still it is not true 'aiming'.

[Guest Calfkiller]

Lot of good advice on here. Mine is the 18.5 inch barrel model, so I am at five rounds, which should be plenty I would think. At this time I think I will just add a simple nylon sling and perhaps upgrade the bead. I like the stock pretty well, and it seems to have an adequate recoil pad. I don't anticipate joining a SWAT team in the near future (haha) so this gun should work well. Plus, I really want to keep it lightweight. Thanks for everyone's input.

[Guest bkelm18]

Finally - just because it became such a big point of discussion - unless you have rifle sights or similar on your shotgun then, no, you do not aim a shotgun. Instead, a shotgun is pointed with the front bead used as a pointing reference. That is, of course, different from just orienting the muzzle in the general direction of the target but still it is not true 'aiming'.

aim

–verb (used with object) 1. to position or direct (a firearm, ball, arrow, rocket, etc.) so that, on firing or release, the discharged projectile will hit a target or travel along a certain path.

Sure sounds like you can aim a shotgun.

[East_TN_Patriot]

I have a Remington 870 that I carried for many years on-duty as a patrol shotgun. It came with an 18.5" barrel with rifle sights. I added a mag tube extension. That's it. Millions of cops have been working for decades with a basic Remington 870 pump shotgun with a simple bead sight. I can't recall any situation where I deployed my shotgun where I said to myself, "Crap! I wish I had a sling/light/laser/collapsible stock/barrel shroud/etc." I needed two things: 1) A reliable shotgun that would function and fire properly when I needed it to. 2) Ammo. Fortunately, I never had to fire my shotgun other than on the firing range, but even on the range, I never felt like my basic setup wasn't suitable for my needs. The only addition I would personally consider is a side saddle of some sort for extra ammo. I made several leather side saddles for the butt stock and kept one on my shotgun for a few years. My shotgun still has the wood furniture. I have tossed around the idea of upgrading the blade sights on the shotgun since I did use it for slugs, but decided the likelihood of that happening now is slim to none.

On a loosely related note, the question of what type of ammo to keep in the shotgun is important. For home defense, I think 00 buckshot is more than adequate. The reduced recoil shotgun ammo is great as well and was actually issued to us at the department I worked for. Slugs are totally unnecessary for home defense IMHO. We carried them on-duty in case we had to take out a vehicle engine (can't say I know of any cases where that actually happened), make a longer range shot, or take out a person wearing body armor (based on the North Hollywood bank robbery shootout). I kept 00 buckshot in the mag tube and the slugs on the side saddle so I could tactically load a slug as necessary, but have the buckshot readily on tap for the average encounter. I knew other officers who stagger loaded them with buck out of the mag first, then a slug, then buck, then slug, and so on. The logic was if the target survived a 00 buck load, then a slug was probably in order and would eliminate the threat.