I live in the country so I need something for in home protection as well as protecting property and livestock around the place.
Here's what I have and would suggest.
I bought a Winchester Defender pump shotgun back when they were $199 anywhere in town, don't know what they go for now. They have a long tube on them which holds (6) 3" shells or (7) 2 3/4" ones. They are a recoil assisted pump, you pull the trigger and the action opens about half way, just finish the rearward motion and slam it shut again. It's almost as fast as a semi-auto. On the load issue: buckshot is great, BUT any stray pellets can penetrate walls and endanger other people in the house or the neighbors. I had and NRA combat shotgun instructor tell me to load with high brass duck or turkey loads, they are just as deadly in close quarters and since less mass than buckshot the pellets slow down fast when going thru sheetrock. The first 2-3 rounds in the gun are turkey loads, the remainder are buckshot. If you shoot the 2-3 bird loads and have to keep shooting then you are in real deep stuff and then you need not worry about over penetration but survival. Put one of those shell carriers on the stock with some slugs and you are good for about any situation. Also when the lawyers get involved it might be a little easier to say you used hunting loads not "man killer" loads. IMHO
My second thought is to get a old used 20 ga double barrel, like a Savage or Fox. The smaller person, man or woman, can handle the recoil a little better. The intimidation factor of pointing a double barrel at someone comes into play if confronted during daylight hours.
Here's what I have and would suggest.
I bought a Winchester Defender pump shotgun back when they were $199 anywhere in town, don't know what they go for now. They have a long tube on them which holds (6) 3" shells or (7) 2 3/4" ones. They are a recoil assisted pump, you pull the trigger and the action opens about half way, just finish the rearward motion and slam it shut again. It's almost as fast as a semi-auto. On the load issue: buckshot is great, BUT any stray pellets can penetrate walls and endanger other people in the house or the neighbors. I had and NRA combat shotgun instructor tell me to load with high brass duck or turkey loads, they are just as deadly in close quarters and since less mass than buckshot the pellets slow down fast when going thru sheetrock. The first 2-3 rounds in the gun are turkey loads, the remainder are buckshot. If you shoot the 2-3 bird loads and have to keep shooting then you are in real deep stuff and then you need not worry about over penetration but survival. Put one of those shell carriers on the stock with some slugs and you are good for about any situation. Also when the lawyers get involved it might be a little easier to say you used hunting loads not "man killer" loads. IMHO
My second thought is to get a old used 20 ga double barrel, like a Savage or Fox. The smaller person, man or woman, can handle the recoil a little better. The intimidation factor of pointing a double barrel at someone comes into play if confronted during daylight hours.
