To date, lots of clay and paper, a variety of reactive targets. Watermelon past it's prime + (freezer x 72 hours) + buckshot = fun. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> If I'm meat hunting, I'm looking for mammel as a rule- not a big fan of poltery- so I'm using a rifle. I hope I never have to shoot another human. Ignoring the psychological issues, I hate dealing with lawyers.

Actually, for home defense, I don't like shotguns. A high speed, light weight bullet in .223 actually pentrates less building material than buckshot (someone in Nevada did a study in the early 90s, and the results have been confirmed by a few other groups), and since I'm pretty rural, I want something that can go past 50 meters. I have a Mni-14 for that, with a 20 round magazine with 10 45gr softpoints on the top, then 6 22109s. By that point, I figure I'm going to be out of the house and shooting at a car, or someone behind a tree. Last two rounds are tracer, telling me to get my butt back to the house and the mag pouch in the front closet.

To me, the advantage of a shotgun is that it can do things nothing else can. If I was to become more urban, I'd switch to a pump 12ga with rubber shot in the tube, #4 buck on a side saddle, and slugs on a buttcuff. But where I am, that can stay in the locker.

I was waiting for that. Someone always likes the Winchester- it's the Toyota in the Ford/Chevy debate of Remington/Mossberg. :P

That being said, my last car was a chevy, I drive a ford, and my next car will probably be a toyota. :P Never owned a 1300, but shot a couple of them. Good stuff, just not as common and no where near as many gizmos out there for it.

Post deleted by Chris Kavanaugh

A nice thing about the Mossbergs is the placement of the safety, easy to work with your fireing thumb. Buckshot spreads out about an inch for every yard of travel, so inside the house you are still looking at a fairly tight pattern. Mossbergs are also available all over and at a good price. You need to see how your shotgun patterns at 1, 3,5,7, 10 and 15 yards with your chosen defensive ammo. I've seen a stock Mossberg with PMC 00 buck shoot almost
as well as the very expensive custom gun and high priced ammo (belonged to the instructor). You may find that your gun "likes" one type of ammo, so try a few brands.
A high visability follower with a "bump" you can feel in the dark is a good idea as well a some method to have ammo on the gun. 2 important Shotgun Rules, work the slide after each shot and shoot 1, load 1.

Dave

It is a bit different around here, Boone. The weapon I'm most likely to take fire from is a deer rifle in the hands of someone who has a clue of how to use it. Maximum effective range in the hands of a good shot, 800m. Maximum put thier head down range, over a mile. Maximum effective range from your average redneck, 400m, and I have approaches longer than that to the house. I have stone walls in my yard, and a number of trees, all of which make really nifty cover. The SS109s will penetrate the trunk of a birch or pine tree. Out the door might the lay in some places, but not in Vermont. If you are being shot at, you are more than welcome to shoot back.

I like to be ready for most situations. I figure that if it is ever needed, I'm not going to fire more than three or four rounds. But if I have to get down to the ball ammo, I'm going to need it.

If they are running, I'm going to let them run, but if they are running and shooting, I'm not going to sit there and take it. If they surrender, they are going to have my knee in thier back until the cops show up. Oh, and we know from experince that it takes 30 minutes to get a cop to my place with lights and sirens at 3 in the morning. I plan to be able to hold the fort for an hour as a result, against anything short of professional military personnel.

And I am fully aware of what is required for a legal shoot. I was planning on becoming a cop through academics, and still have most of a criminal justice degree, before I became totally disgusted with the state of the system. (With the points from my engineering degree, I am 6 credit hours shy.) But I'm glad you put that up for everyone else. And keep in mind, the rules of engagement allowed to me in Vermont are radically different than they are in Massachusets, and both are different from New York, eitber of which are an afternoon drive for me.

I'm also going to point out that if you ever do shoot someone, a couple of things are going to happen:
-You are going to jail until you can talk to the judge.
-Your firearm will be seized until the judge decides you can have it back. If ever.
-If you get a liberal judge and/or a DA/SP with a mad on and political dreams, you will be charged with attempted manslaughter, at a minimum.
-You will be sued if the perp lives, and by his next of kin if he doesn't.
-You have even odds of being sued for reckless endangerment and mental anguish by a hoplophobe neighbor.
-The lawsuits will damn expensive, and if you don't win them totally and completely, you can kiss your credit and savings good bye.
-You could well loose your job. If you lease, unless you have a very cool landlord, you won't live there for long. Oh, guess who just became a flight risk if they are out on bail?
-And if the perp has any buddies, watch your back. They will want to get some payback.