Home defense weapons

I've always liked the saying, "Beware of the man that owns only one gun, because he probably knows how to use it". Maybe the saying is true for some people. I'd be unhappy if all I had was one gun. Since the only people living in my house are my wife and me, I leave a few stashed around in strategic ,yet incognito, for lack of a better word, places. All of these weapons are some that my wife has expressed a certain level of comfort with, and exhibited a certain level of proficiency, using.
Another, "truism" we should consider internalizing is, "If you shoot someone beyond a range of 5 yards, you better have a damn good lawyer".

 

Damn had to go down and look at my sons 500 deer\bird 20 ga. combo and it is a double slide also. Wikipedia shows it was 1970 when they first started doubles on some, that is when Remington's patent expired on doubles. Not sure when it went mainstream for all Mossbergs though. Good question.... Also not sure what the military ended up with as the main shotgun I've been retired almost 20 years. Looks like the 500 is pretty common now according to Wikipedia. Not just a good question, it is a great question....

 

I'm a Marine and almost every shotgun I've seen in the Corps was Benelli. Seen probably an equal number of older 870's and 500's but probably less than 20 total

 

All of my training and experience with military weapons was by the Marines. About the same time they pulled the M12's and 37's from us they also pulled the M14 and we had to go with the M16. First time at the range that I fired the M16 at 100 yards I used the sling, my "group" was so far low and to the right it was on the edge of the target. The range officer was a crusty old Gunny and when I stood up I said outloud mainly to myself, great replaced a real rifle with a plastic toy that shoots a damn woodchuck round. First time I ever saw Gunny smile.

I have a Benelli Sport (original) made by H&K and a Benelli Ultralight. The BUL is my main bird killing machine, I shoot it better than any other shotgun. Not many people stick a poly choke on the end of a $1,500 shotgun but it works and works well. Just beware of the Benelli click.

 

Benelli click? Help a brotha out. What's that?

 

This is also fairly common with the stoeger M models (Supposedly the same system as benelli), and it's a PITA, if you set your gun down hard the bolt may come out of battery and won't go back in unless you pull the bolt back and let it fall.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=273105
The "Benelli Click" is when the bolt accidently comes out of battery and the trigger is pulled. The hammer strikes the back of the bolt body and not the firing pin. The result is a gun that does not fire, but makes a noise when the hammer hits the bolt body and the magazine release is set off and a shell is released (If rounds in the magazine).

It can happen to other brands and designs, but is most common in Inertia opearted models with a rotary bolt face. The best way around having it not happen is to be aware of the possible issue. You can use the Wolffe +25% spring to help reduce it some. It won't eliminate it though, andit makes the action a little stiffer and even less reliable with lighter loads.

 

Not here to argue, just to give you a different perspective maybe. How many shoot houses have you trained in? Probably a bunch. How many times have you practiced getting in a stack and clearing rooms? Once again, probably until you were blue in the face. The average guy who goes to the range 2-3 times a year and only shoots at a stationary target isn't going to be as proficient with a longgun indoors. Not to mention the stress of a scared wife or screaming kids, trying to call 911 etc. A dependable handgun with a mounted light will serve most well.

 

My understanding of Benellis is, it's a great brand for people using high brass loads that don't mind significant kick. With high brass loads, reliability increases with a Benelli. Sounds like what I'd want if I were a Marine down range. If, on the other hand, you would use the shotgun for bird hunting, sporting clays, or, God forbid, a home defense weapon that the little Missus might have to use, a Beretta just might be a better choice. I've just seen too many sporting clays shooters drop a target because their Benelli jammed. Kinda pissed of their partners to.

 

Folks we have gotten our first vote for Single shot rifle/ shotgun.
I didn't expect that option to be used but we truly have one of every type listed on the poll now.

 

All God's Chill'en.

 

It can happen just by setting down the gun against a tree somedays. You do get in the habit of letting the bolt slamming home to make sure it is seated well. Something I have never seen before on the internet is that you can check to see if it has come out of battery by pushing up on the shell lifter on the bottom. If it is solid you're fine, if not time to reseat. I check it often when in the field.

Who ever said earlier that the OP likely didn't know guns is grossly mistaken. Just saying...

Most likely a Super Black Eagle or SBE2, the springs are pretty stiff on them. You can get replacement springs again Wolff springs. The M2, Sport, Super Sport, Cordobra, BUL etc. usually do not have this problem. My BUL weighs 6 pounds and I shoot 7/8 oz. @ 1200 fps for Sporting Clays because of the light weight and recoil. And it cycles fine. The 20 ga. M2 with 3" pheasant loads will knock your eye teeth into your piss sack as a gentleman once told me. The inertia operated guns do have a lot of recoil. As do my doubles.

 

Glock 19 with a protec light that has strobe function.

 

Great point and thanks for the perspective. I don't disagree at all. and +1 on the light!

 

Now if it's true that stoeger uses the benelli system then I'll say something real quick.
I've shot close to 800 rounds of low brass bulk ammo and approximately 100 rounds of 3" or 3.5" duck loads (Mainly heavy metal) in the 6-7 months I've had my M3500.
I do not use the recoil reducer as I believe it's a fix with no problem, but i've only had one failure to fire.
I chose the inertia system because it's cleaner than a gas system, my cousin has a versamax and it shoot nice and soft but it's a heavier gun and I just don't shoot it as well.

 

Yep, It can be pretty easy to get the bolt to be pulled back just a hair and become out of battery.
I learned to check my stoeger by looking at the lugs on the exterior of the bolt, if there's on centered or close to center it's not in battery, but if 2 are exposed at the edge of the ejection port it's in battery.

I missed that, I wouldn't say I'm super knowledgeable but I know enough I've built a few AR's and I'm starting to venture into the class 3 world.

 

Hey, Cold Iron! I just don't know. You could add springs, recoil pads, extra weight, light loads, and you still won't have a shotgun as suited for sporting clays, or whole family home defense, as you would had you bought a Beretta. But, this is only my opinion. All I know is, I don't see many Benelli's on the sporting clays tour.

Yeah, but I still love my doubles to, Cold Iron.

 

Oh I love my double Beretta's especially for clays. Tradional bird men consider SxS as "traditon" but I prefer my pipes stacked over under. Main target gun is a JEG custom combo with EELL wood. No way I would smack an intruder with this stock



My Beretta Ultralight has a fence post for a stock, but shoots and carries well in the field. She was pretty beat up and had the Beretta peanut butter finish so I stripped it and refinished it. Ground a Kickeez pad to fit and picked up a full set of Beretta Victory chokes on sale during Black Friday last year.

 

That's the people who will commit suicide in fear of being hurt from a bad guy

 

I gotta admit, I don't know anything about Stoeger shotguns. Seems like they make a SxS "coach gun". Looks pretty nice to me.

You have some beautiful shotguns, Cold Iron. I live in the "Plantation Belt" in South Georgia. Shotguns, like the ones in your photographs are highly cherished here. The tradition of hunting quail, as our forefathers did, 150 years ago holds a very strong allure. The dog handlers/guides, the mules pulling the wagons, the horse you ride, the dogs working the birds in the early morning mist... Until you've done it, and fully appreciate the tradition, it's hard to explain, and even harder to understand. Such a genteel, peaceful, and historic way to spend a couple of days. Book a couple of days at an Orvis Endorsed Georgia quail plantation, you'll never forget it.

 

I use an 870 express for shooting clays