Search Results for: shotguns

Remington TAC-14 Shotgun, by Pat Cascio

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…is named after the Raptor dinosaur. It lets you know just how mean this shotgun is to shoot, no matter how big and strong you are. My shooting partner for this test is 6’5” tall and very strong, and even he didn’t find the TAC-14 much fun to shoot, and the same goes for me. As with all Remington shotguns, the dual-action slide bars were smooth and easy to pump the next round into the chamber. Also, ejection was sure and never failed. Remington is famous for smooth action pump shotguns. They always have been, so that’s a positive aspect of the TAC-14. Neither myself or my shooting buddy raised the TAC-14 to eye level to aim. This gun isn’t designed for that. It is meant for close-in fighting. So, the gun was fired from the waist as well as bringing it up next to distance between the belly and…


Survival Gun Selection

…that used on the M16) by Holland’s of Oregon, and had Holland slim line muzzle brakes installed. We decided to get the muzzle brakes because they don’t draw as much attention (in these politically correct days) as a flash hider. However, if we get into some deep drama, we can quickly switch to flash hiders. Shotguns The next gun categories to consider are upland game and waterfowl shotguns. If you will have the opportunity to hunt upland game or waterfowl on your property or somewhere nearby, you will of course want to include one or more good bird-hunting shotguns in your battery. As you will likely be carrying your shotgun more often than the average city dweller, a durable finish is desirable. Remington’s “Special Purpose” versions of their Model 870, Model 11-87, and Model 1100 fit this bill nicely. They come from the factory with a non-glare stock finish and…


Survival Gun Selection

…by Holland’s of Oregon, and had Holland slim line muzzle brakes installed. We decided to get the muzzle brakes because they don’t draw as much attention (in these politically correct days) as a flash hider. However, if we get into some deep drama, we can quickly switch to flash hiders. Shotguns The next gun categories to consider are upland game and waterfowl shotguns. If you will have the opportunity to hunt upland game or waterfowl on your property or somewhere nearby, you will of course want to include one or more good bird-hunting shotguns in your battery. As you will likely be carrying your shotgun more often than the average city dweller, a durable finish is desirable. Remington’s “Special Purpose” versions of their Model 870, Model 11-87, and Model 1100 fit this bill nicely. They come from the factory with a non-glare stock finish and a dull gray Parkerized finish…


Letter Re: Defensive Shotguns on a Budget

James: For those that already own a sporting shotgun, you should know that riot-gun barrels can be had rather inexpensively used. Many people buy a 20-22″ cylinder bore barrel with rifle sights for deer season, then sell it later. eBay commonly has barrels selling for $100 or so, for common shotguns such as the Remington 1100, Mossberg 500, etc. Add an extended magazine [tube] for $30, and you’ve got a pretty good tactical shotgun for about half the price of a new one. Plus you can switch it back for bird season, et cetera. – J.N. JWR Replies: That is a great idea.  IMHO, it is best to find barrels that are threaded for screw -in choke tubes, to maximize their employment flexibility. OBTW, if you hunt around, you can even find used slug barrels that already have tritium front sights installed.  As they say on Firefly: “Shiny!”…


Letter Re: Defensive Shotguns on a Budget

…fire going downrange without a long pause feeding a tube. It does take practice to get smooth under pressure, just like most other gun skills. The Powerpak shell carrier added on the SpecOps buttstock is best loaded up with heavy slugs to counterbalance the muzzle heavy weight of shotguns. You don’t need the weight for recoil control, but a better balanced gun is much more ergonomic. Pistol Grip versus. SpecOps BUTTstock Options: Knoxx, the maker of the SpecOps recoil reducing BUTTstock, also makes two recoil reducing PISTOL grips, see: http://knoxx.com/NewStyleKnoxx/Products/BreachersGrip.html and http://knoxx.com/NewStyleKnoxx/Products/COPstock.htm My recommendation was for the SpecOps BUTTstock, since it gives you the recoil reduction in BOTH the pistol grip AND the buttstock – and of course you have a proper buttstock to aim and steady the gun with. The buttstock is even collapsible like a CAR-15 buttstock so you can shorten up the whole weapon. The pistol grip…


Product Review: ATI Gunstocks Adjustable Hunting Stock for Pump Shotguns

ATI Gunstocks Adjustable Hunting Stock for pump shotguns are American made, well-thought out and offer a lifetime guarantee. This stock fits all three major American brands—Winchester, Remington and Mossberg pumps. It comes with stock and fore end and a bag of adapters. I first tried it on a Remington 870. For installation, you will need a #2 Phillips screwdriver and a 1/2” socket wrench. Installation is reasonably straightforward, and the instructions are quite clear with good photos that cover disassembly of the original as well. The stock easily adjusts for 13-14.5 Length Of Pull in four stops, which is good for customizing to the shooter, or to adapt for clothing, but doesn’t collapse nearly as much as an AR carbine type stock. I found the full length to be comfortable, and the minimum length was adequate for my average sized wife (5’5”) but not short enough for youths. However, the…


Letter Re: Advice on Shotgun Shells to Store

…situation that warrants their use will ever arise. You asked about shotguns. I’m mainly a rifle shooter, so I don’t own many shotguns. Here at the ranch, our family has: A Remington Model 870 Marine (corrosion-resistant variant) 12 Gauge with a black fiberglass stock and foreend. A Remington Model 1100 “Youth” 20 Gauge. Several restored Winchester Model 1897 12 Gauge. All of these are 1898 production, so they are Federally-exempt antiques. Several Saiga 12 semi-autos. Some of them are waiting for the forthcoming Kushnapup bullpup stocks, while one is about to be converted by Tromix Lead Delivery Systems into a folding-stock gun. (Since left-handers cannot use bullpup shotguns.) All of our Saigas will soon be fitted with Monster Brakes that I ordered from Carolina Shooter’s Supply. The barrels will be cut and the brakes will be high temperature silver-soldered on by a gunsmith, yielding a 18.5-inch barrel length when completed….


Letter Re: Advice on Shotgun Shells to Store

…is not as easy as it may seem.  If you are hunting an area that is under a lot of hunting pressure, small can be just as illusive as big game.  If you have never used a shotgun but think you may need one in TEOTWAWKI (I know I will need my shotguns) then get one know and start learning to use it.  Though shooting rifles, shotguns, and pistols are all similar, I taught my children that all three are different disciplines of the same thing.  Shotguns work differently than rifles, they move heavier loads slower over a shorter area.  Lead times on moving game are much greater than for a rifle.  You will also need to know the effective killing range for each load of shot.  Flying geese can shrug off #7.5 shot at 45+ yards where as they drop like rocks with #2 or #3.  Shoot a turkey at 25 yards with 00…


Why Civilian Disarmament in the U.S. is Just a Statist Fantasy

…Service report provides these details: The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) reported in a national survey that in 1994, 44 million people, approximately 35% of households, owned 192 million firearms, 65 million of which were handguns. Seventy-four percent of those individuals were reported to own more than one firearm. According to the ATF, by the end of 1996 approximately 242 million firearms were available for sale to or were possessed by civilians in the United States. That total includes roughly 72 million handguns (mostly pistols, revolvers, and derringers), 76 million rifles, and 64 million shotguns. By 2000, the number of firearms had increased to approximately 259 million: 92 million handguns, 92 million rifles, and 75 million shotguns. By 2007, the number of firearms had increased to approximately 294 million: 106 million handguns, 105 million rifles, and 83 million shotguns. In the past, most guns available for sale were produced domestically….


Bang For Your Buck: A Guide To Affordable & Reliable Firearms For Preppers, by I.K.

…traits come together to make this firearm an excellent choice for a B.O.B. gun.   Shotguns Your needs: Home defense, hunting Why: You’re going to want a pump shotgun, plain and simple. You will most likely want a 12-gauge due to its ready availability and higher power, but if you find that the 12-gauge kicks a little hard or is a little noisy for you, go with a 20-gauge. Either way, pump shotguns are cheap, durable, versatile, and seriously heavy hitters at surprising distances. Pump shotguns are true workhorses. With proper training, pump shotguns do not lose out to automatic shotguns in terms of rate of fire. For hunting, a longer barrel and either appropriately sized shot or rifled slugs can be used to take everything from widgeons to whitetails. For home defense, a shotgun can be stored with a shorter barrel installed and defensive rounds loaded, and one could…


Letter Re: The Best Guns for Investment?

…the next decade. FN-49 rifles, especially the Argentine .308 model with detachable 20 round magazine Colt factory 1980s and 1990s vintage black powder revolvers, but only if they are in minty condition and in original factory black or gray boxes. Mauser military bolt action rifles that were imported in only small numbers. These include M1894 Swedish Mauser carbines, Persian M1898 Mausers, and Brazilian Model 1894 short rifles. Burgess pump action shotguns. These are operated by a unique sliding iron pistol grip pump lever. The first model Burgess pump action shotguns are all pre-1899 production, since the second model was introduced in 1897, and production of the first model ended later that same year. Burgess was purchased by Winchester in 1899. Serial numbers for all Burgess shotguns begin at #1000. Any Burgess that has no patent date marks later than 1896 can safely be presumed to be pre-1899 manufacture. Unaltered U.S….


Economics & Investing For Preppers

…or pre-1899 receivers in .30-30, or .25-35 with serial # below 147,685 Winchester Model 1895 with serial # below 19,872 Pre-1899 Remington Rolling Block Rifles, chambered for commercially-available cartridges, such as .45-70 and 7×57 Mauser. Pre-1899 Swiss M1996/11 rifles (Serial number below 236,500.) Antique Shotguns: Pre-1899 Winchester Model 1897 with serial # below 63,633 Pre-1899 Colt Double-Barrel Shotguns Pre-1899 Parker Double-Barrel Shotguns Pre-1899 L.C. Smith Double-Barrel Shotguns Antique Handguns: C.96 Broomhandle Mauser pistols. (Pre-1899 ones have a serial # below 15,000.) Steel-frame Colt Single Action Army SAA revolvers made between 1896 and 1898. (Serial # between 165,000 and 182,000.) Colt M1878 Double Action in .44-40 or .45 Colt with serial # below 41,000 S&W Top Break Revolvers: .32 S&W Safety Hammerless with serial # below 91,400 .38 S&W Safety Hammerless with serial # below 119,900 .32 S&W Double Action with hammer with serial # below 209,301 .38 S&W Double Action…


Letter Re: Unloading Mossberg 500/590 Shotguns

Captain Rawles, People may already know this one, but if not, then here is a trick for anyone with a Mossberg 500/590 shotgun who wants to know how to remove shells from the tube magazine without cycling the action” Inside the loading port located on the left is a small piece of metal [called a shell stop] which holds the shells in the magazine (it’s easy to see with a shell in the magazine).  Pushing this in allows shells to be removed from the magazine one-by-one swiftly and silently.  Push the piece in until a shell pops out of the magazine, release the metal piece, repeat.  I use this trick during hunting season to unload my shotgun for transportation purposes.  It takes some practice, but it works well on low/high brass shells.  It sure beats having to pointlessly manipulate the action and damage the rims of shotshells by doing so.    Respectfully Yours, – D. from Michigan …


The Survival Trunk Gun by J.S.

…you may be more inclined toward a shotgun — I won’t try and dissuade you — or you simply have an inexpensive shotgun taking up room in your safe.  A setup with interchangeable rifled slug barrel, a long bird-shooting barrel, and short defense barrel is a great combination.  The weakness is transporting them from your vehicle — most full-stock shotguns are too long for the average “duffle bag.”  I personally do not like pistol-grip shotguns but if you do they are very compact. Double Barrel “Coach” Gun in 12g.  Inexpensive but only two shots and OAL of 36” make this only an “okay” choice.  4/5/7 ($350) Score: 16. Pump Action in 12g.  Assuming an 8 or 9 shot defense-oriented gun like a Mossberg 500/590 or Remington 870.  With a folding stock or pistol grip it’s easy to transport.  6/7/6 ($400+ with a folding stock) Score: 19. Semi-auto in 12 gauge. …


Letter Re: Advice on Pump Action Shotguns

Sir: I have read a number of responses on SurvivalBlog on the best shotgun for survival. Many like the 870 Remington and many like the 500 Mossberg. Please give me your opinion on the Maverick 88 Mossberg field grade shotgun. Thanks, – Lynn: JWR Replies: I’d recommend getting a Mossberg 500 or 590 series rather than the Mossberg Maverick 88. With the Mossberg 500 you have more versatility on both magazine capacity and forend accessories–such as Sure Fire lights. It is noteworthy that you can turn a 6 shot Model 500 into a 8 shot with a magazine tube extension, but you can’t with the Model 88. Thankfully, the 500/590 series guns are not substantially higher priced than the Maverick 88….