Home defense shotgun- breakopen or pump?

**Permalost** · Posted On: 12/18/2010 11:32am

Originally Posted by fourTwenty

Seriously, are you guys getting broken in on by more than two people at once?

Possibly, but even with two people, two shots seems like a gamble.

**fourTwenty** · Posted On: 12/18/2010 3:12pm

Originally Posted by Gezere

Depending on the area most home invasions are generally two or more people.

Yeah but you're done after that and you might not be done.

The same reason I can't recommend at break open is the same reason I don't go out with only two rounds in my pistol.

I gotta get out of the damn country. 'round here we just fire the damn gun out the window and go back to sleep.

**Gezere** · Posted On: 12/19/2010 11:28am

Originally Posted by fourTwenty

I gotta get out of the damn country. 'round here we just fire the damn gun out the window and go back to sleep.

You're in North Carolina too?
Here are a couple of recent home invasions all involving more than one person.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40608314...ws-raleigh_nc/
http://yellowtape.blogs.starnewsonli...home-invasion/
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/8578555/
http://charlotte.news14.com/content/...n-turns-deadly

**tgace** · Posted On: 12/19/2010 12:22pm

http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/17/po...ld-be-robbers/

Castillo refused to comply and reached behind his back and pulled a pistol out of his waistband. The shopkeeper then shot one of the suspects, and the other two men began to exchange fire with him, police said.

"Castillo then retrieved a shotgun he kept in the store and shot and killed the two remaining suspects," Harris said.

This guy would have been dead with a double barrel....

**Knave** · Posted On: 12/19/2010 6:07pm

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but I've seen several posts about keeping a round in the chamber of a pump action.

The reason that it is generally not recommended to keep a round chambered in most pumps is because pumps are generally not drop safe/impact safe and can discharge if dropped or hit right. If the time it takes you to pump a shell into the chamber costs you anything, you probably lost before you even picked up the gun.

There also seems to be alot of posts about S12's...

I have one that I converted myself. You can buy a gun shipped and transferred for about $500. If you know how to operate a drill, you can convert one to be equivalent to a Tromix gun for $300 or so if I had to estimate real quick.

But anyway, there are some significant functionality and reliability concerns for keeping a Saiga as a home defense shotgun, and for the vast majority of people I'd say the costs, tinkering, and upkeep involved aren't really worth it for practical purposes vs. the standard pump actions.

**Mr. Machette** · Posted On: 12/20/2010 2:15pm

Originally Posted by fourTwenty

You can't **** up. (i.e. The "pumping action" is not something that is just natural. You have to rack it all the way back and then all the way forward. You can and will **** this motion up.)

WTF? Dude, if you can't operate a pump reliably under pressure, then maybe you shouldn't be handling guns in a more general sense.

Come to think of it, my Mossy 590 is among the only repeaters in my collection that has NEVER jammed. (The others are a bolt action rifle, and a revolver.)

**Permalost** · Posted On: 12/20/2010 2:18pm

Originally Posted by Mr. Machette

WTF? Dude, if you can't operate a pump reliably under pressure, then maybe you shouldn't be handling guns in a more general sense.

If you can't operate a pump under pressure, it seems likely that opening a breakopen shotgun, pulling out the two spent cartridges, and putting in two new ones is at least as difficult to do, and involves manipulating small objects into perfectly-sized holes

**IMightBeWrong** · Posted On: 12/20/2010 5:50pm

Originally Posted by Mr. Machette

WTF? Dude, if you can't operate a pump reliably under pressure, then maybe you shouldn't be handling guns in a more general sense.

Come to think of it, my Mossy 590 is among the only repeaters in my collection that has NEVER jammed. (The others are a bolt action rifle, and a revolver.)

I don't know about you, but I've never been in an armed confrontation before so I don't know exactly how I'd react unter the pressure of a life or death situation. Since I don't know how I would react, I can only have so much confidence in my ability with a shotgun with a manual action. I don't think I would have a problem because the action of pumping a shotgun does seem to come naturally to me, but since I don't actually know I would find it preferable to have something semi auto to remove the possibility of user error as much as possible. Once again, I don't know about your experience so ymmv.

**fourTwenty** · Posted On: 12/21/2010 1:42am

Originally Posted by Mr. Machette

WTF? Dude, if you can't operate a pump reliably under pressure, then maybe you shouldn't be handling guns in a more general sense.

Come to think of it, my Mossy 590 is among the only repeaters in my collection that has NEVER jammed. (The others are a bolt action rifle, and a revolver.)

Dude. I've been hunting since I was born. I've seen everbody **** up at least once, and usually more than once. I've done it, if you've spent 10+ years firing a pump shotty you've done it. ****, I've seen old-ass men who've hunted since you near 'bout had to straight up fucking forget to pump the thing before. I was just saying, **** happens. The OP says he was a n00b so I said breakaction. Click-Boom Click-Boom, go back to bed, remember to call cops in morning.

But after reading more of this thread and thinking on it I might sway my opinion towards a semi shotgun. Or you know, a handgun, which is what I'd really recommend for home defense. Whatever you get, put some time in with it and learn what you're doing.

And have a backup.