advise purchasing shotgun and ammo

[bobbygege]

I'm planning to purchase a shotgun. Probably the Mossberg 88 12 gauge. I have zero experience with shotguns.

My questions:

1. What ammo is best for HD?

2. Should I use the same ammo for range shooting or is there a more economical choice that will still help me become proficient with the HD ammo?

 

[ADR]

IMHO, no need to turn a basic home defense shotgun into an experiment in rocket science.

Know the gun & how it functions.
Practice until you're comfortable using it in a safe manor.
Know your surroundings.
Know what's behind every shot. (What's behind that door or wall if you have to shoot?)

00 Buck will do what you need it to do.

 

[jimbobborg]

HD ammo = Buckshot

You can use bulk shotgun shells using bird shot to familiarize yourself with the shotgun and not break your shoulder, but I do suggest you run a full tube of buckshot through just to make sure it works with your shotgun.

 

[aquashooter]

On my department, we used #4 Buck. It had 27 .25 caliber pellets instead of 9 larger pellets in standard 00 Buck. NOT to be confused with #4 shot.

 

[Bafflingbs]

#1 Buck is THE best. More pellets, all will reach 12" penetration depth.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Yes , a shotgun is a wise purchase. Yes the Maverck88 is a near clone of the Mossberg M500 , and thusly is a sound basic design.

Obtain instruction in shotgun usage from your experienced older relative , or an NRA instructor.

Buckshot is the choice for home defense in the overwhelming number of situations. 00B ( aka Double Ought ) is the most common offering of quality Buckshot. Buckshot Geeks will tell you why #1B is really the cat's meow. A minority of LE or Mil use 4B ( not #4 shot ). 4B is more or less viable IF you are speaking about limited to within the same room. Bottom line - just get the quality 00B , preferably in 9 pellet and "tactical" velocity.

To learn the basic operation and handling of your new shotgun , inexpensive bulk pack #7.5 or #8 will wotk. Once you learn the basics , then at least a cpl gunloads of your buckshot for famility.

 

[sxs]

On my department, we used #4 Buck. It had 27 .25 caliber pellets instead of 9 larger pellets in standard 00 Buck. NOT to be confused with #4 shot.

And if you use 3" mags, it's something like 41 pieces of shot! Just make sure your gun can handle 3" loads before you shoot them (should be marked on the barrel)

 

[sxs]

Don't forget...you need something to shoot through a door or into the air (Actually...don't do that...however, it is what our V.P. Biden says to do!)

 

[HappyCamper]

Maverick 88 isn’t bad, I’ve beat one to death, but I like the Mossberg 500 though due to the double arms on the pump lever vs. the single arm on the Maverick – haven’t had one of those fail me yet. Round selection is pretty important too, but there are so many to choose from.

I like them to come out of the gun in this order:

(but remember, Last round out of the chamber is the first round you load in the tube)

Round 1 = Flash bang round/powder charge round (to disorient and stun them so them don't move too much)

Round 2 = #4 buck, max spread to get anything and everything with some initial shock trauma

Round 3 = 00 buck, to cause damage to thuggery that might have been wearing heavy leather armor

Round 4 = 000 buck 3" Mag, to cause damage when round #3 didn't penetrate the level 2 crappy vest the bad guy got from Cheaper than Dirt

Round 5 = Slug, now that you have your target adequately sighted in, you may as well make one gigantic hole center mass

Round 6 = Tungsten Sabot Slug, because if the previous slug didn't work, the thuggery is obviously snuck a plate carrier underneath all that.

Round 7 = Dragon's Breath, at this point if all has failed, light the bastard on fire.

Round 8 = Bolo round, if you lit thuggery on fire and it didn't stop them, then said thuggery is a zombie and bolo round will decapitate, shoot for upper spine

Round 9 = #8 Birdshot (assuming you keep it loaded with the flashbang in the chamber and this round loaded down the tube first) Walk up to severed zombie head and disintegrate it with umpteen zillion little BB's

Now that you have depleted your shotgun... go get your carbine, because zombies are never alone..

Oh, and your fire exstinguisher, becuase the dragon breath probably started your house on fire.

Hope that helped

 

[Biggfoot44]

I'm hoping the above post is tongue in cheek.

Stagger loading is generally a uselss to to activly poor idea , with only a few specific exceptions. One of them does involve the typical tube magazine shot gun.

First 2 (sometimes 3) rounds buckshot of choice , followerd by the remaining 2 or 3 of slugs. The theory being that after 2 or 3 rounds , the threat will be a greater distance , or behind cover. Not a huge advantage , but viable for those who so prefer.
It hasn't been mentioned yet , but there are more than a few people with lots of firsthand experience in gunfighting with shotguns who prefer all slugs.reportedly HP Foster slugs penetrate less than would be expected on felons before breaking up , but wall penetration for missed rounds still a concern.

 

[HappyCamper]

I would hope no one would take some of that post seriously, but then again, this is Maryland

I don't stagger my rounds, but I do carry alternate shells on a sidesaddle. Serious about the Maverick though, go for a Mossberg or something else with double arms. Mavericks are Ok, but I've had two fail on me and that's enough to not depend my life on them.

 

[Leviathan]

Maverick 88 isn’t bad, I’ve beat one to death, but I like the Mossberg 500 though due to the double arms on the pump lever vs. the single arm on the Maverick – haven’t had one of those fail me yet. Round selection is pretty important too, but there are so many to choose from.

I like them to come out of the gun in this order:

(but remember, Last round out of the chamber is the first round you load in the tube)

Round 1 = Flash bang round/powder charge round (to disorient and stun them so them don't move too much)

Round 2 = #4 buck, max spread to get anything and everything with some initial shock trauma

Round 3 = 00 buck, to cause damage to thuggery that might have been wearing heavy leather armor

Round 4 = 000 buck 3" Mag, to cause damage when round #3 didn't penetrate the level 2 crappy vest the bad guy got from Cheaper than Dirt

Round 5 = Slug, now that you have your target adequately sighted in, you may as well make one gigantic hole center mass

Round 6 = Tungsten Sabot Slug, because if the previous slug didn't work, the thuggery is obviously snuck a plate carrier underneath all that.

Round 7 = Dragon's Breath, at this point if all has failed, light the bastard on fire.

Round 8 = Bolo round, if you lit thuggery on fire and it didn't stop them, then said thuggery is a zombie and bolo round will decapitate, shoot for upper spine

Round 9 = #8 Birdshot (assuming you keep it loaded with the flashbang in the chamber and this round loaded down the tube first) Walk up to severed zombie head and disintegrate it with umpteen zillion little BB's

Now that you have depleted your shotgun... go get your carbine, because zombies are never alone..

Oh, and your fire exstinguisher, becuase the dragon breath probably started your house on fire.

Hope that helped

 

[MigraineMan]

Was really expecting Round 9 to be the tactical nuke (i.e. "the last round you'll ever need.")

But on a more serious note, what if you're home-defending with a 20-gauge? She-of-diminutive-frame isn't likely to be doing much after a 12-gauge with 00 dislocates her shoulder.

#4B still?

 

[Kagetsu]

Was really expecting Round 9 to be the tactical nuke (i.e. "the last round you'll ever need.")

That became an option after the Obama downsizing of the US nuclear arsenal went to surplus sale. "Be the first on your block to be a nuclear power. Buy two ICBM's get a free silo."

The big question of shot is the right size to reach the target with out obliterating anything edible. The bigger the shot, the farther the energy will carry. HD, at close range the shot enters, more or less, as a solid mass. I'd stay with the standard 00 buck. A big bloody hole is a big bloody hole. Don't hit a lamp swinging on target and wish you had earplugs.

 

[ColonelHurtz]

You want the Federal low recoil LE load for HD in 00 Buck or maybe #4's.

Pattern this once or twice to see how it runs in your gun.
At the range? Shoot the much cheaper birdshot loads.
I like Trap and sporting clays for practice.

 

[El_flasko]

I have some rio low recoil 00 buck if you're looking for a nice HD round. Not sure where you're located but let me know if you want to try some.