The Shotgun: Still Alive and Kicking, by American Yeoman

Twenty years of warfare filled with Navy Seals, helicopters and M4’s covered with “stuff” makes the shotgun look pretty pedestrian as a problem-solving tool. There are plenty of sound arguments as to why in any given situation there might be a better tool for the job. However, the shotgun is still a valid choice for interpersonal relationship management and in certain situations, is the right tool for the job. All tactical gear of any sort entails some kind of trade off- you have to decide what you’re willing to give up to get what you want and reason that it makes sense for what you’re trying to achieve. I’ve studied the social shotgun under Louis Awerbuck, Rob Haught and others- I know the tool very well, what it is and is not.

The shotgun is quite simply a man killer. Loaded with proper ammo and used within it’s effective range the shotgun kills very efficiently. There is no other shoulder fired weapon- other than something like a Barrett .50 that kills faster than a load of 00 buck at 7-15 yards. The simultaneous patterned arrival of 8 or 9 .33 caliber slugs provides a tremendous shock to the body and central nervous system. If you follow John Correia over at Active Self Protection you’re probably familiar with his “fudge I’ve been shot” reaction explanation, the shotgun has that effect on folks. Nobody gets solidly hit with a load of 00 and simply shrugs it off. If the goal is to end a close-range gunfight quickly, the shotgun will make that happen. Every long gun has the advantage of better ergonomics over the handgun. Better sights, better control of the weapon, greater power- all contribute to the greater lethality of the long gun in general. We carry handguns because they are convenient and currently more socially acceptable than long guns, but when it’s time to defend hearth and home, the long gun is always the preferred choice.

The shotgun is one of the most inexpensive self-defense tools a person can buy. A good quality- good enough to bet your life on, pump action shotgun can be had used from a pawn shop or gunshow for $150-200- even today- or, likely, free for the asking from Great Uncle Petes’ closet.  The preferred Remington 870 or Mossberg 590 will certainly cost you more, but the Mossberg 500- especially in “store brand” trim- think Western Auto, JC Higgins, can often be had, somewhat abused, very cheaply. While the 870 and 590 are much preferred for many reasons, there are many, many high-quality American made pump action shotguns that will fill the bill- American GI’s carried Winchester 97’s and 12’s, Remington model 10’s and later Ithaca M37’s along with several Stevens offerings into harms way in every conflict from WWI through Vietnam. The Rhodesians took Browning Auto 5’s to the Bush War—and a beat up Remington Model 11, the A5’s American cousin, is a slow seller in most gun shops and on dealers tables….The largest army in world history- a century plus of American duck and bunny hunters, have made sure that the shotgun is nearly as ubiquitous as the toaster.

This long-term popularity ensures that during various panics or emergencies, shotgun ammo is almost always one of the last common rounds to stay on the shelf. Long after the 9mm, 5.56 and .22 ammo is gone its usually possible to find some form of shotgun ammo. Now, buck and slugs will usually go fairly quickly but there is almost always some kind of shotgun ammo around- there are ways to make most of it, even cheap #8 birdshot quite lethal but they are beyond this article. Apart from the new ammo market, every serious or even casual bird hunter or trap shooter has at least a few boxes of ammo around- second hand shotgun ammo is a common item at garage sales, flea markets, pawn shops and gun shows.  As an example, the Winchester Ranger Mark 5 ammo on the tailgate of that pickup in the opening photo, was purchased at a pawn shop for $2, it was likely 50 years old or more- note the blue, “all new plastic” label on the boxes upper right corner- every round fired without issue.

This ubiquity is also an advantage of course in finding a good defensive shotgun at reasonable cost but it also has a subtle and not always appreciated value in terms of appearance. While they are fading, an entire generation of American service men and police knew the AK47 as “the bad guy gun”. Simply put, if they rolled up on a shooting scene with no more information than what the shooters were armed with- the guy with the AK was “probably the problem”. By extension, following several highly publicized mass shootings, for some time now, any box fed semi-automatic rifle has been seen in the same light. By contrast the shotgun has been a staple of American law enforcement armament since the days of Dodge City. Most rational people don’t immediately think old Uncle Petes’ bunny shooter is an “evil killing machine”. Even Joe Biden and Barrack Obama know that you can’t demonize a tool that many Americans have fond memories of from the field and generations of TV westerns and police dramas…It is rare that the shotgun is banned in even the most hoplophobic American jurisdictions.

None of which is to say that the shotgun has to be used as a lethal weapon. Unlike many other defensive weapons a person might choose, the shotgun has a long history of being used as a Less Lethal force applicator. Long before the Taser there was rubber buckshot or very fine birdshot and of course the Bean Bag load. Rubber slugs and buckshot can be purchased by mere “civilians” like any other ammunition and Walmart still has #8 bird shot on the shelf. (DO NOT LOAD BIRDSHOT AS A MANSTOPPING LOAD. Please, just don’t do it!) Review this article by fellow AP contributor Don Shift—-https://www.americanpartisan.org/2021/12/don-shift-sends-12-gauge-less-lethal-shotgun-usage-when-the-shtf-part-one/ for specifics. Unlike many less lethal weapons, the shotgun is a repeater and offers fair stand off distance.  I’ve been tased and I’ve been shot with rubber buckshot. I’ll take the taser again if given the choice.

At the 15-25 yard range the buckshot loaded shotgun offers another advantage-   a swarm of lead down range. Now, it is absolute idiocy, and I cringe every time I hear it, to say that “all you have to do is point it and everything in the room is dead meat”. Although- even this myth has some value. The Knucklehead on the other end of your muzzle may actually believe it enough to decide he has other places to be when the gaping maw of the gauge presents itself. The shotgun has to be aimed, and with certain loads and barrel combinations- aimed quite carefully- in order to make hits. It’s entirely possible to miss a man at room distance with a shotgun. The lesson here is to shoot your gun with the ammo you intend to use for self-defense at various distances, on paper, to learn it’s patterning. The user who understands how his gun and load patterns at various distances can engage moving targets with a higher degree of success than the average pistol or carbine shooter within the guns effective range due to the spread of the pattern. For this reason, the shotgun truly comes into it’s own in low light, moderate distance engagements.

Setting up the shotgun for social use is fairly straightforward. The gun needs a sight system to steer by- the simple bead, the rifle sight, the ghost ring or Red Dot all work. The gun needs a sling- every long gun used for social purposes does. After that we get into “nice to haves”. These include a way to carry ammo on the gun for reloads- along with that a magazine extension can add a few rounds. A barrel in the 18-20” range is preferred, a duck gun can do good work but the shorter guns are simply handier. A well-fitting stock- most are far too long for the average shooter, is almost a necessity. A light rounds out this rather short list of wants and needs.

The disadvantages of the shotgun are well known and often discussed- Recoil. Lack of capacity. Limited range and precision. Each of these issues can be mitigated in varying degrees if the user will educate themselves, choose modifications, ammunition and accessories well, and put in time with the weapon. The simplest way to mitigate the shotguns’ fabled recoil is to learn the Sym Tac Push-Pull system of recoil management. Rob Haught developed the technique and taught it for years at the FBI Academy and elsewhere-highly recommended. Once you have a good understanding of the system it is a simple thing to shoot a couple of cases of birdshot over a weekend and go to work on Monday without a limp and bruised shoulder or arm. There are of course “gear choices” that can help tame the shotguns recoil as well though I prefer techniques that can be applied regardless of equipment. Reduced recoil ammunition is readily available and one of the most serious issues with recoil management- buttstocks that are too long, is easy enough to fix by replacement or modification. Capacity is relative- how many rounds do you realistically expect to fire out of a long gun in the average civilian defensive encounter? If those rounds are very likely to kill or completely incapacitate with a single hit, how many do you need? The shotgun, with practice in loading and ammunition carried on the gun, can keep up a very high volume of fire. Lastly, we come back to trade offs, the shotgun is simply not a rifle. It certainly can be lethal past 25 yards and even fairly precise out to 100 with slugs but it will never be an AR15 or similar and that’s all there is to it.

The shotgun as a defensive weapon is nowhere as prevalent as here in America, it has given and will continue to give a unique and capable defensive option to Free Americans.

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About the Author: Patriotman

Patriotman currently ekes out a survivalist lifestyle in a suburban northeastern state as best as he can. He has varied experience in political science, public policy, biological sciences, and higher education. Proudly Catholic and an Eagle Scout, he has no military experience and thus offers a relatable perspective for the average suburban prepper who is preparing for troubled times on the horizon with less than ideal teams and in less than ideal locations. Brushbeater Store Page: http://bit.ly/BrushbeaterStore

22 Comments

  1. Centurion_Cornelius December 21, 2021 at 06:43

    Good read, and its elements should not be forgotten. Especially to the “newcomers” to firearms. A few in my own extended family are either strapped for cash or uncertain what home defensive weapon to buy–enter the logical choice–a shotgun.

    Immensely practical, affordable, and effective.

    Many moons ago our central Ohio county council entertained the notion of banning those sinister, black, AR15 “assault weapons” because of their vicious lethality. ‘Horsefeathers!” said I and attended the public hearing. Once all the lies, misinformation, and gun-grabbers got done propounding how horrible a weapon the AR15 was, I rose to have my chance to speak.

    In attendance at the hearing was our duly-elected County Sheriff (and County Coroner if memory serves.) I said: “Sheriff ‘X,’ what has been your experience covering law enforcement in our county as to the most deadly and effective weapon devastating to human tissue that you and your Deputies have encountered?”

    Without hesitating, the Sheriff said: “A 12 gauge shotgun handled by a guy who knows how to use it.” The County Coroner kept nodding his head. From then on, the hearing lost its steam, as no one–not a politician there in attendance–wanted to ban “Uncle Pete’s Bunny Gun.” No AWB then or now.

    P.S. Think of practicality these days: George Soros-bought DAs and Prosecutors, as well as their mass media whores. Consider the optics: home invasion stopped by one shot of 00# buck from “State’s Exhibit A,” a wood-stocked shotgun and one 12 ga hull versus “State’s Exhibit B,” an AR15 with 20-30 brass casings from the scene. How would jurors vote? Optics.

  2. Ghostmann December 21, 2021 at 07:38

    Shotguns being smooth bore also don’t leave a ballistic fingerprint on the expended projectile/projectiles as well. Definitely something to ponder.

    • American Yeoman December 21, 2021 at 09:07

      The Irish Loyalist hit man for hire, Michael Stone was partial for the shotgun due to it’s lack of forensic signature.

    • Johnny Paratrooper December 21, 2021 at 09:35

      Forensic Firearm Ballistics is a Psyop.
      My Glock doesn’t have rifling either…
      The police can tell what type of gun was used, for example “Glock 9mm”, but they can not trace down the exact serial number.

      • American Yeoman December 21, 2021 at 09:39

        True. But if they find a casing they can certainly connect it via breach face, chamber and extractor marks to a particular weapon. Don’t leave casings, of any kind, if you are “into that kind of thing”….Lol….

        • Johnny Paratrooper December 21, 2021 at 09:47

          I was told by Baltimore City Homicide and ATF Agents that’s actually not true and is a Hollywood plot device. Unless you have a very exotic weapon with low production numbers. For instance, they can possibly trace a single source FN-57 or a Desert Eagle .50 AE to a particular weapon. MAYBE. And that’s a hard maybe. Assuming you haven’t fired many rounds through the gun, or changed out any of those parts.

          But, at the end of the day, they 100% have to find the gun in your possession.

        • FJB December 22, 2021 at 20:15

          Forensic ballistics where they identify the exact weapon is complete and utter horse manure.

  3. Johnny Paratrooper December 21, 2021 at 09:50

    Serious Question Sir,

    Do you prefer 15 pellet 00 Buckshot or 9 Pellet?

    I selected 15 pellet personally for my bulk ammo purchase. And I have considered purchasing a case of 9 pellet for my next bulk buy.

    Do you have any thoughts on the subject? Should I stick to 15? The reason I selected 15 pellets is that there seemed to be a slightly higher average shot density, and a higher likelihood of hitting something vital or simply hitting anything.

    • wwes December 21, 2021 at 10:48

      JP, I can’t answer for him, but I use 9 pellet 00 buck or 8 pellet 000 buck if I am using 2 3/4″ shells. I used to deer hunt a good bit with buckshot, and I would buy 12 pellet because of the higher pellet count. My personal experience was that the 12 pellet stuff just didn’t have the oomph to reach the vitals unless I was very close to the deer. When I switched to 9 pellet I had much cleaner kills. For fun, I took an old hood from a pontiac car and tried 9 and 12 pellet loads from several brands, at anything more than about 15 yards, the 12 pellet usually wouldn’t penetrate, where the 9 pellet would out to around 20-25 yards. None of this is very scientific, but it did seem to highlight the differences.
      For close range engagements, none of this probably matters, but if the range starts getting a little longer it might make a difference.

      • Johnny Paratrooper December 21, 2021 at 11:08

        wwes, that sounds pretty scientific to me.

        • American Yeoman December 21, 2021 at 11:37

          What he said is EXACTLY what I would have said. 8 or 9 pellet is what I use. There is a really weird and well documented phenomena with 9 pellet loads where you can have 8 in a beautiful little circle and ONE, that 9th, will zing off a few inches away. Strange but I’ve seen it enough to be a believer. I use the Federal 8 Pellet Flite Control load most often- but shotguns are like everything else, some just have a load they like even though it might not be a “premium load” etc….Pays to check your gun…

          • wwes December 21, 2021 at 11:46

            That Federal Flite Control has been good stuff from what I have seen. I always had really good luck with Remington Express 9 pellet buckshot too. Winchester buckshot has consistently given me the worst results, regardless of pellet count. I also bought a bunch of cheap 9 pellet buckshot branded “Suprema” and “Spartan” and they seemed to be pretty decent.
            Do you think the one pellet flyer thing is dues to shot deformation? I know I always got tighter buckshot patterns through IC or cylinder choked shotguns, where full choked guns seemed to give me a bigger spread. I have always assumed it was due to deformation to the pellets when passing through the choke.

          • Johnny Paratrooper December 21, 2021 at 12:43

            Noted. Thank you. Very useful information. I will put a case of 9 Pellet on the list.

        • wwes December 21, 2021 at 11:38

          It was a lot of fun at any rate :)

          • American Yeoman December 21, 2021 at 13:16

            NOBODY seems to know what the “one pellet flier” deal is. I’ve seen it many times though. Lots of people think you can use tighter chokes for better buckshot patterns and it really doesn’t work- you tend to get more pellet deformation as the shot column is compressed. That results in flat spots and these then cause fliers. If you want tighter patterns you need better shot buffering, harder shot or to back bore your gun. Trap shooters have known this for years. Best choke for the shotgun and defensive use is either the Cyl, or IC. I’m not a fan of really tight chokes anyway- I want something of a pattern.

  4. mike December 21, 2021 at 10:01

    Yes, great essay. The Germans wanted to press war crimes charges against the Americans in WW1 due to the popularity and effectiveness of the shotgun as a trench broom. In Vietnam it was often employed up on point as an effective response to ambush or unexpected close contact in heavy cover. In home defense, particularly urban/suburban, the lack of range is often an asset, as innocent neighbors might be downrange behind the bad guys is a firefight. The reloading options are almost endless, from incendiaries to Malaya loads, to homemade flechettes with finishing nails, and tungsten carbide tool bits as improvised penetrators. The shotgun can be very effective at taking down a nuisance hobby drone in tactical situations and rocksalt has a well deserved reputation as a less than lethal round. The shotgun can also deploy a range of tactical or emergency aid rounds such as flares, and smoke. It lends itself easily to loads with blackpowder propellant instead of smokeless if the logistic situation requires it. Shells can even be reloaded in the field if you pack along a Lee Handloader Press with some primers, powder, and shot. The shotgun is also very versatile as a hunting arm, since you can carry ammo for big game and small and swap them in and out of the chamber easily depending upon what type of game is encountered. I could probably go on for days, but the point is that the shotgun is versatile enough to earn a place in anyone’s personal arsenal.

  5. HillBilly Jack December 21, 2021 at 10:18

    I ran a call back in the late 70s on a robbery shooting. It was a restaurant that had closed for the night. My partner and I made entry thru back door meeting the cook. We found the manager behind the register . He had taken a shotgun blast at close range in the low abdomen was alive and talking. We were working on him when the PD arrived. While the 2 hold up men were busy with the manager the bus boy came out of the mens room saw it and turned to run. They hit him right between the shoulder blades sent him over a table DRT. The PD was able to math the extractor marks on the shells to another robbery in a suburb along with the bad guys a few months later.

  6. SOG December 21, 2021 at 10:25

    you can find tac14’s, KSG with 25 round capacity using aguila mini’s so capacity isnt an issue its how fast can you rack it

    semi auto shotguns are plentiful now and are benellis clones

    PSA has brand new 870clone 12ga for around 180 bucks on daily deals

    shotgun is a def must have item and the entry price is so low ammo too,i dont care what ammo you are using being peppers with shotgun pellets is no bueno!

    • Luke December 21, 2021 at 11:42

      My go to sir with the Aguila minis. Got a mixture of .00 and slug to breach. If you have a KSG make sure you remove the ammo once or twice a month and reload. I got lazy over the summer and wore the springs out. Sent back to Keltec. Good news I talked them into upgrading it to the aluminum risers. It’s a formidable weapon at close range. You gotta rack it hard. I almost got the KSG 25 and that bastard will hold about 50 rounds of minis.

      Never shot much rifle or handgun as a kid. Dad didn’t have any but got pretty good with the street sweeper. Started with the 410 and worked my way up. Will always love the shotgun.

  7. BUDDYBEAR December 21, 2021 at 10:41

    My most frequent bump in the night is something in the chicken coup. I like a youth model 20 ga. loaded with 4’s up front followed by 00 buck 9 pellet. I figure I pretty squared away if it turns out to be more than a opossum or fox. I like the youth model as the stock is shorter. A 20 ga. is also lighter and easier for my wife wield if needed. At under 30 yards a 20 ga. is still very lethal.

  8. HillBilly Jack December 21, 2021 at 11:31

    My setup is a 870 2 ¾ with a 18” barrel extended magazine. Installed in a Bull Pup kit uses AR grip and safety. Oal 30 3/4” short and sweet very handy.

  9. Boon December 21, 2021 at 14:37

    I use an 870 with a 20” slug barrel, open choke and get a nice pattern close in but prefer buffered shot for the best pattern. Quick change barrel to a full choke 30” and you would be memorable out to 100 yards although my house isn’t that large! I appreciate a short range option especially in populated areas so there is less concern for collateral damage.

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