Haveing grown up hunting with a Remington model 31 pump , and haveing owned several 870's , I have to agree with Alley-Oop. You can get a combo 870 and use the standard bbl for hunting then use the short bbl ( made for deer hunting ) for home defense. Just get the unrifled bbl though. Rifled bbls seem to throw the buck shot in an erratic pattern.
I'm a Remington 870 fan, myself - at least when it comes to modern pump shotguns.
But any shotgun you find will serve admirably in the home defense role. If cost is a factor, check out the used gun racks. I found my 520 for $100. I've added about $50 in modifications to it (new barrel and sight, and now a firing pin) but the only thing that really NEEDED to be done was the firing pin.
Ambassador of Massachusetts - looking to defect
Originally Posted by SlowPoke
I have envy......... Im still looking for my first shotgun... I am thinking pump and mostly for hunting..... but if I wanted a shotgun for HD, what are the best choices?
After a bunch of reading and thinking, I ended up getting the Charles Daly version of Benelli's SuperNova pump with the pistol grip. Charles Daly has since gone out of business so that may affect your decision.
The Charles Daly came with a fiber optic front sight and fully adjustable rear peep sight. It was about 2 pounds lighter than the Benelli (but that means it does recoil more) and about $200 cheaper. I ordered a magazine extension tube (made for the Benelli-the guns are both made in the same factory) and mounted a tactical light with built in laser sight using a magazine tube clamp that included a picatinny rail.
Now I've got an 8 round 12 gauge pump home defense shotgun with a pistol grip, tactical light/laser sight combo for less than the basic Benelli I was looking at.
I've fired slugs, 00, 3" magnums, and all manner of bird shot through it with zero malfunctions. I was going to take it to the skeet and trap range but the old coots out there would probably seize up and drop their $4K shotguns.
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