Fighting Shotguns

[UnforseenWeather]

Watching MagPul's Art of the Dynamic Shotgun and start the discussion on using a scattergun for home defense.

I think most of us have the ubiquitous Mossberg or Remington... How's yours set up?

[fm18]

All of mine have side saddle shell carriers, LaserDevices LED weapon lights, and a three point sling at the moment. I also have night sights on a couple and a T1 on another. I really want to get a Remington VersaMax tactical and put the T1 on that.

[4track]

I'll go.

My shotgun is a very flexible multipurpose tool. I can fight with it, defend with it, hunt game (large and small) with it, launch signal flares with it, etc.

While I do not intend to turn this into a debate of which is "best", I will say that, as a cross dominant shooter, I prefer Mossberg over Remington simply because it is more ambidextrous. (I loathe cross bolt type safeties). I also like the location of the slide release being behind the trigger guard, and the fact that manually unloading the Mossberg's magazine tube is faster and easier than Remington's design is.

I have a nine shot, ghost ring sight 590A1.

I currently have a Hogue stock, and a Surefire railed fore end installed.

I don't like the Hogue stock, but I use it because it gives me a bit more of a vertical grip than the factory stock, does....I could can do without the over molded rubber on the grip area. I see that Magpul is now releasing their stock set for the Mossberg, which will offer an even better grip angle, so I will eventually replace the Hogue with it.

I use the aluminum Surefire railed fore end to mount an LED G2 light, but I might consider replacing this with the plastic Magpul fore end, too, as it will also allow for light mounting but will offer a weight savings and ergonomic bonus.

I made my own quick adjust, two-point sling out of one inch webbing and ITW hardware.



I formerly used a Mesa Tactical, eight round side saddle.

I took it off because it broke two times due to recoil, and also, I found that shooting left handed with the side saddle was not working for me.

Therefore, I now carry my ammunition in a zipper top dump pouch, made by HSGI. To it, I added a two inch adjustable strap, to make the pouch into a shoulder bag. I prefer this type of bulk ammo carriage over other systems, which store shot shells in loops. Digging shells out of the bag makes the reloads a little slower than loop systems, but in my experience, the loops on other systems always wear out too quickly, loose their retention and lead to lost ammunition.

With the bag, I can zip the top closed, when I am finished reloading, and I know that the shells are not coming out.

When I go out into the woods, I simply fill the bag with buck or bird shot. I can keep a few rounds of slug attached to the strap with these fantastic, two round shell holders made by Safariland. They mount onto any two inch belt.



I replaced the factory aluminum safety with a more advanced version sold by Brownells. It has a thumb tab that greatly improves the manipulation of this safety, by giving more positive contact with my thumb. I also removed the factory, one-way, safety retaining screw, and replaced it with a socket head cap screw, so that I can more easily take it apart.



I recently replaced the factory bright orange front sight post with a Made in Israel, Meprolight tritium one. I really like it in low light, but I kind of miss the bright orange contrast of the old sight. I am debating on whether or not to spray paint the Meprolight one orange.



Other than that, I simply spray painted it with Aervoe paint into a Multicam-esque pattern, and added an old M-7 bayonet to the kit...I like options...especially in a defensive role. ;D

[UnforseenWeather]

Looks good 4track! I agree about the safety. I've held several Mossbergs and liked them. I ended up with a Remington 870 back in the day (first gun I bought in fact, in the early 90s) that I'm using since I'm so familiar with it now.

Been watching youtube vids on various shotgun options and sort of wish I'd saved for a semi-auto, or outright purchased another shotgun a few years back so I'd have more options.

[grendal1989]

Anyone else have a "fighting shotgun" I'm thinking of getting into one since they are about the only thing I can buy and get ammo for right now.

Also, any thoughts on the Magpul art of the dynamic shotgun vid? I know literally nothing about using a shotgun tactically.

[fm18]

Grendal,

I have 3 right now. Rem 870, 11-87 and an FN SLP. Want to get a Rem Versa Max though as it really seems to work well with an type of shotgun round without having to change our or modify anything on the gun. The Magpul Dynamics shotgun video is worth picking up for sure. Go out and then practice a lot as the shotgun is probably the hardest platform to learn to get good on. Like you said though, you can still find ammo and shotguns at the moment too...

[UnforseenWeather]

Feb 5, 2013 23:39:01 GMT -5 grendal1989 said:

Anyone else have a "fighting shotgun" I'm thinking of getting into one since they are about the only thing I can buy and get ammo for right now.

Also, any thoughts on the Magpul art of the dynamic shotgun vid? I know literally nothing about using a shotgun tactically.

I got a good bit out of the video. They bring the same kind of "why didn't I think of that" common sense to the platform. It doesn't seem as in-depth to me as the other videos (it's not just "a day at the range with Magpul") but there is still a lot of learning to be done.

Things I'd never really even considered (because I hadn't studied the shotgun) like slug changeovers (semi and slide action) and reloads with the shotgun were eye openers. Heck, even unloading the gun (I have only shot clays with my shotgun; if I had one round left, I'd just rack it out) by pushing the shell flipper up and popping the rounds out manually were worth the cost of the video alone.

I have to say; most gun owners likely have shotguns; but they may actually be less understood than pistols or rifles. Maybe it's just that whole "familiarity breeds contempt" (or complacency in this case) but whatever it is, I think more people myself included need to learn more.

Hope this helps.

[Spinebuster]

I recently sold my AR due to some economic circumstances and took a second look at my Mossberg 590. I am waiting for the Magpul gear to come out for the Mossberg and I am going to replace the furniture on it and bring it up to date. I really loved the look and feel of the Magpul gear when I had my AR and cant wait to see it on the shotgun. The Magpul Dynamics DVD is also on my list of items to pick up as most of my experience has been with the AR and not the Shotgun. I am also looking at ways to integrate the shotgun into training with my friends as a support weapon. Once I get the parts I will post pics of the upgrades.

[4track]

Spinebuster,

I have the Magpul shotgun DVD.

If you want to borrow it, send me a private message with an address, and I will mail it out to you.

[hwi]

Any of you guys have experience with the Benelli Supernova Tactical? Thinking about getting one since it is in the same price range of my initial choice of Mossberg 590A1. Read some good things about the Benelli, but I have never shot one and don't know anyone that owns one, whereas with the Mossberg I have a good amount of experience with.

[matt]

I had a Supernova. It performed well for me and the magazine cut-off button is genius. I added a Nordic components extension and magazine clamp and both performed very well.

[currahee]

I had two shotguns (an 870 and an 1100) that I had pieced together over time. I ran in to an outstanding deal on new 870 and decided to sell the other two and make the shotgun I wanted. 1st priorities was to be as short as possible, carry extra ammo and have a light.I prefer ARs but shotguns are a versatile and ubiquitous weapon that everyone should spend some time with.

I finished it last week.

BBL chopped to 18" and threaded for a choke, XS big dot sight, Choate +2 extension, Hogue fighting length over molded furniture, ESTAC side saddle, MI sling adaptor and Condor one point sling, Surefire G2X in CDN mount and a high vis mag follower.

[4track]

That looks very nice, curahee.

Is the vent rib dovetailed to fit the front sight, or does it screw in?

[currahee]

Jun 26, 2013 5:04:40 GMT -5 4track said:

That looks very nice, curahee.

Is the vent rib dovetailed to fit the front sight, or does it screw in?

It is an XS big dot, it is JB welded over the existing screwed in bead.

[grendal1989]

Jun 26, 2013 20:01:43 GMT -5 currahee said:

Jun 26, 2013 5:04:40 GMT -5 4track said:

That looks very nice, curahee.

Is the vent rib dovetailed to fit the front sight, or does it screw in?

It is an XS big dot, it is JB welded over the existing screwed in bead.

Can we get a better picture of this? I don't quite understand how you did it.