Why the Combat Shotgun?

QuadraTactical

Close Quarters Shotgun Techniques

Shotguns or Handguns for Home Defense?

The guns that were put head to head were a Remington 870 12 gauge and a Makarov PM in 9x18mm. (Photo: David LaPell)

If you were to ask five different self defense instructors about what weapon you should use in your home for personal defense, you’ll likely get five different answers. You can bet though that one will most likely recommend a shotgun and another a handgun, but of the two which is better for you and your needs?

Shotguns?

The shotgun has been touted as a defensive weapon of sometimes mythological proportions and, while it is formidable, the shotgun has drawbacks. This is something every shooter, no matter how experienced, needs to know.

First of all, a shotgun is not a magic wand, dispatching evil by merely pointing it in the direction of the bad guy. Shotguns with defensive loads like buckshot really do not cover a large area, only a few inches at 7 to 10 yards with a short barrel and improved cylinder choke. This is hardly the wall covering shot pattern a typical Hollywood film depicts. And no, it won’t send someone flying through the air either.

What a shotgun does do however is deliver in a single load of buckshot, no matter if it is 00 or #4 buckshot, much contains more lead and projectiles than any single handgun round can deliver. Depending on the size of the buckshot load you’re using, you can deliver anywhere from eight to 27 pellets or more on target in one shot. The shotgun is a fight stopper and it can do this very quickly.

Nine pellets of 00 buckshot, delivered in one round, compared to nine rounds of 9x18mm, delivered consecutively. (Photo: David LaPell)

If you’re worried about the recoil of a 12 gauge shotgun being too punishing, don’t overlook the 20 gauge or even in some cases, a .410 option. Many of the same models that are popular in 12 gauge like the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500 can be found chambered for smaller rounds and, when loaded with buckshot, these are still more powerful round-for-round than any handgun. (TAC-6 suggests sticking with the 12 gauge. Fear not the recoil. This can be mitigated by using tactical low recoil buckshot such as Federal with Flite Control. Excellent ammunition.)

When it comes to the specifics, a personal defense shotgun should have a short barrel, 20 inches or less. It may also be a good idea to install an extended magazine, but that’s really not necessary. Of course pump shotguns are the most common, but there are reliable semi-autos these days too. If you don’t mind the limitations, even a side by side coach gun is nothing to sneeze at. Also, don’t ignore the single barrel, single shot shotguns in your home defense plan. These can be a cost effective option for around only a $100 or more. (Encoutering multiple threats such as a home invasion is a valid reality. TAC-6 suggests as a force multiplier, its shotgun side saddle which you can get HERE.)

Handguns?

So now we come to handguns. If you think that they are easier to shoot compared to a shotgun, well, they are and they definitely are not. Sure the average handgun in 9mm or even a .45 ACP doesn’t have the shoulder thwacking recoil of a shotgun. But what it does have is a shorter sight radius which requires serious practice to be able to shoot well.  Practice is the word with any handgun.

Where the handgun outshines the shotgun for personal defense in the home is that when it comes to movement. Moving around an enclosed area like a hallway is a lot easier with a handgun than with a shotgun with its longer barrel and size. Also remember that a long barrel is something a bad guy can grab, if you’re unlucky. (TAC-6 input: Simple training tactics within one's home can greatly increase movement with a shotgun and this is encouraged. Sample techniques of using a long gun in a confined space )

If you did decide to choose a handgun for the defense of your home, you could do a lot worse than picking a Makarov PM which are known for their reliability and accuracy. (Photo: David LaPell)

Having a handgun also means, in most cases, more ammo capacity and likely more spare magazines or loaders on your person. When it comes to speed, reloading a semi auto pistol beats any shotgun. Loading rounds into a tube will seem like an eternity when you’re in a rush versus simply swapping out the magazine of a pistol or even a speedloader of a double action revolver if you practice enough.

Showdown

I decided to take my Remington 870 and my Makarov PM, my favorite carry gun in warm weather, to the range to see how they fared against one another. I started at the 7-yard line. I loaded the Remington 870 with a 2.75 inch round of nine pellet 00 buckshot and the Makarov a full magazine of eight rounds and one in the chamber. This gave me nine rounds from a handgun against nine pellets of buckshot.

The groups were fairly close, much closer than one might expect, but the thing to remember is that I delivered all of those pellets from the shotgun at once, while the Makarov was a rapid and steady fire affair but it still took several seconds. The 9x18mm Makarov round is on par with .380 and is a mild round compared to .40 S&W and .45 ACP, so I’m apt to think that a group from a stouter round would be larger compared to the shotgun.

At 7 yards the load of 00 buckshot grouped tighter than a magazine worth of rounds from the Makarov PM. (Photo: David LaPell)

I then brought the shotgun and the Makarov back to the 15-yard line. The two groups started began spreading out at this distance with the 00 buckshot really opening up but still keeping all the pellets within a radius of 12 inches. I fired the Makarov at the same brisk pace I kept at the 7-yard line. The nine round were still fairly closely grouped. Again, keep in mind that the Makarov is a fairly pleasant shooting pistol with low recoil due to its all steel frame and mild caliber.

The point of the exercise was to see what both guns could do at similar ranges. The first verdict is you can do more with one well placed round of buckshot faster than you can empty the magazine or cylinder of a handgun. The second verdict is that a handgun, with skill acquired through practice, can be effective at the same practical ranges as a shotgun inside a home.

At 15 yards the 00 buckshot spread out more than the group from the Makarov but still held a fairly decent pattern. (Photo: David LaPell)

A word on penetration

So what about penetration? It was a pretty moot point to test against drywall since it is a fact that even light birdshot can go through a couple layers of drywall. You have to still be aware of your surroundings no matter what you’re shooting. Both handguns and shotguns will send a round through a wall into the next room with ease, so take that into consideration no matter which you choose.

Winner?

Which would you pick? The decision is ultimately yours. Why not both? Well, that’s probably the smartest option, but not really in the spirit of this exercise.

If you’re looking for advice on a gun for your home, something you wouldn’t necessarily plan on carrying outside, I recommend a shotgun. Whether it’s 12, 20, or even .410, shot for shot, no handgun can match what a shotgun delivers — as long as it is buckshot.

Shotguns are also very cost effective. You can pick up a cheaper defensive shotgun like a Maverick 88 for less than $250 and a Remington 870 for under $400. You can find used shotguns often for around $200 or less in some cases. Also if you have a shotgun for hunting, many have barrels that interchange. For a mere $100 or so you can turn your hunting gun into a defensive shotgun in a matter of moments.

Handguns are of course great for personal protection, if you are going to take the time and expend the energy to get good with them. You still need to practice with your shotgun and pattern loads at different ranges from up close to at least 15 yards. But in the end it’s the simpler and usually better choice.
Original Source at Guns.com

Shotgun Punching Power!

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GOT AMMO?

The prepper/survivalist has ensured every material that will mitigate most critical situations of passing through the fire of cataclysm and catastrophic society breakdown. One of the major primary considerations has been their weapon system, which is the heart of any true prepper/survivalist.
The prepper knows his weapon system as any true soldier knows his rifle. The training is as deep as he or she has exercised.
Over the years, observing many actual videos of true battles in war especially small arms firefights, there are no delusions of grandeur. It is not pretty. If ever should one come in contact with an enemy force even a small force, a firefight is one thing a true prepper/survivalist should avoid at all costs.

With today's technology, observation of gritty true life firefight videos have opened a door to which many of us really do not see. It really throws into reality what happens during a firefight.

The laws in a small arms firefight are:

• You will fall down, A LOT! Whether in the field or just in your own compound.
• Nature will grab a hold, trip, get in your way namely dirt, dust, snow, ice, rain, fog, sticks, rocks, bushes, trees, etc.
• Man made structures will grab a hold of you, get in your way, trip you, give way, snag you, hit you etc.
• Your own gear will get in the way. 
• You won't see it coming.  
• You will be tired and exhausted when the enemy attacks. 
• You can not run as fast as you think you can. 
• You will drop your weapon.
• You will try to shoot with your safety on. 
• You will forget to charge your weapon.
• Your weapon will malfunction. 
• and last one is the most critical law: YOU WILL RUN OUT OF AMMO! 

Ammo is one of the main issues to be covered here. Observing the U.S. military when coming in contact with local insurgents in the middle east, the military uses extensive suppression tactics when engaging with the enemy, especially ambush. Watch Funker Tactical videos on YouTube and you will hear a lot cussing, screaming and just a lot of what seems like to be utter chaos to get more ammo up to the soldiers who are laying down the hurt.


This is critical intelligence for the prepper/survivalist, since either you are a lone wolf or belong to a small prepper/survival or militia unit, ammunition goes fast when having to suppress and then engage to defeat the enemy.


For the overwhelming majority of prepper/survivalists, this is not at all practical and is not at all encouraged to consider as a mindset to engage in a firefight. When engaged in an unforeseen firefight, one of the best guerrilla defensive tactic is to suppress in the generally direction of the enemy fire, escape and evade. Training should be the majority of this art form. You will make your escape an immediate coarse of action with no exceptions.
With the endless possibilities of scenarios that can be had here. It is encouraged to do your due diligence to research, apply techniques, train and assess your program to adapt to your specific defensive needs.

Addressing Shotgun Side Saddle Carriers -- An Experienced Assessment.

The Venerable QTAC-7 Side Saddle Carrier.

We have studied the opinions of shotgun tactical trainers, in regard to extra ammunition carry, side saddle carriers.

We are going to address the opinion of those who discourage the use of VELCRO®-attached ammunition carriers, in that their opinion is, "They are ineffective for retention in tactical deployment."

This rebuttal assessment is based on three decades of experience with tactical combat shotguns and tactical rifles.


In our day, we carried extra ammo either in our pockets or pouches.

Traditional shotgun ammo carry.

Retrieving ammo was cumbersome and precarious. Dropping ammo, especially when engaging in actual dynamic situations, did happen. Was there panic? No. Just keep grabbing.

As a side note, for the naysayers who comment "If you need more than what is in the tube, you must be doing something wrong" have not been in a true dynamic situation. In our personal experience we have blazed through multiple shotgun tube reloads of shot shells and the threat(s) still existed.  Dynamic circumstances are never choreographed and never appear as though they do in the movies.  Real circumstances are chaotic, at best.

Personally, I have oriented ammo incorrectly on reloading and dropped shot shells. Yes I practice extensively reloading tactics with my weapon in static environments, but in true dynamic situations, for which I have experienced, Murphy's Law is there to sucker punch you! Things do and will go wrong.  What matters is how you are able to adapt in a quick and efficient manner.

In the last 15 years, I have adopted accessories on my tactical combat shotgun. I have tried metal and polymer side saddles. I embraced the concept, but either found them too tight or too loose. I did not like having to dislodge the shotgun from a shooting position to a loading position. This took too much time and effort, in my opinion. Ambient temperature is also a factor. In the cold, pulling/pushing ammo was not smooth or easy. If it was hot, just firing the shotgun with the metal or polymer sidesaddles,  I would lose a couple of rounds either falling out the bottom or ejecting up and out of the holder from the recoil. Another factor was the after-market binding screws replacing factory pins to secure the mounting plate. Too tight, binding the receiver and causing extra friction for internal components--too loose and this causes the plate to vibrate causing external damage to the receiver. I also did not like that the carrier was static--once empty, it's empty!

I wanted to have the ability to have shot shells available and close to my work space. Seeing the elastic removable carriers come to market, I felt this was worth looking into.

I have tried other elastic holders and found many used cheap sticky tape.  I did not like the soft carrier backing, as it formed wave rolls and did not make full contact along the receiver.  Most of all, when firing the weapon, the actual carrier would fall off due to lack of full contact and engagement. I found this to be unacceptable, but I wanted this idea to work!

Working on a solution to this problem, years back, we developed a semi-rigid, flexible, full-flush contact carrier that mounts only with strong Industrial Strength VELCRO®. This created a great system, for which I believe is the best thus far.

We set forth reasonable expectation to mitigate ammunition dumping. Our years of testing has shown great expectation can be achieved with this system of carrier. Through our tests, we experience less than a 10% dump ratio in dynamic environments. It is unreasonable to expect perfect retention, as some so-called "tactical shotgun experts" believe. If something does not perform to 100% expectation performance, does this mean I throw away a great force multiplier? Of course not!

Easy grip and rip!

Extra rounds close to work space!

If a shell comes loose, do I stop and pick it up or bewail the imperfection?

I empty that carrier either via port or tube loading, rip it off and press a loaded one already oriented to my preference and press forward!

The extra six rounds close to the work space mitigates time to extract and reload far better than reaching in my pocket or pouch! The benefit still greatly outweighs any negative potential of any ammunition dump, which is impossible to avoid 100%.

As a comparison, do I throw out an AR platform for common malfunctions, such as clearing? Or how about common operator error, such as magazine drop when trying to load an AR and/or have the magazine drop right out of the receiver because of poor magazine seating? I have seen many and have personally experienced this many times. It happens, grab another; pick it up, if its your last one and get it in there; and charge and GO!

The overall experienced assessment of the QuadraTactical Ammunition Carriers is that they provide the shotgun operator with an excellent force multiplication dimension for the tactical combat shotgun platform. Get them here: QuadraTactical

Most effective battle gun platform!

The Ultimate Firearm for Defense and Survival

You can only carry one when on the run or standing a post.
There is a plethora of information on the web regarding firearms and the applications in SHTF defense scenarios. 
It is of our opinion that if you are going to survive there is one weapon system that might see you through the other side. It is known that many Americans have stock piled a diverse amounts of ammo, pistols, revolvers, shotguns, and rifles. Recent firearm sales have broken records. Unless you are supplying an army, buying as an investment/collector, when it comes right down to it, "what if your location becomes compromised?" How much of it do you plan to carry? What weapons system is your go to? 
We have it set up to only grab one gun.
The go to primary weapon system that we believe is the overall best for SHTF/TEOTWAWKI/WROL/APOCALYPSE and having owned many BRs, ARs, rifles, pistols, revolvers; the tactical-combat pump action shotgun is our primary weapons system. It has been for decades and find it to be the best overall weapons system for a prepper/survivalist/sheep warrior.

Simple and effective combat shotgun.

This is why!
• Ease of use
• Reliability - Based on over 100 years of development.
• Availability of a wide range of ammunition - From bird shot, buckshot, slug, flechette and sabot, to specialty ammo from non lethal to very exotic along with low recoil to magnum power rounds making a single weapons platform a definite force multiplier. 
This system can even be a launcher with blank rounds to launch a grappling hook or other ordinance.
Your personal load-out should have a few of each dictated by your own personal intelligence of the situation at hand. An ammo load-out is about a total of 25 to 50 rounds depending on your capabilities of weight management. Use of a tactical vest or equivalent to carry a load-out of shot shell carrier card for ease of acquisition extra shot shells is critical.
• Ammunition reloading components are widely available and easy enough to even reload with basic tools by hand in the field if necessary.
• Firepower!
• Tough!
• Accessories - User customization with accessories including easy barrel change outs, choke systems, light systems, sight systems, carry systems, ammunition holders, hardware and adjustable furniture configurations.

Authors Combat/Tactical Shotgun QTAC-6 & QTWRS

A combat pump shotgun in a survival situation is the ultimate hunting system for the survivalist from small game to the largest North American game such as elk, moose and even big bears.

The combat pump shotgun is a one man army weapons system; in a SHTF scenario you can only handle one weapon system at a time. The combat pump shotgun with its ability to handle and cycle such a wide diverse ammunition loads, fulfills every need that you may face that requires a firearm!

In a survival situation it is unrivaled.  For defense, security, engage close quarter targets to engaging targets up to 300 yards. (For those who doubt the long range capability check out YouTube channel Hickok45 shooting a smooth bore shotgun with a common 12 gauge foster slug at 230 yards. It is impressive)

In a bug out situation,*  the combat pump shotgun is my go to weapon system with the knowledge of the aforementioned it is a weapon system that I know I can deal with any situation requiring the need of a firearm.

Remember, preserve life, and defend the weak. Love your countrymen!

*This is a last resort. Bugging out after the SHTF is precarious and extremely challenging. It is best to have planned routes to secured locations that are a primary, secondary and tertiary with caches along the way. Get involved in a like minded group to increase survival odds.
A full load-out of 12 gauge ammo is heavy; (This goes for any preference of weapon system as well as other supplies) 100 rounds of 2.75 inch 9 pellet 00 buck, just under 10 pounds equivalent to 10 magazines of .223/5.56mm respectively . It is already known, that many will talk about the possibility of engaging in a firefight, but remember the majority of ammo expended in such a scenario is suppression. To which, 100 rounds of 00 buck is 900 projectiles of .33 caliber 53 grain shot within a typical 100 yard range of contact engagement suppression compared to just 300 projectiles with a heavy load-out of .223/5.56mm.

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