Because the shotgun in question is strictly a home defense gun. My longest shot indoors is 15yds (with my back against one wall and the threat's back against the opposite wall). Outdoors, my longest shot that remains on my property is 22yds. I live in a densely populated townhome neighborhood. 30yds from my front door is across the cul-de-sac I live on and into (if not across) the median separating it from the busier through-street. 100yds is well into the townhome on the other side of that busy street. My backyard is even tighter with a maximum depth of 15yds and max width of 20yds. 50 yds from my backdoor is inside my neighbor's house (after passing through two privacy fences).
Chris
I signed up for a 3-Gun clinic this weekend. I'm not really into the 3-Gun scene (have shot maybe two matches in my entire life) but it seemed a good opportunity to work with the pistol, rifle and shotgun in a single outing.
A handful of years ago I did some work on a 1187 Premiere that was sitting in the safe feeling unloved. I had the stock shortened by an inch (the most that can be chopped off), the 26-inch pressure-compensated barrel cut to 18-3/4" and the RemChokes reinstalled, and a few other parts and pieces. The project worked out well, and the shortened 1187 cycles perfectly with Federal reduced recoil LE 00 9-pellet buck and slugs.
FWIW, I've found the FO sight on the rib is fast up close and plenty accurate out to 50 yards with slugs. As DB mentioned, fit is important and this cut-down 1187 fits me well. I'm looking forward to running it this weekend at the clinic;
Just a Hairy Special Snowflake supply clerk with no field experience, shooting an Asymetric carbine as a Try Hard. Snarky and easily butt hurt. Favorite animal is the Cape Buffalo....likely indicative of a personality disorder.
"If I had a grandpa, he would look like Delbert Belton".
That's exactly what I would build if I were putting together a HD shotgun. You've got everything on that gun that you need and nothing you don't. Never thought about a fiber optic FS but that makes a lot of sense.
The truth is there are a lot of used 870's and 1100 out there that would make good project guns if one wanted to take the time to modify.
I don't do HD shotguns because I train with something else but I have an original, or close to it.
Model 97 with 20" cyl. barrel. Barrel SN matches the receiver so it came from the factory in 1917 with that barrel and a 30" barrel. Don't know the history of it other than it belonged to my dad and he acquired it in El Paso Tx. around 1950 from a neighbor.
Last edited by Borderland; 06-08-2019 at 09:43 AM.
In the P-F basket of deplorables.
I love that 97. The big issue from my perspective is there is a huge difference in minimums and maximums on a pure Home Defense Gun, a Defensive Shotgun and an Offensive use shotgun. They all get called “Tactical” and that is about as definitive as “Mil Spec”. Define your mission, and let that mission drive the gear train.
Just a Hairy Special Snowflake supply clerk with no field experience, shooting an Asymetric carbine as a Try Hard. Snarky and easily butt hurt. Favorite animal is the Cape Buffalo....likely indicative of a personality disorder.
"If I had a grandpa, he would look like Delbert Belton".
My shotgunning experience: I have two formal defensive shotgun classes under my belt. I have zero sport shotgunning experience and the classes are my annual practice sessions.
My shotgun's context is strictly home defense. I believe there are valid reasons to select the shotgun over a carbine for home defense and I've chosen it for those reasons.
Also, my limited shooting resources are dedicated to handguns, so I don't get much, if any long gun practice in. I say this not to brag or even humble-brag, but because it's probably a situation many people find themselves in.
Based on that limited experience, I find the RDS significantly improves my accuracy over a bead sight. In my 870, Federal Flight Control patterns well enough for personal defense purposes out to 20-25 yards if Rule 4 is problematic. I'd be willing to take shots beyond 50 yards if there's no backstop concerns. The factory bead sight on my 870 is only good out to 10, beyond which I'm dick-shooting the bad guy. A RDS or adjustable sight system allows me to significantly extend the useful range and allows me to take advantage of the 10-50+ yards range.
For me, 10 yards and in, speed is probably very similar between the bead and RDS. Beyond that, I'm faster with my RDS, particularly if I'm concerned about the backstop.
I can totally see how someone with more experience and a perfectly fit shotgun might not need, or at least perceive a need for, a RDS or adjustable sight system. On the other hand, I feel it makes a lot of sense for me.
Last edited by David S.; 06-10-2019 at 07:50 AM.
David S.
@ NH Shooter
How did that clinic go?
Learn anything to share with the class?