I was inspired to write this article after watching a video from TFB TV. In it, James Reeves talks about why someone could choose a shotgun over a semi-auto rifle (in this case the AR15) for a defensive long-gun.

Legal and Available
The one reason that struck me the most is that the defensive shotgun remains a viable option for those living in “ban states.” Well, Massachusetts where I live is one of those, and with the further restrictions placed on us last year by our liberal overlords (the Mass. State legislature), options for gun owners (especially new gun owners) are few when it comes to choosing an effective long-gun for defense or SHTF.

Not to get bogged down in the specifics of the law (An Act Modernizing Firearms Laws [H.4885]), but long story short, detachable magazine-fed, centerfire semi-auto rifles are now pretty much unobtanium on the new gun market (there are a few exceptions but let’s keep moving). And used models of standbys like ARs, AKMs, and the like are only available through private transfer and are priced out of reach for a lot of folks.

So other than a bolt action or pump action rifle, which I won’t dismiss outright and certainly have their place, the venerable, and versatile, shotgun (especially chambered in 12 gauge) rises to the top of the list.

Devastating Power
Few can dispute the raw power of the 12-gauge shotgun, especially when loaded with 00 buck or a 1-ounce slug–the effects on a human can be devastating. I was in a shotgun class at the SIG Academy years ago and a fellow student, who was a trauma surgeon, said that someone could be shot with 12-gauge 00 buck in the chest in his operating room and he probably couldn’t save them.

As Reeves points out in his video, the one-shot-stop rate with a shotgun for ending a deadly-threat defensive scenario hovers around 80 percent. Load, distance, shooter ability, and a lot of other factors can play into this, but compared to handgun bullets, which have been shown to stop the threat only 30-50 percent of the time on average with one shot, the 12-gauge shotgun is a fight stopper.

Versatile
And for SHTF and survival scenarios, the versatility of the shotgun means with the right load, you can put food on the table. Pretty much any game species in New England can be taken.

And as Reeves also points out, less than lethal munitions are an option with the shotgun. Rubber buckshot, single rubber projectiles, bean bag rounds, and more can be found with a little bit of searching.

Cost Effective
As Reeves mentions, a new Mossberg-made Maverick 88 can be had for a couple hundred dollars when on sale. And the tried-and-true Mossberg 500, a bit of a step up from the 88, is usually around $100 or so more. Home defense Remington 870s are priced around $500 new, and the used market always has shotguns priced to move. Police trade-ins were a thing for a while, but they seem to have dried up over time. The Mossberg 590, my personal favorite and a defensive shotgun staple, can be found new for around $600 for base models. We could go on and on with examples, but this isn’t a buyer’s guide; that’s not the purpose of this article—maybe a future one?

For comparison’s sake, a used, grandfathered, legal to buy, private-sale AR15 in Mass. is going for at least $1,500—and that’s usually for a bare-bones, home-build of questionable reliability. Anything in a factory-made configuration will fetch much more and a true pre-ban Colt for instance (made before the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban), will sell for well over $2,000. I won’t go into an explanation of pre-1994 and pre-2016 rifles in Mass. as it will make your head spin. Research that on your own as with all gun laws (don’t take mine or anyone else’s word for it)—I’m not a lawyer and don’t give legal advice and I try to avoid interpreting laws for others.

Semi-Autos
Let’s not forget about semi-auto shotguns, which in recent years have breathed new life into the defensive shotgun market. Recent releases like Beretta’s 1301 and A300 Ultima Patrol are usually priced below that of one of those used, home-build ARs, with the A300 Ultima Patrol sometimes being found for just over a grand. Mossberg’s 940 Pro Tactical SPX usually hovers around that price point as well. The gold standard of semi-auto shotguns, the Benelli M4, will run at least $2,000. But its track record with military and law enforcement worldwide is impeccable. The Turkish-made MAC 1014 (big fan of that model) is a direct clone of the M4 with over 90% parts compatibility—and it can be found in Mass. for just $400!

Resurgence
In the last two decades, we’ve seen law enforcement move away from the shotgun as a defensive arm toward adoption of the patrol rifle—usually some AR variant in 5.56/.223. Those shotguns that remain in service are usually relegated to firing less than lethal munitions. And because law enforcement is not affected by “assault weapons” bans, they can make that choice. The law-abiding gun owners who don’t already have grandfathered semi-auto rifles, are (as we mentioned) left with few viable/affordable options. That’s a big reason why we’re seeing the shotgun, pump or semi-auto, making a comeback as a defensive arm for the every-day person.

Yes, there are downsides: recoil always being at the top of the list, as well as limited capacity. But, as a defensive shotgun enthusiast and firearms instructor, I can tell that with just a little bit of training, recoil can be effectively managed. And the capacity issue? Well, with the one-shot-stop rate as high as previously mentioned, and most civilian armed encounters ending with just a few rounds fired (yes, there are outliers), a shotgun whether chambered in 12 or even 20 gauge will typically get the job done in short order.

Training
So, you’re a new gun owner or longtime shooter who wants a home defense or SHTF long-gun? I think we’ve shown that shotguns are probably the most affordable, versatile, and effective option to be had in “ban states.” But it won’t do you any good sitting in the gun safe all the time—you’ve got to get training and practice. Time and again we see students who were once apprehensive about the shotgun walk away with a new appreciation for the platform after just one class. They learn how to manage recoil, keep it fed, and deliver brutally effective results.

Yes, ARs, AKMs, HKs, SCARs, Tavors, and the like are effective and sexy defensive arms–and they’re a hell of a lot of fun to shoot. But, for gun owners in Mass., that train has pretty much left the station, and if you haven’t already gotten on it few affordable options remain, making the shotgun hard to beat.

– Brian Bertoldo, Instructor, Paladin Group Training, LLC