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Welcome to the forum.

To address your query a bit...couple rhetorical questions for you to justify to your self:
a. what type of SD...carry on the LoneStar community's streets or private residential SD?
b. what is your physical structure, strength, etc., are you able to carry in the fields and put a shotgun to your shoulder regularly to hunt with for a couple hours?
c. what is going to be the primary use of the shotgun? [sorry, have you hunted before, if so for what type of game?]
d. what does the actual money, not credit plastic, in your pocket look like? which then decides what your taking home.
e. what is your experience with shotguns, while some may believe a 410 would have the least recoil those who have shot them know that myth is not true.
f. are you truly looking for a tactic-kool shotgun like the TV swat wantabeeeee LEs run around with or a traditional composition stock shotgun?
g. are you the only individual who will use this LG?
h. you are olde enough and free from judicial oversight to personally purchase said LG, aren't you?

First go take a basic shotgun from a NRA or local wildlife instructor!

Buying a fiream takes forethought kinda like deciding whatcha having at MacDonalds that will satisfy your itch at that very moment.

Pump-Action Shotgun - Pump Shotgun - Cheaper Than Dirt

Now, as you see pump actions run the money gambit of couple hundred > thousands of $$$; all look 'purdy'; but weight, feel are not discernable from a promo ad.

Once ya got your TRUE purpose & $$$$, gotta get in your sunday best so you look respectable, [wash your hands too!], leave the $$$$ at home, go out and enter the local & box stores, but first put your saleman BS earplugs in nice and tight and now go 'touchy & feely' with the display models.

Remember, the questions above are rhetoric, do not need answering on a public forum!
Finally do not forget you are starting a which is better, "chevy or ford" type of conversation!

Oh i did welcome you to the forum, didn't I?
 
So I'm trying to buy a shotgun. I am interested in going hunting. I also want this shotgun for self defense. Is there any difference between hunting guns and regular guns?
Yes. A goose gun will have a very long barrel-- something like 30 inches. I have even seen them as bolt actions. Shotguns usually come as pump-actions or automatics. Prices go from around $400 to many thousands. It's not uncommon for a beautifully-made English double-barrel to cost $250,000; I have seen them at gun shows. Hunting shotguns are usually plugged to hold no more than three rounds. A self-defense shotgun can have an extended magazine that will hold at least six, and as many as nine. Shotguns come in wood or synthetic stocks.

The minimum barrel length per federal law is 18½ inches. You can pay the NFA tax and shorten it to less than that but once you own an NFA weapon, it's like being married to it. You can sell it, but you will not recoup your NFA tax. I am unsure if the tax on a short-barreled shotgun is $200 or $5. It might be $200 if all of the stock is still there. If the stock is cut well back to make the shotgun a handgun with a short barrel, it's $5 and the weapon is an AOW (Any Other Weapon). You still have to file with ATF to get permission to own it.

Best thing to do is to first decide how much you want to spend. While doing that, decide for what you will use the gun. A great shotgun for home defense would be the Remington TAC-14. They're around $400, and are primarily a close-quarter, self-defense weapon. Mossberg makes the M590, which is similar to the TAC-14. It is also around $400. A nice Remington 870 pump-action with a full buttstock and 18½" barrel will serve you well for both hunting and defense. There are magazine extenders available to make it hold nine 2¾" shells. You could go off the deep end and get a bunch of those 1⅛" mini-shells. I'll guess a magazine that will hold nine reg'lar ones will hold maybe fourteen or fifteen of the short ones. You'll have enough ammo to shoot at an intruder as you chase him down the street, while swearing a blue streak at him...

Free-market capitalism and American Liberty, granted to us by God, has brought to you many choices. Take your time, read-up on the subject and choose wisely...

One to make liberals fill their britches: Kel-Tec | KSG

Remington 870 TAC-14: Model 870 Tac-14
 
Last Edited:
About the only difference in hunting shotguns and defense shotguns is the barrel length.
If this is your first shotgun I would suggest looking at the Mossberg combo or some other gun with the same options.
They come with a 28 inch barrel and an 18 inch barrel. Some come with both a full stock and a pistol grip stock also. I personally have no use for a pistol grip on a shotgun.
Changing barrels is very easy.
That is all you need for both hunting and defense.

This is just my opinion. I don't care for all the so called tactical crap that is put on shotguns these days.
 
My suggestion is to get a Double Barrel shotgun. No moving parts (well, very little)
to gum up. Can stand being stored for quite a while and still be assured of functioning
when needed. A 20 gauge is much lighter than a 12 gauge and will still do a lot of
damage with the right loads.
 
My opinion for a first dual purpose shotgun is the good old reliable Remington 870. You can get any option or replacement part easily as this gun has been popular for many years. This is the shotgun all others have been compared to ; for your stated need, and is available at a reasonable price.
 

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