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Small shotgun for small person?

Taurus Judge?
 
Another thing to consider... If you're worried about "collateral damage", keep in mind some of the really good .223 defensive ammo doesn't penetrate any more, and oftentimes less, than a lot of handgun or shotgun rounds.
that is typically talking about shooting through walls in your house and such. I’m not too worried about that, she will likely be using her handgun if someone is trying to get inside. Our house is built like a pillbox with 14” thick stone exterior walls. Even from inside the house you would have to shoot through 2 2x6 walls and a set of cabinets to penetrate the bedroom, and the nursery is a very similar story. I’m worried about collateral damage with neighbors, livestock, and such. We have 10 acres, which means the neighbors house is roughly 205 yards from my back patio. I mostly need maximum yield up close with the ballistic trajectory/terminal effectiveness outside of 50 yards looking like a brick.

The wife wants to be able to have something that she can grab when I’m not around to go see what is getting in the chicken coop, or when that dog that was dumped a week ago is out after the pigs, without worrying about fatally wounding the steer on the back fence line or the neighbors dog in his own yard if she forgets to check her backdrop in the heat of the moment.
 
There exists, for Mossberg 500 series and Rem 870 series, a polymer pistol grip that perfectly imitates what you'd get when sawing off a wood stock. It looks like Barrow himself did one, then it was molded out of polymer. (bottom shotgun)
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Ive had alot of people hold this Maverick, some hate but most love. It feels exactly how it looks, like a plastic stock sawed short. The benefit I saw over a hogue grip, shockwave grip, pachmayr, etc, is that this one sits flat on the ground so it can easily lean. I feel like it could be shouldered, it wouldnt be convenient but it could be done. On a 20ga, i bet its actually gonna be quite pleasant.
Its made by Phonenix Technology and I paid $27.40 shipped from OpticsPlanet (I had a gift card so actually I paid $2.40)
I have a picture of it on a Mav 88 somewhere around here.
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I might end up buying one just to have it, I kinda want one for me.
 
I don’t think it was mentioned but… is a shotgun a good weapon once she has the baby? I’m just thinking if threat happens while holding the little one then you’d need one hand able to operate a firearm so my vote would go towards a pistol on the hip at all times. I don’t know if setting baby down to operate a shotgun would be the best idea in some situations.

Just my thoughts on the topic. 🤷🏼‍♂️
I wholeheartedly agree with your logic, but I don’t see her taking the baby outside with her on a trip to go kill something/see what is going on in the situations like I described in corgiranchers reply. Regardless of what she is armed with.
 
I’m not sure if you’ve got a burner over there, but there’s a $100 Stephens 320 compact 20ga in the classifieds at the other place…
 
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I’m not sure if you’ve got a burner over there, but there’s a $100 Stephens 200 compact 20ga in the classifieds at the other place…
All of my burners have been burned. Once I come up with the cash I need to figure out how to get back over there and convince a guy to sell to me, there’s a guy trying to sell a box blade to established members only that I could really use.
 
I don’t consider a 410 adequate tbh.
I don’t know what it costs or how readily available it is, but .410 00 buck is basically like sending three .38Spl down range in one shot. That’s not bad for self defense.
 
I wouldn’t touch an 870 made in the last 20 years with your 10 foot pole even. They truly live up to the “Walmart shotgun” quality some people expect. But cutting something down is something I have considered. The problem is that cutting down a stock might help, but it doesn’t do much to help with forward hand placement and weight.
I haven’t looked at an 870 made in the last 20 years, so I’ll have to take your word for it, and you can just keep your hands off my pole, thankyouverymuch.

I can see the forward hand placement being a problem. I think that old Winchester Defender is probably going to fit the bill; I remember thinking it would make a decent shotgun for a younger shooter as well as a decent home defense shotgun.
 
Do they make any that are worth a shit and don’t require $300 mags? The Genesis Arms gen12 is sweet and supposedly pretty reliable, but it’s also $2800. I’m trying to keep things under a grand if possible.
Idk? It was just a suggestion. I hear they are good on recoil
 
I had one in 12ga. Kinda wish I didn’t sell it. Wasn’t a bad little shotgun. I’m a bit apprehensive about using 20ga for anything but birds, but I may look into it.
20ga isn't bad, it don't have as heavy a load or shoot as far as a 12, but with good high brass shells & mod, full & extra full chokes it's effective.

There duplex turkey, buckshot & slugs available.
 
I don’t consider a 410 adequate tbh. A fine shotgun shell for hunting, but not unwelcome guests. I’ll have to go check out the 510 and sa20. Thanks!
People kill deer with 3" 410 slugs out to 25 yards or so,

Gotta figure it's effective enough at short distance with decent shells
 
20ga isn't bad, it don't have as heavy a load or shoot as far as a 12, but with good high brass shells & mod, full & extra full chokes it's effective.

There duplex turkey, buckshot & slugs available.

Hey I’m ignorant on shotgun shells.. what makes “high brass” better than the other brass?
 
Hey I’m ignorant on shotgun shells.. what makes “high brass” better than the other brass?
They tend to be loaded to shoot heavier loads faster than low brass field loads.
Look at remington long range express #6 highbrass & remington #6 lowbrass field, big difference in performance & recoil.



I got some 2 3/4” seller bellot 00 low brass a while back and there's a significant difference in felt recoil compared to plainjane highbrass Winchester & Remington 00

Difference in performance also, shot blocks of wet newspaper with them, the s&b is only good for upclose shooting
 
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Hey I’m ignorant on shotgun shells.. what makes “high brass” better than the other brass?
According to the NSSF, the difference between high brass and low brass shotgun shells is there’s not one.

The Shotshell High Brass vs. Low Brass Myth​

If you’re a new shotgun hunter, one of the things you’ll notice in retail stores are boxes of shotshell ammunition marked “high brass.” This high brass, the portion of the shotshell that houses the primer and holds the plastic hull, is the source of some old wive’s tales that just won’t go away. Let me explain.

When I was a younger man, I was taught that the difference in the height of the brass rim was indicative of the power or velocity of the shotgun load. The longer the brass, the hotter the shell and the faster the shot traveled after it left the muzzle. High brass was more powerful than low brass. That may have once been true, but not anymore. When purchasing shotgun ammunition, ignore the length of the brass rim and pay attention to the labeled velocity and payload of shot (again, stated in ounces) of the shell.
From https://www.letsgoshooting.org/reso...shells-explained-the-new-shooters-dictionary/
 
I picked up a 20” 20ga Mossberg 500 with the full magazine and irons for my sister a while back. It had the youth stock on it which is almost uncomfortably short LOP for myself. It’s 7 or 8 plus one which should be sufficient.

I wouldn’t shy away from a Tristar auto in .410 with those Winchester multiple slug or buckshot rounds. Velocity is about the same up and down the gauge spectrum. It’s just the payload that varies.
 
All of my burners have been burned. Once I come up with the cash I need to figure out how to get back over there and convince a guy to sell to me, there’s a guy trying to sell a box blade to established members only that I could really use.
If you need me to I can facilitate that I will. I don’t think we’re that far apart. Drop me a PM.
 
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