Shotgun Class

[Mac66]

It's been 46 years since I did any formal shotgun training in the police academy so I thought I could use a refresher. I found a 2 hour $75 "Combat Shotgun" class fairly close to where I live so I thought I would give it a shot.

I just returned from the class. There were just 5 students. One had a Mossberg 500, 3 had Rem 870s and I used my Escort Slugger. Two of the Rems has Magpul stocks, the other had a full stock with a pistol grip, rails, lights, optic, all the gadgets. All the Rems had extended mag tubes. The 500 was a "Retrograde" model that comes with a walnut stock, 7 shot tube, 20" bbl with rifle sights and heat shield. It also had a butt stock shell carrier. That was a very nice looking gun. Mine was my 5 shot Escort so I was odd man out. I did have elastic shell card carriers on my gun.

This was a two hour class. Usually 1 hour of classroom, an hour of range. Since there were only 5 of us we went through the class part in about 30 mins. We spent nearly 2 hours on the range. The class actually went about 2:30. Round count was 30 rounds all slugs since it was in indoor range. I know... 30 rounds in two hours? Because of ammo shortages/prices we did a lot of dry fire drills.

We practiced loading, moving, loading while moving, emergency reloads, stance, trigger, flash sight picture, engaging multiple targets while moving and reloading.

Overall it was a pretty good class, Being only 2-2.5 hours there isn't a lot of standing around which is a good thing. Moves right along. John, the instructor was a retired FBI agent who worked swat teams and taught firearms training at the national academy so he knew his stuff.

Like me, all the students were experienced shooters so there wasn't "that guy" who asked a lot of question or needed special attention.

This class would be most valuable for someone who just bought a shotgun for home defense and wanted to learn how to run it. It's pretty much all you need to know.

My shotgun ran like a top. It was smooth running, accurate and reliable. The stippling helps hold on to it but it was kind of rough on my slide hand. Probably need to either wear fingerless gloves (fingers need to be free to reload) or sand down the surface a bit. A roughed up hand it is a small price to pay for a sure grip however.

I will also say that IMO hi-capacity shotguns are over rated. With the technique of constantly topping off the magazine you don't really need more than 4-5 rounds in the tube. Longer shotguns are cumbersome and heavy.

[David]

Sounds like a really good class. A lot can be accomplished in a fast moving 2+ hour course. And how well you run the basics determines your level of overall mastery anyway.

I enjoyed SG training, starting with the Rem 870 back in 1990. Also had a Mossy 500. Both are good platforms. And yes, for HD I think a shorter barrel with a 5 round tube and side saddle with another 6 is just fine. If you want to put another sleeve on the stock for extra shells and it doesn't interfere with your shooting then that's good as well.

I enjoyed both my 870 and 500. Sold them off though as I don't run SG's anymore

[Mac66]

I can't say " I can't imagine" using a shotgun for home defense because someone will chime in and say i have no imagination. I will say that its unlikely that I will ever use one in the confines of my home. I don't keep one loaded and handy for HD.

I do keep one in my truck as a force multipler should I ever get into something.

[David]

I can't say " I can't imagine" using a shotgun for home defense because someone will chime in and say i have no imagination . I will say that its unlikely that I will ever use one in the confines of my home. I don't keep one loaded and handy for HD.

I do keep one in my truck as a force multipler should I ever get into something.

You have no imagination

I could see it for some situations. When my brother lived in BFE out in rural Missouri he had both a Maverick 88 and an AK for long gun defense. Being that he was way up on a mountain and the nearest neighbor was a half mile away, and L.E. was quite a distance away he was pretty much on his own. At least for a sizeable time frame.

I very much liked my shotguns and they are an effective defensive tool. The only long gun I run these days though is my Sub 2K. It's a lot less on my chest and shoulders. And to be honest, I really would not want to touch off a SG indoors without hearing protection. Well, same goes for anything of course, but a SG, AR or AK would be particularly bad.

[Mac66]

As I said "in the confines of my home" outside the house around the homestead maybe. My woods house is way back in the woods where distances are a bit longer. A car load of guys showing up in the driveway would cause concern. A shotgun would be a good thing (and I do keep one by the garage door) to have. That's the difference between suburban living and remote rural living.

[Bob]

Sounds like a cool class.

A carload of guy showing up in the driveway would cause me to probably need a reload, but not much concern. Last time at the range, I emptied 8 rounds fast, and I'd think you'd have a hard time avoiding a lot of those little .32 cal joy buttons.

And if you did, slugs with an Eotech come next for surgical cleanup.

After that, I'm back in the house, with an AK (and canal caps that I keep close). I wouldn't mind the shotgun indoors. Then again, I play in a rock band...

[Strayz]

I can say that I like the shotgun for many purposes and see that it has limitations. As long as you fully understand what they are, it is a good choice for defencive purposes.

The only area I have a bit of different opinion is the "ole Double aut buckshot" While 9-12 rounds of 30ish caliber flying out is good, heck even great. I Prefer the number four buck FBI loads. 29~ rounds of 21 Caliber hateraid moving at the same speed sounds like a better deal to me.

[Mac66]

I can say that I like the shotgun for many purposes and see that it has limitations. As long as you fully understand what they are, it is a good choice for defencive purposes.

The only area I have a bit of different opinion is the "ole Double aut buckshot" While 9-12 rounds of 30ish caliber flying out is good, heck even great. I Prefer the number four buck FBI loads. 29~ rounds of 21 Caliber hateraid moving at the same speed sounds like a better deal to me.

00 buck is more common than #4 buck that's why I use it. I don't think the recipient can tell or notice the difference.

[Strayz]

I can say that I like the shotgun for many purposes and see that it has limitations. As long as you fully understand what they are, it is a good choice for defencive purposes.

The only area I have a bit of different opinion is the "ole Double aut buckshot" While 9-12 rounds of 30ish caliber flying out is good, heck even great. I Prefer the number four buck FBI loads. 29~ rounds of 21 Caliber hateraid moving at the same speed sounds like a better deal to me.

00 buck is more common than #4 buck that's why I use it. I don't think the recipient can tell or notice the difference.

That is my point along with the spreading out of the shot in the under 100 yards it would put more pellets on badguys (I hope).