What is it about "Tactical" Shotguns?

What's the appeal?

Well, I would think that any gunnut would be able to appreciate the advantages of a short barreled 12 ga for bear/home defence.

And I would also think that any true gun nut would be able to appreciate the ability to build up wildly impractical yet cool looking firearms simply because they can. And they can do it at a much cheaper price than building AR's.

I have no idea why people sell these things though.
 
I just sold my "tactical" 870.

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Not because I didn't like it or anything like that. Just because I've realized I like my Ithaca 37s more, so the Remington "black sheep" of the flock had to go ;)

It's tough being a lefty...
 
Just watched one of the advanced close range combat videos; interesting hypothesese...

1. They suggest that most LEO/MIL use pumps due to less than ideal maintenance and field conditions. Makes for a more reliable weapon.

2. They recommend shortish barrel for maneuvering.

3. They recommend auto for the average user NON LEO/MIL.

4. They recommend 20 guage (!) over 12 guage for controllability.

Then they proceeded to demonstrate on film. Holy smokes!!!!

The 20 guage auto drilled a hole the size of a football through the COM of the target and took off its top completely. While the 12 ga. did what you expected and did some serious damage but nothing like the 20. I was totally befuddled. It was bizarre. The 20 guage fired like it was full auto... it was amazing to watch. I don't recall but it seems to me that it had more rounds crammed into it than the 12 ga. It was truly an eye opener.

After watching the video I am inclined to go with 20 guage semi auto!
 
Link to the vid??

Best I can do is try to find the name of the video; it is a tactical combat DVD video put out by one of the schools. I try to watch and study as many of these as I can as well as taking the usual courses of study and practical application. It is VERY important, especially should the moment ever arrive when you need to use the knowledge. It needs to be reflex. Ingrained. If you need to stop and think about things you are pooched. Just read an interesting article from one of the big schools that hypothesizes that you want to be using the simplest gun possible in a stress combat situation.... and he goes into stating he won't recommend any one pistol and then spends the rest of the newsletter proving that he owns Glock shares.

To me, the Glock is the unsafest handgun on the market and was made for one purpose only... duty carry. Where it is carried with some security against being snatched and used against you; where it is carried pointed at something other than your vitals or crown jewels; etc. DUTY CARRY. NOT CONCEALED CARRY. It was never intended for concealed carry and why they simply shrank it and sold it for concealed carry I will never know. All they needed to do was add a squeeze cocker like the HK P7M8 and they would have captured the world market. Or at least a grip safety which is relatively passive in drawing and firing. To me, it is just too unsafe at present to carry one in the chamber. However I have no problem carrying one in the chamber in anything with a grip safety or with a squeeze cocker, like the HK P7M8.

Having said that, I do carry my G30 when I want heavy duty firepower, but I carry it OWB or ankle. NEVER IWB especially when driving as it is cocked by nature with one in the tube and it is pointed at the jewels if you are belted in.

Sorry to babble on again. I am anal when it comes to safety as I have seen firsthand the result of a moment of having that feeling that nothing can go wrong... "the best safety is the one between your ears". Nonsense. The best safety is indeed the one between your ears but it is practiced BEFORE you strap on that firearm.

And talking about safety... I just want to express my sorrow at yet another shooting in Ohio that is going to be blamed on bad bad guns. It's time the politicians wised up and removed a whole lot of places from the "do not carry here" list. Like schools. Let's face it. The good guys are not an issue... it's the bad guys that are the issue and how many of us think they are going to obey the laws for fear of losing their firearms, license and being fined? DUH?

It is a pleasure to watch CNN and the other news programs coming around to our way of thinking slowly but surely. The 2nd. Amendment was written after careful thought by a group of very wise men with great vision. Let's not let Hilary and her clan rewrite it. Even New York's Guliani and his cronies are coming around after 9/11 from no guns to yes guns.

See ya'll later. Keep safe out there.
 
I loved my 14" zombie gun.....mostly 'cause it pissed off the SG snobs at the club (especially when I obliterated thier skeet/clays scores with it) and even some here (hence the start of this thread) :)

Besides, if I want any other gun that will put 15-20 .25 cal lead balls into the target in a second or less, I need 12(3)...and I aint gonna get it.

Get yourself a 20 ga. semi auto and put five times 15-20 .25 cal lead balls through the target in under two seconds. The 20 ga. is easier to handle due to lower recoil; is lighter generally and will do almost the same damage only much faster and more accurately. I gotta find that video and put the name of it up on the board... it was awesome to watch this guy drop a half dozen rounds onto the target smack on in under two seconds. Awesome. It was like watching a full auto working if I did not k now he was using a semi. Awesome.
 
First one is the coolest ;)

But there are a few in that list that I wouldn't consider tactical what so ever.

Why do that to a gun? well why drop your pickup truck to make it ride 3 inches off the ground?

BECAUSE IT LOOKS COOL AND IS FUN!:D

Doesn't have to be practical ya know ;)
 
There are recoil absorbing "buffer tubes" made for mounting AR collapsible stocks on 870's.

I'd think that such a setup would add considerable expense and complexity for minimal practical benefit for most shooters, but if you need a really short LOP, are recoil sensitive, and only an 870 will do, I could see it being useful for some.

Where a guy would see considerable benifit is turkey hunting. the pistol grip makes for excellent hold, and control in all turkey hunting field positions, and I find it way easier to control. Secondly, the recoil reduction that the Knoxx does is incredible. If you sitting against a tree with a 3 inch turkey load, its gonna hurt. With the Knoxx, Its considerable less recoil, and easier on the wrist.
My 14 inch 870 is the second one I've had, and is one of the most useful guns I own. Short, easy to pack. the only downfall is I wish it was 2 lbs lighter.
 
I see the 8.5" (new or nearly new) Dlasks are starting to hit the EE now. :pirate:

I would have thought they would be pretty much worn out by now, given how usefull they are. :nest: :stirthepot2: :D



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This is as close as I get to a "TACTICAL". :shotgun:
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thats pretty much all you need, with perhaps the addition of a mag extension if barrel length allows. i love the simplicity and looks of a parkerized, wood-stocked 12.5-14" shotgun.
i personally cant stand the Knoxx Specops stock -- i throw up a little in my mouth whenever i see one on a shotgun.

i laugh my ass off when i see a shotgun with 20lbs of tacticool accessories like a full length upper and lower picatinny rail, ghost rings and like 2 reddots, lasers, lights, sidesaddles, front/back PGs, hehe.
 
There's no such thing as a 'tactical' shotgun either. They get sold fast and often when it's discovered how useless most of them are.

Remember some jurisditions BY Law require shotguns only for deer hunting.
Therefore a good shotgun that shoots slugs accurately, is a must for a humane harvest.
All that is required extra, is an addition of good tough iron sights, or a scope of some kind.

If the shotgun has a durable finish, so what, it is tougher than other choices and one can hunt in cold weather or dogging through swamps with less fear of trashing your firearm's finish of choice.

Obviously you have never shotgun hunted big game with success, and I would doubt you have tried archery or muzzleloader for deer too. Because all of these choices, require you to queitly stalk closer or choose your shot wisely.

Your statement, obviously un-qualifed, further demonstrates to all who know better, that you have little experience, or little tolerance of other persons personal preferances!

Your statement, falls out of you, with the speed of a Liebral at a leadership convention. In other words, not vetted by brain.
 
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There, thats out of me know, like the demon out of Exorcist!!

For all you normal persons now, I am like Claven2, in that I lean heavily towards Ithaca M37s, and have a Remington 870 that is hardly used and lonely, and I am a lefty too.

I have extended mag versions, but the One I personally find to be the handiest is the normal magazine variant, a parkerized Deerslayer Police Special, with LAPD style iron sights.

Yes to synthetics only because in the past my other older shotguns seen hard duty in the Regina-Moose Jaw Shotgun Zone, and during those prairie winters the stock finish often was literally sandblasted away from frost covered mittens, and a friend cracked the wooden stock on another double gun.

I personally do not like the looks, but synthetic is sure cheaper and more durable too.
(And there is something visually perfect about a parkerized finish on a pump action 12 bore, and oil finished hardwood stocks with simple irons at the most)
 
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I think they get sold because not as many ppl are getting attacked by bears, zombies, vampires and other nasties these days!
Seriously though Im guessing that alot of the ppl building these are in their 20's and may not be making 30 bucks an hour yet, so when they see something they like better they have to sell something to afford it.
Also they may like the building of the project more than the using of the completed gun so they sell and start another project. Alot of the EE ads do say they are selling to finance something else.
 
If the shotgun has a durable finish, so what, it is tougher than other choices and one can hunt in cold weather or dogging through swamps with less fear of trashing your firearm's finish of choice.

Obviously you have never shotgun hunted big game with success, and I would doubt you have tried archery or muzzleloader for deer too. Because all of these choices, require you to queitly stalk closer or choose your shot wisely.

Your statement, obviously un-qualifed, further demonstrates to all who know better, that you have little experience, or little tolerance of other persons personal preferances!

Your statement, falls out of you, with the speed of a Liebral at a leadership convention. In other words, not vetted by brain.

As much as I like to poke fun at Sunray, I don't think he was talking about the shotgun you describe for deer hunting. :)

I think most here would know the difference between a blinged up tacticool shotgun and a proper slug gun for deer hunting and that is what this thread is all about. A slug gun has usefullness.

I doubt you would see many of these in the woods during a "slugs only" deer season. ;)
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I see the 8.5" (new or nearly new) Dlasks are starting to hit the EE now. :pirate:

I would have thought they would be pretty much worn out by now, given how usefull they are. :nest: :stirthepot2: :D
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If you spend quite a bit of time in the bush with big scratchy creatures, I am sure a Dlask 8.5 would be quite comforting, and very usefull.;)
 
If you spend quite a bit of time in the bush with big scratchy creatures, I am sure a Dlask 8.5 would be quite comforting, and very usefull.;)
I'd take a 375 Ruger (THE KING OF ALL 375s) over one of them. :)

If I was packing a shotgun for scratchy things, it would be a 3" 870 with a 20" deer bbl with sights.


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As much as I like to poke fun at Sunray, I don't think he was talking about the shotgun you describe for deer hunting. :)

I think most here would know the difference between a blinged up tacticool shotgun and a proper slug gun for deer hunting and that is what this thread is all about. A slug gun has usefullness.

I doubt you would see many of these in the woods during a "slugs only" deer season. ;)
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You may not see many of those in shotgun season, but I am sure they would work just as well as any other shotgun for deer hunting purposes. You could fit a rifled barrel to it if desired, or just leave it a smoothbore. I've certainly managed to get "deer killing" accuracy out of both my Mossberg 18.5" and 14" Remington smoothbores with Brenneke slugs.:)

This attitude reminds me alot of Jim Zumbo.:evil:
 
I'd take a 375 Ruger (THE KING OF ALL 375s) over one of them. :)

If I was packing a shotgun for scratchy things, it would be a 3" 870 with a 20" deer bbl with sights.
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I'd prefer a full stock shotgun or rifle as well, but the dlask is more portable, of course. Which offers some great advantages. It may not be relevant to some people, but it definitely is to others!:)

I'd prefer to pack a 45 Colt revolver over the Dlask, but private individuals can't (legally) do that.;)
 
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