Marine Shotguns: What are they for?

meerkat

meerkat

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Please indulge a newbie question. I have seen these stainless shotguns for sale, often with only a pistol grip. What is their main purpose, and why a shotgun as opposed to another type of gun? Pirate/shark defence? Fishing?
 
All of the above?

The stainless is to aid in resisting the corrosive marine environment. The pistol grip allows the gun to be more effectively wielded in the confinmes of a boat. Seems pretty straightforward to me.
 
The nickel finish makes these firearms more weather resistant than bluing, which is important to me because I have it for bear defense in the mountains or arctic where the weather can go from glorious to poor in an instant (and stay that way for your entire field season). I think the pistol gripped ones are designed for boats, I have no idea why folks would carry one in Muskoka but in other places (Caribbean) it might help drive off modern day pirates after yer booty. Arg.
 
Anyone who has need of a shotgun in coastal or high humidity environments would be well served with a stainless or nickel-plated model, as a corrosion resistant finish is easier to care for in those environments. I'm not a great fan of pistol grip shotguns, as they do not make the guns that much more portable, but they do make them much more challenging to shoot well. Barrel length neither dictates nor limits the usefulness of the piece. Short barrels tend to make the guns handier to carry and quicker to bring to bear and have little effect on velocity. Rifle sights may limit the gun's usefulness for pass shooting, but for most other shotgun chores they can be considered an advantage, particularly the ghost ring and post arrangements. If an individual was to limit himself to a single firearm, a 12 gauge pump Marine model with an 18"-20" barrel equipped with rifle sights, a selection of threaded chokes, and a sling and swivels would handle most shooting chores not requiring the long range capacity of a rifle.
 
Too keep other lobster fishermen from hauling your traps! lol
Seriously, in the US I can seem most of them carrying firearms on board the boat, and one that doesn't rust would be great on salt water.
 
I've seen fisheries technicians carry them while doing spawn surveys in coast streams here in BC.
 
As an added note, I found the pistol grip on my Mossberg to be completely useless. I replaced it with a nice synth buttstock and now I can aim and shoot the gun in a much more reliable and controlled fashion.
 
ANyone that has fought a losing battle with rust on a blued firearm, in a sal####er environment, can dig the stainless/plated stuff..

Stick a full stock on when you get off the boat. makes it easier to shoot.
 
They're nice to look at I guess, and do have function. I Wouldn't want one with an 18 or 20 inch barrel out duck hunting though and I don't see too many pirates and shakes that I must fend off. Never had too much problem at all with blued guns either. I have always had guns that looked like they have been used. I clean them yes, ... but a spot of rust from duck hunting , or a scratch on the on the stock, ... always made it seem real to me.

Everything now is stainless this, plated that, etc etc.
sometimes it serves a purpose, sometimes it's just a gimmick.
 
Seems like nobody's answered the basic question here:

Mainly, marine shotguns seem to be geared toward line-launching applications. Certainly they'd be effective close inboard for water-borne creature defense (jaws, etc.) but the Mossberg line caters extensively to line-launching for rescue, both WITH the boat and OF the boat.

I had a Mossberg catalog as a kid, and was amazed at the different line-launching paraphernalia they had listed in that publication. Quite neat stuff, some of it.

-M
 
Is there really a significant corrosion resistance advantage compared to a well oiled and maintained "regular' shotgun?

There is a used Remington Marine magnum for sale for $550 locally and I am wondering if it is worth purchasing over a grizzley 12.5 inch blued model.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
870 Marine, guaranteed not to rust.
870, guaranteed to rust.
A well maintained blued gun won't rust, but the marine version is made for people who keep the gun around and have the advantage of not making maintenance a priority, the last thing you want to do in a wet environment is break out the cleaning gear and spend an hour "maintaining" the finish on your shottie.
What turns me off of the gun is the fixed choke, perfect for what the gun is made for and done for obvious reasons, but it limits the gun in my opinion.
I am not a Mossberg fan, but the encased J.I.C. marine gun would be the ticket in my books for that purpose.
My choice would be the XCS Marine Magnum, wow, that is a gun!
 
I know a couple guys that bought them for when they have to brain a bluefin tuna. A blued one turns to a pitted mess in short order.
 
Doc M said:
Seems like nobody's answered the basic question here:

Mainly, marine shotguns seem to be geared toward line-launching applications. Certainly they'd be effective close inboard for water-borne creature defense (jaws, etc.) but the Mossberg line caters extensively to line-launching for rescue, both WITH the boat and OF the boat.

I had a Mossberg catalog as a kid, and was amazed at the different line-launching paraphernalia they had listed in that publication. Quite neat stuff, some of it.

-M
Click to expand...


I remember seeing one line launching product when I bought my 500 Mariner in 2003, and that was a launcher kit that came with a 500 M and a case to hold everything. I only ever saw one advertised....for $1400. Cant remember where.

Just checked the Mossberg website, and could only find a downloadable manual for the 500/590 Line Launcher

Guess it wasn't a big seller :(
 
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