Speaking of home defense, we were talking about that and not “feelings, right?
Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes! HOME Defense!
Since a popular candidate these days for a home defense weapon is the pistol-grip 12 gauge pump shotgun we acquired a Mossberg® 590 SHOCKWAVE 6-Shot for some testing.
First, to be clear, no sound in the night brings more fear, and more soiled boxer, to an intruder, than the simple sound of a 12 gauge pump shotgun chambering a round. Never do anything to soften this sound, when you do it do it fast and hard to bring the full effect. No verbal warning can compare, no seeding of a magazine in any other weapon can come close to the primal fear generated by hearing that slide completing its function. To quote Marry Poppins “It is one of my favorite things!”
The Shockwave comes with a 14″ blued barrel, “raptor” grip and “cylinder bore (open choke)”; it chambers 6 rounds, 5 in the tube and one up the snout, weighing in at just over 5 lbs. and is just over 26 inches in length.
The bore is not threaded and anyone thinking of adding a choke to this weapon should get a month of forced watching of “The View“, though I think there is language against that in the Geneva Convention.
So the first thing we did was what you would expect, we shot it! Stock out of the box. Since the “mildest” 12 gauge round we had was the Federal® 23/4 in. 00 Buck, that is what we used….
…with dubious results. I think the target pictured above shows I would have gotten a few passing cars as well as perhaps a pedestrian or two and maybe a neighbors car, if he/she was foolish enough to leave it on the street in front of my house, or theirs….or in their driveway, maybe even the flat-screen in their living room.
I have had my Mossberg® Model 500 for a long time and even shoot trap with it to keep my skill level up, but it has an extending stock and an 18.5″ barrel so it shoulders as a rifle.
Getting the “hang” of firing this animal, from the hip, but NOT against the hip, as that 00 Buck gives it a significant kick, will take some practice. We are down for that BUT want to find a few lesser rounds – some #8 bird-shot, etc., just to get a feel for the weapon.
And, as you can see…
The change to #71/2 bird-shot, and some practice made a big difference, especially to the neighbors!
As a home defense weapon, this is one, using the lesser loads, that a spouse or older child could learn to shoot effectively. Even someone who is “afraid” of guns could manage this weapon, with practice and education, especially education. I was going to switch out the forend for the MAGPUL® M-LOK Forend for the Mossberg® 590/590A1 pictured above but it does not fit on the Shockwave….however, it will on my Model 500, hmmmm…