The Fighting Shotgun: A Tool for Professionals, Not Amateurs
In September of 2019, several armed men, dressed in black, broke into a home outside of Houston. One of the residents ran for cover and the other grabbed a shotgun and exchanged gunfire with the home invaders. The score of the encounter: one resident wounded, three felons DOA. Apparently the homeowner hadn’t read any articles […]
The 20 Gauge Mossberg 590 – A Low Recoil Fighting Shotgun
For years, the 20 gauge has been considered a practical alternative to the 12 gauge, offering lower recoil and substantial power. However, finding a purpose-built tactical or defensive 20 gauge shotgun has been a challenge. While 20 gauge deer and bird guns are plentiful, a dedicated tactical smoothbore has been…elusive. Until now, that is. Mossberg […]
Heritage Manufacturing Unveils the New Range Side Lever Action Rifle
Lever actions have been big this year, with lots of modern “tactical” models being announced at SHOT. Classic lever guns are still popular though, and Heritage Manufacturing just announced the Range Side lever action. The Range Side joins Heritage’s .22LR Settler lever action in their long gun lineup. But while this is a classic wood […]
Sporting Clays: Learning By Watching
I believe in the immersion theory of learning. Diving right in and trying something. I’ve done it more times than I’d willingly admit in a variety of activities. In a few instances, it was accidental, not intentional. The Sixth Annual Providence Cup runs through May 5 at Providence Hill Sporting Club in Mississippi. The accidental […]
Another New Mini Shell Option – Sterling Mini Slugs
Sterling is a Turkish brand that most famously makes shotgun ammo. That’s seemingly appropriate for a country that exports heaps and heaps of shotguns to the US. The Sterling series of ammo has been pretty standard, pretty affordable, and pretty good. I’ve shot my fair share of it and found it to be a very […]
The Quest For A .410 Defensive Shotgun – Ammo Tests
I love shotguns. I often write about shotguns, and they’re generally my favorite type of firearms. I like being able to throw eight pellets of 9mm per trigger pull at a threat. I appreciate their versatile design and the fact they can be a powerhouse at typical CONUS ranges. As much as I love shotguns, […]
Gun Review: Savage Renegauge Security – The Tactical Option
The tactical shotgun market has had a nice explosion of new guns and gear aimed at bringing the scattergun back to its former glory. The semi-auto market has seen new and modern entries from Mossberg, Beretta, and now Savage. Savage released the Renegauge years ago as a sporting shotgun. It took them a good bit […]
Warne’s New Shotgun Rib Mounts for Reflex Sights
I’ve tried red dots on shotguns in the past and they’re great for home/personal defense or shooting turkeys and such. But using them to hit clays has been, well, less than optimal. At least in my experience. Then I tried Aimpoint’s new ACRO S-2 at range day at the SHOT Show. Placed down the rib, […]
SHOT Show Range Day: CZ Updates the G2 Semi-Auto Shotgun
CZ has updated their semi-auto 1012 G2 12 gauge inertia-driven shotgun. The Gen2 version uses extended chokes, comes with a shim kit for a perfect fit, has a an ambi (switchable) safety button, and can take extended magazine tubes. Note also the enlarged charging handle and bolt release. Price is $750. While it feels lighter […]
The Big Truth About Shotgun Mini Shells
It seems that mini shells are everywhere these days. Ever since the Mossberg Shockwave and the Remington TAC-14 dominated the market for a few years, mini shells have been proliferated. These micro-sized shotgun shells come in a few different sizes. Mini shells are exclusively a 12 gauge option and anything smaller than 2.75 falls […]