I bought a Mossberg Maverick 88, 18.5 inch “Security Model”, for less than $200 and am very satisfied. It is synthetic stock, pump, 5+1, open cylinder, fixed choke.
Here is my explanation.
Back when the Kung Flu was just starting to get attention, I also decided to get a dedicated home defense shotgun. I have plenty of other shotguns, rifles and handguns that are appropriate for defensive purposes.
Some of my items are personal favorites for hunting or are inherited.
I wanted something that would always be in a certain place, ready to go and safely stored. I don’t want to care much if it gets knocked around.
My parameters were:
*Short - but not the Shockwave which I find hard to use and unpleasant.
* 12 Gauge OC or IC
* Pump - for reliability and durability
* Inexpensive- I don’t want to have to treat it like it is special
To this I added swivels and a nylon sling, a bracket that attaches a light and a receiver side mount for 6 extra shells.
I’ve tried to put a bayonet on it, but that dog won’t hunt. The mag tube is too short to be able to provide the right amount of spacing between the two attachment points. However the non-security model with a longer barrel will work. I like the short one because it will fit in a dresser drawer.
I thought about a red dot optic but I didn’t want to complicate it.
For what I wanted, I’m very satisfied. If it wasn’t so inexpensive I might feel differently. I know there are plenty of Maverick 88 haters. It’s not a Benelli and I won’t ever use it for duck hunting or sporting clays. If it runs out of shells I can use it as a club.
Someone here in the Baton Rouge area was selling a Maverick 88 for $120. I was gonna buy it for my father in law. He has been wanting a shotgun for well over a year now.
I didn’t even look at it after I found out my frail 88 year old man has never shot one.
Almost bought it anyway for my collection. Thought better after thinking I would probably never shoot it anyway.
Just about any shotgun, even the little .410 with birdshot will be fine in a true home defense situation, especially if you are talking about indoor ranges. Now if you want to engage the target outdoors at 40-50 yards that might be another matter. Ordinary birdshot from a .410 will create a massive wound compared to most handguns up close and personal. If not lethal I am sure it would take the fight out of an assailant rather quickly. My only .410 is one of the Marlin 1895 lever action shotguns which was only made for a limited time, so is quite valuable so I have an old Winchester 1200 pump in 20 ga by the bedroom door.