Defensive Shotgun?
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Timfoilhat
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Tagged for interest. Looking for same. I'm a total noob with a shotgun though. And the closer to Charlotte the better for me.
Cole_McD
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Apex Defense is doing a Defensive Shot 1 class 6/4. Haven't taken it before but I enjoy their other classes.
georgel
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The group I took my NRA Instructor training from periodically holds a class near Columbia, SC. They studied under Lewis Awerbuck.
So.. I just had to throw this out there. In the early 80's I took a Shotguns for home defense/ tactical shotgun course taught through the Detroit Sportsman's Congress ( gun club) by some pretty scary folks, just prior to moving down South. I was the youngest student BY FAR... I think I was 11 or 12. I remember some other club member ( literally) running out at lunch and buying me a Mossberg 20 Gauge- and he and my dad hacking off the barrel in the parking lot. 
That started my undying love for a pump scattergun... and to this day it's my favorite action.
This was WELL before the highly developed courses today.
My most vivid memory is the (2) two liter Fago bottles with red dyed water in them to represent legs.... and them trying to get us to "bounce" shot off the concrete under an old car...
The instructors may not have known WTF they were doing- but we made lots of noise and blew some stuff up.
Good times. Good times.
It wasn't until many years later I understood WHY I took that course.. my parents had been recently divorced, and Dad got me on Sundays. Of course... he took the course with me as a Father son thing.. what a guy. lol.
That started my undying love for a pump scattergun... and to this day it's my favorite action.
This was WELL before the highly developed courses today.
My most vivid memory is the (2) two liter Fago bottles with red dyed water in them to represent legs.... and them trying to get us to "bounce" shot off the concrete under an old car...
The instructors may not have known WTF they were doing- but we made lots of noise and blew some stuff up.
Good times. Good times.
It wasn't until many years later I understood WHY I took that course.. my parents had been recently divorced, and Dad got me on Sundays. Of course... he took the course with me as a Father son thing.. what a guy. lol.
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biffmann
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37 PSR is still hosting those shotgun courses... The just published some course dates. Check out their website: https://www.37psr.com/shotgun
Studentofthegun
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Years ago I paid for two slots for a shotgun class. Think it was Apex. But then never got around to getting it scheduled. $300 bucks into the ether.
But once I get my new shotgun I’ll need to figure out where to go so I don’t pull the shells in backwards or shoot my toes off.
But once I get my new shotgun I’ll need to figure out where to go so I don’t pull the shells in backwards or shoot my toes off.
I noticed their pricing really penalizes non-members, it's one of the reasons I've not pursued anything. That and I'm 0% operator, and get a vibe from their materials that makes me think I'm not their style of student.
The ability to test out of the lower classes if you really don't need them is a bonus though.
georgel
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Do you remember the results? This is supposed to be a good crowd control technique. It's my understanding that skipped rounds tend to hug the ground and stay about 6-9 inches off the deck. Also, firing into a hard deck increases scatter. So, the combination isn't as deadly, but incapacitates the front row of a mob that the following mobsters have to stumble over. Might reduce you our need to Shane someone running from a crowd.
Been meaning to put up some paper to test. Dirt, I think would be less useful, but gravel might be interesting for secondary projectiles.
Rediscovering my shotguns too, which I have loved. Seriously considering having one mod'ed with a long forcing cone and back bore.
"I like my handguns, but I love my shotguns!" Jack Furr, Gunsite (One of my previous instructors.)
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Timfoilhat
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I don't know anything shotgun related, but shooting gravel might warrant a doing in from behind some kind of cover just in case it heads back your way.
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Pretty good, thanks. I'm halfway through.
georgel
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Yeah, the first test will be behind cover. Had a friend shoot a stump with a load of buck and caught a few back on his chest.
Weirdly enough, I do! I remember the instructor saying it turns it into a "lead machete" and creates a flat spread... but as other have said it can be distinctly dangerous on gravel. Steel shot wasn't popular at the time ( or maybe not allowed? But my Dad used to talk about how it would work better. No wonder I grew up to be a gun nut.
The thing I remember most vividly, though, is the very small size of the pattern at 13-15' ... even with my open bore 20 gauge. We'd have to hold the shotgun down.. and the guy would yell "boo!" and we'd bring the shotgun up, point and shoot at balloons taped to a piece of wood as fast as we could. I guess the balloons were maybe 6-8" in diameter? I honestly don't recall. But I do remember how many people missed those balloons...
georgel
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Hmm... Maybe I could come out with a line of bacon flavored shotshells. No, wait shotshells with flavor identifiers, bacon flavor for slugs and BBQ for buck.
Personally, I see limted value in the mouth load, although, if your support hand is injured...
Personally, I see limted value in the mouth load, although, if your support hand is injured...
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Why would shotshells be in your mouth in the first place, and how did they get there? I suspect that if we used a shot timer to measure, grabbing it with your hand and dropping it into the chamber is going to be faster than trying to spit it into the chamber. I also suspect that one could accomplish the former in the dark but not the latter.
If you cannot find a class practice loading the shotgun. Load from a variety of places (pockets, bandolier if you use one, she’ll carriers) take a couple of shots and top off the tube - do this while moving.
Find a local match that you can gain proficiency with your Gun - I would do all of this possibly even before a class. If you have a better familiarity with your shotgun you will get more from the class
Not sure where you are but the 4th Saturday of every month we run a 3 stage shotgun match at Flatwoods Outfitters in Hubert NC. This is a defensive oriented match and 2 boxes of shells ( birdshot) will get you through the match
Find a local match that you can gain proficiency with your Gun - I would do all of this possibly even before a class. If you have a better familiarity with your shotgun you will get more from the class
Not sure where you are but the 4th Saturday of every month we run a 3 stage shotgun match at Flatwoods Outfitters in Hubert NC. This is a defensive oriented match and 2 boxes of shells ( birdshot) will get you through the match