Beginner's Guide to the Pump Shotgun

[Grimork]

As an accompaniment to John Massaro's article about Whites arming themselves in home defense situations:
https://nationalvanguard.org/2022/02/wh ... se-not-to/

I found a video on youtube that was very helpful for someone like me who's never fired a gun. I own a 12 gauge pump action shotgun since last year (just in case) but have never fired nor even chambered a round. However, I feel confident after watching this gentleman that I could if the situation arises. He's down to earth and covers the basics also recommending certain types of ammo for home defense. I think this is a good starter video.

[C.E. Whiteoak]

A well-done video by a guy who knows what he’s talking about. Easy to follow and very informative.

[White Man 1]

Good video, Grimork. Arming yourself to defend your home and family should the need arose is an essential step to take. I would ALWAYS recommend that if you keep a firearm in the house you take the time to get out and shoot it, if nothing else to know what the noise and recoil feels like. Heck, let me know next time you come out to the campus and I'll come shoot with you!

[Jim Mathias]

Good video, Grimork. Arming yourself to defend your home and family should the need arose is an essential step to take. I would ALWAYS recommend that if you keep a firearm in the house you take the time to get out and shoot it, if nothing else to know what the noise and recoil feels like. Heck, let me know next time you come out to the campus and I'll come shoot with you!

True that, it's important to handle and fire those arms if you plan to rely on them for your self-defense. Getting muscle memory developed can be useful when under the stress of a real situation. Helpful tip for smaller framed people new to firing 12 gauge shotguns: obtain some Aguila "short" shotshells. They're underloaded with powder. https://www.brownells.com/ammunition/sh ... 10331.aspx

Getting a feel for those then moving on up to birdshot loads then buckshot/slugs. Not only will you get your muscles trained, but different loads should be cycled through your gun to shake out any peculiarities (if any) that can occur with different loads.

[Grimork]

Heck, let me know next time you come out to the campus and I'll come shoot with you!

OK thanks WM1. Maybe we can all go shopping for ammo too, I don't have much; when I was buying everything was wicked overpriced and the selection was bad.

[Richard_G_603]

Excellent video, For an additional resource, I HIGHLY recommend the book "a prepper's guide to shotguns", while not the most stimulating read, it is an excellent "shotgun 101" if you will.

If anyone is looking for a quality entry-tier pump action, I would recommend the Maverick 88. It is essentially the same gun as the iconic Mossberg 500, mostly same parts and same manufacturer, just a little more plastic in some non-essential areas, for a lower cost. It's absolutely reliable and preforms both quality and consistently.

Personally, for my home's set-up a shotgun is a little tight navigating all the doorways and corners, and I find a pistol to be a satisfying option for home-defense, but it's still better than nothing.

[Thomas S NJ]

I haven't viewed the video; while I'm sure it's very informative, it will not prepare you for trying to control a chaotic situation while simultaneously intentionally causing thunderous, fiery explosions of pungent smoke mere inches from your own face. Even a thirty-inch shotgun bore will seem like you've unleashed madness if you've never done it before. So please, for the sake of you and your family, do not let yourself think you are prepared if you've never fired a shot in training.
Please, find a public range or gun club where you can get some practice at the very least. I live in NJ and I was able to arm up, get to a range regularly and get actual combative training; surely wherever you are cannot be worse than this liberal hellhole!
Now, this is the internet and advice here is cheap; also, I am by no means an expert. I am sure we have some military types here who might be able to offer better advice than I by far - Mr. Williams is a Nam veteran who was in the Green Berets if I've not misremembered - but I'll offer what I can.

• -Dry fire drills. Get used to pulling the trigger, how to pull the trigger while maintaining aim, breathing, getting used to the sudden noise (even if it's just the click). I've heard a lot of contradictory ideas on how dry fire affects maintenance life, but your skills are more important to build up; you can replace a firing pin, you can't magic experience out of nothing.
  -Find local ranges. You don't have to like the guys there, just go!
  -Buy an IFAK (this one I'm actually deficient on). Accidents and blue-on-blue are rare, to be sure, but they happen. Better to be prepared for what never happens than be unprepared if it does. I don't like what Chris Kyle represents, but what happened to him is instructive.
  -Start off with just getting used to the boom. Don't bother trying to hit anything; focus instead on being able to keep your eyes open and not flinching when the boom comes. Do this A LOT. Maybe even a few rounds even long after you feel confident. Speaking of...I haven't done this in a while...better reserve a lane...
  -Get training. If you can find someone who has been down range, that's even better than some NRA instructor, but get training. Nip bad habits in the bud.
  -Train often.
  -No. Shotgun CAN'T "take out two guys at once". That's a video game trope. I'm sure it's remotely possible, but do not rely upon it; probably best to assume it won't.

I'm more responding to Massaro's article than you, Grimork. In truth I don't know much about your own level of experience or how much of this applies to you. I just had a gut reaction on reading his article that had me worried he would be ill-prepared to actually use his arms in defense of home and family. I like to see our White brothers arming themselves, but simply having a weapon is not enough; you need to know how to use it and even more than that, be truly prepared for its use.

PS - watching the video now...

[Thomas S NJ]

OK I admit, that video was entertaining and informative.

[Grimork]

I'm more responding to Massaro's article than you, Grimork. In truth I don't know much about your own level of experience or how much of this applies to you. I just had a gut reaction on reading his article that had me worried he would be ill-prepared to actually use his arms in defense of home and family. I like to see our White brothers arming themselves, but simply having a weapon is not enough; you need to know how to use it and even more than that, be truly prepared for its use.

PS - watching the video now...

Oh good, I was starting to get a little put off at first by what you're saying. Frankly like I said in my post, I've never fired a gun. I am a mother of 2 and currently carrying my third. I am not anxious to shoot my 12g shotgun unless I have to, and I certainly don't feel comfortable going to a range by myself. However, I will probably take WM1 up on his offer if I am near campus this summer, which I'd like to if I can.

I did think the video was a good starting place though, it's no substitute for experience like you say, but one foot in front of the other. I didn't even know how to eject the shells from the magazine without watching the video.

[Thomas S NJ]

I certainly did not mean to put you off. I just want to encourage all of our folk to arm and train as possible. I remember seeing that you were expecting, I should have kept that in mind; the last thing an expectant mother should be doing is setting off small explosions near her body and snorting any powdered lead and burnt cordite the air system filters missed! I do hope you can get out and learn to use your new firearm once it is safe for your new child for you to do so. Congratulations, by the way!

Again, I did not mean to put you off, and I apologize.