I've worked in the field of forensic pathology, close range shotgun fights is what I fear the most now

@efficientinthefield

6 ай бұрын

They are absolutely devastating at close range. I'm looking at getting a Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol because despite how open it is where I live, flight control buckshot would be perfect from the front of the house to the gate. 🥳

@45automag1

5 ай бұрын

@@efficientinthefield just bought the A300 a few months ago…worth every penny. You will love it

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

@@45automag1 If only $1k would just fall into my lap. 😄

@Kinetic.44

5 ай бұрын

Not just "close range" depending on your choke and the wad design of your ammunition, and don't forget about segmented or pure soft lead hollowpoint slugs.

@theimmortal4718

5 ай бұрын

I fear knives more. No way to know someone has one until they're stabbing you

I remember my grandfather, he told me every man should have 4 guns. A pistol, a varmint gun, a long gun, and a shotgun. Those 4 guns will do anything a man needs to do with a gun.

@Bennysnamehere

5 ай бұрын

Ill add a bow to that list and I love it (yes not a gun but still! haha)

@DasGoodSoup

5 ай бұрын

Ar556 10/22 12ga and a 9! Thats that.

@RigepFroggit

5 ай бұрын

@@DasGoodSoup I prefer 7.62x39 but yeah. A 9mm pistol, a 10/22, a magazine fed carbine, and a 12 ga. That covers pretty much every potential firearm need while minimizing the logistics tail of ammo.

@Huhwhips

5 ай бұрын

@@DasGoodSoupexactly what I got. Just completed my collection this week with a 10/22

@user-tn8tj3no8r

5 ай бұрын

Your Grandpa was right. I agree with Him 100%

Highly underrated topic by far. Shotguns are arguably the best for defense and taking game across the board...especially nowadays with ammo prices being where they are. I've always consistently found good buck shot for less than ANY 5.56/.223 ammo. Another good point with reloading shotguns is you can do it with just about anything...My buddies and I used to spend alot of times at garage sales and pick up unwanted silverware for free. Cut the fork tips and load a 2-3/4" shell with about 12-16 of them and watch what it does to a Pronghorn at close range. I've loaded everything from silverware to razor blades and mini matchbox cars into my shells and they all work just fine.

@efficientinthefield

6 ай бұрын

Mini matchbox cars!!! 🤣🤣🤣

@Bone_Frog2666

6 ай бұрын

@@efficientinthefield I shit you not, 4 of them fit in a 3” shell. Useless beyond 30ish yards but still fun

@MrGunBunny13

5 ай бұрын

I've heard that hearing aid batteries make decent shot, and that a AAA battery with a sabot is a pretty convincing slug.

@mindexpanding1

5 ай бұрын

I know what is on my schedule first thing tomorrow AM.

@mindexpanding1

5 ай бұрын

@@MrGunBunny13 I have a group of speciality cut # 12 shells w/ Bromodiolone for “ home invaders “.

And a big thing to metion if you go with a rifled slug barrel. Do not shoot a rifled slug. Shoot the sabot slugs with a rifled barrel. The rifled slugs are meant to stabilize that big chunk of lead out of a smooth bore barrel.

@efficientinthefield

6 ай бұрын

Absolutely correct! Rifled slugs are for smooth bores. Kind of odd, but that's how they did it.

@Urban_hunter2021

6 ай бұрын

@efficientinthefield and I tell ya a 12 gauge slug would be like getting hit with a sledgehammer. And the same with buckshot inside 40 yards.

@efficientinthefield

6 ай бұрын

@@Urban_hunter2021 Yeah, I've smoked deer with slugs from close range. They either just drop dead or you get some kicking and bucking for 10 yards and then down. 🥳

@alexmunn5321

5 ай бұрын

When it comes to slugs and buckshot the 12 ga is better for sure . Heavier buckshot and slugs. But when it's lighter shot that is like for like in size and travelling the same speed the only thing the 12 will give you is a slight gain in pay load.

@mindexpanding1

5 ай бұрын

Excellent point; a man who has knowledge will always succeed.

Also, the shotgun is effective in drone attacks, 5.56 NATO is difficult to shoot a flying bird, but hunters have been doing it for 100 years.

@usecriticalthinking243

4 ай бұрын

Yeah both Ukraine and Russia are using birdshot to bring down drones

@danielcurtis1434

4 ай бұрын

Amazing cuz the 5.56 didn’t exist until the latter 1950s!!! It was released before it was released by these .22 bird snipers.

@ShotgunMike

3 ай бұрын

Breathing intensifies.

My Benelli m-4 is my go to home defense CQB firearm. At close range it’s devastating. When I was in Ramadi we used it for breaching and were told not to use it for room clearance, but I can report there are a lot of bearded doors that are no longer standing.

@Saintbow

13 күн бұрын

Damn those bearded doors!

A dump pounch is what one needs for extra shells

@jerseyjackrabbit2829

5 ай бұрын

or a good old fanny pack. made a makeshift on for keeping ammo in when im running and it works pretty well. looks... odd but it works better than a dumb pouch and makes less sound.

@nagaviper1169

4 ай бұрын

It's great for my Panzer mags.

@robertgoodrich8953

Ай бұрын

A man without a semiauto shotgun who recommends a semiautomatic shotgun!

I live in Indiana, wich is legally a shotgun state for deer. I've been hunting since the late 1970s in the hills of Southern Indiana an on several occasions I've taken deer at 120+ yards with Winchester super-X 2 3/4 inch hollow point deer slugs out of my Winchester model 1300 12ga pump. At the range I can routinely keep a 3" pattern at 100 yards with that gun and the same loads. I've had a lot of years of experience with it, but boils down to knowing your gun and your ammo and practice.

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

Are you using a rifled barrel or any optics?

@jerryransdell3450

5 ай бұрын

@@efficientinthefield smooth bore barrel with standard Winchester Super-X 2 3/4" rifled hollow point deer slugs. And BTW the barrel is short, it's an 18" 'Defender' barrel. As far as optics I'm using a cheap Tasco scope I bought at Walmart back in 2003. It's on an elevated mount so I can still use the iron sights for rabbit and squirrel hunting. Nothing special about it. I've just shot it so frequently for so many years I know the gun like the back of my hand.

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

@@jerryransdell3450 Nice. Knowing the gun matters. 🙏

@terryheck9507

5 ай бұрын

What's up fellow Hoosier around my area maybe

@netpackrat

5 ай бұрын

I have one of those 1300 Defenders and can confirm it's a great gun. I like the 870 more but that's only because I have a lot more time on the 870. Main disadvantage of the Winchester pumps is fewer accessories for them compared to the Remingtons and Mossbergs.

I grew up in a shotgunner family. The first Christmas I remember when I was 5, I got a break action 20 gauge. When I was 9, I got a Remington 1100 20 gauge automatic. I killed everything with that shotgun. I generally use a double now as my sister borrowed the 20 gauge 30 years ago! With a double, you can use adapters to make a rifle in one barrel and a shotgun in the other. It’s amazing really what you can do with a shotgun. Thanks for the video.

I like my sub-caliber inserts, for my single shot shotty. I have an assortment of 7-8 inch rifled adapters. Plenty accurate enough. Fun to plink with too!

@efficientinthefield

6 ай бұрын

Can you give me more details? I have two and they are complete garbage. I'd spend money to try a couple more from the right manufacturer.

I believe the biggest challenge with combat shotguns for preppers is a lack of training. I My case, I have all the proper shotguns, have watched the videos, patterned and tested hundreds of rounds, but need the confidence and muscle memory that comes from formal training.

@efficientinthefield

6 ай бұрын

Chet, I would suggest getting into rabbit hunting for a start. Get out with a shotshell belt on or equivalent kit, engage live targets quickly, and rapidly reload once the rabbit is down. That will take you most of the way you need to go. After that, a weekend tactical course would be the next step. 🙏

@yepyep1013

5 ай бұрын

I would recommend taking a defensive shotgun coarse from a reputable instructor. My son in law wanted to be proficient with the 12 gauge and so I took a coarse with him. (I take courses a few times a year myself) Once he was done at the end of the day, he was running his scattergun well. He said that was the best thing he ever did in taking that coarse. He said he feels way more confident in his ability to shoot, move and reload with it.

@TheVvolfgang

2 ай бұрын

​@@efficientinthefield It's not necessarily advised, and especially not in the modern climate, but I got VERY proficient with both my pump and my break action shotgun when I was young by gunning out of the truck, just driving around and looking for stuff. I can put 3 shells down range in right around 5 seconds with the break action 20

@efficientinthefield

2 ай бұрын

@@TheVvolfgang If a tree falls in the woods and nothing was there to hear it, did it make a sound? 🤔

My biggest concern with a shotgun in the SHTF scenario is size and weight of the shells. I’m 5’6”,67 years old. I can carry 210 rounds 5.56 no problem,try carrying 210 rounds of 12or 20 gauge.With that said, I love the 20 gauge,gave up my 12 gauge a few years ago.If I was held up in a city scenario and not planning to go anywhere…shotgun would probably be my 1st choice.

@tyler1768

5 ай бұрын

Combat load for a shot gun is about 50 rounds ready to use and 50 in pack I use old surplus fal mag pouch hold about 25 in each mix 00 and #4 buck and buck and ball and in pack 50 more plus 10 bird shot 10 slug I live in a jungle country so pretty much out side of the city or towns or up in mountains grassland rock it all jungle so 50 yard and in 80 percent of time

@user-xq3zl2tz1s

5 ай бұрын

Then I’d carry as many as u can comfortably and pick up ammo as u go . 12 gauge is everywhere just like 9mm.. I’m 6’2” and 215 and only plan on carrying around 60

@tyler1768

5 ай бұрын

@@user-xq3zl2tz1s yes thats smart dont overburden yourself carry what you can only can or physically able too in my situation we get supplied by heli or meet up with a truck somewhere keep going etc

@rick31869

4 ай бұрын

think about how many .22lr shells you can carry LOL .

@aahhronismyname8068

2 ай бұрын

I gave up my 12ga for 20ga shotties. Actually it was a deal, sold my 870 in 12ga and got a mossy 500 and 870 in 20ga. Ive shot 45ish try shot slugs back to back and my shoulder pocket was hurting. Ive shot 85 rounds of 20ga slugs and I was fine.😂 I'm no body builder.. In 5 feet 9 inches weighing in at 175ish (it fluctuates sometimes as low as 172 and high at 181) depends on what I eat😂😂😂 . I'm not fat or skinny. Avg I guess. But looking at the data a 20ga produces on avg more joules or ft lbs of energy than 44 mag. Its good for black bear maybe not brown or grizzies but definitely 1000 more times adequate for man. Switch to birdshot and can hunt birds and ducks. Shotties have it place just like any other gun

I think if you are defending a hide or camp a shotgun is good. If you are in a bunker defending your camp and your not humping the weight.

GREAT WORK! I have been into weapons since 1973 when I got my first gun which was a Colt 45 ACP. In the last 8 years I had a bad surgical experience and I am now permanently handicapped. As a result I have watched so many videos it’s ridiculous. I really appreciate this segment. I agree with 90%+ of your comments. I have an older Remington semi but it’s not an SHTF weapon. I have watched so many Prepper, SHTF channels but I really enjoyed this video. Good luck in your future projects. Thank you.

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

Thanks Gary! 🙏

I picked up a gen 2 1301. It was a pretty penny . It's fed everything I've put in it so far.

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

I've heard this about them. 👌

I'm a shotgun man. .410 in particular. I can carry 250 rounds(10 pounds). Has the same knock down power with a slug as a .357 Magnum(Federal Firearms testing)over 100 yards. Mine are single shots and the shells can be easily reloaded in the field. The downside of the .410 is the availability of shells and the shorter distance one has to be aware of while hunting squirrel, quail and rabbit.

@tbjtbj4786

5 ай бұрын

What slugs have the same power as a 357 mag. And which load for the 357 mag are you comparing the 410 slug to?

@gregzeigler3850

5 ай бұрын

@@tbjtbj4786It was Federal Firearms Testing. take it up with them. I don't doubt it since .357 Magnum is legal in Ohio, yet in other states(and Countries)people regularly take deer with a .410.

@gabrielramos941

5 ай бұрын

Good thing, also a 410 can be usted by everyone in the house because the recoil is softer than a 12 gauge! Wise election!

I have never been a shotgun guy but I got an a300 ultimate patrol and I cant stop shooting it. I Gucci'd it out and man. This thing is devastating. A lot of work to run but man, it is scary.

@mindexpanding1

4 ай бұрын

I used my Ithaca in 3 theatre’s over 20 plus years and I’m alive today because of it.

@Timcanniff311

14 күн бұрын

I got a fully kitted out A300UP as well

@Timcanniff311

14 күн бұрын

@@mindexpanding1 I have an 8 shot Ithaca for my pump backup gun

I love this topic: I'm a shot gunner; at heart, my load of choice would hopefully be in S.H.T.F. Hornady Critical Defense. 00, 8 pellet, moving at 1600 fps w/ the flight controlled wad; from my Maverick 88: I love that scatter gun. I did something like you, I had a Mossberg 500 JIC model: it was pretty but life happens; however my Maverick 88 has never let me down. I have an AR, but my gosh; I feel so confident behind my shotgun: they're just so powerful and what can escape a shot pattern. Great video, well done bro. 💯π✔

@efficientinthefield

2 ай бұрын

If you know, you know. There's lots of "experts" out there on gun channels saying shotguns suck. They've obviously not spent time behind one. 🙏

I definitely agree with hunting upland bird game. I would recommend staying near seed,water, and trees. They wake up, feed, gravel to grind up whatever they ate, drink, and then head to roost in a tree/tall grass depending if it’s quail, dove, pheasant, or chukar. Then repeat that same thing again in the afternoon. Usually start at sun up until about 11am. Rest and go back out again around 2-3pm for an afternoon hunt. Hiding in the shade of a bush or tree is your best bet if you’re not trying to pop em up and shoot em. Which is far harder as you’ll get a very small window to hit them and will fly in directions where trees and other stuff blocks them.

@efficientinthefield

6 ай бұрын

Definitely good info, Rusty! 🙏

Maybe , instead of looking at the 1301 which from what i understand are very expensive, try to find a 1201 or even a 1200 beretta, i still have my dad's 1201 and at the time was the cadillac of semis, still functions flawlessly, the only difference between the 1200 and the 1201 is the 1200 is chambered in 2 and 3/4 only. Great video and i'm glad to find someone that doesn't put down the shotgun as something of the past

If I can only have 1 gun it would be a pump action 12 Gauge. Just pick the ammo for your needs.

Im really digging this series your doing on SHTF weapons! A lotta good Golden Nuggets of Info here!

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

🙏

Note from oilfield worker. Often work at north British Columbia/ northern Alberta. Brushy area with lots of bears., both grizzly and black . If by some reason I would have to WALK through the area I would carry 12 ga with magnum slugs or 0000(or 45-70 etc, handguns are prohibited)because if grizzly attacks you out of brush , and you will not drop it from 1 shot you might not have a chance for the 2nd. So stopping power is everything for that kind of scenario

@efficientinthefield

3 ай бұрын

Slugs have crazy power. 🥳

12ga Remington 870.....king of the tactical shotties.

I’ve got a stoeger 3000,with slugs I can get a 3 inch group with slugs at 100 meters with open sights, bear in mind that’s a 430 grain projectile ,and if things get up close and personal ,then it’s either 00 or 000, shotty does it all

Man , I think people are just hung up on shotguns being an old man’s weapon of choice… To me is stupid, I love having a good pump action SHOTGUN…

@mindexpanding1

5 ай бұрын

I always have my 686 EDC and 637 back up on me; 870 is always in my Truck at the ready.

Tavor TS 12 15 in the tube's 1in the carrier 1 in the chamber 17 total ,Holosun 512 on top. Ready for action.

Wow, congrats and glad that a new chapter is starting.

I agree a semi auto is great. But I just trust my pump gun 100% of the time. My M4 is awesome but I’m still gonna take the pump if it’s my only gun.

If you're a survivalist you'll know exactly how to turn birdshot into a slug a) cutshells b) parafin wax poured into birdshot = improvised slug

@mindexpanding1

5 ай бұрын

Good point from a likeminded “Peronista”.

@pinochetsghost33

5 ай бұрын

Helicopter or pit, comrade? @@mindexpanding1

@netpackrat

5 ай бұрын

You can do that, and it's a potentially valuable technique to know in a pinch, but you can literally get set up to cast real slugs and reload them for less than a couple hundred bucks. Then you can have as much slug ammo as you might possibly want. Buckshot too, although I would recommend against casting it (BTDT) since you can buy big bags of it. Otherwise buckshot and slug shells are expensive to accumulate in bulk. Years ago there were pictures making the rounds on the gun forums about a guy in Nigeria who was turning standard birdshot ammo into improvised slugs on the cheap. He could only legally buy a shotgun and birdshot ammo in his country, so he was disassembling the rounds, casting the lead shot into slugs, and re-loading them with the rest of the original components. It was fascinating.

@2007vwbeetle

4 ай бұрын

Cut shell # 6 at 20-50 yards have almost the same effect as a slug.

@photosnyper

3 ай бұрын

Exactly and target load number 8 are 1/3 price compared to slug. Also not a rocket science to cast slugs or pellets from lead

If im in an urban environment, and it's a shtf scenario , Ill take a 12 gauge , and give me a 357 or 40 backup handgun

Semi auto shotgun is ideal during times when society is law-abiding. It has quicker response times and is great for competition. But, during the violent downfall of society pump is best due to the fact that a good 12ga pump will basically feed any 12 ga round and field stripping to clean the shotgun is usually minimal compared to semi auto. So, it may be slower, but I feel it is more dependable.

Pump action shotguns worked VERY WELL in combat throughout WWI through Vietnam against semi and full auto weapons. Guy is funny. "A cylinder bore is just fine"....literally the next sentence "that you can put chokes in"...

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

I think you took my statement out of context. My position is that you don't need a shotgun with chokes to be pretty damned effective unless you are the noisiest MFer on the planet and can't shoot. Chokes can help you be more effective depending on what you are using your shotty for.

I'm with you on using shotguns for possible SHTF events. I am a pump gun fan for it's simplicity. Shoots high power and low power shells just as effectively. No problems with non lethal shells. After trying all kinds of shells. Found out the best shotgun shell to stockpile are 2¾" shells. Don't waste your money on those 1" mini shells. They are useless as far as I am concerned.

@danielcurtis1434

5 ай бұрын

Mini shells are 1 3/4” FYI.

If I’m bunkering in a pump shotgun or two will be nearby. However because of the weight and bulk they are not part of a bug out plan.

While i agree a 12 or 20 is optimal and i have hunted most of my life with a 28" 12 for pheasant, quail, grouse, partridge, ducks and geese. If the shtf i have determined a 410 for overall utility, weight of slinger and ammo is the most versatile. using slugs, buck and bird shot as well as nuts, hardware, pebbles in a pinch all you need is powder and primers and a lee type hand loader and you can load anything using homemade cardboard wads. 3" hold 5, 000 and 2.5" hold 4. A 12ga holds 3" holds 10 of 000. 410 is far lighter slinger and ammo. In a pinch you can manually load single rounds of 45 colt and it will fire but accuracy is not great but it will work. In Texas some people hunt out of blinds at close range for hogs with 410, 000 buck. So it is effective for game medium and small and birds with bird shot. With sabot slugs you get extended range and accuracy. Its also good with 000 for self defense at typical range. Obviously its not good for distance over 100 unless you have a spare rifled barrel. You can carry one heck of a lot more 410 than 12 or 20. Lastly you can carry a bond derringer in your pocket with 000 buck for up close and personal so you only have to carry one type ammo could also choose a judge or governor. Lastly while i agree steel shot sucks i did take down 2 Canadian geese with one shot of #2 bird of federal 3" mag steel at over 50 yards. It works its just hard on barrels and doesnt have the weight. Oh i forgot i always hunt pumps i wont own a semi auto anything they are two fincky with reloads i like simple and effective of the pump. My grandfather had a rem 1100 and it hated reloads always jamming never had one problem with a pump. My 5.56 is a pump rem 6515 thats how much i love pumps. I also love levers but dont own one. Pumps and bolts and revolvers are my choice. Its like a cummings diesel in my dodge pickup. If i had been smart i would have converted it to an old ppumo mechanical injection eliminating the problems associated with electronics and dependability. Its exactly why i stick with pump shotguns.

@efficientinthefield

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the detailed comment. It looks like 000 buck is one place where 410 isn't all too bad, looking at the numbers, and 4 or 5 000 buck will definitely ruin anyone's day. Even then, I'd rather have 10 over 5 per pull of the trigger. Slugs out of 410 just aren't great. You can produce almost the same energy out of a 9mm. 410 loses hard when looking at birdshot and other buckshot loads, although I'm definitely curious about the Lee Loader 410 you mentioned. I'd like to play with 410 a lot though to be honest. Numbers don't always give you the whole story. And shot placement trumps all other metrics so if you can put it where it needs to go, 🥳.

@GregariousAntithesis

2 ай бұрын

@@efficientinthefield i have shot trap with a 410 so it is effective for upland game and for ducks i would definitely use 3" with 2 or 1 shot not 4. Its perfect for turkey up close with this turkey 410 i have with the super tight xxfull choke and 7.5-9 shot to the head. The choke makes all the difference. Lee loaders are really expensive now. I have the 12 and 20 but not the 410 yet. For the most part you can load with household items tons of videos about it and the cheaper alternative to a lee loader called a aurvival loader. The biggest problem with all hand loaders is there is no brass resizer and that is why auto loaders dont like reloads. I have yet to come up with a great idea for resizing and im not investing in a MEC. They make a dedicated resizer but its around 200 just for one gage size.

I AM SO GLAD YOU MADE THIS VIDEO - THANK YOU ❤

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

🙏

About all I keep for a 12 gauge is #6 shells. Full choke

Those 410 self defense rounds works great in the dedicated full barreled shotguns holds a tight pattern out to 15-20 yards. So these new self defense rounds are fully viable, try it through the 410 shockwave. Its a jewel of an alternative.

@efficientinthefield

2 ай бұрын

Yeah, but they seem either ridiculously expensive or hard to find. I guess you could load your own though and save a lot of dough.

If you can get the best of both worlds. The benelli M3 is pump/semi and it’s wonderful. Light loads (IF they don’t cycle, they usually do) you can pump, but when switching to heavier loads switch an actuator and you’re running semi-auto.

One 00 buck shot is like half a 9mm mags’ worth of entry wounds in a fairly accurate chest size grouping at 25 feet. So pull a trigger on a 9 mm nine times in a defensive posture and see how your grouping looks under stress. Pull the trigger one time on a 12 gauge and you will quickly move to a shotgun for self-defense in and around your home.

I have a Black Aces Tactical Semiautomatic 12 gauge and it cycles flawlessly in anything I’ve put through it. Very happy with it and good customer service too🙏🇺🇸🇮🇱

@efficientinthefield

4 ай бұрын

Good to hear. I've looked at those and wondered. There's been good and bad reviews about them.

Grabbed my baretta a300 ultima patrol last summer and have zero complaints

@Masta_E

5 ай бұрын

I love mine. I cant stop shooting it, and I was not a shotgun guy.

@Physicallyretard

5 ай бұрын

@@Masta_E 100% same boat. Got a matchsaver and esstac +7 sleeve and that beast is the best home defense weapon I got hands down

The shotgun is definitely underrated, my preference is a first generation 12 gauge Mossberg 835 made on a 590 frame. Buckshot is devastating. AO terrain , Location , plus experience is also a factor. IE from the coastal plains of Virginia to East Texas a shotgun is probably ideal for most preppers and or survival types. Now West Texas is definitely rifle country.

In the words of Carlos coy , my 12 ga shotty make ya chest look like a pizza 🍕 🤷‍♂️ good shotgun with a light on it . Make sure it’s a light made for a shotgun’s recoil.

A pump action is definitely a go to SHTF weapon along with a reliable pistol such as a Glock. Heard stories of $200 Maverick 88s running like new with over 20k+ shells shot. Also slugs are truly devastating to unarmored humans. My cousin is a firefighter EMT and told a story of a domestic gone wrong. One guy shot another with a 12 gauge slug lower torso from front door to street distance and cut him clean in half.

Excellent video. Thanks.

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

🙏

Great stuff thank you very much.

I'd go so far as to say that for the "average person", by that I mean the single woman with kids, the business-man, the clerk, the teenager, the bottle-washer and everyone else (We'll let the hairy-chested, personally autonomous, special-ops guys take care of themselves...), the Shotgun, in almost any gauge, is more reliable and effective than any other single weapon, under most conditions, for the most people...and that would extend to your SHTF situation, as well. This is especially true now-a-days, when you can fill a couple of bandoleers with a small arsenal full of shotgun-loads that will do everything from knock a person silly with a rubber-bullet to turn their head into a pink mist to turning the night into a pyrotechnic display with Dragons Breath rounds. Plus, there are shotgun-rounds that are aluminum blanks the size a twelve-gauge shell that are drilled out for .22's, .45's, 9mm, etc., so, there are no limits to what you can set-up with a good shotgun and an imagination...

@efficientinthefield

2 ай бұрын

With training. The average person with a lot of training. 🙏

@waynemyers2469

2 ай бұрын

@@efficientinthefield That's kind of my point, in an extreme situation like SHTF even an untrained person would be more able to protect him/herself with a simple break-shotgun than a more complicated and precise hunting-rifle or assault rifle. Many people would have a difficult time loading a modern rifle let alone hitting anything with it so I still maintain that the more efficient gun is the shotgun, even with no training (the scenario I imagined was my own mother hunkered-down in a ruin as a couple ne're-do-wells moved in to rob her and if, in that moment, I could put something in her hand to protect herself, it would be a simple double-barrelled shotgun.)

@efficientinthefield

2 ай бұрын

@@waynemyers2469 I agree with your simplicity statement. It's always going to be easier to hand someone a break action anything with irons or a bead on the front if they don't know anything about firearms.

@waynemyers2469

2 ай бұрын

@@efficientinthefield And the congregation said "Hallelujah".

FEDERAL FLIGHT CONTROL, 00-BUCK, 8 PELLET LOAD Is The BEST For SHTF...

The only semi auto 12g’s I have are the AK style Lynx-12. I picked up 2, and both ran better than my old Saiga, so that went bye bye and paid for 2 of these 😂 20 round drums need a slight modification to lock up good, but after that, g2g. Adjustable gas is a great thing.

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

Good to know. 👍

@netpackrat

5 ай бұрын

It took a bit of massaging, but I eventually got my Saiga 12 to run well on everything from 3" slugs and buck, down to light 2-3/4" birdshot. The adjustable gas system is a great thing. I have a 5 position plug on mine, and while knowing your loads and what settings they need takes some time, it's definitely worth the investment. That's true of the whole platform... Learning it and becoming proficient with is not an overnight thing, but it's so worthwhile to have one of the most effective close range weapons ever devised.

I'll probably do my own video on this subject. I too have a lot of experience with shotguns. Shotguns are better for homesteaders and preppers. Just a short range gun for defending a home against 2 legged and 4 legged varmints. And it doesn't require a lot of training. In my opinion using slugs defeats the whole purpose of a shotgun. As far as a survivalist bugging out with a shotgun it's not so much the weight of the ammo as it is the space it takes up. Good video though.

Those bolt action 12g do extremely well with shooting stuff out the sky.

Ive got a Mossberg 88 Security model and a 12ga Gforce. I love mine. I know theres better but they work good especially when you're living off Social Security. Just saying. Good video

My plan is to bug in .so I have rifles for when they are far away and shotguns for up close and personal

I found an old Remington 870 from the early 70’s. What a peach! I need some non full choke barrels. I’d like to have a rifled barrel.

Pump all day every day for a shotgun. Very reliable

H&R 10 gauge single shot. A Parkhurst 10 gauge hammer coachgun. Three M37 Ithacas: 12, 20 and 28. No complaints here.

I will take a shotgun over most guns 90% of the time.my family had a Vietnam vet 2 tours recon and he always said his preferred the 12ga bc the enemy feared it over any other round

a rifle CAN be a better option, it kinda depends on WHERE you are hunting. it thick woods, a shotgun every time. most shots are 50 yards or less and there may be brush or tree limbs in the way. in open country, use a rifle. longer shots over open ground.

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

Everyone's individual situation matters. There is no cookie cutter approach to SHTF. 🙏

High powered 22 air rifle good for small game and no noise

the 3200 miles across the US has been crossed in 8 days on a bicycle, many times. Anyone can average 100 miles per night on a bike, if they are fit. That's an easy pedal, 12mph. Taking a 5 minute break once per hour.

@efficientinthefield

Ай бұрын

80 days. I think bikes will have their place and may be more or less useful depending on what kind of SHTF we are talking about.

Your shotgun will be used for 2 legged bad guys .

I just bought me a new 12 gauge

The biggest problem with a 12 gauge shotgun is the weight and size of the ammo. On the plus side it is effective, for game, protection keeping goblins at bey. A standard shotgun with a stock not a cruiser or Shockwave style.

I pair shotgun with Glock 17. Light load, Easy carry in urban and forested areas. However, in open terrain long gun is a must. Good video.

@efficientinthefield

4 ай бұрын

🙏

For SHTF scenario, the Vepr 12 can't be beat. Eats everything you feed it. But good luck finding one. They are banned now and forever.

My gun club does the semi shotgun vs "ar15" at our hunter safety course and non shooters are amazed

I'm a shotgun dude 2 for I dig my two vintage Remington 1100's 12 ga. with their 11 shot capacity and can sling all loads downrange and yes kill anything well within 50 yards for the most part I only rock 00Buck 7 1/2 to 6 shot and even BB loads which are awesome and yes I won't 4get my vintage trusty 870 pump that can sling 8 rds pretty fast downrange as well and I only get the 2 3/4 in. shells no need for that 3 to 3 1/2 in. expensive shit shells just my opinion !!!! The shotgun if well maintained can be one's do all for food fare or self defense if you had too !!! Oh yeah I really love my vintage H&R single shot 12 ga. which is more versatile than the auto or pump shotguns with its capabilty to shoot different calibers out of and not just shotgun ammo !!! That's my A to Z shotgun the one gun I'll never get rid of very sentimental !!!

.410 Federal 3” 76mm 7 1/2 shot 1135 fps shell weighs 26.1

@nemoexnuqual3643

6 ай бұрын

If you can feed it. Also you are greatly limiting your range, power, and capability. Great for snakes though.

@gregzeigler3850

5 ай бұрын

@@nemoexnuqual3643 "Great for snakes"...That's why the U.S. Military issued the M6. They were worried about snakes.😆

@nemoexnuqual3643

5 ай бұрын

@@gregzeigler3850 that was a pilot survival prototype .22 and .410 so actually yes. Snakes, small birds, rabbits, squirrels, etc. it wasn’t intended as a combat or big game weapon. It was replaced by a semiautomatic .22LR because a semiautomatic .22 is better

Shotguns are an excellent personal defense weapon, especially within fifty yards. Slugs, and buck shot are lethal. The introduction of drones as a weapon platform in the battlefield, requires a shotgun to neutralize this modern weapon.

@danmayes4657

3 ай бұрын

Goose loads will do it.

Thanks for the video man. Also, you are rich. You're a real smart dude. You will get richer, and be able to afford that sweet semi you wanted.

@efficientinthefield

4 ай бұрын

Thank you and hopefully! 🤞

20 gauge is my choice more rounds can be carried 💪. .22 wmr insert for it I have.. Stevens 301 turkey model has pikitini rail I have red dot on mine it's great

My grandfather only shot his 16 gauge and taught me with it. If it wasn’t so rare it is the perfect family shotgun.

@efficientinthefield

6 ай бұрын

I don't have any experience with 16, but I have a lot of shells for it. Maybe I'll get the chance someday...

@JohnPublic-dk7zd

6 ай бұрын

We have a semi-auto 16 in the safe, a few boxes of bird and game loads, a small amount of #1 buckshot...we shoot a few shells annually, clean, and back in safe...maybe not option 1, but being available can't hurt..

The shotgun is the best farm and homestead gun ... a good truck-gun all purpose gun as a prepper

I have several thousands of 12 g, 22LR and 308, I do my own reloading of the 308 with different grains but at the end all is one caliber... Maybe in the future I will get the 556!!!

Get a modified single shot 12 gauge with adapters. My 12 gauge shoots 22lr, 9mm, 410, 45lc, 38 spec. Not to mention it can be used as a 209 muzzle loader. The adapters are under $150 for all. I suggest getting the 8" rifled 22lr for hunting. Very accurate. 3" adapters are not but are good for close range. The con is they are single shot. Good for hunting, poor for self defense

Shotgun is good hunting and self defense

Who needs a big mag when you can load a pump action on the fly easily. This is why I like side gate lever guns too.

If you switch from lead to steel your 12 gauge projectiles weight can be reduced by 41 % . Weight of your amo can be reduced enough to carry water or a .22 cal glock 44 and a 100 rounds of .22 lr

@efficientinthefield

4 ай бұрын

The weight might be reduced by 41% but so is the effectiveness. 😄 I think the best bet is to cache 12 gauge led at your bugout spot. 👍

I'm running an 870 and also a side saddle with cartridge belts check budk for in expensive cartridge belts even Walmart special tractor supplies has some also I invested in the lee load all 2 so I can keep my supply of 12 gauge at over a 1,000 I'm also always scanning the local store's for deals on 12 gauge as well as my other calibers

Carried a shotgun as my primary duty weapon for 20 years. For a reason Understand what it is best for and your situation. Inside of 30-40 yards FOR MOST PEOPLE a shotgun is the best. So, short range, low aiming and maximum stopping power.

The problem with magazine fed shotguns is they jam to much.tube fed is the best bet.

Everyone forgets about the wild card, the bolt action 12 gauge... they are cheap and awesome. I did a video on my 195 K - A and I'm currently working on a 10-round magazine that's functional for it, it works and im finnishing it. Its working its not finished yet ill do a video when i do. Also you can get a 7/8 key mod slug mold and turn bird load into light recoil accurate slugs cheap and easy to make.

@philerdley8809

5 ай бұрын

got some details on that extended mag?

A few things I disagree with. 1. A pump would be better. Fewer mechanical parts is always more reliable and tons of tests show that people are more accurate with pumps because it makes you slow down compared to a semi auto 2. Magazine Fed shotguns are notoriously unreliable

@efficientinthefield

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment. A lot of people will short stroke a pump when stressed. Modern gas operated semi autos that are tube fed, like the a300, 1301, and 940 are super reliable and will cycle any kind of load with a short break in period.

Shtf unfriendly encounters will mostly be ambush based meaning close range and in which case shotguns will dominate. But regardless you should have a sidearm to switch to during a prolonged encounters or backup when reloading the shotgun

@efficientinthefield

3 ай бұрын

You can't be ambushed if you aren't out on the road or the trail. This is why prepping matters so much. Be where you need to be right now and castle doctrine it. 🙏

As far as scavenging for ammo in SHTF, 12 gauge would be the best because it's most common. I love shotguns. They are not the best at anything but they are good at everything!

@Imakebootysclap

4 ай бұрын

best at close range and home defense if you are worried about over penetration. They really on lack at sniping.

Sample of one my Remington Tac-13 runs cheap 7/8 oz loads no issue, and it a Remington. The semi auto have really come a long way in the last 10 years.

in SHTF to expect to hunt at all is silly ....maybe long long term survival but to expect something that wiped out command and control to have not dramatically hurt the wildlife population is not smart ...then add in the fact that every yokel will be out trying to hunt in a SHTF situation ...hell even fishing would be dangerous ...prep food and medicine and keep the shot gun close to what you defend

.410slugs can vary in wieght from 87 grns to 110 grns. They travel up to 1800 fps and deliver anywhere from 600 to 800 approximate ft lbs energy. That puts it on par with a 10mm or .357 magnum.

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

That puts it on par to a 10mm or 357 mag fired out of a pistol. 357 mag can produce over 1250 ft lbs from a long gun. I think the versatility (i.e. load variation) of the .410 over 357 mag and 10mm is more of a selling point. If we were to compare .410 to 41 mag handgun loads, you can shoot 210 grain 41 mags at 1550 fps for 1120 ft lbs of energy out of a pistol. This is out of a dedicated "slug gun" though and cartridges with higher pressures. 🙏

@mattdg1981

5 ай бұрын

@@efficientinthefield I did not know that. Sounds like 357 would be a good deer rifle for short range. Imma have to get one to go with my 6" dan Wesson lol.

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

@@mattdg1981 Great deer rifle to 100 yards. 🥳 I've also got a 6" Wesson. Love it!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. 00 Buck not your self-defense load. Try 3” Magnum #2 lead goose loads. Pattern and size. No joke. You can miss with the buck.

Yep - I have a few, 3-4 for hunting, 3-4 for social, ran an experiment, I already had an M4 that I 922'd then looked at the best of class in 2023, Mossy 940 - Beretta 1301 - Beretta A300 Patrol, after buying and working with ALL of them I think the best cost/benefit compromise is the A300 for $1k - the 1301 is a rockstar but a lot of $, the M4 is awesome if you dont have to hump it for miles and is the most expensive, the Mossy 940 is great but had loading issues, for the money - the best buy modern fighting shotgun is the A300 Patrol - I'm just a dude no mil or LE experience I just shoot A LOT.

@efficientinthefield

5 ай бұрын

That's the one I've been eyeballing. The A300.

Ksg 12….for close cqb…mostly home defence….slugs and 00buck….

If an ar is off the table (if shtf theyll be easy enough to find) would a 22lr or 12g be a better option. 22lr has a limited range and limited power but theyre very light, can carry a shitload of ammo, are almost subsonic and easy to suppress... imma dress as a bush w my lil 22 and just count on nobody seeing me unless i want them to or atleqst until theyre in range of a 22. Whatvwould be real interesting is if you could mount a higher power longer range pistol (like a 10mm or 357) to the stock so you could use your scope on the rifle to aim it/use the pistol as a foregrip. Which would be like 3 kinds of illegal. Aa would mounting a sawed of shotgun to the foregrip of a rifle. Being able to do a barrel swap to a 410 would be neat too but unlikly to find anything/impossible/pain in the ass to custom fab.

@efficientinthefield

4 ай бұрын

I think 22lr really depends on where you're located and even then, you're going to have to regularly hunt with it during SHTF to feed yourself. That means regular reports and a lot of time spent. I'm of the mind that fish traps and snares will outwork a 22lr every single day for a lot less calories and noise and since that's my approach, I'd prefer just about any cartridge in a rifle over 22lr. I am going to do a video dedicated solely to 22lr because there are places where it makes sense.

Love a good 12ga all around. I would make an argument for a pump over a semi-auto for one important reason... A semi-auto’s action is driven by the shell and dependent upon its proper function. A pump, while slower overall will provide tremendously more reliability. Also, price. I’d rather have three mossberg pumps vs. one benelli... that’s subjective though, I realize.

@efficientinthefield

6 ай бұрын

I'm perfectly on board with pumps. If the intended use is self defense though, I highly recommend a well tested semi auto unless you live in a harsh environment. Motor controls go to shit, especially when the people trying to kill you are 20 feet away and the last thing you want to have to do is work a pump if it goes down. It's kind of like comparing a bolt action to a semi auto rifle. Bolt actions have their place, but you don't want to be stuck working one in CQB. 🙏

@EroticOnion23

5 ай бұрын

Your pump hand might also get injured/destroyed...

@Toastification

5 ай бұрын

@@EroticOnion23 very true. Folks in gunfights get shot in the hands often. I’m a fan of semi-autos as well, please don’t get me wrong. My understanding of this is a Shtf/wrol/ apocalypse- thing. Ammo may not be as dependable in that instance. Ie: reloads etc. a pump will be more relatable overall. That said, I wouldn’t step out the door with just one gun. That’s silly.

And the abundance of 12g ammo!

i'm a military vet & retired LEO, have trained with & been issued all kinds of weapons. funny thing is before all that I hunted in my youth. now that i'm retired I'm drawn back to the guns of my youth & younger years. I like revolvers & shotguns, my edc & home defense is a S&W 638 .38 snub & my shtf/teotwawki guns are a 12ga SxS & 12ga pumps. guess the fudd is my truest self, lol😂

Look up loading .410… good luck. Lee doesn’t even make a die. Even the cheapest soft armor stops shotgun shells. At 20 yards yes there are 72 projectiles but they at a 1 inch per 3 yard pattern you killed the heck out of a 7 inch target. Long range slug shooting requires a rifles shotgun that then takes away the versatility. 100 yards is a gallon jug size group with a slug. 12 gauge Shotguns have the advantage of being able to pull the birdshot out of a 2 3/4 inch cheap #9 shell and replace it with an equal weight of just about anything that will fit in the shell like split shot fish weights. Of course for SHTF a big problem for 12 and 20 is carrying ammo. Not just weight but even with 7Rem Mag I can comfortably fit 4 boxes of 20 in my cargo pockets. I can’t carry 80 shells in a pockets. I can’t carry 210 rounds of shot shell in a vest like 5.56. Also I’ve never seen a shotgun that uses 30+ round mags, even cheap body armor stops shotguns, reloads are slow. I love shotguns but I wouldn’t take one as my one gun to rule them all choice.

@notanymore9471

5 ай бұрын

Do you have armor for your face? Just saying

@nemoexnuqual3643

5 ай бұрын

@@notanymore9471 and that may be bug consider that buckshot patterns out at about 1 inch every 9 feet so at typical self defense distance of 7 yards or less you have a 2 inch pattern. This then means you have an advantage of scoring a hit of 1 inch in each direction. I spent my youth on a cattle ranch, we called out the same father/son butcher team every time we butchered a steer for the family. They were amazing butchers and slaughtered the steer for us as well. They used a .22LR revolver to do it. I tell you this because a .22LR to the head will kill an 18 month old steer just as dead as anything else. So the fact that a shotgun makes more of a mess to the head is irrelevant. Imagine the pattern at that range as if it were a 2 inch diameter cannon ball (forget the area between the pellets at that range) if you had to hit a 7 inch across moving target while under fire yourself would you rather: (1) have five to seven tries at two second intervals with a two inch ball Or (2) have thirty tries at .7 second intervals with a quarter inch projectile. Or if this was a carnival game If all that matters is a hit with either and the first hit automatically wins would you rather have a few bowling balls or a whole bucket of golf balls. Now let’s get back to guns. Would you rather have a moving target that is 7 inches across or a target that is 18 inches across 26 inches tall with a 7 inch circle target on top of it? Shotguns are awesome, I love shotguns. I have several shotguns for different situations but rifles are just better for real world combat. Consider that around the world police and military issue rifles for battlefield use, and for close combat urban use…still rifles. Shotguns get used mostly for breeching and riot control with less lethal ammunition but since the advent of semiautomatic rifles they have been the weapon of choice for professionals in 90% of scenarios. Look at an 8 man SEAL team clearing a room, what weapons go in first? It isn’t the breacher with a shotgun. How about a SWAT team? Its riflemen going in first. The folks whose job it is to crunch numbers and determine weapon efficiency have around the planet unanimously determined that rifles are more effective in more situations. As this channel is fond of saying, consider the 80-20 rule. Rifles are just objectively better in more situations, especially those where you have no idea what could happen. What if someone does open fire from over 100 yards? What if they do have body armor? What if you see game at 200 yards? What if you get stranded or pinned down and your 20 round bandolier isn’t going to cut it?

@notanymore9471

5 ай бұрын

@@nemoexnuqual3643 I agree with most of what you are saying however, shotguns don’t carry 30 rounds so it’s quite obvious why a rifle is preferred in war, however thinking that a shotgun isn’t effective for home defense is a joke. Just the sound of a pump shotgun is a deterrent and a rifle in home defense is likely to over penetrate and can hit innocents where a shotgun blast is far less likely.

@nemoexnuqual3643

5 ай бұрын

@@notanymore9471 well kind of. So one of my Afghanistan tours I was in my first MOS which was MP. On the tour in question we were to secure the election for president Karzi and a lot of hearts and minds BS was going on in Dari (one of the languages) areas. I was issued an M12, basically a Mossberg pump gun primarily for riot control. When dealing with jokers trying to steal an antenna off a HMMWV or sneak through a hole in the fence 100% the sound was so effective that SOB would learn English in about 1 second. However when we found ourselves in the center of a rice riot with starving people trying to get the rice bags we were giving out the racking the shotty did nothing. Against a suicide attacker on a motorcycle it did nothing, and against three guys with AKs it did nothing. The third had a hilarious resolution in which I smiled at the Dari speaking ANP guys, laughed. Then lowered the gun and handed out cigarettes and power bars (no shit). Anyway the famed racking as a deterrent idea works but only in less motivated and not so confident people. As far as over penetration Paul Harrel had an excellent test on this. Small caliber, high velocity varmint ammunition actually penetrated far less than shotgun buckshot. It makes sense from a physics standpoint that faster moving projectiles have to explode liquid out of the way and loose velocity quickly while heavier projectiles retain their mass and energy and slower projectiles give fluid more time to move out of the way. I’m not saying shotguns are worthless at all. I’m just saying that in SHTF they are a bit more niche. What will SHTF look like for you? Who knows. Keep your scattergun by all means but I’d suggest you pick up a rifle as well.

@notanymore9471

5 ай бұрын

@@nemoexnuqual3643 Good advice and thanks for you service brother!

The Panzer Arms semi-auto EGX500 with either the 5 or 10 round magazines. Hornady "Critical Defense" 1600fps 8 pellet 00 Buck {930mph} I've put close to four hundred rounds through it without one hiccup. The charging handle is ambidextrous, and the pin that lets you go from heavy rounds to below 1350fps is also. That's right, no more changing out the gas tubes. Comes with pop up sights on the picatinny rail. This thing is more than phenomenal.

Shotgun is my primary weapon in shtf with Glock 17 as my sidearm . If I had a semiautomatic rifle then I’d go without a sidearm .. I have a family to protect ! We will move from shelter to shelter and my 12 gauge will be great for keeping ppl out id assume . What I do know is we won’t be able to move fast . I’m 6’2” 215 lbs and in extremely good shape with a wife and 2 babies were defensive only