“You don’t need an AR-15. It’s harder to aim. It’s harder to use. And, in fact, you don’t need 30 rounds to protect yourself…Buy a shotgun! Buy a shotgun!” — Joe Biden 2013
I was uniquely positioned to see this quote’s direct and indirect impact on first time gun owners from 2020 to 2021. For years, I was the only instructor at Indy Arms Company teaching our Basic Defensive Shotgun class, so I trained all these new owners. From 2018-2022, I taught our shotgun class monthly and instructed well over 200 individuals in the use of a shotgun for self-defense. These first-time buyers often chose a shotgun for their first firearm as they became worried about home defense.
The events of 2020 and 2021 convinced many people, who otherwise would have never owned a gun, to purchase their first firearm. Many of them were of diverse backgrounds and atypical gun purchasers compared to previous trends. Fortunately, many took advantage of the discounted class that we offer with any gun purchase. While not everyone taking this class was a first-time gun owner, well over 50% were. I opened each class by asking what brought them there and what shotgun experience they had. These students offered a very common answer: “I never thought I would buy a gun as I am generally against them, but I no longer feel safe in my home and was told a shotgun was the right choice for me.”
While I am a strong believer in the shotgun’s usefulness, it is nowhere near my first choice to start someone down the road of responsible firearms ownership. This fact was supported by many first-time owners exchanging their shotguns for a rifle or handgun after their first time shooting. Fortunately, the store I direct training at offers a no regrets trade-in policy within a limited period for firearm purchases. Many students took one shot with their new (usually a Turkish import) 12 gauge and immediately regretted their decision. This became so common, I kept a .22 semi-automatic rifle and .410 shotgun on hand during classes to let them try something else. Those experiences led to this article examining the pros and cons of a shotgun as a first-time firearms purchase for home defense.
Historical/Political Perspective on the Shotgun
Modern shotguns (self-contained shells) first appeared in the 1870’s. Going back to the 17th century though, many firearms could be called shotguns. The modern pump-action shotgun, such as the Remington 870, has been in production for over 70 years. In the United States, the shotgun was first synonymous with the Old West, then hunting and rural gun ownership. Those trying to legally limit civilian gun access likely rarely target the shotgun as a “problem” because of its historical association with civilian ownership and hunting, smaller capacity, and less common military use. This duality perplexes those that study guns since shotguns are much more lethal tools compared to other firearms — especially handguns. Even if unsupported by ballistics, the shotgun has an advantage over other firearms because of its more politically acceptable perception.
From emergency room data, 9mm handgun rounds take an average of 2.45 rounds to incapacitate a threat and are only fatal 24% of the time. By comparison, centerfire rifles (primarily 5.56) took 1.4 rounds to incapacitate and were fatal 68% of the time. Shotguns (primarily 12-gauge) only took 1.2 rounds and were fatal 65% of the time. Additionally, the total energy of a 12-gauge loaded with nine 00 buckshot pellets is 1.64 times greater than a rifle round and 6 times greater than a 9mm round. Although 5.56 and 12-gauge 00 buckshot have similar chances of stopping a threat, there is little question the 12-gauge 00 buckshot delivers more energy. For a further detailed examination comparing 9mm, 5.56 NATO, and 12-gauge 00 buckshot, see Table 1.
Table 1: Comparing handguns, center-fire rifles, and shotguns
| Firearm | Round/Shell | Velocity1 | Grain2 | Energy3 | Capacity | Total Energy4 |
| Handgun | 9mm | 1140 | 115 | 165 | 17 | 2,805 |
| AR-15 | 5.56 NATO | 3240 | 55 | 640 | 30 | 19,020 |
| Pump Shotgun | 12 Ga 00 | 1325 | 60X9 | 1052 | 7 | 7,364 |
1 Velocity in fps (feet per second) at muzzle
2 Weight of the projectile in grains, 115gr = .26 oz
3 Foot pound energy
4 Energy multiplied by capacity to calculate the total energy contained in a loaded firearm
The Pros of a Shotgun
The advantages of a shotgun are physical, psychological, and political. There is little question a shotgun (especially a 12-gauge) provides a greater chance of physically stopping a threat. Additionally, the psychological value of a self-defense long gun may prevent the need to fire. Most people are intimidated by someone armed with a shotgun. Finally, current political debates don’t include whether or not shotguns should be in civilian hands. This differs from many rifles and even higher capacity handguns. The clear advantages of a shotgun for home defense come with numerous disadvantages — especially for first time gun owners.
The Cons of a Shotgun
Recoil
Likely the two largest cons, especially for brand new gun owners, are perceived recoil and action complexity. The average recoil of a 12-gauge firing 00 buckshot is about 45 pounds compared to about 5 pounds for a 5.56 NATO AR-15 or 3 pounds for a striker-fired 9mm handgun. Although 45 pounds is easily managed by almost anyone with proper mounting, it can be very intimidating for a new shooter. One shot from a poorly-mounted shotgun with a new shooter will create a negative first experience. We always start with low-recoil birdshot in our classes. However, this can be an intense, sometimes overwhelming, experience for someone who has never fired a gun before and may hold intense beliefs about firearms. This is a steep psychological hurdle to overcome.
Operation
While the overall actions to ‘run’ a pump-action shotgun are simple once learned, they are more complex than other defensive firearms. When chambering a round and preparing the gun to shoot with a handgun or rifle, it is simply the act of: 1) running the slide or charging handle to chamber a round (pull back and release), 2) disengaging the safety, if present, and 3) pressing the trigger. Once the first shot has been fired, each subsequent shot requires one action: press the trigger.
In contrast, the procedure for preparing a shotgun is: 1) depress the action release, 2) pull the fore stock (pump-action) fully back decisively, and then push it forward decisively, 3) disengage the safety, and 4) press the trigger. To fire the gun again, we no longer need the action release but still need to: 1) pull the fore stock (pump-action) fully back decisively, and then push it forward decisively and 2) press the trigger. Though technically only one more step in each sequence, these actions can easily fail without practice. Additionally, the running of the action (chambering a round) requires more practice and skill than racking a slide or charging handle. Simply put, the shotgun is more complex on average to successfully run than a handgun or rifle.
Other Considerations
Physical disadvantages include potential difficulty in maneuvering a shotgun in the close quarters of a house and the relatively low capacity compared to other options. There are also further psychological disadvantages. Home defense data suggests most encounters end prior to discharging the firearm due to the threat finding a determined and armed resident. Projecting confidence comes from feeling at ease with your defensive tool. Most new gun owners taking our introductory rifle and pistol classes report greater confidence by the end of their first class. This is actually rare in our shotgun classes. Most students report wanting more practice. Furthermore, they also state they’re somewhat overwhelmed attending to safety, mounting, and the steps to run the shotgun. Understanding the need for more practice is a good thing, but also speaks to how confident a student is after training.
Finally, it may be psychologically easier to use force knowing the chance of fatally wounding someone is fairly low with a handgun (i.e. according to emergency room data a psychological or physiological stop is much more likely without resulting in death). By comparison, the shotgun is more likely to deliver extensive wounds, resulting in death at a much higher rate. Lethal force is lethal force, but how the individual reconciles this with their beliefs is important as well.
Conclusion
Let me be clear. I’m an advocate of the shotgun as a home defense option. However, I don’t think a shotgun is a good option for most people’s very first gun experience. If you’re considering purchasing your first gun for any reason, I suggest a general introductory handgun class. Rent or borrow a .22LR handgun for the class. This allows you to learn the basics (which apply to all guns) while being introduced to a lower recoiling experience. As you learn about handguns, rifles, and shotguns; you may determine a shotgun is the right choice for you. Then, by all means, obtain a reliable platform (Remington 870, Mossberg 500, etc.) and seek training. But, if purchasing a shotgun as your first gun on someone’s recommendation, you will likely regret this decision.
