TAKE JOE'S ADVICE

Tips and tactics for defending your home with a scattergun.

- RICHARD MANN

My relationship with shotguns reminds me of the movie Quigley Down Under, where Matthew Quigley tells Elliot Marston that he didn't have much use for handguns, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to use one. Now, I'm no Quigley, but I have received some very good training on the defensive shotgun at Quantico and at Gunsite Academy. For personal protection, I prefer a handgun or a carbine, but I know plenty of folks who do prefer the shotgun.

Dave Hartman, former training director at Gunsite Academy, does like shotguns. Not only does he like them, but he's also very skilled in their use and application. With the current situation across America, many citizens have decided it's time for them to take their safety into their own hands. Many have purchased handguns, carbines, and shotguns.

In fact, thousands of home-defensive shotguns have recently been purchased for this reason. Partly because they can be effectively employed for home protection, and partly because they're not the subject of as much anti-gun legislation as are carbines and handguns. After all, our current president once suggested a shotgun for home defense.

I recently reached out to Hartman, asking for his thoughts on the home-defense shotgun. Given the world we're living in, I thought it'd be a good time to share some truly expert advice on the subject.

Q: How would you define a home-defense shotgun?

A: The key to using the shotgun is to define its mission. What will it be used for? With self and home defense as the focus, for the average person who just wants a house gun, an 18- to 20-inch, bead-sighted, 12- or 20-gauge pump-action shotgun, with a weapon-mounted light and sidesaddle ammunition storage device, is all that's required.

Q: What about semi-auto shotguns?