Before I ever had experience with patterning riot shotguns, I can remember thinking that it would be unnecessary to aim accurately with them because of wide pattern spread. After the first time I patterned 00, #1 and #4 buckshot starting at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 feet, I was amazed at just how little the pattern spread at "bedroom" distances. My only use for a 18" 7 shot Rem 870 shotgun is for interior home defense, particularly in my bedroom. I'm a very heavy sleeper, and live alone except for a weekend girlfriend. In the fog of awakening from a heavy sleep by an invader busting in, I want totally reliable stopping power with maximum probability of a first round hit. Outside the home, I rely on a Glock 23 and if all hell broke loose, I'd go to the AR-15's.
In cruising through this and other forums on the topic of riot shotguns for defense, it would seem that most shooters value how *tight* a pattern is at a given distance, rather than how much it spreads. Obviously, when you're talking about over 50 feet, this would be "better". But when you're talking about the GREATEST LIKELY OF TARGET RANGE BEING 10 FEET OR LESS, WOULDN'T A MORE WIDELY SPREAD (say chest width) GIVE A GREATER HIT PROBABILITY WITH NO DISADVANTAGES?
I did a search on all of this and found the following old post referring to a "duck bill spreader":
Duck Bill Spreader Reference
Quote:
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I remember reading from James Watson's book 'Pointman', where (as a SEAL) he carried the Ithaca 37 and like the fact that there was only one place to worry about dirt or mud entering the action, and usually he would dip the gun in paddy water, swirl the water around in the action, and let it drain without worry. He later had an Ithaca modified to have a duck bill shot spreader device and a custom 8 or 9 round magazine extension, as well as a pistol grip on his personal weapon he carried that he called 'Sweetheart' (It later became the basis of a project for an Ithaca 37 shotgun that was made up nearly identically and featured in an article in 'Small Arms Review' a year or two ago).
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Does anyone know what this is, how it works, and where to get one? Can anyone give me a link to the article in 'Small Arms Review' so referred?
What do you think of what I'm saying about wanting MORE SPREAD AT ULTRA CLOSE RANGES?
I've heard of "adjustable chokes". I wonder if it would be possible to have an "adjustable spreader"?
Thanks in advance,
Straightshootin
Never Forget 11 September 2001 and the World Trade Center
Death To All Terrorists