How to choose a shotgun for self-defense: rating of the best models

Benelli Supernova

Known best shotguns in the world , which are designed on a pump-action type. They are widely used by hunters or law enforcement. In addition, they are often used by hunters. The weapon received a recoil reducer from the inside of the butt, which allows increasing the impulse of the shot. Consequently, the return on such an instance is lower. It is made in Italy and costs at least $500. What kind of shotguns are used in Portugal? This is just Benelli Supernova, and they are also popular in Bangladesh. The body is made of metal, the butt is made of high-quality and durable plastic.

• Country: Italy
• Type: pump action
• Weight: 3.22 kg
• Length: 1016 mm
• Caliber: 12 mm

Benelli M4 Super 90

This shotgun is a shining example of high-quality Italian weapons. The M4 Super 90 is made from durable materials and offers high performance. The main one is reliability. The manufacturer claims the possibility of firing up to 25 thousand shots without repairing the gun.

The chamber of this model is made for 16 gauge. But it can also be used for shooting 12 gauge. The standard design has a telescopic butt. The shotgun is widely used by hunters. Thanks to its high reliability and fast service capabilities, it is an excellent choice as a hunting rifle.

Mossberg 500

Very cool and truly the best shotgun 2022 released a long time ago. Pump-action weapons are reloaded using a movable forend. The world first saw the Mossberg 500 in 1961, and they continue to be produced and remain just as popular. There are special modifications for hunting or for the military. Officially included in the rating of the top shotguns in the world , and is in service with the US Army and is used by police here. A special feature is the fuse, which is located at the top of the box and must be controlled with your thumb. Many consider this the best and most convenient option, regardless of which hand to shoot with.

• Country: USA
• Type: pump action
• Weight: 3.3 kg
• Caliber: 12 mm
• Range: 40 m
• Magazine: 9 rounds

Description of the Protecta shotgun

The Protecta shotgun generally borrows the layout from the Striker shotgun, but the spring mechanism for rotating the cylinder is replaced by a manual mechanism driven by a front handle swinging left and right under the barrel. When you turn the handle, it rotates the barrel casing, and that, in turn, with the help of a special pawl, rotates the drum.

The reloading scheme is generally the same, only spent cartridges (except for the last one) are automatically removed from the drum when firing backwards using powder gases vented from the barrel. The last cartridge case or unused cartridges are removed using a manual extractor rod on the barrel. In addition, holes were made in the rear cover of the drum to allow for monitoring the availability of ammunition. The rest of the Protecta shotgun is similar to the Striker shotgun.

The main advantages of the Striker and Protecta shotguns are their large magazine capacity and practical rate of fire, but the price for this is the large dimensions of the weapon, impressive weight and slow reloading of the magazine after all the cartridges are used up.

FN SLP

Belgian most powerful shotgun with a caliber of 12 millimeters. Its operation is carried out on gas, there are 5 modernized versions suitable for certain conditions. The Americans recognized it as the best shotgun of 2009. The set includes adjustable iron sights with a radius of up to 546 mm. Semi-automatic type. The FN SLP was first released in 2008, and today its unit will cost a thousand dollars.

• Country: Belgium
• Type: gas
• Weight: 3.37 kg
• Length: 991 mm
• Caliber: 12 mm
• Range: 40 m
• Magazine: 6+1 rounds

Application

The Serbu Super-Shorty smoothbore shotgun was primarily intended for use by law enforcement agencies. It was adopted by the US police and army, and was exported to the state security units of a number of countries in the Middle East.

The use of Serbu Super-Shorty shotguns by police and other law enforcement agencies, including the US Army, mainly involved knocking down doors during storming of premises. To knock out door locks and hinges, as a rule, special cartridges with easily destructible bullets made of powder metal are used. If necessary, you can also use regular bullet cartridges of the appropriate caliber.

The Serbu Super-Shorty shotgun is great for knocking down doors, which is why it has become a popular tool among breachers.

Civilians in the United States were permitted to purchase Serbu Super-Shorty shotguns as home defense and self-defense weapons only after receiving approval from the federal agency BATF and paying the appropriate $5 "AOW" (Any Other Weapon) registration fee. ). These shortened shotguns essentially became legal sawed-off shotguns, and were subject to the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA'34).

Remington Model 870

The legendary best shotguns of 2021 are Remington, which are considered a true classic. The Americans first introduced it in 1950 and adopted it a year later. They accepted him into service in the police, armed forces and also use him for self-defense. Some examples can be seen in popular films. Its magazine is designed for 8 rounds, the fore-end is of a longitudinally sliding type and, compared to its competitors, it is not as heavy. In terms of reliability, it can be compared with a Kalashnikov. That is why, when talking about what the best shotguns in the world are, they remember it. The weapon has become widespread and is used in a number of European countries, especially by special forces.

• Country: USA
• Type: pump action
• Weight: 3.6 kg
• Length: 1060 mm
• Caliber: 12, 16, 20, 28 mm
• Range: 50 m
• Magazine: 8 rounds

Legal basis

Before purchasing one or another type of weapon, it is necessary to determine the specifics of the legal framework regulating the possibility of obtaining and using such products. All currently existing weapons can be divided into two large groups:

1. Service, which is used by various military units, special forces, police, etc. As a rule, these types of weapons have enhanced firepower without any restrictions in characteristics.
2. Civilian weapons. Such products are intended for sports, self-defense, hunting, and can also be used for educational purposes. As a rule, these are weapons with reduced firepower that are not capable of causing serious injury to the enemy.

The Law “On Weapons” stipulates the following types of self-defense means that do not require obtaining permission for storage and use:

• stun gun (except for those models that are very powerful and operate remotely);
• gas sprayer;
• axe;
• household knife;
• rubber batons and sticks;
• "Udar" type devices;
• weak pneumatic weapons (caliber no more than 4.5 mm, power up to 7.5 J);
• spear gun;
• those types of signal revolvers that, due to their characteristics, cannot be used as military weapons.

To acquire the above mentioned means of self-defense, a citizen only needs to reach the age of majority.
Weapons such as shotguns cannot be possessed or used without the appropriate permit. Moreover, such weapons require a certain storage space that meets certain standards. It must be a securely locked safe that is inspected by an authorized representative.

Consequences of using a shotgun

In self-defense, you should never shoot at the attacker’s face or head.
A shotgun is a smooth-bore gun that uses shot—small metal balls—as ammunition. Thus, we are not even talking about traumatic weapons, but about firearms. At the moment, both storage and use of shotguns without permission involves administrative or even criminal liability. The degree of punishment will depend on the nature of the illegal actions.

Important! According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, carrying bladed and long-barreled firearms for self-defense is unacceptable. Thus, even after obtaining all the appropriate permits, you can only use such weapons to protect your private property.

Now we must consider the consequences of using a shotgun for self-defense. In this case, several important aspects must be taken into account:

1. Due to its specificity, a shotgun is designed to hit close targets. If we are talking about a range exceeding 25 meters, then the results of the shot will be unpredictable due to the scattering of cartridges. Even if we are talking about high-quality buckshot, using a shotgun for self-defense is only suitable at short distances.
2. The capabilities of this gun are significantly limited even if it is used in small spaces. Use at a distance of less than 5 meters requires very precise aiming, since the scree in this case will be insignificant. However, if hit, the attacker is guaranteed to be incapacitated.

Kel-Tec KSG

The innovative best shotguns in the world belong to the company and their 2011 development Kel-Tec KSG. A very cool weapon with pump-action reloading. At the bottom there are two parallel stores. True, power comes from only one, but you can change them at any time using the switch. This moment made the top 10 shotguns in the world 2021 one of the best. A combat copy was created only for the US Army and is practically not selected outside its borders, either there are no orders, or it was not created for export. You can install the necessary sights on the Picatinny rail.

• Country: USA
• Type: pump action
• Weight: 3.1 kg
• Length: 663 mm
• Caliber: 12 mm
• Range: 40 m
• Magazine: 14 rounds

Media fame

The original appearance of the Striker, Streetsweeper, and Protecta combat shotguns did not go unnoticed by filmmakers. Guns regularly appeared in the frames of a variety of films, they can be seen in RoboCop, Patriot Games, The Punisher, Stargate, Godzilla, Desperado, and even the domestic D-Day and National Security Agent.

Shotguns are also used in computer games; they can be found in Battlefield 2 and 3, Modern Warfire 3, Resident Evil 4 and 5, Max Payne 2, Stalker: Call of Pripyat.

UTAS UTS-15

The classic pump-action reloading mechanism and many modern solutions have made this weapon the best shotgun in Turkey today. Primarily created for local military and police officers. One of the main advantages of the UTAS UTS-15 is its large magazine, designed to hold 15 rounds. It is paired and when one is used up, you can easily change it to a second one. Ranked among the top shotguns in the world 2022, it has earned trust due to its ease of handling. The weapon boasts enormous power and, despite this, compact dimensions. The best shotguns in the world are created not only at the Turkish factory, but also in the USA. After this, they plan to supply them to other countries, both Europe and Asia. A very popular weapon, used in many famous games.

• Country: Turkey
• Type: pump action
• Weight: 2.8 kg
• Length: 720 mm
• Caliber: 12 mm
• Range: 40 m
• Magazine: 14 rounds

What's the difference between a shotgun and a pump-action shotgun? Pump-action weapon

Shotgun weapon: the second coming of smoothbore shotguns.

For people of military specialty, whose professional activities involve the frequent use of firearms, situations are well known when success is brought by one powerful volley.
The use of large-caliber weapons for this purpose, firing bullets or shot charges, allows you to quickly achieve a certain tactical advantage. A shotgun smoothbore weapon can easily be included in this category. The name of the barrel alone speaks volumes about its mode of action. This type of firearm is well known to hunters who hunt game birds. In this case, the main damaging element is shot, which allows you to achieve a large damage area. Despite the fact that the use of smooth-bore hunting rifles for military purposes turned out to be ineffective, the military was able to properly evaluate the effect when shooting shotguns. The result of the transformation of smooth-bore guns into powerful military weapons was combat shotguns, which are used today by the army, special forces and law enforcement forces. The technical side of the issue. A shotgun is a smooth-bore firearm, derived from a hunting rifle, which gunsmiths have converted in accordance with the conditions of combat use.
A pistol grip was added to the butt used for shooting from the shoulder, allowing firing from the belt line or offhand. Combat shotguns have also retained hunting calibers, which vary in the range of 5.5 mm - 5 cm. Weapons of this type are divided into the following types: according to the type of barrel; by the number of trunks; according to the recharging mechanism. Depending on the type of barrel, guns can be smooth-bore or combined, capable of firing both bullets and shot charges. Depending on the number of barrels, shotguns can be single-barrel, double-barrel or multi-barrel. This type of weapon also differs in its loading mechanisms. There are models with a pump-action reloading mechanism and with a lever-action reloading device. The model range includes self-loading and automatic shotguns. The double-barreled shotgun is the most popular and common type. Most amateur hunters prefer to use this particular weapon design in their craft. Typically, a hunting shotgun is a typical double-barreled hunting shotgun that is loaded by breaking. The main effect is achieved through a double shot, when a double charge of shot is fired from two barrels with a difference of a fraction of a second. For all its enormous firepower, this type of gun suffers from a significant drawback - a rather intensive reloading process. A double-barreled shotgun is a first-strike weapon when there is no urgent need for urgent reloading. However, due to low accuracy, a large affected area is achieved. This quality is especially valuable when hunting birds and small animals. From the point of view of combat use, shooting from a shotgun may be the only effective one in close combat or in defensive combat conditions.

Shotgun ammunition. The main reason for the increased interest in this type of firearms from the military is ammunition. The short firing range is more than compensated by the enormous power of the shot and the high penetration ability of the striking elements, which are so necessary during a combat clash in a limited space. Today, most models of military smoothbore shotguns are designed to fire special cartridges. All of them are created on the basis of hunting ammunition. No, these are not the same hunting cartridges that you can equip at home. This is factory-made ammunition that meets all the necessary specifications. 12 gauge cartridges. If the main caliber for all hunting rifles is 12 gauge, then an assault shotgun (military weapon of special forces) can also have 10 gauge. Each caliber corresponds to certain conditions for using weapons. Despite the enormous recoil force when fired, 10-gauge cartridges have monstrous penetrating power, which is often necessary during assault operations. It is enough to compare the power of a shot from a 12-gauge cartridge loaded with buckshot with the power of a shot made from a 9 mm caliber PM Makarov pistol. The weight of each buckshot with a caliber of 8.2 mm is 3.9 g. The initial flight speed when fired from a smoothbore gun is 380 m/s. In this case, the flight energy of buckshot is 280 J, which is almost the same as the flight energy of a 9-mm Makarov pistol bullet. There are 9 such buckshots in a hunting cartridge, so if we multiply 9 by 280, we get a total charge energy of 2520 J. Is it worth commenting?

Despite the enormous penetrating power, a significant drawback of such a powerful weapon is the large recoil force and small magazine capacity. The 12-gauge hunting shotgun is a balanced weapon that allows you to shoot from the shoulder and still achieve the desired result. 20-gauge shotguns have limited firing capabilities due to the weak stopping power of the fired charge. The main equipment of live ammunition is large-caliber shot (type 00), flechettes (rod shot) and special bullets (jacans). Combined-action cartridges are used in combat conditions, where, along with small shot, there is buckshot with a diameter of 8 mm. Each type of shotgun uses its own cartridges. If for a weapon with a manual reloading mechanism it is enough to have a cartridge with a 70 mm sleeve, then a semi-automatic shotgun or an automatic combat shotgun is equipped only with cartridges with a 76 mm sleeve. This is due to the fact that in this case the functionality of the reloading machine is influenced by the charge energy. The caliber of the cartridge for automatic rifles can be either 10th or 12th.

Super Black Eagle 3

The best semi-automatic shotguns , in which many employees and agencies, as well as the army, are showing interest today. The designers came to more modern solutions, choosing cartridges with a 12 mm caliber and high ballistic potential. Thanks to the fact that it was possible to use the Comfortech 3 system, the impact was noticeably reduced. The participant of the top 10 shotguns of the world 2022 is equipped with a set for adjusting the ends and bends. All-new trigger guard design for faster trigger access.

• Country: USA
• Type: pump action
• Weight: 3.2 kg
• Length: 710 mm
• Caliber: 12 mm
• Range: 40 m
• Magazine: 2 rounds

Description of the Striker shotgun

The original Striker and Protecta shotguns are equipped with short barrels, but for civilian use they are sold with barrels of increased length (more than 500 mm), with two chambers in the drum, tightly sealed with plugs, and a special hook that blocks shooting when the butt is folded.

The Striker smoothbore shotgun is built according to a revolving design, with a self-cocking trigger mechanism and power from a rotating integral drum for 12 rounds (the drum is separated only when disassembling the weapon). When assembled, the drum is hidden inside a non-rotating aluminum casing with openings for loading.

To protect the shooter's hands from burns, the barrel of the weapon is sheathed in a perforated casing with holes for cooling the barrel. The pistol grip together with the trigger mechanism body are a single unit and are made of high-strength polymer. Behind the trigger there is a push-button mechanical safety, which is the only guarantee to prevent an accidental shot.

Since the traditional solution for revolvers with the rotation of the drum by the muscular force of the shooter when pressing the trigger would lead to exorbitant efforts on the trigger for a drum of this size and weight, Walker used a spring mechanism for turning the drum.

After loading the drum with cartridges, the shooter must use the key located at the front end of the drum casing to cock the spiral spring. When you press the trigger, the spring rotates the drum 1/12 of a turn, attaching a new chamber with a cartridge to the barrel.

This scheme ensures a high rate of fire, but it happened that the drum rotated more than one step with one press of the trigger.

The Stryker rifle was reloaded one cartridge at a time through a window in the rear end of the drum casing. Spent cartridges are manually pushed back out of the cylinder using a spring-loaded extractor rod mounted in a casing on the right side of the barrel, and then new cartridges are loaded in their place.

The gun is equipped with a front handle for holding the weapon and an aluminum stock that folds up and down. The barrel is covered with a perforated casing to protect your hands from burns. The body of the trigger mechanism, together with the pistol grip, is made of plastic. The safety is a push-button type, located behind the trigger at the base of the trigger guard and locks the trigger.

Since the shotgun has become widespread not only in its homeland, but throughout the world, it is worth noting that in civilian markets the model is most often sold in a slightly modified version. In the drum, two slots for ammunition are tightly blocked, thus making a 10-round shotgun from a 12-round shotgun. The barrel is lengthened, and the design of the butt is also modernized so that it has a special hook that blocks shooting when folded. The barrels of civilian models are made in length from the minimum established by law - 500 mm.

Based on the Striker, a modification was developed - the Protecta shotgun.

SRM Arms model 1216

Another American creation that meets the requirements as the best shotgun of 2022. The type is semi-automatic, developed in the same year with other comrades in 2011. Initially, Las Vegas saw a semi-automatic, but a year later they managed to introduce an automatic modification. At the initial stage, the SRM Arms model 1216 was supposed to simply join the ranks of civilian weapons, but it was soon made widespread. The removable drum holds 16 rounds and looks very unusual. One of the top shotguns in the world has received a reduced weight, making it more mobile and convenient. It used a lot of lightweight materials, such as a polymer stock and body, but the strength remained no worse than that of its competitors.

• Country: USA
• Type: semi-automatic
• Weight: 3.29 kg
• Length: 826 mm
• Caliber: 12 mm
• Range: 40 m
• Magazine: 16 rounds

Advantages and disadvantages

Since the Protecta was produced as a weapon that differs from other shotguns in having an increased magazine capacity, this is its main advantage. In all the time that has passed, they have not been able to create any serious competitor to Protecte.

Another advantage is considered to be the rate of fire. The specific type of cartridge feeding, although considered somewhat outdated and cumbersome, remains one of the fastest. Especially for large bore shotguns.

Advantages of combat shotguns:

• magazine capacity;
• rate of fire;
• reliability.

Of course, it was not without its drawbacks. Stryker and Protecta turned out to be very heavy and bulky even for this type of weapon. This made them much more difficult to use. Another disadvantage of the Protecta is considered to be a very long reload, which is simply impossible to quickly carry out in real combat conditions.

Disadvantages of shotguns:

• big sizes;
• heavy weight;
• difficulty recharging.

The appearance of Stryker and Protecta shotguns had a significant impact on the development of weapons manufacturing. Few people had previously decided to increase the magazine capacity of shotguns. Undoubtedly, this gun found its admirers, despite its shortcomings. To this day, there is a demand for these shotguns, which attract not only functionality, but also a very impressive appearance, which is why they are still produced.

VEPR-12 "Hammer"

Russian units were also supposed to be among the best shotguns, the Vepr-12 being the only one. Its main purpose was hunting and sports tournaments, but it is also good in self-defense and in the service of special units. The Vyatsko-Polyansky plant took over the production of the unit; it was developed on the basis of the famous Kalashnikov machine gun. For some reason, the designers tried to reduce the price of the best shotgun in Russia and created the forend with a handle from plastic material. The barrel also received a front sight mounted on a gas chamber, as well as an adjustable rear sight. Most metal elements were chrome plated to increase service life.

• Country Russia
• Weight: 4.3 kg
• Length: 977 mm
• Caliber: 12 mm
• Range: 50 m
• Magazine: 10 rounds

Serbu Super-Shorty modifications

Although such weapons are mass-produced in relatively small batches, they are most often made for a specific order, which is why you can find a lot of different variations. If we talk about the dimensions and weight of the Serbu Super-Shorty smoothbore shotgun, then as an example we can consider one of the most compact models, with a barrel length of 165 millimeters and a magazine for 2 rounds. The total length of this model based on the Remington 870 is 419 millimeters, the weight of the weapon is just over 2 kilograms. Thus, this sample can easily be used even in the narrowest corridors, without losing the ability to quickly turn 180 degrees.

The cost of Serbu Super Shorty starts from $1,050 according to the manufacturer’s website. The popularity of these shotguns is also due to their use in films, TV series and, of course, computer games. For example, in Battlefield 4, the Serbu Super Shorty is the most effective weapon in close combat.

Super Black Eagle II Shotgun

Semi-automatic type and the last one in the list of top 10 shotguns in the world 2022, which is manufactured in Italy. For shooting, it uses cartridges loaded with steel shot and often lead. The design guarantees high precision. This was achieved by combining the receiver cover and the barrel itself under the block, and when the shot occurs, they are on the same axis.

• Country: Italy
• Weight: 3.25 kg
• Length: 700 mm
• Caliber: 12 mm
• Range: 50 m

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Description of the Streetsweeper shotgun

The demand for Protecta shotguns from South Africa on the arms market prompted leading US manufacturers to release their analogue - the Streetsweeper. There are no differences here, however, this model has always been equipped with an elongated barrel, as well as a modernized butt. When the weapon is folded, a special mechanism prohibits firing. There is a special hook in the butt that does not allow a shot after the trigger is pulled.