Every year at SHOT show I take in the new and exciting. Wandering the miles of displays showcasing the best the industry has to offer. While it is all very interesting, I still find myself looking for things that fit my personal interests. On the top of that list is home defense shotguns.

6 Best Home Defense Shotguns

In many cases, people see shotguns as archaic or out of date when it comes to home defense. I can tell you without hesitation that shotguns are an exceptional home defense weapon. Their effectiveness in close-quarter situations is hard to match.

Add to that the wide variety of designs, making it a good choice. Even with the craziness of the last year, there are several new home defense shotguns that I felt were worth a closer look. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the highlights from SHOT Show.

American Tactical Bulldog

First up is the Bull Dog from American Tactical. The Bulldog is a smooth shooting semi-automatic 12-gauge tactical shotgun. It is a bullpup design, and its features include quick-acquisition flip-up sights, AR-style charging handle, adjustable cheek rest, and Picatinny and M-Lok rails.

In addition, the Picatinny cut out on the lower can house a spare magazine, and that spare can be used as a foregrip. The gun is a Turkish import thorough American Tactical and has an MSRP of $469.99.

Savage Arms Blaster

Next up on my list is a blaster from Savage Arms. Savage has a new line called the Renegauge and they have included a personal defense model in that line-up. Called the Renegauge Security, it is a 12-gauge that, like others in the line, uses the Dual Regulating Inline Valve (D.R.I.V.) system to ensure reliable cycling of shells from 23⁄4 inches to 3-inch magnums with no gas adjustments required.

The barrel length is 18.5 inches, which makes it easier to wield inside the home. The gun has a six-round capacity and can easily host an additional shell carrier. The oversized controls help function in low-light conditions, and length of pull, comb height, heel/toe drop and pitch can all be changed to suit the needs of individual users.

I had the opportunity to test drive this shotgun at SHOT Show Range Day and it is everything you would expect from Savage. MSRP: $1,499.

For more information, please visit SavageArms.com.

Mossberg 590S

One of my long-time favorite shotgun manufacturers is Mossberg. They have been a steady producer of quality scatterguns for decades. This year I visited their booth to get a closer look at the new 590S.

This gun offers great shooting flexibility by cycling not only standard shells up to three inches, but the popular mini shells as well. The 590S is based on Mossberg’s legendary 500 pump-action platform.

The gun includes non-binding twin action bars; positive steel-to-steel lock-up and anti-jam elevator; dual extractors; drilled and tapped receivers, and universally recognized ambidextrous top-mounted safety. Additional features of the 590S series include black synthetic stock and forend; cylinder bore barrel matte blue metal finish; sling swivel studs; and logo-engraved receiver on all models.

The gun is now on shelves with an MSRP of $623.00

For more information, please visit Mossberg.com.

Armscor VRF14

Next up is something a little more unique. The VRF14 is a magazine-fed 12 gauge “firearm.” The manufacturer, Armscor states that it is the “first semi-automatic short-barrel firearm of its kind.”

This unique 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun comes with a pistol grip and is designed primarily for home defense. With a 14-inch barrel and an overall length of 26 inches, the VRF14 is particularly suitable for use in confined areas and from inside vehicles. The rear attachment for the tactical sling further increases its operational range.

This aggressive shotgun features a set of flip-up sights on the long Picatinny rail that runs on the receiver’s top, on which other red dot devices can be mounted in co-witness. Other rails of different lengths are on the sides and bottom of the polymer handguard. The receiver is made of 7075 aluminum and the unloaded gun weighs about 6.6 pounds.

The Armscor VRF14 comes standard with a 5+1 round box magazine, but in case an additional volume of fire is needed, it can use the 9 and 19-round magazines of the other shotguns from the Armscor VR series. With an MSRP of only $599, it is worth taking a long look at.

For more information, please visit Armscor.com.

Genesis Arms Gen-12

Building shotguns in an AR-style platform has become more popular over the last several years. One gun that caught my eye in this category was the Gen-12 shotgun from Genesis Arms. This is essentially a 12-gauge shotgun on an AR-10 platform. This brings a sense of familiarity to anyone who runs an AR.

The gun is offered in a variety of barrel lengths and can be purchased as a complete gun or as an upper receiver. The Gen-12 runs on a short recoil system and is obviously magazine fed. The benefits of this are quick reloads and the ability to carry extra ammo. Like its centerfire rifle cousins, it has a free-float handguard with M-LOK rail at 3, 6, 9 o’clock and full Picatinny top rail. 

If you want the familiarity of your AR that runs a 12-gauge round, consider dropping the MSRP of $2449 to grab one.

For more information, please visit GenesisArms.com.

Mossberg 590S Shockwave

The last gun I will spotlight circles back to one of our previous companies – Mossberg. While I am not a fanboy, I do appreciate their desire to make solid guns for everyday people. In 2017 Mossberg released their now legendary Shockwave. It caused a buzz because it was classified simply as a “firearm,” as opposed to being officially a shotgun.

Official nomenclature aside, the gun was a hit. They have since offered several other versions of the gun. This year Mossberg launches the 590S Shockwave. This is a parallel launch to their full-size 590S I listed above. The ability to now run the 1.75-inch mini shells drastically increases ammo onboard the gun to 8+1.

With a short 14.3-inch barrel, the gun is easy to handle and is a solid performer for close-range defense. With an MSRP of $623, it is an affordable addition to your gun safe.

For more information, please visit Mossberg.com.

Stay tuned for more!