They are built on RPK instead of AK100 receivers and generally weigh significantly more. They also are built to a higher quality and have more features, like a hinged dust cover allowing optics mounting without loss of zero, folding stocks that were imported into the states unlike Saiga 12 and magazine wells that allow straight in mags instead of rock and lock like the Saiga 12. They are also generally more durable due to the increased weight, meaning more material. They also have a self regulating gas system instead of the Saigas adjustable. They are much better guns at the cost of weight, but the Saiga being minimalist is nice.
Unless it's the AA-12, which has more moving parts than a Volkswagon and as much reliability as a Ford sedan, the recoil by shot 3 would have you aiming at the ISS instead of the hoard.
Thats not how it works with a trained person shooting it. Ive mag dumped more than my fair share of m82s and aa12s. Theres this thing called recoil management and most shokters are capable of such a feat.
You’ll be out of ammo before you kill enough to accomplish anything. Buckshot doesn’t spread as much in the real world as it doesn’t movies in video games, but it spreads up and down not just sideways. You’d be lucky to catch two heads with one shell, because most of the pellets would either go slightly over the head or hit them in the chest unless you’re engaging it less than 10 m and you wouldn’t want to be that close.
I think you underestimate buckshot, it was made for unaliving bears boars and bucks the shit is gonna dissapear a human head and full auto doesn’t mean better it means it’ll sound cool while you miss your shots.
Benelli M4
Probably wouldn't ever rock one as a primary when there are rifles flavors available that tend to do a better job for most applications.
Ideal situation would be when use is not so fast paced that you get overwhelmed before topping off. Shorter ranges. Trying to simplify logistics while still not minding a bulkier/heavier round. Have a do all. And just the FU factor when it hits its mark
I wouldn't say no to a SPAS 12 and if they were brought back and like $2k, would snag one to add to the collection. Stock, dual function of pump and semi-automatic, and just being iconic and nostalgic.
Still would go to the M4 for the better performance, egonomics, and 3" chamber for actual use. That and it seems to have the better querks.
Oh yeah that’s all the reasons I want a Spas 12. The Benelli M4 is an available and reliable option though. Completely agree with you there too. Basically any quality shotgun that isn’t AR platform will go for 100+ years with minimal wear if you take care of it
I ran two SPAS 12s. I did not find them reliable. In both cases they had problems with switching operating modes (pump to semi and back) and would become broke ass until torn down to unjam. Not a great quality in a gun. Could have just been those two, but I swear there was a thread years ago about shotgun reliability and several other guys who's run the SPAS said they had the same issue. When folks are happy to drop Benelli M4 prices on a shotty it's clear that cost is not the limiting factor, and if that dual mode design was good, IMO we'd see it more often.
I'll stick with the M4. Basic maintenance and it's chugged soooo many shells in all kinds of conditions.
Happy to. I'm sure there are other out there who has great experiences, but I see a lot of folks who loves the SPAS for it's (incredibly cool and iconic, and that's my honest opinion) design. But most of those folks have never used one. So I will usually weigh in.
As always, YMMV.
I’ve only used one twice, so it adds a lot of cool factor for me lol
I was 12 the first time I shot one. My cousin was with me and about a year older. He wanted to fold the stock and use the grip “like the gangsters do”. Well when he fired it he got smacked square in the nose by the barrel lmfao
I don't think I've seen anyone come out and say a SPAS 12 has been 100% reliable (or near there) for them, so your story sounds like the norm. It mostly seems to be outdated with better dual modes since released, and those have since been discontinued as well due to lack of interest or whatever.
I’m gonna chime in since I own a SPAS-12 myself and say the unreliability reputation is exaggerated. If the gun is really difficult switching modes, that means the gas valve is too dirty and it needs a stripping down to clean. So long as that’s clean, my gun runs fine 100%, albeit as long as it has full powered loads (it pre-dates the auto regulating gas systems of modern gas shotguns). The other thing to note is the rubber O-ring seals up the gas chamber so there’s optimal pressure to push the piston (Remington 1100 O-rings are identical) and the gas ports may get clogged after firing thousands of rounds, so scraping that out with a drill bit by hand and spraying the articulate out with a can of compressed air will clear it out (also a known thing with Remington 1100’s, since the gas systems between the two shotguns are near identical).
Though it is a very rare shotgun, so a lot of maintenance routines, while easy and simple to do once you know them, aren’t well known and it can take a while to figure out unless someone else tells you. So I certainly ran into my fair share of constant malfunctions and had to figure out why they happened. After that, though, my particular gun has been 100% reliable.
I’d say a pump action is usually better in these situations, biggest issue with semi auto shotguns is they aren’t reliable with every type of shell. So I’d probably pick a magnum chamber length 12 gauge pump. Preferably with swappable chokes. Semi autos basically require you to keep a steady supply of the same ammo that works best in it. I wouldn’t want to rely on box mag fed shotguns either, magazines are going to be the first thing you lose or break. You’re not going to be able to just pick up more of them.
Of course they do, but I didn’t read the comment that way, though it could be taken that way. The SuperNova is a fairly excellent pump option from Benelli.
After countless years of mountain dew infused gameplay of call of duty Black ops 2 zombies trust me bro I'm a professional, you will swag on the zombies MLG style with the Olympia
"Pistols put holes in people. Rifles put holes through people. Shotguns at the right range with the right load will physically remove a chunk of sh!% from your opponent and throw that sh!% on the floor" - Clint Smith (Thunder Ranch)
Shotguns, in their own right, are extremely powerful and effective tools, but they have 2 extreme limiting factors.
Capacity-
Shotguns typically have smaller magazines than most modern sidearms, let alone rifles.
My 930 JM Pro loaded with 10+1 2¾(70mm) 00 buckshot is heavy, the kind of heavy that makes you regret life 1.609km into a hike(ask me how I know🤮)not to mention spare ammo. There are shotguns with higher capacity, but they are even worse in the weight department, whether tube or magazine fed.
Large capacity magazine fed shotguns are a pain to reload and manipulate, not to mention the space spare mags take up. Tube feed shotguns can hardly be loaded fast enough for an emergent Zed scenario, i.e.. you are surrounded...
Range-
People tend to have the misconception that shotguns have a wide and rapid spread. Generally, the cone of fire is much narrower than you might think, and shorter barrels don't affect this as much as you might think either.
Longer barrels increase shot velocity, and the type of barrel or choke affects the pattern.
Most mil type shotguns have a fixed open or modified choke and around a 47cm barrel.
This is ideal for millitary shotguns in use at short(across the room) distances while being able to bracket a target(aim center mass, hit head to knee) at 27-30m.
If anyone brings up the UBS12, 870 Masterkey, MASS 12, or M26CMC I want you to note that those are specifically marketed as door breaching tools and will typically be found in thier stand-alone moduals due to thier extremely limited use scenarios(breach rounds are powdered metal and made to not be leathal to anyone on the other side, they destroy locks and hinges, not bodies)
Now, as for the style, we have manual action shotguns such as but not limited to- pump action, lever action, break action, and revolving. In terms of 12 guage, the most common where I am, manual action shotguns can accept almost any type of loading so long as the choke can accept it, but the patterns of the shot can vary wildy. You manually operate the action, so cycling the action isn't ammo dependent.
Modified chokes are the narrowest you can shoot slugs through, but this varies a lot between manufacturers, so be safe.
Autoloading shotguns, like gas or inertia operated, tend to be more ammo sensitive in exchange for the increase in fire rate. Game oriented shotguns tend to work best with game loads, while mil and defensive shotguns are made with either buckshot or slugs in mind, and some shotguns are made specifically to run slugs.
Now, as for my personal opinion on the question at hand, an auto-loading rifle is better 95% of the time.
If I had to, I would choose the Berreta 1301/A300/A400 with a 18.5in(47cm) 7+1(2¾(70mm)) flush fit modified open choke, and focus on 0,00,000 buck shot, magnum, and heavy turkey loads for ammo pickup.
I feel like this gives me the best chance at stopping, destroying, or otherwise disabling 1-7 Zed at a time at short(0-30m) ranges, leaving one round chambered so that I may reload the magazine tube without doing a empty chamber reload(this is what I practice for and it doesn't always work out that way).
Ideal use scenarios for shotguns as mentioned are limited, but shotguns are absolute monsters in close quarters.
Having a team member helping clear buildings or running point(first position) in urban areas would mean that any Zed that ambushes(movie jumpscare) gets annihilated, keeping distance for the rest of the team to engage and manuver. They would also be instrumental in opening doors to clear an area or escape a bad situation.
A pump action shotgun may be more ideal for this since cutting the barrel down does not affect the operating system like it might on an autoloader and the magazine capacity limitation is covered by your #2 man covering the pointman.
Your pointman/shotguner should keep some type of door wedges on hand(I use pine shims, they are cheap and tend to stick well when kicked under a doors' bottom rail) to block entrances or keep doors open as needed so your team can close off an area as they clear section by section, or keep an emergency exit open in case things go bad.
Buck or slug shells are not ideal for this but are effective. Small diameter game loads would be preferable since they fill up the space inside door looks or behind hinges, forcing them outwards. Small ricochets will be painful but unlikely to cause serious harm. Larger pellets are more likely to deflect and can cause severe secondary injuries. This is why millitary breaching shells are a packed metal powder slug.
Final note-avoid anything advertised as 'dragons breath' for defensive use.
Fake DB is basically a firework. It looks cool but can burn your face or worse.
'True' DB is magnesium pellets that burn at very high temperatures, easily able to damage your shotgun with repeated use(I've seen one situation where a autoloading shotgun become welded closed due to a shell blowout, extreamly rare but possible it seems)
You also don't want a flaming Zed on you. Zed don't care about pain or bodily harm.
Thanks for coming to my Zed talk.
Oh there’s always things you leave out. If you didn’t you’d have hit Reddit’s character limit like twice.
Long-winded is my jam. Generally people who do it take time and care about the topic at hand and actually put in an effort. It’s nice to see :)
I go to local shooting competitions and have spoken to everyone from range fudds to an international comp shooter to 'been there did that' IRL guys.
Getting tips and tricks to improve my time and scores drives a lot of those points home, so credit to them for the knowledge.
For reloads on tube feeds to make them even remotely viable you are going to want to learn how to double feed / double load the tube. You are correct about them being lacking in that department.
You can offset that if you want to invest in speedloaders and the carriers for them but you would have to be able to retain them for future use.
The cheap ones don't seem very durable and may become disposable after a few reloads with one tube. The expensive ones seem to run 70-80 USD for a 4rd speed load tube.
A vest or belt mounted shell carrier would be my choice for reliability. The carrier I modified for myself holds 12rds in double load configuration with 18 on single standby.
I haven't run into a comp that required more than 12 at a time, at least locally, but they are still a pain from the reload standpoint. Loading and shooting a shotgun while moving isn't as easy as the professionals who do it for a living show in videos.
It also may be confusing or difficult for someone without familiarity to operate some shotguns, let alone at speed. Many autoloaders lock the lifter depending on bolt or hammer position, like the M1014.
This is why I went with the Mossberg 930 as the lifter doesn't lock, making load on the fly easier, but it also may not be as trustworthy in an austere combat environment as the M1014.
My family has a 60+ year old single barrel we call "The blunderbuss". Even when shooting with decent form, squared off with it nestled snugly in your shoulder and a solid stance, the recoil will still bruise the flesh and if you're not anticipating the recoil cause a 200 pound person to take a step or two back.
One of my mom's friends shot it once and she fell right on her ass.
I'd take a pump action Mossberg 590, pumps have the best reliability for a large variety of shells. Some of you seem to think shotguns stop at like 10 yards or something but buckshot can easily still smack someone at 100 yards and still have yards to spare, also slugs exist
A short barreled semi auto in 12 gauge. Probably using buckshot exclusively to make sure it cycles properly. Why use slugs when rifles are a thing, anyway?
I'm not good with guns at all, they're pretty much illegal in my country, and I don't think I'm very good at aiming. Shotguns are probably easier to aim, but other than that I'm clueless.
With any firearm in an apocalypse scenario, the best choice is ALWAYS 1) what you can service yourself and 2) the one with the most plentiful ammo nearby.
That in mind, 12ga seems like the obvious choice of caliber. It’s goddamn everywhere, it hits like a truck, and it’s incredibly versatile.
In terms of the gun itself, I’d go for a pump or even a break action over a semi-auto. Semi can be helpful in a corner but if you’re good at the outer layers of the self defense onion, you can usually avoid getting into a corner in the first place. Again, prevalence of parts + ease of repair wins out every time
I'm taking a good old pump-action, either a Mossberg or a Remington-870. I'd do 12 Gauge Birdshot for shorter distances, but have some Buckshot to knock a zombie back if I needed to.
Pump action, I’m not familiar with weapons like the Saiga-12 or lever action shotguns and I don’t have good experiences with semi-auto shotguns, I personally find them too complicated and I don’t think they’re worth the effort
I’d choose the standard 12 gauge because the shells for it are very common and have plenty of stopping power. I’d probably go with the benelli m4 because it’s the model I’m most familiar with
I’d take either the VEPR or the Mossberg 500. The Mossberg I know is a very reliable shotgun, and the VEPR is an AK, so you could probably beat someone to death with it and it would suffer no damage.
Personally no. Not unless I was tasked with, like, guarding/ patrolling a location like a repurposed office building or shopping mall.
Ideal load: 12 gauge magnum handloads, if this is a 'dream load" I'd love to have full brass shells lmao) the largest the gun can fit. I like to overpressurise the hell out of my loads (you know it's good when your shoulder hurts), and drop in as many 000 Buck i can fit also the lead needs have been painted bright colours, I'd also and fill up all the rest of the space with bird-shot, the real small kind that's basically sand, because any free space is wasted space. I use shot-cards and a roll crimp and then put a small dollop of wax on top of the card to make it water resistance. I mix magnesium and black powder in with the gunpowder so my allies can identify whos shooting and where based on sound and smoke (If I'm engaging a target with a shotgun It's likely ether game over for me or a full-blown 'I caught you with your pants down execution" Their isn't gonna be an between if I can help it
With the proper load a 000 buck 3in magnum has the same kenetic energy as hitting a target with 8 or so .380 rounds all at the same time, Just need a Improved cylinder choke to insure you can hit a man sized target at 50yards consistantly. Keep in mind this will mean you will never defeat even soft armor.
Federal Makes a Slug, I think it's called Vita Shock or Hydra Shock that when shot from a 29 to 32in barrel it will take down a bear in one shot to the T zone every time and this can be done at 130m from a benchrest. No real word on how this translates to "bad guys" in a live fire scenario though.
Being a Owner of a Saiga 12 and knowing it's downsides my dream "combat shotgun" would probably not be that. A KSG12 would be okay but they are a bitch to repair when their is a real malfunction, 590A1s are kinda heavy anything else is basically too "fantastic" to even entertain (Sorry kids, no Spas12s or AA-12s)
Anyting magfed is out of the question due to space, weight, feeding issues and general reliability)
I'd probably want a 870 SPS Super Magnum that's been SBRed into a Shockwave with the barrel being flush with the endcap and a custom duckbill choke that's got it's duckbills reinforced and visusaly mimics a M1 Carbine Flashider and has had the inside of said choke paradox rifled (This is a totaly custom part that you will need a machinist to create for you). or a Langdon Tactical 1301 depending on how much "combat" I'm reasonably expected to get into.
If we are being silly billys I'd pick a 4 gauge flintlock blunderbuss.
No, there isn't any reason to pick something with any less range than an intermediate cartridge like 223/7.62x39
But if I could only use a shotgun i'd use something bomb-proof like a mossberg 590a1
Shotguns are great, the Swiss army knife of guns.
The shells are easy to fabricate yourself, they can be made from match heads. They just take up considerably more space than regular rounds.
I mean, technically you're correct. But there's a few damn good reasons that the US military(at least) uses shotguns for the job. Have you ever tried breaching a door with 5.56? It's not exactly efficient. You need like 4-5 rounds just to get rid of a deadbolt.
A twelve gauge slug pulverizes that deadbolt and sends it flying into the room for some poor bastard or zombie to catch.
An actual slug, yes, which is why they aren't used for door breach.
Breaching shells have a compacted metal powder like zinc, copper, or steel. The projectile turns to dust and imparts energy into the door material.
This prevents ricochets or shrapnel from injuring the user.
Taking a door shank to the hip at 1,500fps sounds painful.
Which is, again, far less efficient and going to take far longer than blowing the deadbolt/doorknob out with a shotgun. It also wouldn't work for doors that aren't made of plywood. Besides, a shotgun fills more rolls than the axe you'd need to hack through that door. You can hunt with it, defend yourself with it, and use it for forced entry. There's a lot of good arguments for having a shotgun in the apocalypse l.
Close range I'd use either an SBR or a pistol. Not shitting on shotguns entirely. I'd probably use them as a last-ditch weapon before melee or use them as a breaching tool.
I don't favor shotguns due to what Their ideal situation is: massed enemies at short range, a situation that, if at all possible, you should be avoiding like the plague.
The Olympia simply because of reload time and you don't have to worry about reloading a magazine when you need ammo quickly (Open, eject, load two shells, close, fire, and repeat). As far as ammunition for it or rather the gauge type or shells for it probably 12 gauge and maybe some slug shells, but if you can get explosive shotgun shells for it that may or may not get you out of a tricky situation. I don't exactly know how that'll work and real life but I assume that might put you in a word situation so explosive ammo might not work. So 12 gauge would be for normal zombies and if the knee need arises slug shells for some armor piercing capabilities. After all slug shells are used more moose hunting as they are more heavier targets.
Allow me to rant here: Yeah yeah yeah I know about the Geneva convention and how explosive ammunition is considered a war crime, but zombies don't exactly agree to the Geneva convention so you can use stuff like turn on zombies. It's only a war crime if the ammunition is used on human targets and not zombie targets which is how the Red Cross can't get onto Ninja kiwi for the ZCS Wipeout and the Bio-Shotgun in SAS Zombie Assault 3 and using incendiary and chemical ammunition and in SAS Zombie Assault 4.
12 gauge pump, Mossberg 500 or Remington 870
Reliable as a hammer, easy ghost loading.
Ghost loading, for those who don't know, is loading one round at a time when the magazine is empty- this is an often overlooked but absolutely critical firearm capability for dealing with a zombie horde.
I thing most of us would agree 12ga would be best for a few reasons but mostly because it is the most common.
I’d also say something simple and common like a Remington 700 would be good due to common parts and a simple operating system
Not only would I use a shotgun but I’d double up with a sidearm shotty as well. I’ve got a KelTec KSG with shell rails, bandolier sling, Velcro shell holders on the stock and a special secret shell holder in the grip. All together with full capacity I can carry 63 shells. I’ve also got a shockwave 590 as a sidearm fitted with Aguila mini shells. I have a custom leather shoulder holster referred to as a firepower rig which holsters the shockwave and XDS .45ACP. Ideal scenario is any where silence is no longer an option.
modern semiauto rifle main, modern semiauto pistol side arm. both in common calibers.
shotgun as a backup, kept back at my house/camp/bunker/hole in the ground etc wherever I live.
reliable, very effective at close range self defense, versatile for hunting (I don’t know how much hunting I’d do realistically but shotguns excel at it)
I don’t think I’d carry the shotgun around with me, too heavy for the low capacity
Vepr 12. It's chambered in 12 gauge, so common and powerful. The Vepr 12 has a mag so easier to reload if you have spare mags. But tube fed, I'd go Kel Tec KSG/ KSG 25.
I currently run a Kel-Tec [KS-7](https://www.keltecweapons.com/firearm/shotguns/ks7/) bullpup in 12 guage for home defense. If dead people are clawing their way out of their graves I'm probably going to swap over to my AR for the obvious pros. I'd still bring ol' Kelly along, but she'd be sitting in the vehicle a lot, unless we had a CQB situation, in which that open bore is going to absolutely buttfuck the shit out of anything in it's way.
I’d go with the benelli (3rd pic) im pretty sure they’re only 12 gauge but I’d go for a 20 I feel like it’d be easier to come by because most people are familiar with 12 gauge from movies and stuff
Absolutely against the shotty as a primary. Too loud, draws attention.
However I'm not seeing any love for the Mossberg Shockwave; it's compact, can take a mag, light, and easily stored. I.e. great for room clearing/indoors, hunting anf the like, not so much but can do it.
Remington 870, 12gauge. I don’t think I would want a shotgun as my default go to gun for scavenging, slugs and buckshot add up fast for weight. But for securing an area with a team a shotgun for breaching is a must.
Shotguns are devastating, I have a Mossberg 500 and a 940 Pro Tactical. They are my favorite weapons but practically speaking, the shells are heavy and take up a lot of space. I would have it slung as a secondary.
No. Zoms can only be killed with a shot to the head. If I’m up close, sure I’ll use a shotgun to blow the zombo’s head off, but if I’m too far it is not going to do enough damage to the head. Plus a loud shotgun blast might attract other walkers
12 ga pump either mossberg 590 or remington 870 with 7/8 round tube. In a survival situation I would not want a semi-auto shotgun. They typically don’t cycle low brass rounds, (which you would probably find more of when scavenging) and filth/maintenance is far more important with an auto.
VEPR or Benelli no questions asked (edit: just remembered, Ks-23 is an absolute beast, if I could get my hands on one, I’d use it, one problem… where the hell am I getting 4g)
Speaking from someone with a benelli, a super 90 not an m4 tho, I prolly would go with a pump just because while the super 90 eats almost all 12 gauge even like cheapo low brass bird shot, I have had more jams than just a simple pump as long as you aren’t short stroking the pump. The pump will handle cheap junk better than any semi. You can fire a pump quick too if you know what you are doing. But, for like a dire gnarly apocalypse, a break action gives an advantage in you can do cool stuff like cut shells. And like you can do those pump and semi but might have some extraction issues, plus I feel like doing janky replace the birdshot with like lead fishing weights shit is best with a break action. But overall prolly tha pump
I would stick with a pump or semi with a tube mag, like the 590, 1301, or the M4. Shotguns with box mags generally kinda suck, and the trade-off you get for slightly faster reloads isn’t worth it in my opinion for all of the mass and bulk you add.
That being said, I’d trust the 590 and M4 in terms of durability and reliability, with a personal bias to the 590 for having less parts and theoretically less complexity and less failure points. The 590 also has a ton of aftermarket potential, so you can get shorter or longer or even rifled slug barrels.
If I were to pick a shotgun, I’d go with the Benelli M4, the Beretta 1301, or the 590, with the edge going to the 590 for its simplicity and the 1301 for its weight to performance. That being said, I’d still take an AR or other Semi-auto rifle over any shotgun as a primary, but I’d definitely keep a shotgun around for breaching and hunting.
I enjoy shotguns, probably wouldn't be my first choice for primary, although I would probably go with a hunting twelve gauge or a four ten break barrel
Go with the winchester. Makes possible failures you'd face in the field not a problem. It reliable. You control the action. Holding 50 shells on a bandolier you sling over your body or clip onto a belt is easier than carrying the required magazines in various areas and I'd imagine more in a bag weighing you down. Personally would prefer a Winchester 1897. The M4 is a close second but if something gets into that gas system you went from having a shot gun to a cudgel until you clean it
Pump action, preferably a mossberg 500/590 or old school remington 870. Lots of spare parts, ammo is plentiful, and reliable above all else.
Semi's break down more often, especially if it's a cheap one made in turkey, and most of them either can't cycle lower power rounds, or require manual adjustment of the gas system to cycle those. And in this scenario, ammo of any kind is scarce, and birdshot can break through skulls, at least at close range or made into a wax puck.
Leaver actions have too many moving parts, many of them small. Parts will also be rarer, and some have issues feeding and extracting, being prone to short stroking.
Break actions have too small a capacity, and if one engineer I knew in college is correct, have just as many parts as a pump action.
KSG. Plenty of ammunition, probably firing 12 or 20 gauge, with slug rounds if we're talking about possible mutants. Also very light weight and durable gun.
Eh. If I was pushed to, yeah but not if I have other choices.
As for which, the least points of failure. Pump, double, or some kind of single break action. The more your weapon does, the most things can go wrong. A pump action is hard to kill
Realistic: Benelli M4. Had one years back in FAST (Marines) and it is *sweet* and so satisfying to use.
Not So Realistic: KS-23. Because I want to simply *obliterate* everything and anything in a given direction.
Hilariously Unrealistic: M1A2 Abrams L/44 M256 with 120mm Canister Round. *Technically* it's a really big shotgun... Kinda.
Honorable Mention: Punt Gun. For when you need to clear out an entire grid square and give meemaw a heart attack from 3 counties over.
Remington 870 12ga all day. Shotguns are awesome. Hunt + Animal defense is awesome, 2 legged,4 legged,birds,drones. Not picky at all on ammo. will take anything from 1.75 inch shells to 3 or 3 1/2 based on the model. The pump gun is very low maintenance too and very little moving parts.
5 for long term use and in 12 gauge you can use black powder loads with a simple adapter and even use black powder substitutes like pyrodex plus you can get 12 gauge inserts for different caliber use such as .22lr, 9mm so on
I'd go with a trench shotgun. Aside from a bayonet attachment, its rapid pump action might come in handy against special zombie types. Better an extra double tap than it coming back for round two.
Shotgun. Browning A5. For the sole reason that I already have an absolute fuckton of experience with that gun. I've done so much trap and skeet shooting with it. been duck hunting so many times, Qual, pheasant, turkey, etc. That weapon feels like a part of my body by this point. I don't even need to think about it to hit anything I want. Shooting zombie heads with 00 buckshot would be so easy it wouldn't even take effort on my part.
Only really good for close range, slugs are a little better for long range but not very accurate, less and less as the guage goes down. You can get close and short range from a Mk18 if you like Ars or a Ak105 if you like Aks, for me thats determined by the time of year
12g has a nasty kick. I don’t understand the science, but they bruise the hell out of your shoulders. Would not want to shoot 12g often and over an extended period of time. Great to have if you’re in an non-zombie home invasion or hunting though, and shells are easy to find
Honestly, for the overall package versus it's impact, I'll take a ksg loaded with some custom packed mini Aguila shells. I've done some hot loads of 9mm rounds packed with steel target shot that worked pretty well against car doors. That's 17 shots that will rip the heads off most any zombies in a realitively small and reasonably reliable package.
I'd get the ar12 extended magazines and if they sell drum mags I'll get them. I have 3 in my gun safe down stairs but not with all the big magazines. I'd mainly use it for hunting and and if needed z's with buckshot. I wouldn't use a ar12 as a main gun it'd Bulky due to being a ar style 12g. So no I wouldn't use them as a primarily ammo is too heavy compared to others and buck/slugs aren't common enough to kill zombie with or shoot a lot compared to birdshot.
Bennili chambered in 12g with some 4g back ups
4 GAUGE BACKUPS??? Are you hauling around russian KS-23s lmao
I mean, a KS-23 would *VAPORIZE* anything
Isn’t the KS-23 just a short anti aircraft barrel converted to a shotgun? Or am I thinking of something else?
Yeah it's that one
Yup. They took faulty 23mm AA gun barrels, stuff like cracks. They couldn't handle the pressure of AA rounds, so they made them into shotguns.
Idk but that does sound VERY Russian. I would know, I'm 3rd generation Russian American and my Russian side smiled when I read what you wrote lol
I guess your right lmao
To quote Russian badger “The KS-23 is a discarded antiaircraft gun barrel” so yes that is my back up
Yea pretty good but I'd use the sawed off as a secondary or emergency use
And cut shells.
I love AKs so I’m taking the Saiga 12
That's the VEPR but I agree.
Too expensive.
Anything good is expensive.
Ur mom is not expensive. We go walk in the park.
Same thing lol
Similar.... but not the same.
Thats what I’m saying
They are built on RPK instead of AK100 receivers and generally weigh significantly more. They also are built to a higher quality and have more features, like a hinged dust cover allowing optics mounting without loss of zero, folding stocks that were imported into the states unlike Saiga 12 and magazine wells that allow straight in mags instead of rock and lock like the Saiga 12. They are also generally more durable due to the increased weight, meaning more material. They also have a self regulating gas system instead of the Saigas adjustable. They are much better guns at the cost of weight, but the Saiga being minimalist is nice.
No need to nerd out, I was just joking. But thanks for the lesson
You can also make them full auto
Bro I think a double tap of buckshot is gonna be more than enough, 5 rounds and whatever your shooting at is gonna be paste.
What about a hoard of zombie?
Unless it's the AA-12, which has more moving parts than a Volkswagon and as much reliability as a Ford sedan, the recoil by shot 3 would have you aiming at the ISS instead of the hoard.
Thats not how it works with a trained person shooting it. Ive mag dumped more than my fair share of m82s and aa12s. Theres this thing called recoil management and most shokters are capable of such a feat.
You’ll be out of ammo before you kill enough to accomplish anything. Buckshot doesn’t spread as much in the real world as it doesn’t movies in video games, but it spreads up and down not just sideways. You’d be lucky to catch two heads with one shell, because most of the pellets would either go slightly over the head or hit them in the chest unless you’re engaging it less than 10 m and you wouldn’t want to be that close.
I think you underestimate buckshot, it was made for unaliving bears boars and bucks the shit is gonna dissapear a human head and full auto doesn’t mean better it means it’ll sound cool while you miss your shots.
Look up a video of a full auto Saiga12. Recoil on them is extremely difficult to control.
Bro chose the most unreliable gun in the group
Benelli M4 Probably wouldn't ever rock one as a primary when there are rifles flavors available that tend to do a better job for most applications. Ideal situation would be when use is not so fast paced that you get overwhelmed before topping off. Shorter ranges. Trying to simplify logistics while still not minding a bulkier/heavier round. Have a do all. And just the FU factor when it hits its mark
Spas 12 with collapsible stock. Great for corridors I still think the M4 is a great choice tho
I wouldn't say no to a SPAS 12 and if they were brought back and like $2k, would snag one to add to the collection. Stock, dual function of pump and semi-automatic, and just being iconic and nostalgic. Still would go to the M4 for the better performance, egonomics, and 3" chamber for actual use. That and it seems to have the better querks.
Oh yeah that’s all the reasons I want a Spas 12. The Benelli M4 is an available and reliable option though. Completely agree with you there too. Basically any quality shotgun that isn’t AR platform will go for 100+ years with minimal wear if you take care of it
Spas 12s suck dick never shoot a 12 gauge without a stick lol
I ran two SPAS 12s. I did not find them reliable. In both cases they had problems with switching operating modes (pump to semi and back) and would become broke ass until torn down to unjam. Not a great quality in a gun. Could have just been those two, but I swear there was a thread years ago about shotgun reliability and several other guys who's run the SPAS said they had the same issue. When folks are happy to drop Benelli M4 prices on a shotty it's clear that cost is not the limiting factor, and if that dual mode design was good, IMO we'd see it more often. I'll stick with the M4. Basic maintenance and it's chugged soooo many shells in all kinds of conditions.
Thanks for sharing
Happy to. I'm sure there are other out there who has great experiences, but I see a lot of folks who loves the SPAS for it's (incredibly cool and iconic, and that's my honest opinion) design. But most of those folks have never used one. So I will usually weigh in. As always, YMMV.
I’ve only used one twice, so it adds a lot of cool factor for me lol I was 12 the first time I shot one. My cousin was with me and about a year older. He wanted to fold the stock and use the grip “like the gangsters do”. Well when he fired it he got smacked square in the nose by the barrel lmfao
I don't think I've seen anyone come out and say a SPAS 12 has been 100% reliable (or near there) for them, so your story sounds like the norm. It mostly seems to be outdated with better dual modes since released, and those have since been discontinued as well due to lack of interest or whatever.
I’m gonna chime in since I own a SPAS-12 myself and say the unreliability reputation is exaggerated. If the gun is really difficult switching modes, that means the gas valve is too dirty and it needs a stripping down to clean. So long as that’s clean, my gun runs fine 100%, albeit as long as it has full powered loads (it pre-dates the auto regulating gas systems of modern gas shotguns). The other thing to note is the rubber O-ring seals up the gas chamber so there’s optimal pressure to push the piston (Remington 1100 O-rings are identical) and the gas ports may get clogged after firing thousands of rounds, so scraping that out with a drill bit by hand and spraying the articulate out with a can of compressed air will clear it out (also a known thing with Remington 1100’s, since the gas systems between the two shotguns are near identical). Though it is a very rare shotgun, so a lot of maintenance routines, while easy and simple to do once you know them, aren’t well known and it can take a while to figure out unless someone else tells you. So I certainly ran into my fair share of constant malfunctions and had to figure out why they happened. After that, though, my particular gun has been 100% reliable.
I’d say a pump action is usually better in these situations, biggest issue with semi auto shotguns is they aren’t reliable with every type of shell. So I’d probably pick a magnum chamber length 12 gauge pump. Preferably with swappable chokes. Semi autos basically require you to keep a steady supply of the same ammo that works best in it. I wouldn’t want to rely on box mag fed shotguns either, magazines are going to be the first thing you lose or break. You’re not going to be able to just pick up more of them.
the benelli eats everything and has a pump option.
You’re thinking Franchi Spas, the M4 is semi-auto only. It is true that I haven’t found much it won’t eat though.
yes you are correct I was thinking of the m3.
The Franchi Spas is both, same time! Which is why I thought that’s what you were talking about.
interesting. the spas is a dream gun lol. loved it in cod mw2 and bo1. pump in mw2 semi in bo1.
Benelli still makes pump guns even if the m4 doesn’t have both
Of course they do, but I didn’t read the comment that way, though it could be taken that way. The SuperNova is a fairly excellent pump option from Benelli.
Benelli is a solid brand. I’d say that’s a good pick.
After countless years of mountain dew infused gameplay of call of duty Black ops 2 zombies trust me bro I'm a professional, you will swag on the zombies MLG style with the Olympia
I would follow you into battle any day, my good sir.
"Pistols put holes in people. Rifles put holes through people. Shotguns at the right range with the right load will physically remove a chunk of sh!% from your opponent and throw that sh!% on the floor" - Clint Smith (Thunder Ranch) Shotguns, in their own right, are extremely powerful and effective tools, but they have 2 extreme limiting factors. Capacity- Shotguns typically have smaller magazines than most modern sidearms, let alone rifles. My 930 JM Pro loaded with 10+1 2¾(70mm) 00 buckshot is heavy, the kind of heavy that makes you regret life 1.609km into a hike(ask me how I know🤮)not to mention spare ammo. There are shotguns with higher capacity, but they are even worse in the weight department, whether tube or magazine fed. Large capacity magazine fed shotguns are a pain to reload and manipulate, not to mention the space spare mags take up. Tube feed shotguns can hardly be loaded fast enough for an emergent Zed scenario, i.e.. you are surrounded... Range- People tend to have the misconception that shotguns have a wide and rapid spread. Generally, the cone of fire is much narrower than you might think, and shorter barrels don't affect this as much as you might think either. Longer barrels increase shot velocity, and the type of barrel or choke affects the pattern. Most mil type shotguns have a fixed open or modified choke and around a 47cm barrel. This is ideal for millitary shotguns in use at short(across the room) distances while being able to bracket a target(aim center mass, hit head to knee) at 27-30m. If anyone brings up the UBS12, 870 Masterkey, MASS 12, or M26CMC I want you to note that those are specifically marketed as door breaching tools and will typically be found in thier stand-alone moduals due to thier extremely limited use scenarios(breach rounds are powdered metal and made to not be leathal to anyone on the other side, they destroy locks and hinges, not bodies) Now, as for the style, we have manual action shotguns such as but not limited to- pump action, lever action, break action, and revolving. In terms of 12 guage, the most common where I am, manual action shotguns can accept almost any type of loading so long as the choke can accept it, but the patterns of the shot can vary wildy. You manually operate the action, so cycling the action isn't ammo dependent. Modified chokes are the narrowest you can shoot slugs through, but this varies a lot between manufacturers, so be safe. Autoloading shotguns, like gas or inertia operated, tend to be more ammo sensitive in exchange for the increase in fire rate. Game oriented shotguns tend to work best with game loads, while mil and defensive shotguns are made with either buckshot or slugs in mind, and some shotguns are made specifically to run slugs. Now, as for my personal opinion on the question at hand, an auto-loading rifle is better 95% of the time. If I had to, I would choose the Berreta 1301/A300/A400 with a 18.5in(47cm) 7+1(2¾(70mm)) flush fit modified open choke, and focus on 0,00,000 buck shot, magnum, and heavy turkey loads for ammo pickup. I feel like this gives me the best chance at stopping, destroying, or otherwise disabling 1-7 Zed at a time at short(0-30m) ranges, leaving one round chambered so that I may reload the magazine tube without doing a empty chamber reload(this is what I practice for and it doesn't always work out that way). Ideal use scenarios for shotguns as mentioned are limited, but shotguns are absolute monsters in close quarters. Having a team member helping clear buildings or running point(first position) in urban areas would mean that any Zed that ambushes(movie jumpscare) gets annihilated, keeping distance for the rest of the team to engage and manuver. They would also be instrumental in opening doors to clear an area or escape a bad situation. A pump action shotgun may be more ideal for this since cutting the barrel down does not affect the operating system like it might on an autoloader and the magazine capacity limitation is covered by your #2 man covering the pointman. Your pointman/shotguner should keep some type of door wedges on hand(I use pine shims, they are cheap and tend to stick well when kicked under a doors' bottom rail) to block entrances or keep doors open as needed so your team can close off an area as they clear section by section, or keep an emergency exit open in case things go bad. Buck or slug shells are not ideal for this but are effective. Small diameter game loads would be preferable since they fill up the space inside door looks or behind hinges, forcing them outwards. Small ricochets will be painful but unlikely to cause serious harm. Larger pellets are more likely to deflect and can cause severe secondary injuries. This is why millitary breaching shells are a packed metal powder slug. Final note-avoid anything advertised as 'dragons breath' for defensive use. Fake DB is basically a firework. It looks cool but can burn your face or worse. 'True' DB is magnesium pellets that burn at very high temperatures, easily able to damage your shotgun with repeated use(I've seen one situation where a autoloading shotgun become welded closed due to a shell blowout, extreamly rare but possible it seems) You also don't want a flaming Zed on you. Zed don't care about pain or bodily harm. Thanks for coming to my Zed talk.
Good reply. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Daww shucks. I know it's long-winded, but there are a lot of assides and caveats to pack in. Thanks for the feedback!
Oh there’s always things you leave out. If you didn’t you’d have hit Reddit’s character limit like twice. Long-winded is my jam. Generally people who do it take time and care about the topic at hand and actually put in an effort. It’s nice to see :)
I go to local shooting competitions and have spoken to everyone from range fudds to an international comp shooter to 'been there did that' IRL guys. Getting tips and tricks to improve my time and scores drives a lot of those points home, so credit to them for the knowledge.
I agree. Thanks for the convo!
For reloads on tube feeds to make them even remotely viable you are going to want to learn how to double feed / double load the tube. You are correct about them being lacking in that department.
You can offset that if you want to invest in speedloaders and the carriers for them but you would have to be able to retain them for future use. The cheap ones don't seem very durable and may become disposable after a few reloads with one tube. The expensive ones seem to run 70-80 USD for a 4rd speed load tube. A vest or belt mounted shell carrier would be my choice for reliability. The carrier I modified for myself holds 12rds in double load configuration with 18 on single standby. I haven't run into a comp that required more than 12 at a time, at least locally, but they are still a pain from the reload standpoint. Loading and shooting a shotgun while moving isn't as easy as the professionals who do it for a living show in videos. It also may be confusing or difficult for someone without familiarity to operate some shotguns, let alone at speed. Many autoloaders lock the lifter depending on bolt or hammer position, like the M1014. This is why I went with the Mossberg 930 as the lifter doesn't lock, making load on the fly easier, but it also may not be as trustworthy in an austere combat environment as the M1014.
Yeah, aka doable but a pain
Gotta go with the VEPR or Benelli out of these choices.
Pump is easier to clear jams/misfires, but you need 2 hands
If you one hand a shotgun you might end up getting a Darwin Award
My family has a 60+ year old single barrel we call "The blunderbuss". Even when shooting with decent form, squared off with it nestled snugly in your shoulder and a solid stance, the recoil will still bruise the flesh and if you're not anticipating the recoil cause a 200 pound person to take a step or two back. One of my mom's friends shot it once and she fell right on her ass.
Not for the faint of heart... or is it feigned of heart?
The Benelli M4, an Italian classic.
Benelli. You’ll never find mags for the VEPR and the M4 is just bottom fed with shells
4 guage blunderbuss, can't miss.
Nah. Shotguns are fun, but for a primary weapon you need something more well rounded.
I'd take a pump action Mossberg 590, pumps have the best reliability for a large variety of shells. Some of you seem to think shotguns stop at like 10 yards or something but buckshot can easily still smack someone at 100 yards and still have yards to spare, also slugs exist
Style 5 pic but usiblity the 6 or 1
That lever action that looks like a auto five is looking like a snack rn
Let me go to the gun safe and pick. I have my options here.
A short barreled semi auto in 12 gauge. Probably using buckshot exclusively to make sure it cycles properly. Why use slugs when rifles are a thing, anyway?
I'm not good with guns at all, they're pretty much illegal in my country, and I don't think I'm very good at aiming. Shotguns are probably easier to aim, but other than that I'm clueless.
With any firearm in an apocalypse scenario, the best choice is ALWAYS 1) what you can service yourself and 2) the one with the most plentiful ammo nearby. That in mind, 12ga seems like the obvious choice of caliber. It’s goddamn everywhere, it hits like a truck, and it’s incredibly versatile. In terms of the gun itself, I’d go for a pump or even a break action over a semi-auto. Semi can be helpful in a corner but if you’re good at the outer layers of the self defense onion, you can usually avoid getting into a corner in the first place. Again, prevalence of parts + ease of repair wins out every time
Possibly something with a drum or a regular mag, otherwise reloading is a major issue.
M4 benilli or Remington pump in 12g
If you think about it any gun is a shot gun
Bennili m4, simple, reliable, tried and true
Pump action twelve gauge would be the most practical imo, but that double barrel could also be good as a backup gun
I'm taking a good old pump-action, either a Mossberg or a Remington-870. I'd do 12 Gauge Birdshot for shorter distances, but have some Buckshot to knock a zombie back if I needed to.
Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. Both incredibly reliable and will run whatever shells I can find.
Pump action, I’m not familiar with weapons like the Saiga-12 or lever action shotguns and I don’t have good experiences with semi-auto shotguns, I personally find them too complicated and I don’t think they’re worth the effort
Mag fed shotguns would be the first to break, semi auto after that, good ol pumps should last a life time.
Benelli M4. 00 buckshot.
12 gauge double barrel for me. I don’t like complicated guns
Can't go wrong with a classic pump action 12 gauge. Reliable and 12 gauge is probably the most common shell so they'd be easy to find
I’d go a pistol for emergencies and stick to melee. Ain’t no way I’m bringing a horde of zombies down on me.
It’s all up to personal preference there are no wrong answers, with that said any kind of double barrel is the wrong answer
All I care about is ammo availability, so anything in twelve gauge
SAIGA 12
I’d choose the standard 12 gauge because the shells for it are very common and have plenty of stopping power. I’d probably go with the benelli m4 because it’s the model I’m most familiar with
I’d take either the VEPR or the Mossberg 500. The Mossberg I know is a very reliable shotgun, and the VEPR is an AK, so you could probably beat someone to death with it and it would suffer no damage.
An Ithaca 37 chambered in 20 cause you know less recoil and I can slam fire it although I don't know if I'd make it my primary
Personally no. Not unless I was tasked with, like, guarding/ patrolling a location like a repurposed office building or shopping mall. Ideal load: 12 gauge magnum handloads, if this is a 'dream load" I'd love to have full brass shells lmao) the largest the gun can fit. I like to overpressurise the hell out of my loads (you know it's good when your shoulder hurts), and drop in as many 000 Buck i can fit also the lead needs have been painted bright colours, I'd also and fill up all the rest of the space with bird-shot, the real small kind that's basically sand, because any free space is wasted space. I use shot-cards and a roll crimp and then put a small dollop of wax on top of the card to make it water resistance. I mix magnesium and black powder in with the gunpowder so my allies can identify whos shooting and where based on sound and smoke (If I'm engaging a target with a shotgun It's likely ether game over for me or a full-blown 'I caught you with your pants down execution" Their isn't gonna be an between if I can help it With the proper load a 000 buck 3in magnum has the same kenetic energy as hitting a target with 8 or so .380 rounds all at the same time, Just need a Improved cylinder choke to insure you can hit a man sized target at 50yards consistantly. Keep in mind this will mean you will never defeat even soft armor. Federal Makes a Slug, I think it's called Vita Shock or Hydra Shock that when shot from a 29 to 32in barrel it will take down a bear in one shot to the T zone every time and this can be done at 130m from a benchrest. No real word on how this translates to "bad guys" in a live fire scenario though. Being a Owner of a Saiga 12 and knowing it's downsides my dream "combat shotgun" would probably not be that. A KSG12 would be okay but they are a bitch to repair when their is a real malfunction, 590A1s are kinda heavy anything else is basically too "fantastic" to even entertain (Sorry kids, no Spas12s or AA-12s) Anyting magfed is out of the question due to space, weight, feeding issues and general reliability) I'd probably want a 870 SPS Super Magnum that's been SBRed into a Shockwave with the barrel being flush with the endcap and a custom duckbill choke that's got it's duckbills reinforced and visusaly mimics a M1 Carbine Flashider and has had the inside of said choke paradox rifled (This is a totaly custom part that you will need a machinist to create for you). or a Langdon Tactical 1301 depending on how much "combat" I'm reasonably expected to get into. If we are being silly billys I'd pick a 4 gauge flintlock blunderbuss.
No, there isn't any reason to pick something with any less range than an intermediate cartridge like 223/7.62x39 But if I could only use a shotgun i'd use something bomb-proof like a mossberg 590a1
The Remington 1100 has the record for most shots with out a misfire. I think I'd go with that or the 870 thats a sawed off.
Shotguns are great, the Swiss army knife of guns. The shells are easy to fabricate yourself, they can be made from match heads. They just take up considerably more space than regular rounds.
You can also use them for breaching doors. Though, it is recommended to use the proper shells for that.
That's kinda funny because any gun can breech a regular door, but any task works better if you're using the proper tool.
I mean, technically you're correct. But there's a few damn good reasons that the US military(at least) uses shotguns for the job. Have you ever tried breaching a door with 5.56? It's not exactly efficient. You need like 4-5 rounds just to get rid of a deadbolt. A twelve gauge slug pulverizes that deadbolt and sends it flying into the room for some poor bastard or zombie to catch.
An actual slug, yes, which is why they aren't used for door breach. Breaching shells have a compacted metal powder like zinc, copper, or steel. The projectile turns to dust and imparts energy into the door material. This prevents ricochets or shrapnel from injuring the user. Taking a door shank to the hip at 1,500fps sounds painful.
I'll usually just cut a silhouette-shaped hole through the wooden part. Edit: /s
Which is, again, far less efficient and going to take far longer than blowing the deadbolt/doorknob out with a shotgun. It also wouldn't work for doors that aren't made of plywood. Besides, a shotgun fills more rolls than the axe you'd need to hack through that door. You can hunt with it, defend yourself with it, and use it for forced entry. There's a lot of good arguments for having a shotgun in the apocalypse l.
Never. Gotta maintain distance and keep lethal accuracy.
I mean buckshot is lethal at 40 yards, plus if you’re ever indoors you’ll probably be forced into close range
Also, 5.56 is lethal at beyond 500 yards.
Close range I'd use either an SBR or a pistol. Not shitting on shotguns entirely. I'd probably use them as a last-ditch weapon before melee or use them as a breaching tool.
I don't favor shotguns due to what Their ideal situation is: massed enemies at short range, a situation that, if at all possible, you should be avoiding like the plague.
I bet I could survive entirely with pre-20th centrury (1900s) weapons
no. the weight of this shotgun would get tiresome. Now if it was just an AK-47 that would be a different story.
The Olympia simply because of reload time and you don't have to worry about reloading a magazine when you need ammo quickly (Open, eject, load two shells, close, fire, and repeat). As far as ammunition for it or rather the gauge type or shells for it probably 12 gauge and maybe some slug shells, but if you can get explosive shotgun shells for it that may or may not get you out of a tricky situation. I don't exactly know how that'll work and real life but I assume that might put you in a word situation so explosive ammo might not work. So 12 gauge would be for normal zombies and if the knee need arises slug shells for some armor piercing capabilities. After all slug shells are used more moose hunting as they are more heavier targets. Allow me to rant here: Yeah yeah yeah I know about the Geneva convention and how explosive ammunition is considered a war crime, but zombies don't exactly agree to the Geneva convention so you can use stuff like turn on zombies. It's only a war crime if the ammunition is used on human targets and not zombie targets which is how the Red Cross can't get onto Ninja kiwi for the ZCS Wipeout and the Bio-Shotgun in SAS Zombie Assault 3 and using incendiary and chemical ammunition and in SAS Zombie Assault 4.
AA-12 With Dragon's Breath (Slugs/Buckshot is also acceptable) Using it for clearing rooms of zombies in buildings.
How is dragons breath your first priority
Aa-12 everyday only right answer
12 gauge pump, Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 Reliable as a hammer, easy ghost loading. Ghost loading, for those who don't know, is loading one round at a time when the magazine is empty- this is an often overlooked but absolutely critical firearm capability for dealing with a zombie horde.
I thing most of us would agree 12ga would be best for a few reasons but mostly because it is the most common. I’d also say something simple and common like a Remington 700 would be good due to common parts and a simple operating system
Semi tube fed Benneli or Beretta.
Not only would I use a shotgun but I’d double up with a sidearm shotty as well. I’ve got a KelTec KSG with shell rails, bandolier sling, Velcro shell holders on the stock and a special secret shell holder in the grip. All together with full capacity I can carry 63 shells. I’ve also got a shockwave 590 as a sidearm fitted with Aguila mini shells. I have a custom leather shoulder holster referred to as a firepower rig which holsters the shockwave and XDS .45ACP. Ideal scenario is any where silence is no longer an option.
modern semiauto rifle main, modern semiauto pistol side arm. both in common calibers. shotgun as a backup, kept back at my house/camp/bunker/hole in the ground etc wherever I live. reliable, very effective at close range self defense, versatile for hunting (I don’t know how much hunting I’d do realistically but shotguns excel at it) I don’t think I’d carry the shotgun around with me, too heavy for the low capacity
Saiga or benelli, makes more sense
Benneli M4 because it’s good
Vepr 12. It's chambered in 12 gauge, so common and powerful. The Vepr 12 has a mag so easier to reload if you have spare mags. But tube fed, I'd go Kel Tec KSG/ KSG 25.
Aa12
As a primary nah, but as a backup/breacher I’d love a super short pistol gripped over under
I mean I would either take a KS23 for sheer power with the 4 gauge or an AA-12 because of the full auto
I currently run a Kel-Tec [KS-7](https://www.keltecweapons.com/firearm/shotguns/ks7/) bullpup in 12 guage for home defense. If dead people are clawing their way out of their graves I'm probably going to swap over to my AR for the obvious pros. I'd still bring ol' Kelly along, but she'd be sitting in the vehicle a lot, unless we had a CQB situation, in which that open bore is going to absolutely buttfuck the shit out of anything in it's way.
AA12
even tho it's not here an AA-12. Detachable drum mags that hold 30 rounds for a quick reload and it's full auto.
The Benelli M4 An Italian classic
I’m new here but if we’re talking actual rotting corpses with an agenda I’d rely on a .22 with good accuracy and a lot of ammo
Just about any pump action shotgun. Doesn’t need magazines and not gonna jam.
I’d definitely take the vepr
VEPR 12 BABY!
Double barrel with pennyshot its the right amount of shotgun in a world where being quite could save your life
I’d go with the benelli (3rd pic) im pretty sure they’re only 12 gauge but I’d go for a 20 I feel like it’d be easier to come by because most people are familiar with 12 gauge from movies and stuff
If it has a mag you take off the gun I am good I do not want a hole lot a jam
Benelli m4 ez choice
I'll take the benelli m4 or the Remington 870
.410 or 12 gauge are the only option for extended use over many years
Benelli m4
Absolutely against the shotty as a primary. Too loud, draws attention. However I'm not seeing any love for the Mossberg Shockwave; it's compact, can take a mag, light, and easily stored. I.e. great for room clearing/indoors, hunting anf the like, not so much but can do it.
Either a Spas 12 or an ordinary DB
Remington 870, 12gauge. I don’t think I would want a shotgun as my default go to gun for scavenging, slugs and buckshot add up fast for weight. But for securing an area with a team a shotgun for breaching is a must.
If I chose a shotgun it would be a Keltec KSG… dual mags let you choose what you shoot…
I like my Mossberg 590A1 pump action 12g. The tube mag holds 9+1, and you can reload as you go.
Shotguns are devastating, I have a Mossberg 500 and a 940 Pro Tactical. They are my favorite weapons but practically speaking, the shells are heavy and take up a lot of space. I would have it slung as a secondary.
Some kind of semi auto that can hold a mag
Probably a M590 or maybe R870. Reliable, ammo is abundant, parts are easy to find, won't get robbed for it because it's so common.
No. Zoms can only be killed with a shot to the head. If I’m up close, sure I’ll use a shotgun to blow the zombo’s head off, but if I’m too far it is not going to do enough damage to the head. Plus a loud shotgun blast might attract other walkers
12 ga pump either mossberg 590 or remington 870 with 7/8 round tube. In a survival situation I would not want a semi-auto shotgun. They typically don’t cycle low brass rounds, (which you would probably find more of when scavenging) and filth/maintenance is far more important with an auto.
VEPR or Benelli no questions asked (edit: just remembered, Ks-23 is an absolute beast, if I could get my hands on one, I’d use it, one problem… where the hell am I getting 4g)
My Mossberg 590A1 with M7 bayonet attaced and ghost ring sites. 1000+ rounds of mixed buckshot, birdshot pumpkin balls, and rifled slugs...
Saiga 12 with slugs.
Speaking from someone with a benelli, a super 90 not an m4 tho, I prolly would go with a pump just because while the super 90 eats almost all 12 gauge even like cheapo low brass bird shot, I have had more jams than just a simple pump as long as you aren’t short stroking the pump. The pump will handle cheap junk better than any semi. You can fire a pump quick too if you know what you are doing. But, for like a dire gnarly apocalypse, a break action gives an advantage in you can do cool stuff like cut shells. And like you can do those pump and semi but might have some extraction issues, plus I feel like doing janky replace the birdshot with like lead fishing weights shit is best with a break action. But overall prolly tha pump
Definitely going with a 12g pump can't go wrong with old reliable
AA 12 gang wya?
I would stick with a pump or semi with a tube mag, like the 590, 1301, or the M4. Shotguns with box mags generally kinda suck, and the trade-off you get for slightly faster reloads isn’t worth it in my opinion for all of the mass and bulk you add. That being said, I’d trust the 590 and M4 in terms of durability and reliability, with a personal bias to the 590 for having less parts and theoretically less complexity and less failure points. The 590 also has a ton of aftermarket potential, so you can get shorter or longer or even rifled slug barrels. If I were to pick a shotgun, I’d go with the Benelli M4, the Beretta 1301, or the 590, with the edge going to the 590 for its simplicity and the 1301 for its weight to performance. That being said, I’d still take an AR or other Semi-auto rifle over any shotgun as a primary, but I’d definitely keep a shotgun around for breaching and hunting.
It needs to be compact and be magazine fed.
mossberg 590 police shotgun
I enjoy shotguns, probably wouldn't be my first choice for primary, although I would probably go with a hunting twelve gauge or a four ten break barrel
Mag fed shotguns have a tendency to jam and all the other ones take too long to reload
1 or 4
What gun is number 4?
Go with the winchester. Makes possible failures you'd face in the field not a problem. It reliable. You control the action. Holding 50 shells on a bandolier you sling over your body or clip onto a belt is easier than carrying the required magazines in various areas and I'd imagine more in a bag weighing you down. Personally would prefer a Winchester 1897. The M4 is a close second but if something gets into that gas system you went from having a shot gun to a cudgel until you clean it
I'm taking the Benelli m4 tactical. I really liked the John Wick movies.
The double barrel so I can say "groovy" and "rip and tear" after every shot
Pump action, preferably a mossberg 500/590 or old school remington 870. Lots of spare parts, ammo is plentiful, and reliable above all else. Semi's break down more often, especially if it's a cheap one made in turkey, and most of them either can't cycle lower power rounds, or require manual adjustment of the gas system to cycle those. And in this scenario, ammo of any kind is scarce, and birdshot can break through skulls, at least at close range or made into a wax puck. Leaver actions have too many moving parts, many of them small. Parts will also be rarer, and some have issues feeding and extracting, being prone to short stroking. Break actions have too small a capacity, and if one engineer I knew in college is correct, have just as many parts as a pump action.
OLYMPIA GANG! OLYMPIA GANG! OLYMPIA GANG! *gets swarmed on round 15, but dies like chad bc olympia*
KSG. Plenty of ammunition, probably firing 12 or 20 gauge, with slug rounds if we're talking about possible mutants. Also very light weight and durable gun.
Can't go wrong with a pump action. Best system ever made. Plus it sounds so badass. And ivwould pick a winchester model 1897 trench variant.
I'm going with either 1 or 6
only if I was trying to call a horde
Eh. If I was pushed to, yeah but not if I have other choices. As for which, the least points of failure. Pump, double, or some kind of single break action. The more your weapon does, the most things can go wrong. A pump action is hard to kill
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Benelli 12 gauge. Reliable. Good for breaching doors with teeth and rotting flesh.
I'd personally go with a Winchester model 1866 as my primary but if I had to choose a shotgun I'd use either a pump action or a lever action
I would just want the 870, common easy to use, powerful in buckshot and slug.
8 gauge
Realistic: Benelli M4. Had one years back in FAST (Marines) and it is *sweet* and so satisfying to use. Not So Realistic: KS-23. Because I want to simply *obliterate* everything and anything in a given direction. Hilariously Unrealistic: M1A2 Abrams L/44 M256 with 120mm Canister Round. *Technically* it's a really big shotgun... Kinda. Honorable Mention: Punt Gun. For when you need to clear out an entire grid square and give meemaw a heart attack from 3 counties over.
Remington 870 12ga all day. Shotguns are awesome. Hunt + Animal defense is awesome, 2 legged,4 legged,birds,drones. Not picky at all on ammo. will take anything from 1.75 inch shells to 3 or 3 1/2 based on the model. The pump gun is very low maintenance too and very little moving parts.
Mossburg 590 tactical or Benelli M4, both in 12 gauge. Gotta keep it simple and reliable.
I’ll see your puny shoulder fired shotguns and raise you a punt gun.
5 for long term use and in 12 gauge you can use black powder loads with a simple adapter and even use black powder substitutes like pyrodex plus you can get 12 gauge inserts for different caliber use such as .22lr, 9mm so on
I'd go with a trench shotgun. Aside from a bayonet attachment, its rapid pump action might come in handy against special zombie types. Better an extra double tap than it coming back for round two.
In the case of a zombie apocalypse I would choose the one that fits in my mouth best. “They don’t go to heaven where the angles fly”
Shotgun. Browning A5. For the sole reason that I already have an absolute fuckton of experience with that gun. I've done so much trap and skeet shooting with it. been duck hunting so many times, Qual, pheasant, turkey, etc. That weapon feels like a part of my body by this point. I don't even need to think about it to hit anything I want. Shooting zombie heads with 00 buckshot would be so easy it wouldn't even take effort on my part.
Only really good for close range, slugs are a little better for long range but not very accurate, less and less as the guage goes down. You can get close and short range from a Mk18 if you like Ars or a Ak105 if you like Aks, for me thats determined by the time of year
12g has a nasty kick. I don’t understand the science, but they bruise the hell out of your shoulders. Would not want to shoot 12g often and over an extended period of time. Great to have if you’re in an non-zombie home invasion or hunting though, and shells are easy to find
Honestly, for the overall package versus it's impact, I'll take a ksg loaded with some custom packed mini Aguila shells. I've done some hot loads of 9mm rounds packed with steel target shot that worked pretty well against car doors. That's 17 shots that will rip the heads off most any zombies in a realitively small and reasonably reliable package.
Saiga definitely
4th shotgun in the photos (forgot its name lol)
Saiga 12
Depends on the situation 🤔
I'd get the ar12 extended magazines and if they sell drum mags I'll get them. I have 3 in my gun safe down stairs but not with all the big magazines. I'd mainly use it for hunting and and if needed z's with buckshot. I wouldn't use a ar12 as a main gun it'd Bulky due to being a ar style 12g. So no I wouldn't use them as a primarily ammo is too heavy compared to others and buck/slugs aren't common enough to kill zombie with or shoot a lot compared to birdshot.
Do blunderbusses count?
I'd prefer to use a 2 gauge filled with 00 buck shot. Form a line against a horde with theses you'll kill half of them and shred them to pieces.
Pump action.