You Don't Have to Aim a Shotgun Mythbusting

I have a Mossberg 590 Marincote. I take it shark fishing with me because I got a strict rule on any boat I'm piloting.

You may have caught it, but you ain't bringing ANY live shark on my boat.

If it's a Great White of any size, you better be quick with a camera because I cut the line as soon as can identify it as such.

In the past, before they were put on the "protected" list, we caught a baby white. It was only about 3 long. If we looked close enough we probably could have seen mommy's milk still dripping off its' evil lips.

Anyhow, we brought it to the side of the boat. What a fighter! As small as it was, it was just packed with muscle and attitude. Although small, we still estimated it weighed about 125 lbs. My buddy killed it with a bowie knife to the head after it clamped down on the gaff and wouldn't let go.

The next day, I had to spend $200 to get the boat hauled to fix the damage the little bast**d did to the hull. Even with doing my own fiberglass work, that critter ended up costing me about $700.

That's why I say, the only good shark is a dead shark. (Especially if it's grilled Mako.)

I won't claim to be a shotgun expert, though I have a couple buddies who come close. I have done a fair amount of shotgun shooting at sporting clays course, though.

What I've learned through the past 10 years of shotgun shooting is that there are a few ways to "adjust" how a shotgun shoots. Primarily, by the use of the barrel length and choke, but others as well.

For home defense, you want a short barrel with an open choke. This is going to allow the shot to spread as much as it can. The longer the barrel, the more it has a chance to get "clustered" together inside the barrel and get going straight. That's why you often see longer barrelled shotguns being used for turkey hunting.

Shotgun barrels also usually have an amount of choke in them. This is the amount of flare at the end of the barrel that helps control the shot as it exits the barrel. "Open" is going to allow the shot to spread out a bit more than the others.

Finally (almost) are spreader loads. These are specially-"built" shells that use a wad designed to force the shot apart as it exits the barrel. We would use these at some of the clays stations where the clays did not go very far out or away. The wad forces the shot to separate as it exits the barrel. It "spreads" it for a wider pattern.

And, finally, AIM. You are correct -- you do still have to aim a shotgun. But having the right shotgun and ammo for home defense is the start of the process.