Mossberg 500 and 590 Series

Stood the test of time over the past 50 years as a top-quality shotgun serving the U.S military and countless police forces. A hammerless pump action repeater, these weapons from either series boast a simple design that lends itself well to the high versatility of shells, accessories and parts. They are one of the top produced in the market, which means there are lots of used ones available for sale and great aftermarket parts.

FEATURES:
• Accepts 3” magnum shells
• 18.5” barrel holds 5 shells in the magazine + 1 in the chamber
• 20” barrel holds 8 shells in the magazine + 1 in the chamber
• Parkerized finish
• Synthetic polymer stock
• Comes with or without a pistol grip
• Ambidextrous thumb operated safety mechanism

Remington 870 Series

Comparable to the Mossberg described above, these have also been favored for law enforcement and military uses. With a big selection in the 870 series the ideal home defense option is the 870 Express Tactical. There is a wide range of options in accessories and upgrade parts for this weapon.

FEATURES:
• 18.5” barrel
• 7 shot capacity with factory magazine tube extension
• Accepts 3” magnum shells
• Parkerized Finish
• Synthetic polymer stock

Mossberg’s 500/590 series and Remington’s 870 series really does give you as much option as you need to pick the best home defense shotgun. If you have a compelling reason to look beyond these two, even knowing that these two make up about 80% of the market share and are practical, reliable answers to your home defense needs, then we’ve listed the next best shotguns below:

Benelli Nova Tactical

Being one of the most solidly built and thoughtfully designed shotguns in the world, the Nova Tactical is a gem of Italy’s Benelli’s and makes our list due to its useful application in home defense. The drawbacks of this shotgun focus on the low amount of after market parts available and the higher price for virtually the same features and reliability of the other two.

FEATURES:

• 18.5” barrel
• tubular magazine that holds 4 shots with 1 more in the chamber
• Accepts 3 ½ magnum shells.

Winchester SXP Tactical

Not a real strong contender again Mossberg or Remington in the tactical shotgun market (they have focused on the sporting market) but the Winchester SXP Tactical is a decent option for home defense. Just be aware that there isn’t much for aftermarket parts for this one.

FEATURES:

• 18.5” barrel
• accepts 3” magnum shells
• 5 shot tubular magazine + 1 in the chamber
• Parkerized finish
• Black synthetic furniture