45 Best Home Defense Shotguns

At GunCritic, we're always looking into specialized lists for our readers. Today we'd really like to look at the best home defense shotgun. Defending your home with a shotgun can be tricky, but it can be done. One reason I really like shotguns for home defense is because adrenaline. Trying to aim a pistol when your heart is pounding and you're breathing hard is incredibly hard. A shotgun allows you to almost completely avoid these concerns. The difficulty can come from the penetration and the scatter shot. However, getting the right type of shotgun and ammunition can help alleviate these concerns.

The history of the shotgun is very interesting. The first shotguns was the muzzle loaded blunderbuss. Early shotguns were favored by cavalry because of the relative ease of hitting targets on the move. When World War 1 rolled around, shotguns became even more prominent. The American military favored the pump action Winchester Model 1897 in trench warfare. The shotgun has only grown in popularity since then, especially in police and military applications. Especially for close quarters combat and defense and breaching areas. This is what makes the shotgun one of the best home defense weapons, if anything because the pellets decelerate very quickly and are much less likely to penetrate through multiple surfaces.

Here's our list of the best home defense shotguns in the world. Be sure to vote for your favorites to help us refine the list. Also, feel free to let us know if you disagree with our list. We'd love to add what we're missing. You can click on any of the home defense shotguns below to find the best price online that GunCritic can find. Thank you for reading. Be sure to check GunCritics other lists and articles to find some of the best gun content on the web.

From $373.48

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Mossberg Model 500 Mariner

? FAMILY: 500 Series ?MODEL: 500 Tactical ?TYPE: Shotgun ?ACTION: Pump Action ?FINISH: Marinecote ?STOCK/FRAME: Synthetic Stock ?STOCK/GRIPS: Black Synthetic ?CALIBER/GAUGE: 12 Gauge ?CAPACITY: 6 Shot... read more

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100%

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99%

From $653.65

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Mossberg 590A1

MOSSBERG & SONS Model 590 Law Enforcement Pump Shotgun Mossberg Parkerized 12 Ga. Law Enforcement w/20" Barrel/Ghost Ring Sights The Mossberg 590 shotgun is the pump action shotgun you can count on. T... read more

GunCritic Score

94%

User Rating

99%

#28

Best Combat Shotguns

#43

Most Powerful Shotguns

Best Sellers of 2022

From $1049.00

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Beretta 1301 Tactical

The new Beretta 1301 Tactical shotgun features enlarged controls, a cold hammer-forged, back-bored barrel, and Beretta's integrated BLINK gas operatin g system with a cross tube gas piston that allows... read more

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100%

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99%

#34

Best Semi Auto Shotguns

Best Beretta Shotguns

Best Sellers of 2022

#13

Best Home Defense Guns

From $1923.75

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Benelli M4 Tactical

The Benelli M4 is a semi-automatic shotgun produced by Italian firearm manufacturer Benelli Armi SpA, and the last of the "Benelli Super 90" series of semi-automatic shotguns. The M4 uses a proprietar... read more

GunCritic Score

96%

User Rating

99%

#23

Best Shotguns

#12

Best Home Security Shotguns

#18

Best Shotguns For Deer Hunting

From $373.99

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Savage Arms Stevens 350 Security

Stevens 350 Security 12 gauge is an economical but reliable scattergun for rough and tough duty use. Seen here with Elzetta’s LED ZFL-M60 light, ammo pouch and sling from Spec-Ops Brand. The shotgun,... read more

GunCritic Score

85%

User Rating

99%

Best Tactical Shotguns

From $1019.15

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FN Self-Loading Police MK1

FAMILY: SLP Shotgun Series MODEL: SLP MARK I TYPE: Shotgun ACTION: Semi-Auto FINISH: Matte Blue STOCK/FRAME: Synthetic Stock STOCK/GRIPS: Black Synthetic CALIBER/GAUGE: 12 Gauge CAPACITY: 8+1... read more

GunCritic Score

90%

User Rating

99%

From $274.01

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Charles Daly 301

Caliber: 12GA-3" Action: Pump-Action Barrel Length: 28" Chokes: MC-1 (MOD) Capacity: 5+1 Feeding: Magazine Trigger System: Single Stock: Synthetic Forend: Synthetic Front Sight: Brass Bead Safety: Man... read more

GunCritic Score

100%

User Rating

99%

#21

Best Short Barrel Shotguns For Home Security

#76

Best Tactical Shotguns

From $450.17

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Remington 870 Tactical

No task is too demanding and no challenge is too intense with the rugged, ultra-dependable and ever-expanding selection of tactical shotguns. The lineup keeps growing to serve the needs of law enforce... read more

GunCritic Score

95%

User Rating

99%

#31

Best Self Defense Guns

From $977.93

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Remington 1100 Tactical

The Remington 1100 Tactical Semi Auto ShotGuns can be used for many many purposes. From shooting skeet with your friends, to hunting wild game, the Remington 1100 Tactical Semi Auto ShotGuns are great... read more