My home defense shotgun has alway been a Remington 870. It's probably 25 years old and was considered the go to shotgun at the time.

I've been reading about and watching reviews about the Beretta 1301. There is absolutely no question that it is "better" in every way than an 870, but does it matter in a HD situation? It seems like a lot of the features are designed for optimum performance in 3-gun competition. Are things like extended controls for rapid reloads actually advantageous in real life? Seems like you are pretty deep into fantasy scenarios if you've fired 8 buckshot at the miscreants and have the opportunity to reload.

What do you think? What does the 1301 bring to the table in a real life home scenario over the 870? Enough to justify the almost $2,000 price tag?

Pumps don't fail, semis can.
I've got a 1897 Norinco riot gun and a FN SLP.
Never had an issue with either, but the pump is by my bedside.

quote:

Pumps don't fail, semis can.

Anything mechanical can fail.

1301's are overpriced. They used to run about half. Beretta moved the price upmarket to make room for the A300 Patrol as the affordable HD semi-auto gun.

I own both. If you're not happy with the 1301's price....buy the A300. You won't regret it especially since it's half the cost.

^^^^^

OK, price aside am I really achieving a higher level of home defense with a “tactical” semi auto(A300 or 1301) over an 870?

quote:

Originally posted by john crusher:
Pumps don't fail, semis can.

Inexperienced or frantic shooters can short-stroke a pump shotgun. Improper loading can tie up some pump shotguns by binding the action, which is the reason Remington incorporated their Flexi-Tab system into the 870, although this is still not a perfect solution for the issue.

I once had one single grain of gunpowder tie up a Smith & Wesson revolver when the grain got caught between the crane and the frame. The cylinder wouldn't rotate and the action did not want to open. It took a while to sort out. Had it been a gunfight, I would have been in real trouble.

Things aren't always as simple as they seem.

Maybe this video will help if you haven’t seen it already. Good comparison with Ernest Langdon.

The real difference between the 1301 and the A300 is not really the gas system, as people always say (though there certainly are differences in the two systems).

The real difference is the locking system. The 1301 uses a rotating bolt. The A300 uses a single lug on the bolt which locks into the top of the receiver.

I have a 1301 Mod 2, replacing a 590 pump for H.D.
I have zero regrets, I shoot it better than the 590, especially for followup shots, and my wife can shoot it as well. The price was well worth it to me, it is now one of my favorite guns to shoot.

I mean, yes.

I have short stroked my 870 in competition, twice. It can happen. Also, try using your pump to shoot two times in a row as fast as you can one handed vs. an semi auto.

Shit happens. I have the 1301 because in my mind it balances the variables in a way that I am VERY comfortable with. I have the LTT 1301, so a lot of money into the already pricey platform. ZERO regrets.

Honestly, with the improvements in design of semi auto shotguns over the years, and the excellent reliability of what is available nowadays, I don’t believe there is any reason to have a pump shotgun for defense purposes and certainly not general law enforcement purposes any longer. Pump shotguns are useful for less lethal munitions and things of that nature, but the manual of arms is different enough that as long as one can afford a quality semi auto, that is what I will recommend.

Yes, it's apparent that a quality semi-auto shotgun- Benelli, Beretta and others- loaded with quality ammunition is a superior choice for hone defense, both for the novice shooter and the competent shooter.

One thing the novice must be assured of is the proper way to load (and unload) a semi-auto shotgun. With a shell in the chamber and a loaded mag tube, the newbie is ready to go.

For a budget option, it's hard to beat a Turkinelli clone for less than $500. Run a few boxes of your chosen load through for function and familiarity and then it's fine to sit in the corner by the bed thereafter.

If you're actually going to shoot it regularly, definitely spend the $$ on a Beretta or Benelli.

a Rem 870, Scatter-Gun Mag extension, GG&G side saddle, and old school Sure Fire light mount was my go-to shotgun for over 30 years. 18.5 in and a 24 in barrel for whatever I wanted to do with it. I learned how to really use on in the Marines, and loved it ever since. It was the only shotgun I owned for a long time, for me, the 870 was the only shotgun I NEEDED.

Absolutely nothing wrong with that shotgun. They just work! (Except for the ones with the metal "fold over" style stock, those just SUCK! For those that shot them, you- and your dentist know what I'm talking about! )

The Mossberg 500 series are great shotguns too, I just couldn't get used to the gun's little nuances vs the Remington. But that's kinda like Ford vs Chevy.

I was on the lookout for a good semi-auto shotgun for a while, I unfortunately / fortunately passed on a few great deals on Rem 1100's and 1187's. I'm a big fan of those as well.

I was able to shoot a few Beretta 1301's and a 300. For me, the 1301 won out over the 300. I picked up a 1301 Mod2 for a great price and haven't regretted it! The Beretta ate up every shell I put into it, comfortable, light, fast. I'm really liking the 1301, to the point that it might just be my Go-To shotgun for HD. I put a velcro side saddle on there (working out great so far, granted, it's less than 6 months old, and still in the process of being "broken in") an Inforce light and a sling. Again, less than 6 months old, and less than 1000 rounds through it, but so far, it's working GREAT!
Obviously, because it's a semi-auto, it takes a little more to clean than the 870, but I'm not complaining.

You can buy a Mod 2 (what I'd call Gen3 with the Pro lifter and Mlock forend) 1301 from Bereli right now for $1,449.99. A far cry from $2k, and you don't have to settle for an A300 Patrol.

https://www.bereli.com/j131m2tt18le/

And before I ever spent money on a "Turkenelli", I'd squeeze my nuts with a pair of vice grips and flush $500.00 down the toilet. The experience would be the same

That's the LE (Law Enforcement) model. This model has a cylinder bore, no interchangeable screw-in chokes.

This is what I have and prefer.

That much better is subjective.

But I really like mine, I didn’t get rid of all my 870s, but the 1301 is a fine shotgun yes.

I have a Remington 870 and a Beretta 1301. The Beretta is faster to fire due to it being a semi auto. The Blink operating system will fire faster than you can pull the trigger. If you're worried about slinging lead at the maximum rate allowable by law, you can't beat a semi. The 1301 cycles everything including the lightest reduced loads in both buckshot and slugs.

Dammit. I was already eyeballing a 1301 and now I’m REALLY eyeballing it.

^^^^^
Yep. You guys are tempting me to go Beretta-shopping.