Selecting a shotgun for home defense

Right you are. I thought like that until someone 'splained that racking the slide on a loaded shothun (with a round in the chamber) wasted a (possibly crucial) shot, and if the shotgun chamber was empty to start with, you might well've grabbed a broom or something else useless.

I hope you're not talking about storage with a round in the chamber. Thats just begging or trouble. - Racking that first round into a pump is so fast that if the time is a factor you've probably already lost the fight, and the hazard of leaving the gun cocked & loaded is unacceptable, not to mention possible weakening of the hammer spring, (you are supposed to leave them relaxed you know). Pragmatist 'No generality is true...not even this one.' - (Bertrand Russell?)

I spent nearly two years with a round in the chamber AND my finger on the trigger and the spring never failed ;> Of course that was an infamous plastic AR and nothing like a real shotgun.

Right eject isn't a problem for Lefties. Mossberg has center tang safety.

tougher. Most shotguns made in

The Ithica Model 37 was a super slick pump action shotgun that ejected DOWNWARDS. It was avail with an extended magazine, 18' bbl, and could be had with a (non-glare) parkerised finish. My Dad had one for many years and said the action was extremely smooth. No idea on availability or price, although many years ago I recall seeing them advertised in Shotgun News for under $250.

The chinese are maing a clone of it. If you search sites such as AIM, SOG, you can find thenm for about $150.