Around 1 a.m. one morning, in a San Antonio neighborhood, a man in his 40’s approached a home and knocked on the door.
The homeowner, Ronald J., didn’t know the man and told him to leave his property.
At first, the unknown man left.
But he soon returned and started knocking on the door again.
So, Ronald told him to leave once again.
The man left the property again.
Soon after the homeowner heard a noise coming from the backyard.
Worried that there could be a threat in the backyard, Ronald grabbed his shotgun and went to investigate the noise.
For a third time, Ronald found the man in his yard and demanded that he leave.
But, instead of leaving, the man lunged at Ronald and his wife.
In fear for both his own and his wife’s life, Ronald fired a single shot from his shotgun striking the trespasser in the stomach.
Police and medical personnel responded to the scene, but the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ronald told police that he feared for his life, so he shot the suspect.
It’s not expected that the homeowner will face any charges.
Police were unsure of the deceased man’s motives for knocking on Ronald’s door and why he wanted to get inside the residence.
Either way, it didn’t look friendly.
Now, it’s no secret that a shotgun is a popular self and home defense firearm.
Many homeowners debate whether to use a shotgun or an AR-15 as their first choice for home defense.
But thankfully, there’s a middle ground that may appease everyone – an AR-style shotgun.
As the name implies, an AR-style shotgun is an AR platform that fires shotgun shells.
And in today’s shotgun market, there are tons of variants.
An AR-style shotgun could be worth considering, especially for home defense.
So, let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of an AR-style shotgun.
Advantages of AR-style shotgun:
The main advantage of an AR-style shotgun is that it operates similarly to an AR-15 rifle.
So, it has familiar ergonomics and controls as the AR-15 platform.
And if you’re accustomed to using an AR-15 rifle, you should have no problem using an AR shotgun.
Another advantage to an AR-style shotgun is that there are plenty of accessories and upgraded parts.
Similar to the customizable options of the AR-15, an AR-style shotgun isn’t far behind.
Plus, there are a wide variety of ammo options with shotguns.
Disadvantages of AR-style shotgun:
AR-style shotguns are magazine-fed, and the design of the feeding system puts a lot of pressure on the shotgun shells.
So, because the shells are made of plastic they can have feeding problems.
Another thing is that like many shotguns there is a break-in period needed.
If you get an AR-style shotgun I would fire at least 200 shells before you trust it for home defense.
You want to make sure that it feeds and operates as needed.
Lastly, make sure an AR-style shotgun is legal in your state before getting one.
Visit a local gun shop to see if they sell AR shotguns and if they know the laws in your state related to the shotguns.
Best AR-style shotguns:
One AR shotgun to consider is the Rock Island Armory VR80.
It has a 3-inch chamber and a 20-inch barrel.
The shotgun has flip-up sights and M-LOK and Picatinny rails. It comes with a 5-round magazine.
The VR80 sells for $700 new.
The good thing about Rock Island is that there are plenty of aftermarket parts.
Another option to look at is the Panzer Arms AR-12.
It has a 20-inch barrel, flip-up sights, and two 5-round magazines.
The Panzer has Picatinny rails and sells for about $300. It’s a more cost-effective AR shotgun.
And a third option to check out is the Omega Arms AR-12.
It has an adjustable gas system and a 5,000-round warranty from the manufacturer.
It has a 20-inch barrel and a 5-round magazine capacity.
The Omega AR-12 sells for about $700 new.
If you love the AR platform, it’s worth checking out an AR-style shotgun.
They are different from the shotguns most people are familiar with, but it’s a good kind of difference if you like the design of the AR.
Whatever style shotgun you choose, it’s one of the few firearms I recommend everyone has on-hand for home defense.
