I have been using a shotgun since I was a young kid, and to this day it is my preferred tool for most of my hunting and recreational shooting, and it is my absolute go-to long arm for self-defense. Nearly everyone in America can tell you how destructive a shotgun can be, and most would recognize the distinct sound of a pump-action shotgun chambering a round. While I do not agree that this sound alone should be counted on to scare off home intruders, I will say that the presence of a shotgun should give any half-intelligent bad guy reason to reconsider his actions. While the shotgun may not be the best tool for every situation, particularly because of its limited range and increasing pattern size, I feel that every gun owner should own at least one quality shotgun. A good pump-action shotgun is easy to use, hard to jam, and deadly - but don't let that stop you from seeking professional training on its use.
The inherant problem with a home defense shotgun, as opposed to the relatively small home defense handgun, is safe storage. Small safes of various styles and security levels make storing a handgun within reach easy and cost-effective. A shotgun with an 18" (or longer) barrel does not fit so easily into a nightstand. Storing a shotgun between the mattress, in a closet, behind a door, or above a door are places that you will often find these long guns in a home. The problem with all of those places is not only a concern with safety and youth, but of unauthorized access by adults and theft. Here in Arizona, and throughout much of the United States, you can be held liable for any crime committed with your firearms if it is found that you did not secure it safely enough. But keeping a shotgun in a large safe, with time-consuming locks, or in a wall safe, which are costly and can be difficult to install, just may not be an option for the prepared and response-minded citizen. ShotLock has solved those problems and brought us their new wall and vehicle mountable quick access shotgun safe.
It was easy to change the combo to a desired setting. There are 5 numbered buttons and a Lock / Unlock / Clear knob. I chose a well-known combo in our family that is easy to enter under stress, and once I got it mounted it was simple to install the foam interior and then hang my shotgun in it.A semi-auto or O/U shotgun is kept in place using trigger blocks, but my pump-action shotgun is kept in place with a small insert that goes into the chamber. This way I can fill the magazine tube, pull the pump back and place a shell on the feed tray, and then hang the shotgun in the safe with the installed insert in the chamber. Enter combo, open door, grab shotgun, let the weight of it slide the pump forward which chambers a round. Quick, easy, and ready-to-go. I've already been training both myself and my wife in this process, doing the entire process slow and methodically, then in the dark, and even under simulated stress. Training with new methods is just as important as the methods themselves.
Is the ShotLock the answer for your situation? It just may be. The safe can also be mounted horizontally and in a vehicle, and even though the price may make some shrink back a little - $169.00 - I found that the build quality and security level is very high. Easy to conceal in a closet or room, quick access code entry, and yet securely stored, the Shotlock works very well for my situation. Even though it isn't perfect, it's certainly better than most other options - especially the option of insecurely storing it where kids or thieves may have access to it.
Stay Aware, Stay Safe, Train Hard.
-Glen Stilson
