by Nick Klementzos
In the great state of Illinois, our benevolent overlords in Springfield don’t trust you — the unwashed, gun-clinging bitter clingers — with the most effective tools for protecting your family. Thanks to PICA (the Protect Illinois Criminals Act), they’ve banned the good stuff while criminals laugh and ignore the laws anyway.
If you’ve been living under a rock, crawl out, dust off the dirt, and face reality: PICA is the law, and it sucks. But we’re not helpless. While “assault weapons” are off the menu, good old pump-action shotguns remain perfectly legal and devastatingly effective for home defense.
Why Pump Shotguns Still Rule the Night
Pump shotguns are the blue-collar hero of self-defense: relatively affordable (some Turkish models are downright cheap), stupidly reliable, and so simple even a politician could run one (though they’d probably short-stroke it).
A quality pump — think Mossberg 500/590, Maverick 88, or Remington 870 — costs less than a decent night out in Chicago and will run forever with minimal maintenance.
Short barrels (18-20 inches) make them perfect for navigating hallways and tight spaces without becoming a liability. And here’s the kicker: in real-world encounters, one well-placed shotgun load often ends the fight immediately. I’ve dug through reports and can’t find a single credible case where the bad guy kept coming after eating a solid hit of buckshot or slug at typical home distances. On the other hand, I’ve seen videos of people shot with buckshot and they collapse where they stand.
That distinctive ka-chunk of racking a round? Thanks to Hollywood, everyone understands that sound. Many dirt bags have suddenly remembered urgent appointments elsewhere the second they hear it.
The Not-So-Pretty Truth
Nothing’s perfect. Shotgun ammo is bulky and heavy, so you’re not carrying a bandolier like Rambo.
Recoil is real — Newton’s Third Law doesn’t care about your feelings. Most factory stocks are ridiculously long (13.5-14 inches), turning the gun into a shoulder-punishing club for anyone under 5’8” or smaller-statured family members.
Capacity sucks too: usually 4-5 rounds in the tube. You fight with what’s in the gun.
Contrary to Hollywood magic, a shotgun is not a room-sweeping death ray. Pattern spread is about 1 inch per yard. At 15-18 feet across a bedroom? You’re still looking at an open hand-sized pattern, tops. Aim, people. Missing means you might ventilate your own kid or neighbor instead of the scumbag.
Smart improvements for Land of Lincoln gun owners
Here are some improvements you can make to tip the scales your way for a defensive shotgun.
Reduced recoil slugs and buckshot. Originally designed for female cops, they have mild recoil but remain punishing to whoever’s on the business end of things.
Install a “side saddle.” These will hold four to six extra rounds securely on the receiver, giving you extra bubble gum to go around to the bad people if you’re having a bad day.
Go 20-gauge. Yes, the 12-gauge hits harder on paper, but for home defense the difference is academic. A 20-gauge is lighter to wield, but that lighter gun means you eat a lot of recoil when you pull the trigger. Train confidently and you (and they) will actually hit what they’re aiming at. They’re not going to like the recoil though, but at least they can hold the gun up more easily before the trigger gets pulled.
Fix that stock. Grab a Remington Youth model or Mossberg Bantam for shorter length of pull for teens or smaller women. Or have a gunsmith cut yours down.
Train. Take a defensive shotgun class. One day can turn nervous fumbling into smooth, violent competence. (Hint, hint — this would make a killer GSL course, John.)
Install a sling. With a sling, you don’t have to set your gun down if you need your hands. And you can carry a shotgun relatively unobtrusively with a sling. Unlike a handgun, you can’t stuff it in your pants in a pinch.
Bottom Line
Unlike semi-autos, pumps eat anything you feed them. You run the action, it feeds whatever you give it. No gas system to jam, no finicky reliability issues. Ammo is everywhere — Walmart, Rural King, even hardware stores in real America.
Until we repeal this unconstitutional garbage called PICA and restore our God-given rights, don’t let politicians disarm your family. A proper pump shotgun, in trained hands, remains one of the most effective tools for stopping threats cold.
Buy one. Fit it. Train with it. And sleep a little sounder knowing you’ve got serious stopping power when seconds count.
The fight continues. Stay ready, Illinois.