USA Carry
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Maps
  • State Guides
    • A-E
      • Alabama
      • Alaska
      • American Samoa
      • Arizona
      • Arkansas
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Connecticut
      • Delaware
    • F-J
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Guam
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Iowa
    • K-M
      • Kansas
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maine
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Mississippi
      • Missouri
      • Montana
    • N-O
      • Nebraska
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • North Dakota
      • Northern Marianas
      • Ohio
      • Oklahoma
      • Oregon
    • P-U
      • Pennsylvania
      • Puerto Rico
      • Rhode Island
      • South Carolina
      • South Dakota
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
    • V-Z
      • Vermont
      • Virgin Islands
      • Virginia
      • Washington
      • Washington D.C.
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
      • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Store
  • Deals
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Maps
  • State Guides
    • A-E
      • Alabama
      • Alaska
      • American Samoa
      • Arizona
      • Arkansas
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Connecticut
      • Delaware
    • F-J
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Guam
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Iowa
    • K-M
      • Kansas
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maine
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Mississippi
      • Missouri
      • Montana
    • N-O
      • Nebraska
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • North Dakota
      • Northern Marianas
      • Ohio
      • Oklahoma
      • Oregon
    • P-U
      • Pennsylvania
      • Puerto Rico
      • Rhode Island
      • South Carolina
      • South Dakota
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
    • V-Z
      • Vermont
      • Virgin Islands
      • Virginia
      • Washington
      • Washington D.C.
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
      • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Store
  • Deals
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
USA Carry
No Result
View All Result
  • DAILY GUNS & AMMO DEALS – CLICK HERE!
Home Articles

How to Build a Powerhouse Shotgun on a Budget

Nate Parker by Nate Parker
June 30, 2021
in Articles, General Firearm, Gun Reviews, Home Defense
Reading Time: 3 mins read
How to Build a Powerhouse Shotgun on a Budget
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

What if I told you that another $100 or so could turn that beater of a shotgun into a home defense workhorse? Any shotgun. Would you believe me? Let me walk you through this.

The Stock

The first thing to address is stock length. Most shotguns come from the factory with a 14” length of pull (LOP), which quite honestly is almost always too long. If in doubt, shorter is better in this case.

On a wood-stocked gun, this is nearly a free upgrade if your woodworking skills are up to the task. It is pretty straightforward to trim an inch or so off a wood stock with a good handsaw. Slap on a grind to fit Hogue butt pad, breakout the Dremel, or a set of files, and use some elbow grease to get it to the right shape. Done for the price of the butt pad.

Other stock options are the Hogue 12” LOP stock, or the Magpul SGA. Pro-tip though, these aren’t available for every shotgun. Keep that in mind when picking out that beater gun. Aftermarket support matters if you want to optimize the gun.

See It Better

Most cheaper shotguns come with small bead sights that are hard to see. Especially in less than ideal lighting conditions, and when in a hurry. There are a few approaches that we can take here to get an easier-to-see sight.

Marble Arms makes several options that range from $15 for a non-illuminated bead to $35-ish for a tritium sight. These are meant to replace existing beads and screw into the same hole, so you have to know what thread pattern your existing bead is. These also have to be “timed” to the gun. It is easier said than done. Trust me.

The next option is the XS Big Dot. XS makes a sight that is epoxied over the existing bead. It is available for both vent rib guns and beads mounted directly on the barrel. While it is probably the easiest option to install, it is also the most expensive at around $75.00.

Put Ammo On It

To finish rounding this thing out, we need a side saddle. The rule of thumb is that shotguns are brought to the party with the ammunition in them and on them. It is rare that the user will have spare ammo on their person. While shotguns tend to be a conclusive solution when well employed, a little extra just in case is never a bad idea.

The old school standard for side saddles is the TacStar. While it isn’t a perfect solution, it has been around forever and is serviceable. You just have to find one available for your gun. This goes back to making sure to buy a shotgun with good aftermarket support.

Being the cheapskate that I am, I usually roll a strip of heavy-duty adhesive velcro and a $20 Vang Comp Systems shell card. The Vang shell card is the most robust velcro and elastic-based carrier I am aware of. This method is also universal, it will go on any shotgun, and for cheap too.

The Cost

With a little shopping and the correct combination of parts, $100 will get you one heck of a shotgun. Next, get some ammo and good training. 

Tags: shotguns
Nate Parker

Nate Parker

Nate spends his days trying to find ways to afford more ammo. Nate is a performance driven shooter with over 400 hours of formal firearms instruction, dabbles in local handgun matches, and teaches the occasional shotgun class.

Next Post
Concealed Carrier Stops 2 Armed Robbers at Papa John's; Killing One

Concealed Carrier Stops 2 Armed Robbers at Papa John's; Killing One

4 2 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Connect with
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect with
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Please login to comment
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Previous Post

Constitutional Carry Bill Vetoed by Louisiana Governor

Next Post

Concealed Carrier Stops 2 Armed Robbers at Papa John’s; Killing One

Related Posts

Paste Faster, Not Harder: My Review of the Paster Pooper Paster Gun
Gear Reviews

Paste Faster, Not Harder: My Review of the Paster Pooper Paster Gun

June 26, 2025
Armed Citizen Fires at Robbers After Woman Pistol-Whipped & Robbed in Chicago, Suspects Flee Unharmed
Defensive Gun Uses

Armed Citizen Fires at Robbers After Woman Pistol-Whipped & Robbed in Chicago, Suspects Flee Unharmed

June 25, 2025
Summer Concealed Carry: How to Stay Armed in the Heat
Concealed Carry

Summer Concealed Carry: How to Stay Armed in the Heat

June 24, 2025
Wayne Church Attacker Run Over by Member, Shot by Security
Defensive Gun Uses

Wayne Church Attacker Run Over by Member, Shot by Security

June 23, 2025

© 2025 USA Carry LLC

Navigate Site

  • State Guides
  • Maps
  • Articles
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Store
  • Deals
  • Giveaway
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps
  • Concealed Carry Permit Guides By State
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • American Samoa
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Guam
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Northern Marianas
    • Ohio
    • Oklahoma
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Puerto Rico
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • Virgin Islands
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • Washington D.C.
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Giveaway
  • Store
  • Daily Deals
  • Contact

© 2025 USA Carry LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps
  • Concealed Carry Permit Guides By State
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • American Samoa
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Guam
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Northern Marianas
    • Ohio
    • Oklahoma
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Puerto Rico
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • Virgin Islands
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • Washington D.C.
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Giveaway
  • Store
  • Daily Deals
  • Contact

© 2025 USA Carry LLC

wpDiscuz
0
0
Join the conversation, please comment.x
()
x
| Reply
You are going to send email to

Move Comment
Gun Deals
Gun.Deals