As in any other shooting discipline, good defensive shotgunning requires proper technique.

I remain a staunch advocate of the 12-gauge shotgun for defense--home or otherwise. While it is true that the 5.56mm carbine has made great inroads in the American law enforcement community, few agencies that adopt or approve this weapons system scrap the traditional police scattergun. There is a very good reason for this: The shotgun is incredibly effective.

If there is one handheld weapon that is more likely than others to offer a one-shot stop of a hostile opponent, it would be "the gauge" or "12 banger" as it is known on the street. During my almost three decades in law enforcement, I spent seven years working in the county jail. While I hated every minute of it, I now realize that it was educational because it allowed me to spend time around my potential adversary.

One of the things I heard over and over from prisoners was their respect for and fear of the shotgun. One inmate who was incarcerated for murder and drug-trafficking charges told me: "A determined man with a 'gauge' should not be messed with. That gun can cut you in half!"

Okay, so the gun won't actually cut you in half, but in a situation where a potentially hostile individual has forcibly entered your home and you have confronted him in an effort to protect your family members from death or serious physical injury, you need to stop the attack quickly and decisively. In my opinion, there's no gun that can do this with greater effectiveness than the 12-gauge shotgun.

Law enforcement professionals train with their shotguns to become proficient. Home-defense users likewise need to spend as much range time as possible.

I use a Remington 870 Express pump that I bought at Wal-Mart. Many will ask why I use a "budget" gun for this purpose while, as a gun writer, I certainly have access to a wide variety of guns. The answer is that the 870 Express is all I need.

I have long subscribed to what I call the SIG principle: Simple Is Good. If I can meet my needs without superfluous extras that cost more money--great! The 870 Express is a four-shot, pump gun with an 18-inch barrel and synthetic stock and fore-end that is reliable in the extreme. The only additions that I have made to the gun is an XS Sight tritium dot front sight (which I glued over the factory bead using J.B. Weld) and a piece of Weaver rail that I screwed and glued under the front edge of the fore-end. This allows me to slide an Insight Technology M3 light onto the gun.

The shotgun and buckshot combination is deadly, but it's important to experiment with loads and chokes to find the pairing that shoots the tightest patterns.

For those who want a gun that is a bit more advanced, I would look at the guns that are designed for law enforcement and military operations. Guns designed for this purpose are perfect choices for any defensive function.

The Remington 870 and 11-87 Police guns are two of my favorites. The 870 is a street-proven design that has saved the lives of police officers and military personnel the world over. The 11-87 is a semiauto 12 gauge that has a gas system that's tweaked for defensive/law enforcement loads. The Remington guns come with a variety of sights (bead, rifled or ghost ring), magazine capacities and other related accessories.

Mossberg also has a law enforcement/military line that is built around its pump-action 500 and 590 series. These guns are well built and will stand up to rough use. Like the Remington models, guns from Mossberg are also available with a selection of sights and other accessories, as well as that wonderful tang-mounted safety that will meet the needs of most anyone interested in home defense.