THE DAILY FUDD: E43/44: "More on the fudd defensive semi-dream arm: Mossberg 500 in .410 -- And a word on the Henry Axe and others."

In TDF 42 yesterday, I in passing announced plans for a post listing some fudd-ish options for baseline defense. The problem is, there are so many options out there listed, but so few actually available in the current situation, that a list would be neither complete nor usable. So I'll repeat TDF 14 and discuss or reference some (relatively) common comparable alternatives.

NOTE: I am not in any way compensated by Mossberg for this, though I am quite readily for sale, should it interest them.

Really. I'm just mercenary enough.

Cats, Guns, and National Security: THE DAILY FUDD: E14: "Best fudd--and firearm--all-around? (Substitute honorific for Greatest American President)."   https://catsgunsandnationalsecurity.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-daily-fudd-e14-best-fudd-and.html

Layout 1 (mossberg.com)  https://www.mossberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/MOSSBERG-500-.410-SECURITY-SHOTGUNS.pdf

Yes, this is seemingly the perfect gun if one can have only one and regular CCW is not a factor. While some would see it as a jack of all trades and master of none, they'd inadvertently point out that it has legitimate use across the spectrum in the profession of arms. It WILL defend a home. It WILL serve as a light, compact long gun in a refugee flight, with a LOT of ammo. It WILL be concealable to a certain extent. It WILL leave less ballistic evidence that most rifled arms. It WILL be an arm one can hold up seemingly lower end on the arms scale, yet actually rank among the standards of classic RKBA. And, it DOES quite convincing stand as a modern descendant of the classic "blunderbuss to ward off burglars" of the 1688/89 English Bill of Rights.

Now, regarding the Henry Axe and similar arms: It fits through a semi-technicality to avoid being considered a short-barreled shotgun and thus NFA regulated. That is all fine and good for now, but I am leery of using technicalities to avoid gun laws. "If you think you've gotten around a gun law, you're probably in violation of it." Certainly, the ATF'nE has approved it and arms like it. My own worry is about the future. Shotguns with barrels over 18 inches (18.5 is standard, because ATF'nE plays games with the measuring) are well established--"in common use"--in civilian settings. Indeed, shotguns are far less likely to suffer extreme restrictions, due to anti-gunners often touting them as "acceptable" substitutes for rifles, full-power or PCC, for home defense. But specialty items like the Axe might pose a tempting target sometime. Indeed, California long ago categorically banned such weapons. Part of TDF's philosophy is to anticipate without paranoia future actions and threats, and lean on the side of caution.

For more on this, see the discussion of this and .410 revolvers in TDF 28: "A fudd set that should appeal to both sides--plus having a 'political' symbolism."

  https://catsgunsandnationalsecurity.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-daily-fudd-e28-fudd-set-that-should.html  

In truth, the best gun to have is whatever gun you CAN have. Today, that means whatever is on the gun shop's shelf. If you're not armed now, you waited too long. For you Christians out there, you were a foolish virgin (Matthew 25:1ff), and the door to the wedding supper is all but closed. Maybe you can get "oil" from those who prepared and were ready. Indeed I recently chose to set an example and sold a small chunk of ammunition. But there's only so much to share, with some 13 trillion rounds in this country, and the firearms themselves... Well, find out what retail was a year ago, triple it, and that will make a decent starting offer. STARTING offer.

Take what you can get, and with all the terms attached. (No, I won't cite Luke 22 here, as the historical context makes its application too uncertain.)

Truly, all the best.

TDF INDEX: Cats, Guns, and National Security: THE DAILY FUDD index.  https://catsgunsandnationalsecurity.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-daily-fudd-index.html