Hatsan Escort AutoDefend 14" : Great value shotgun!

A good shotgun is a formidable firearm. From birds to hogs, devastating stopping power for defensive use and tons of fun just blasting stuff up with cheap shells no other gun compares to a shotgun’s versatility.
Pump shotguns add to that toughness and reliability, which are highly desirable traits in a gun. They do have an important drawback in my opinion, which is not being semi auto and missing those fast follow up shots with the pull of the trigger.
So what would be an ideal shotgun? A short, handy, reliable auto shotgun that runs well with everything you feed it.
Well, that’s what I was hoping for with my Hatsan Escort AutoDefend.  So far, I haven’t been disappointed. Gas operated “smart valve” . 14” barrel, 4+1 rounds of 12ga, front rail ready to a tactical light. And it cost me 390 bucks NIB.

Hatsan are made in Turkey and some folks incorrectly assume it’s a poorly made cheap gun.
Affordable? Sure, but its well-made and mine has been very reliable so far only having one failure to fully eject with a 28gr shell. The gun was bought brand new so it still needs a few hundred rounds more in to be broken in properly. +30gr shells have been very reliable and work the action with authority.
Not only is this type of gun about ideal for home defense, it’s a ton of fun to shoot. The first Hatsan I used was an 20” model that I used for a shotgun practical shooting class. That gun was also very reliable and made me take a closer look at the brand.
If you have a Hatsan floating around in your local gun store and the guys there cant get them sold, give it a try. For the price, it’s a very competitive auto shotgun.
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”